GADGET GIZMO/TRAVEL SPECIAL.... ONE FOR THE ROAD

 ONE FOR THE ROAD





Whether you're a corporate road warrior, or taking off on a vacation, here are some fantastic new gadgets that should be in your luggage...

9.7-INCH IPAD PRO | Rs. 49,900 onwards

If “Free Wi-Fi“ is an important part of your hotel booking, you're probably the sort that travels with a whole bunch of devices to stay connected. But if you're going on a holiday , or perhaps a short business trip, you might want to consider the new 9.7-inch iPad Pro as your travel companion of choice. Why?
Well, weighing under 450g, this newest Apple slate is the lightest and slimmest tablet there is (so it won't add too much to your luggage), but it still manages to pack in some serious hardware.Purring under its hood is Apple's proprietary 64-bit A9X chip and M9 coprocessor that can handle practically any productivity or entertainment task you toss at it, including the editing of multiple 4K video streams simultaneously .

Add the Apple Pencil (`8,600) to the mix, and you get a device with seamless stylus support, whether it's for jotting down notes, annotating presentations, or even sketching your scenic holiday surroundings.

Over and above that, Apple's Smart Keyboard (`13,900) adds a whole new level of utility to the tablet.It attaches to the device firmly via magnetic connectors.After which, you can format text, touch type when working on documents and e-mails, and even use keyboard shortcuts like you would on a laptop. The keyboard is waterand stain-resistant, and is designed to provide a solid base to the tablet. This means you can use the iPad ProSmart Keyboard combination just like a laptop: On a table top, or even your lap without worrying about it keeling over or getting detached. When not in use, the keyboard doubles up as a cover for the iPad's screen.

The four speakers on the device are capable of balanced sound, with solid bass, while its 12MP rear camera is also capable of shooting 4K videos. Up front, you get a 5MP camera that works well for FaceTime and Skype video chats, as well as a 2048x1536-pixel (QXGA) touchscreen display for crisp text and vibrant graphics.

Then, of course, the iPad is known for its fantastic mix of apps and entertainment, whether its games, music, movies, or even productivity suites such as Microsoft's Office 365.

It definitely does not hurt that the Pro comes with preinstalled apps like Pages for word processing, Numbers for spreadsheets, Keynote for presentations, iMovie for video editing, and GarageBand for music composition.

Simply , it's a device that the kids can use for entertainment, and something you can use for productivity ­ all while giving you nearly 10 hours of work and or play on a single charge.

Indeed, the 9.7-inch iPad Pro something you could ditch your laptop for on those short business trips, especially when you need to travel light with just an overnight bag.

http:www.apple.cominipad-pro

CHECKSMART LUGGAGE TRACKER | Rs. 6,900

If you've ever had your bags misplaced by airlines, you will appreciate the CheckSmart Luggage Tracker from Victorinox. This palmsized gizmo is powered by dual alkaline AA batteries and uses GSM cell towers at airports to track your luggage's location.

Setting it up requires you to create an account ­ enter your e-mail address and mobile number, and register your tracker via its unique serial number ­ on the Victorinox website. You will also need to install the CheckSmart app on your Android or iOS phone and sign in to it with your ID.

After that, whenever you travel, simply turn on the device, and place it into your luggage. The tracker independently puts itself into sleep mode to conform with airline regulations and wakes upon landing. After arrival, you will receive a notifica tion of the bag's location by e-mail and text message. A single app can be used to manage multiple trackers, depending on the pieces of luggage you need to locate.

It should be noted that CheckSmart does not use GPS, and is dependent on the worldwide database of GSM cell tower information.This is because GPS generally does not oper ate within airport terminals and baggage loading areas. Also, the tracker does not work in countries such as Japan and South Korea that do not use GSM networks.

The device comes with a two-year warranty , and you get a free subscrip tion to the service for the first year, after which you will have to pay an annual service fee of $20. That said, the CheckSmart Luggage Tracker will immediately notify you of your baggage's location as soon as you have landed, thus saving you the trauma of having to deal with clueless airline staff.

http:www.victorinox.com

PORTRONICS ELECTROPEN 3 | Rs. 5,399

The Portronics Electropen 3 ­ comprising a wireless receiver and a stylus that uses a regular ball-point refill ­ is a combination gadget that's built for the business traveller. It allows users to scribble notes and diagrams on a paper page, and converts it into a digital diagram on the fly.

All you have to do is install the Elec tropen 3 app on your Android smart phone, pair it via Bluetooth with the receiver, and then clip the latter to any A4 or A5 page.

The receiver, on detecting the stylus nearby , will scan whatever you write or draw and transmit it onto your app's can vas. You can also use the app to create a video capture ­ along with audio notes ­ of whatever you draw on the paper.

The app also includes basic pen tools where you can choose ink colour, pen thickness and even draw simple shapes on the canvas. You can even annotate copy by importing images from the phone's gallery. A screenshot tool saves your work as a JPEG file, which can be shared via e-mail, on social media or instant messengers.

The receiver and pen have built-in rechargeable batteries, which can give you more than a day's worth of service. Additionally , this kit comes with a smart faux leather pen case, which you can carry with you in your shirt pocket.

http:www.portronicsshop.com

FITBIT BLAZE | Rs. 19,999 onwards

Frequent travellers might find it practically impossible to keep their gym appointments, but if you're keen on keeping tabs on your health, then consider the Fitbit Blaze. This health tracker takes the form of a smartwatch to delivers details of all your physical activity right on your wrist.

Its SmartTrack feature rec ognizes if you are hiking, running or playing sports and records all that activity to your Fitbit account, allow ing you to see how it stacks up against your weekly exercise goals. You can also use the Blaze's `mul ti-sport' mode to record activities like biking, cardio exercises, running, weights and yoga to receive real-time performance stats.

Besides, its PurePulse technology works constantly to track your heart rate, measure the calories you have burned during physical activities, and provide all-day insights into overall health. And since adequate rest plays a big role in fitness, this `smartwatch' also measures the duration and quality of your sleep at night.

A feature that most folk will find extremely useful is the on-screen workout: You can switch to the FitStar mode on the Blaze to get step-bystep instructions ­ with accompanying graphics ­ that will run you through warm up exercises, 7-, and 10-minute workout sessions. And as you follow these simple routines, the app measures the number of calories you have burned, your average and maximum heart rate, as well as the total duration of your workout. It's almost like having your gym coach with you at all times.

Of course, like all smartwatches, the Blaze displays call and text notifications from your connected smartphone; it serves you with calendar alerts, and you can even control music playback and sound volume right from the watch itself.

The device even uses your phone's GPS to map your joggingcycling route and displays it to you when your handset is within range. A full battery gives you around 3-4 days of fitness monitoring, so you don't have to bother about charging the Blaze every day .

Plus, you can always use its smartphone apps for Android and iOS for a quick view of your fitness stats, as well as to challenge friends and family to a healthier lifestyle.

http:www.fitbit.cominblaze

KINDLE OASIS | Rs. 23,999 onwards

Few things beat a good paperback to pass time at an airport, on a long-haul flight, or when you're laying under a beach umbrella while on vacation. But packing multiple novels in your luggage might seem like an unnecessary indulgence. Well, consider the Kindle Oasis. This new e-book reader ­ 3.4mm at its thinnest edge and weighing just 131gms ­ is the slimmest and lightest of e-readers yet.It comes with a crisp (300ppi), 6-inch, front-lit display (with adjustable illumination), so you can read books even in dark environs without any strain on your eyes.

To make the Oasis comfortable to hold, the bulk of its electronics are placed on one side to create an ergonomic handgrip. What you also get are dedicated `page turn' buttons located on the front of the handgrip, as well as a touchscreen display for easy navigation.

The Oasis is also the first Kindle e-reader that automatically rotates pages a full 180-degrees on the screen, depending on the hand you're gripping it with.

Plus, it comes with a leather cover that's equipped with a secondary battery , which magnetically snaps onto the device to extend its battery life from a few weeks to a few months.

Voracious readers will appreciate a book catalogue of over three million titles, as well as software features like `Whispersync' that saves your last page read across all of your Kindle devices and apps, `Goodreads' that helps with book recommendations, `Time to Read' which tells you how much time it will take to finish a book based on your reading speed, and `Smart Lookup' for access to dictionary meanings, and other reference information via Wikipedia.

Well, the Oasis is obviously top of the line when it comes to e-readers, but you could also consider the Kindle Paperwhite (starting at `10,999) and the Kindle Voyage (starting at `16,499). Both these devices also come with front-lit, touchscreen displays, 4GB storage (enough to store hundreds of books), a Wi-Fi + 3G variant, and all the software features listed above. With the Voyage you also get PagePress buttons on each side of the bezel for navigation.

http:www.amazon.inkindle-oasis (pre-order)

Savio D'Souza & Ashutosh Desai

TNN

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