Life on the road, be it for work or pleasure, comes with its own unique challenges. Take the hassle out of travel and enjoy the journey more with these handy gadgets.
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Look smart
Travelers will love Snapchat’s second-gen, water-resistant Snap Spectacles 2 eyewear line. They look like classy sunglasses, but these Wi-Fi-enabled devices can capture up to 4GB of high-definition photos, videos and audio—even underwater. Save the best shots to your Snapchat account or smartphone. The included case doubles as a battery charger. $200. spectacles.com.
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Sharing is caring
Travel photos and videos are the best. Store, share and protect them with Amber Plus, a 4TB all-in-one storage device that operates like your own private, hack-proof cloud service. Save your vacation memories to the device, then stream them to virtually anyone, anywhere and on any device. $650. myamberlife.com.
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The big picture
The Nebula Capsule Projector is only about the size of a soda can, but it packs a lot into a small package. This smart, handy gadget projects a razor-sharp, 100-inch image onto any surface, and it rocks the house with a built-in 360-degree speaker, meaning you won’t miss any of your favorite shows or streaming movies while you’re on the road. $350. (800) 988-7973; seenebula.com.
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Eye in the sky
Want spectacular footage of your travels or help scoping out the perfect fishing spot? The carbon-fiber Parrot ANAFI Quadcopter Drone is equipped with a wide-angle camera, HDR, and up to 2.8 times digital zoom, capturing spectacular 4K videos and snaps from above. Bonus: It folds to slip in your backpack. $900. (877) 972-7768; parrot.com.
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Time of your life
Perfect for a day at the beach or a night on the town, the Oskron Gear Smartwatch looks like an elegant analog timepiece but offers discrete digital notifications like a smart watch. Stay connected while you play the part of carefree traveler. $510. oskron.com.
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Baby talk
It’s never easy leaving a new baby at home, but you’ll travel with far less separation anxiety with the Miku Smart Baby Monitor. It wirelessly tracks your infant's breathing, sounds and sleeping patterns while it streams real-time HD video and audio to your phone. And when it’s nap time, the device allows you to play lullabies, soothing sounds and whisper “good night” to your precious little one, thanks to a two-way talk function. $399. 833-275-6458; mikucare.com.
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Off the grid
Designed to keep Android or iOS devices connected even when there is no cellular service, goTenna Mesh lets campers communicate while off the grid. This pocket-sized device uses Bluetooth-LE to pair with a smartphone, enabling users to share messages and locations up to 4 miles. $180. (718) 360-0957; gotenna.com.
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Let’s roll
End the fruitless search for charging ports with the Away Carry-On roller bag. A built-in rechargeable battery pack lets you top off your mobile devices on the fly. This hard-shell case also comes standard with a TSA-approved combination lock, 360-degree wheels, an interior compression system and a hidden laundry bag. $225. (888) 428-2118; awaytravel.com.
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Game on
If you’re a gamer and can't stand to be without your console while traveling, check out Gamevice, a detachable controller with a classic D-pad, twin triggers, A-B-X-Y buttons, and dual analog sticks, which turn your iOS mobile phone or tablet into a sophisticated arcade-style, zero-lag mobile gaming system. $75 to $100 depending on device. (888) 997-4544; gamevice.com.
Tech journalist David Novak is editor of GadgetGram.com. Prices and availability are subject to change. Inclusion in this column is not an endorsement by South Carolina Living or any S.C. electric cooperative.