Features

Magic touch

27 Nov 2014 by GrahamSmith

You may think your tablet is all singing and all dancing – but there is nothing that can’t be improved upon. Caramel Quin suggests accessories and apps to super-boost your device


1. Osprey Cyber Port

The Cyber Port rucksack lets you use your tablet without taking it out of the bag. Unzip the front flap and the iPad will be facing you, ready to use yet protected behind a touchscreen-friendly window. Whether you’re on public transport or queuing at passport control, you won’t be in a rush to put it away. The 18-litre bag also has a padded laptop sleeve and plenty of pockets inside.


2. RAVPower WD02 FileHub

The size of a pack of cards, this versatile gizmo has a 6,000mAh battery, which is enough to recharge your smartphone two or three times over. It also features USB and SD card slots that let your devices wirelessly access memory cards and portable hard drives. Plus, it’s a “travel router” – plug it into a wired internet connection in a hotel or conference room and it creates a private wifi network that multiple devices can share at the same time.


3. Olloclip 4-in-1

These clever clip-on lenses are available in various versions to fit recent iPads and iPhones, as well as the Samsung Galaxy S4 and S5. The wide-angle lens doubles the field of vision your camera can capture and the fisheye produces striking 180-degree images. Get close to subjects for stunning detail shots with the 10x and 15x macro lenses – all in a package that fits in the palm of your hand.


4. Griffin Survivor

Griffin makes seriously tough cases for iPhones, iPads and all major Android brands. Survivor Slim cases protect against drops of up to two metres and offer screen protection. Survivor All Terrain cases meet military standards thanks to a shatter-resistant polycarbonate frame clad in impact-absorbing silicone – protecting against dirt, sand, rain and vibration.


5. Bowers and Wilkins T7

British audio manufacturer Bowers and Wilkins has launched its first-ever Bluetooth speaker, which is compatible with any brand of smartphone or tablet. It’s the size of a hardback book, weighs less than 1kg and boasts an impressive 18-hour battery. What’s more, the honeycomb design is more than merely an aesthetic addition – it reduces resonance for a cleaner, more precise sound.


6. Belkin QODE Ultimate Pro Keyboard Case

This is both a case and a keyboard for the iPad Air 2, turning your super-slim tablet into a touchscreen laptop. Its small size is perfect for travel, backlit keys let you work in the dark and you can pair it with two devices at once – receive a text on your phone and you can type a response quickly before returning to work on your iPad. You can even rotate the screen. Battery life is incredible – up to a year.


7. Suck UK Sketch Stylus

The pencil is mightier than the finger. This stylus from East London designer Suck UK is a leaded pencil at one end and a stylus disguised as a rubber at the other. It works on all touchscreen devices and beats a finger hands-down (excuse the pun), whether you’re an artist or a designer, annotating a document with handwritten notes or simply find it easier to navigate the screen with something more precise.


8. Nest Thermostat

This isn’t a gadget to take with you on your travels – it sits in your home and allows you to control the central heating from a distance. Linked to an app on your smartphone or tablet, you can turn it off completely when you’re travelling but programme it to turn on a few hours before you get home to warm the place up. You’ll save a fortune on bills and need never return to Siberian conditions again.


9. Twelve South BookBook Travel Journal

This travel case has enough pouches and elastic straps to carry all your travel essentials, including an iPad. The neat little package zips up to resemble a vintage leather-bound book. It works with all iPads, whether or not they have a smart cover on, and also has space for chargers and headphones, even large ones, as long as the ear cups fold flat. You’ll never have to rummage through your carry-on again.


10. Mophie Juice Pack Universal Reserve

Small and stylish, this matchbox-sized emergency battery charger may not have a huge capacity, but its 1,350mAh is enough to get you out of a pickle. Its handy size also means you can always carry it with you (just remember to keep it charged). It is available in two models: Lightning, for recent iPhones and iPads; and Micro, for non-Apple devices that charge via a micro USB.


11. Plantronics BackBeat GO 2

Listen to your music or take calls discreetly with these “wireless” earbuds – there’s a lead that links them together but they connect to your smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth. The headphones cost £59, or for £64 you can get a pack that includes a ballistic nylon rechargeable case, which has a micro-USB port on the bottom. This handy pouch extends battery life from 4.5 hours to a more long-haul-friendly 14.5 hours.


12. Sony DSC QX10

This gadget looks like it belongs on a single-lens reflex but it’s actually a fully fledged digital camera without the display. You clip it to your phone (Apple or Android) and connect cable-free via NFC or wifi. The QX10 can even be detached for awkward angles and high-quality selfies. Results from its 10x optical zoom, 18-megapixel sensor and high-definition video are vastly superior to a smartphone camera.


13. Go Travel USB Charging Cables

We’ve all found ourselves buying a charger or adaptor at the airport after a packing fail. If you’re going to pick one up, get a retractable one and cut down on tangles. The Go Travel is available as a Lightning-only cable for recent iPhones and iPads, or a Universal one with three interchangeable connectors: micro and mini USB plus 30-pin Apple for older iPhones and iPads.


14. Holger Bags

These bags have a high-tech secret – a built-in 3,600mAh travel charger, so your smartphone or tablet need never run out of juice. The Junior bag is a satchel just big enough for an iPad. The larger, briefcase-style Senior and Backpack can fit a 13-inch laptop. All are made from laminated plastic finished with leather in a choice of five colours.


15. Celluon Epic

Not everyone finds it easy to type on touchscreen devices, but this sci-fi travel keyboard, which is the size of a small box, will enable you to do so with ease. It uses lasers to project a full-size QWERTY keyboard on to any flat surface, while an infrared beam detects your fingers hitting the virtual keys. Epic connects to your device (Apple, Android, Blackberry or Windows XP) wirelessly via Bluetooth and has a two-hour battery life.


TRAVEL APPS

Uber Find a taxi in more than 40 countries with Uber’s app, which connects passengers with nearby drivers. It even predicts the fare and sorts out billing. It offers luxury vehicles, ordinary cars to rival mini cabs, and now Uber XL for people carriers. Free; iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows Phone

Quicket A flight-organising app that books and manages tickets, scans boarding passes and tracks flights. Its most unusual feature is social, allowing you to check in and see your fellow passengers’ Facebook profiles. Free; iPhone, iPad, Android

Lingua.ly This innovative application lets you collect and learn new words from any website and access them from every computer and phone you use. You can even create games and flashcards to help you to retain new vocabulary. It supports more than 18 languages. Free; iPhone, iPad, Android

Lodgeo Launched in September, this app allows you to find and book rooms in more than 800,000 hotels, comparing prices from over 100 different websites (such as expedia.com) to get the best deal. Free; iPhone, iPad (Android coming soon)

Wifi Finder Data roaming charges can be extortionate, so fire up this app and spend just a few pennies on data as you use it to find your nearest wifi hotspot. It lists more than 550,000 locations in 144 countries worldwide. Free; iPhone, iPad, Android

Emirates Launched in November, the new Emirates iPhone app allows you to check in online, book flights, download boarding passes, check your Skywards mileage balance and receive push notifications about gate changes. The airline unveiled its iPad app earlier in the year. Free; iPad, iPhone (Android coming soon)

PackPoint Create packing lists for your business trips and holidays, with the option of checking the weather and highlighting the activities you will be doing to ensure you don’t forget anything vital. Simply select male or female, your destination and length of stay, and tick the items you want to take. Free; iPhone, iPad, Android

Manything This app turns an old, disused iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch into a security camera for your home or hotel room. It detects movement and streams live video so you can then keep an eye on what’s going on via your current Apple device, from wherever you are. Free; iPhone, iPad

Audiotrip When you visit a city for business, you may get only an hour to two to explore it for pleasure. That’s where this interesting new app comes in, offering expert audio tours that guide you along a route as they bring the city to life in stories. Free; iPhone, iPad, Android

Expensify An essential app for business travel. Photograph a receipt and Expensify will read the figures and add them instantly to the relevant expense report. It can also track time and mileage, and will even import credit card transaction data. Free; iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows Phone, Blackberry

Readly This new all-you-can-eat service costs £10 a month and gives you access to more than 700 magazines and 9,000 issues in digital version. Your family can also share a single subscription across up to five devices. Free; iPhone, iPad, Android, Microsoft Surface RT, Kindle Fire

Quintessentially Lifestyle Even if you’re not a member of this luxury lifestyle management and concierge service, you can benefit from its free app. Its curated lists feature the finest restaurants, hotels, spas, bars and nightclubs, plus the inside scoop on nearby sights and hidden gems. Free; iPhone, iPad, Android

Jetsmarter This free app allows you to hail a private plane the way you’d flag down a taxi – it’s Uber but for jets. You can search more than 3,000 aircraft worldwide, request flights and pay. “Empty leg” deals let you fly for up to 70 per cent less than chartering a private jet. Free; iPhone, iPad, Android

Pocket Earth Getting your location via GPS doesn’t incur data roaming charges – it’s the map downloads that eat up your data allowance. Download Pocket Earth maps in advance or via wifi to give you voice-guided, turn-by-turn navigation. Free; iPhone, iPad

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