From pocket printers to smart chargers, Steve Dineen recommends handy add-ons for your gadgets (in no particular order)
1. FUGOO WIRELESS SPEAKER
Sport US$200, Style US$200, Tough US$230; fugoo.com
The Fugoo wireless speaker system will let you blast out your favourite tunes without taking up too much room in your bag (from 5.3cm x 16.5cm x 6.6cm, 461g).
It’s also splash-proof, drop-proof (tested to 6ft), cold- and heat-resistant, and the battery will last a remarkable 40 hours before you need to charge it.
It sounds good, too, with speakers on all four sides ensuring the deep bass will fill any space you’re in. It comes in three skins: the extra-waterproof “Sport”, the cool, canvas “Style”, and the extra-strong “Tough”.
2. WACOM BAMBOO STYLUS FINELINE
£50; wacom.com
If you’re prone to sudden bursts of inspiration, make sure you don’t get caught short – this stylus will let you effortlessly jot down ideas, diagrams and annotations on your tablet or smartphone.
Unlike many rival styluses, which come with thick, rubbery tips, this one has a fine, 1.9mm nib, making it feel more like a regular pen.
It also features palm-rejection technology (in conjunction with supported apps, including the Adobe suite, Autodesk Sketchbook and Notes Plus, sold separately), so you can write with ease.
3. NEST CAM
£159; nest.com
This 11.4cm-tall camera streams live 1080p HD footage from your home straight to your phone when you’re away.
It can be used to keep an eye on your kids, your partners, or just the general security of your residence. It even has activity alerts that let you know when someone steps into the room, as well as night vision.
The device has a three-megapixel sensor, an 8x digital zoom and a 130-degree field of vision. There is also a built-in speaker and microphone.
It’s a spying device but one with benevolent intentions. A Nest Aware subscription (£8-£24 a month) lets you save up to 30 days of footage, storing it in the cloud.
4. CHARGEHUB
US$60; thechargehub.com
The Chargehub is the ultimate travel companion. It allows you to power up to seven USB devices from one universal source – just plug them in and watch the battery bar go green on everything from your wireless headphones to your GoPro camera.
You can also personalise it – the Chargehub station comes in round or square versions (8.9cm x 8.9cm x 3.2cm, 454g) and you can get it in pink, red, purple, blue, black or white.
It’s great for keeping by your bed to charge all your gadgets overnight – and will certainly make your packing easier.
5. CHARGER LEASH
£25; chargerleash.com
Have you ever returned from a trip only to realise you’ve left your charger in your hotel room? Yep, you’re not the only one.
This neat device aims to stop that happening again. The cable (the “Pro” two-in-one version of which has attachments for both micro USB and Apple’s “Lightning” connectors) knows when your device is plugged in and will sound an alarm when you remove it, reminding you to put the charger back in your suitcase.
It also works as an anti-theft device, letting you know if someone is trying to make off with your phone.
6. PHILIPS INRANGE BLUETOOTH SMART LEASH
£18; philips.co.uk
Keep your belongings secure with this smart alarm system. Attach the compact (3cm x 11cm x 12cm, 9g) fob to your luggage, keys or wallet and if they wander anywhere you don’t, an alarm will sound on whatever Apple device you have it synced to.
The companion app (iPhone 4S onwards) will allow you to locate your valuables if you’ve misplaced them by sounding an alarm, so no more searching under desks for your wallet before you check-out. You can also programme “safe times” when the alarm won’t go off.
7. ENERPLEX SOLAR-PANELLED IPHONE 6 CHARGER
US$80; goenerplex.com
Charge your phone while you’re on the move with this solar-panelled protective case.
The Surfr is best used as an additional battery, plugged in at the wall, and will re-juice your device to 100 per cent. The solar panel comes into play when you’re in a real bind.
The manufacturers admit it would take 24 to 34 hours to fully power an iPhone, but it could be invaluable if you just need a few minutes for a vital call. It comes in a range of colours, including pink, purple, orange, blue and green.
8. SAMSUNG PORTABLE SSD T1
£375; samsung.com
No bigger than a business card (7.1cm x 5.3cm x 0.9cm), this tiny external storage device can back up an impressive one terabyte of data, while weighing less than 30g.
It has read/write speeds of 450 Mbps (so it’s fast), USB 3.0, data encryption, and is compatible with both Mac and Windows computers.
With its laser-cut patterning and coal-black metal chassis, it has won numerous awards for its design. Smaller (and, consequently, cheaper) 250GB and 500GB versions are available for £114 and £189 respectively.
9. SWAROVSKI OPTIK IPHONE 6 ADAPTER
£140 (plus £18 for the adapter ring); swarovskioptik.com
This handy adapter is the perfect accessory for Swarovski Optik binocular-wielding nature-lovers who want to capture sightings on their iPhone 6 camera.
It consists of an aluminium frame, which fits around the edges of your phone, and a circular adapter ring (sold separately) that attaches the unit to the binoculars.
It effectively gives your iPhone a telephoto lens, meaning you can get great shots from afar. The frame also protects your phone against bumps and scrapes while you’re in the field.
10. OVERBOARD WATERPROOF CAMERA CASE
£19 (regular), £25 (zoom lens); over-board.co.uk
The beach is an integral part of most holidays but, alas, sea, sand and cameras don’t mix. Save yourself a lot of worry by investing in a waterproof case from OverBoard.
The resealable bag is submersible to six metres and will fit most models, taking the stress out of your marine photography. It has clear windows on the front and rear, so you can ensure you get the best possible snaps.
It’s sand-proof, so you should keep it on while you’re sunbathing on the beach. You can also get sleeves for tablets and phones.
11. EYE TV W
£70; elgato.com
Watch television on your mobile device of choice (iOS or Android) when you are out and about.
This little unit (6.4cm x 1.6cm x 11.cm, 44g) lets you stream Freeview TV without the internet and with no subscription charges. It simply picks the signal out of the air and relays it to your tablet or smartphone via a wifi hotspot.
The rechargeable battery will give you four hours’ continuous use – perfect for long waits in airport lounges.
It comes with an easy-to-use companion app (free to download) so you can navigate channels: never miss an episode of your favourite show again.
12. PETCUBE
US$200; petcube.com
You care about your dog/cat/hamster, right? Then make sure they’re safe when you take a short business trip with Petcube.
The slick aluminium camera (10.2cm x 10.2cm x 10.2cm, 590g) connects to your household wifi and allows you to watch over your four-legged friends from anywhere in the world.
It includes two-way audio through a built-in microphone and speaker, a wide-angle lens, and HD video, which you can watch on your iOS or Android device through the free companion app.
Now there will be no question over who made that mess on the rug.
13. ARCHOS PC STICK
£79; archos.com
You can get a long way with smartphones and tablets, but sometimes you need more. If you want to take the usability of a PC with you without lugging a laptop around, this could be for you.
The HDMI-connected drive will plug into most computer monitors and smart TVs, giving you instant access to a full Windows 10 experience. You can also use a keyboard and mouse, either by USB or Bluetooth.
It has a quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM and will link to wifi networks. Even better, the matchbox-sized device (11.3cm x 3.8cm x 1.4cm, 60g) only costs £79 – a steal.
14. NETATMO JUNE
e130; netatmo.com
This bracelet is wearable technology with a difference: it warns you when you have been exposed to harmful UV rays for too long, protecting your skin from sunburn and potentially even skin cancer.
The Netatmo June is a UV tracker that syncs with an app on your smartphone (iOS or Android). It works out how much time you can spend in the sun and will send notifications to your phone telling you when to cover up.
It also sends reminders to apply sunblock. It comes with a leather strap and a gold-, platinum- or silver-coloured sensor.
15. AK JR
£400; astellnkern.com
When you can fit your entire music collection on your smartphone, the idea of carrying a stand-alone portable music player seems rather anachronistic.
But Astell and Kern continue to provide high-resolution mobile audio for their discerning customers. The firm has just released its most affordable player yet – the AK JR has a sleek, Apple-esque aluminium case and is just 8.9mm thick (it weighs 93g).
It can hold 64GB worth of music (up to 128GB with an additional SD card) and will play your most cherished concertos in gorgeous 24bit/192hKz high-resolution audio.
16. PHORCE FREEDOM LAPTOP BAG
£109; phorce.com
Charge your devices while protecting them from the elements. At 42.5cm x 32cm x 8cm (1.6kg), this canvas bag is big enough to house a 13-inch laptop, as well as papers, smartphones and tablets.
It comes with a battery that gives an extra 60 hours of charge on your iPhone 6, 55 hours for a Samsung Galaxy S6 and nine hours for an iPad Air 2.
It can charge two USB devices at once and is compatible with the 2015 Macbook (nine hours’ extra charge). It also has shoulder straps for when you’re on your bike (don’t worry – it’s waterproof).
17. BOSE QC20 NOISE CANCELLING HEADPHONES
£260; bose.co.uk
Long-haul flights next to screaming kids are the stuff of nightmares, but slip in these in-ear buds, flick the noise-cancelling switch, and you can relax in blissful silence.
The sound quality is excellent and they’re so comfortable you won’t even notice you have them in. They are also very light and small, so won’t take up much room in your bag.
The latest version comes in two sleek new colours– white or black with a blue trim. The noise cancelling lasts 16 hours between charges, after which they revert to being normal headphones.
18. LOGITECH KEYS-TO-GO
£54; logitech.com
Why carry a laptop when you can take your tablet or smartphone and type away on this ultra-portable keyboard?
It is designed for use with Apple products and can be synced over Bluetooth with an iPad, iPhone and Apple TV.
It’s comfortable to use, despite its diminutive size (24.2cm x 13.7cm x 0.6cm, 180g), and the battery lasts a stonking three months between charges, depending on use.
It comes with a durable, splash-proof skin, and is available in blue, red or black. If you often work on the go, this is an invaluable piece of kit for your armoury.
19. ZUTA LABS POCKET PRINTER
US$200; zutalabs.com
My favourite new portable gadget is this ingenious pocket printer that’s like nothing you’ve seen before.
Instead of inserting paper into it, simply place the fist-sized box (10.2cm x 7.5cm, 350g) on to a sheet of paper and watch in awe as it wheels itself back and forth, printing as it goes (it looks a little like a tiny robotic vacuum cleaner).
It connects to your phone, tablet or PC via wifi and the battery will last up to an hour between charges. It’s not exactly practical for office use but for travel emergencies such as printing a forgotten document, it’s priceless.
20. OLLIE THE ROBOT
US$130; store.sphero.com
Travelling doesn’t have to be a chore, especially if you are taking your kids along with you. None of you need ever be bored in an airport again with Ollie, the Bluetooth robot, which can career across terminal floors at up to 14mph.
It’s compatible with Android and iPhone 4S onwards (via a free app), and has a range of up to 30 metres. It’s durable and designed to leap across jumps and perform mid-air tricks.
It comes with a range of tyre options that change how it handles. A single charge lasts 60 minutes – enough time to cause some havoc.
