#travel-tech

#travel-tech

I'm someone who loves the thrill of rocking up in a foreign country, sitting on a balcony or cafe, and getting some work done. Not only do I enjoy sitting in front of my keyboard with a coffee and a tostada, but I love the technical challenges and pushing my gear a little bit further. I'm currently in Spain, so it's a good time to reflect on my travel work kit and workflow, show you what worked, the things that didn't work, and the couple of things I did that made my life a bit harder.

The Deeper Connect Air is a portable, decentralized VPN router that brings fast, secure, subscription-free browsing wherever they land. And right now, it's available for just $169 (down from $219) with free shipping. Order by Dec. 15 if you want it wrapped and ready in time for Christmas. What makes this device so useful is how much digital stress it removes. Airport Wi-Fi acting sketchy? Hotel network wide open? Café hotspot overloaded? The Deeper Connect Air quietly handles all of that.

I've been using Anker's 25,000mAh / 90Wh power bank ever since a recent power outage left me with no way to charge my smorgasbord of gadgets. I love its versatility, too; it comes with a retractable USB-C cable and a second that doubles as a handle, as well as a USB-A port and an additional USB-C port, allowing you to charge up to four devices simultaneously.

As someone who's constantly on the go (and always shopping on Amazon), I have a soft spot for the little holiday gifts that make travel smoother, especially when they fit perfectly inside a holiday stocking. Sure, unwrapping a big gift is fun, but there's something extra special about discovering a thoughtful gift that your loved one will actually use. I scoured the Amazon Holiday Shop and pulled together a few tried-and-true Travel + Leisure favorites that travelers can't stop raving about.

Klook, a Hong Kong- and Singapore-based travel booking company, is filing for an initial public offering in New York, showing that despite the events of the past year, the U.S. remains a top listing destination for Asian companies. The company, founded in 2014 by Ethan Lin and Eric Gnock Fah, claims to be the largest experience booking platform in Asia by gross transaction volume, with 65 million experiences booked in the twelve months ending Sept. 30. In its IPO prospectus, Klook revealed that it generated $417.1 million in revenue in 2024, a 24% increase. Yet the company isn't profitable, losing $99.3 million last year.

In 2025, flight prices are more unpredictable than ever one day they're sky-high, the next they drop like a rock. Yet a small group of travelers seems to always snag unbelievable deals, booking international flights for the cost of a dinner out. What do they know that the average traveler doesn't? The truth is simple but powerful: they use tools most people don't even know exist.

A single-second pause over a social video can dismantle your algorithm. Even at my best, I can still hesitate over a poorly shot video demonstrating the "latest tech" that I simply "can't live without" and later learn I really could have lived without it. However, by then my feed is already filled with duplicate videos trying to push the same product.

This type of wearable tech uses tiny built-in microphones to pick up ambient noise and sound waves, and then cancels them out with its own sound waves. This process is called active noise cancellation (ANC), and it helps drown out noise, especially consistent, low-frequency sounds like a plane engine or people murmuring around you in busy airports. Most noise-canceling headphones also have a transparency or pass-through mode for when you want to be more aware of your surroundings,

Effective cable management systems significantly reduce clutter, making it easier to access and manage devices and chargers. This strategy enhances organization within the home, facilitating a smoother daily routine.

The DJI Osmo Mobile 7P Vlog Combo is ideal for casual creators, featuring auto-subject tracking, an attached diffused light, and a hidden extension rod for easy selfies.