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Hot, high-tech travel gadgets

By Marc Saltzman
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Money? Check. Identification? Yep. Clean clothes? Uh huh. The necessities of travel haven't changed much over the years, but a number of high-tech toys can help make your upcoming trips more fun, productive and hassle-free. A good camera and/or camcorder is a given, sure, but also consider one or more of these following gadgets, ranging in price from $25 to $500.

Weight a minute

Avoid the embarrassing surprise of the "luggage shuffle" at the airport, where you must shift the contents between two or more suitcases to avoid the excess weight charge. Instead, the Balanzza ($24.95; balanzzastore.com) is the first digital luggage scale that lets you easily weigh your luggage at home or at the hotel before heading to the airport. Simply attach the strap to your luggage, use the handle to lift it up with one or two hands and hold it until you hear a beep.

A smarter smartphone

A smartphone is a must-have companion in today's day and age, as it not only lets you stay in touch with those who matter -- via phone, text, email or IM -- but you've got a web browser at your fingertips, apps for currency conversion and language translation, music and games, GPS navigation, a camera, and much more. A good pick is the HTC Evo 4G ($199.99 with 2-year contract; sprint.com), a powerful Android phone with support for the speedy (and growing) WiMax network.

Check out our HTC EVO 4G Review.

Hit the road, Jack

Not all GPS navigation devices are created equal. The Garmin nuvi 1370T ($239.99; garmin.com), for instance, includes maps for both North America and Europe out of the box. This 4.3-inch dashboard device also features support for Bluetooth (allowing you to chat hands-free via a nearby phone), lifetime traffic alerts in supported cities and a lane assist feature that prepares you for upcoming turns or off-ramps. Leaving the car? A pedestrian and public transit mode could be helpful, too.

Thin is in, light is right

While many adventurers will opt for a netbook or notebook -- and they are both ideal travel companions -- the Apple iPad (from $499; apple.com) offers a number of appealing advantages over a conventional computer. It's only 1.5 pounds, turns on instantly, last up to 12 hours between charges and supports more than 200,000 applications right from the get-go. The iPad is also a competent e-book reader, media player, and more.

Check out our Apple iPad Review.

Power to go

There's nothing worse than being away from home and the gadgets you rely upon while traveling -- such as a cell phone, media player or camera -- run out of juice, just as you need them. Instead, be prepared with the Duracell Rechargeable Powerhouse USB Charger ($59.99; duracell.com), a small USB male/female Lithium-Ion charger that can power up two items at once. Perfect for iPods/iPhones, BlackBerrys and devices with mini-USB ports, such as digital cameras.

Portable hotspot

Why drive around looking for a hotspot when you can bring your own with you? The Novatel MiFi 2200 (from $49.99/month for 5GB with Verizon and Sprint; novatel.com) is like your own personal, pocketable hotspot. It's smaller than a bar of soap yet lets up to five nearby WiFi devices -- such as a laptop, smartphone, iPod touch, Nintendo DS or Sony PSP -- get online via 3G connectivity, anywhere life takes you. See, it's ok that you bought the WiFi-only iPad.

Here comes the sun

iPhone or iPod touch owners planning a hiking, cycling or backpacking excursion this summer might consider the Surge (from $49.99; novothink.com), the only Apple-certified solar-powered battery pack. Now you can power up your device using the sun's shining rays -- via this solar panel on the back of the case -- or charge it up by plugging it into a PC or electrical outlet. This hybrid charger can also be clipped to a backpack, purse or pocket, and it's available in multiple colors.

Bond. James Bond.

Carry around your top-secret files in a place no one would suspect: your wrist. The ThinkGeek USB Hidden Flash Drive Watch ($49.99 for 8GB; thinkgeek.com) discretely hides the USB connector behind the face, ready for use wherever you stop into a cyber cafe and need to save your important emails, downloaded documents and irreplaceable photos. An extension cable is also included in case you don't want to take it off your wrist before plugging into a computer.