Gadgets The Global Nomad Needs To Carry

Ok, so I’m a gadget geek. I love bright, shiny and new my pal James Body of Truphone likes to say. So today I’m going to take you through some essentials that you can’t be without when you’re on the road.

Making the Room Wireless

WiFi Travel Router-The make and model doesn’t really matter. I carry both an Apple Airport Express and an Asus travel router each set to different IP address blocks to deal with how hotels and corporate apartments configure their networks. The bottom line is a good travel router, with the ability to change power plugs and a retractable Ethernet cord from Belkin make any place I stay wireless, even when the hotel doesn’t offer it, or as is the case in some hotels, the wired is a far better network connection based on where the room is located.

We Need More Power

Multi Outlet Extension/Surge Protector-Outlets in hotel rooms are not always plentiful, nor are they surge resistant. Enter the neat and compact Targus 4 outlet surge protector. For under $20.00 I now can plug in my laptop and cell phone next to the bed, and sleep peacefully, work from the bed and not have to go running across the room to find the phone.

Staying Connected Anywhere

There are a multitude of ways to get online when you’re mobile these days. All the major cellular operators now offer some form of 3G data plans. Some require cards that slip into your PCMCIA or Express Card slot or a USB dongle. But while that’s good when your solo, sometimes you need to share the connections too. Here are a few options that will make your working anywhere experience easier.

In the USA Verizon Wireless and Sprint both offer a 3G experience using data cards or over some select mobile phones. Verizon may offer the most complete array of access methods, and while very good for the USA based road warrior, once you leave the USA the CDMA network from Verizon lacks any real global roaming options away from North America. Still their Broadband Access platform is a great choice to be able to be Working Anywhere.

Sprint comes close to mirroring Verizon in access methods. They both offer CDMA based access, but my issue with them both is how the proxy data, making some aspects of Working Anywhere a challenge, like using VoIP or Video Conferencing. Still, for basic email, web surfing and Instant Messaging, as well as many other Internet based applications, their products work and deliver a quality experience.

AT&T may be the best option around though, especially if you buy an unlocked 3G modem. I use the Novatel Wireless MC950D USB HSUPA/HSDPA/UMTS/EDGE/GPRS data card that works anywhere in the world if you purchase an unlocked unit versus the carrier specific models from AT&T or your local mobile operator. What’s great about an unlocked one is I can simply insert a SIM card in places like the UK or Spain and take advantage of 3G data and be Working Anywhere.

If you buy a USB data card, regardless of carrier, the Cradlepoint Personal Hotspot PHS-300 is a wonderful solution for sharing the wireless Internet connection. Since it has a self contained battery, it’s also very useful when you’re not near a power outlet, and need to use your laptop or WiFi enabled device to do something over the Internet.

Another way to go is with Joiku Spot, an ingenious piece of software that turns your 3G data enabled mobile phone into a WiFi Hotspot ANYWHERE. I opted for the Premium edition, and have found it to work as promised. It’s a great way to tether your laptop to phones like the Nokia E71 or N95, as well as many others.

Can You Hear Me?

Headsets and speakerphones can be really good or really bad. Three that I find to work very well include the Iqua Sun Bluetooth headset, the Polycom Speakerphone C100 or C100S and the Plantronics Virtual Phonebooth headset. All provide exceptional tonal quality and won’t make you sound like you’re under water.