Discover the ultimate
Windows devices, gadgets and apps to take on your travels, home or abroad
You may be trekking through rainforests,
exploring ancient civilisations or just off to Blackpool for a week. Wherever you're
headed, you'll be lost without the right kit. You'll need proper connectivity,
amazing computing power and something that isn't going to let you down at the
crucial moment. You'll also need your kit to be lightweight. We think we've
found three devices that each tick all of those boxes. VZ'
Samsung Series 9 900X3B
This laptop is an ideal travel PC. It's
unbelievably slim, will slip in most bags, yet it's packed with features and
runs Windows 8.
It's not unreasonable to suggest that the
Ultrabook has been the most significant computing development for world
travellers. Five years ago, if you tried to drag a laptop around in your
carry-on bag, you'd end up with a hefty osteopath bill. Yes, netbooks did a
good job of reducing bag weight, but with a significant power and resolution
sacrifice. Ultrabooks are revolutionary. They're powerful, sturdy, slim and
light. And Samsung's Series 9, which features a 13.3-inch screen and weighs
less than 31b, is a perfect pick for travel.
Samsung
Series 9 900X3B
Before we examine its many superlative
qualities, consider that the Series 9 isn't cheap. Hunt around and if you're
very lucky you should be able to pick one up for around $1,500, which is no
small amount, especially if you're planning an expensive trip. However, when it
comes to buying a perfect travel companion, the Series 9 has plenty to offer in
return.
Inside, there's everything you need for
full-strength computing on the road. There's a lot of memory at 4GB, a
low-voltage processor that means you'll get extra battery life, a huge solid
state hard disk - which means it'll boot fast and is robust to knocks - and
even a set of USB 3.0 ports for lightning fast interaction with external
drives.
An integrated high-definition webcam means
free video calling from hotel rooms is perfectly possible and there's a memory
card reader within, so it's perfect for scrolling through the photos of the
day. While the resolution of the screen isn't quite as mindblowing as some of
its competitors, it's perfectly decent. The Intel graphics engine isn't exactly
superb, so you probably won't be playing too many high-end games, but it does
at least have a display with SuperBright technology and an effective
anti-reflective coating. You can use it in the sun with confidence.
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Details
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Price: $1,799
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Website:
www.samsung.com
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Acer Iconia W510
This Intel powered tablet with HDMI, USB and
32GB of storage is the perfect companion for your travels, especially as it
weighs just 600g!
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We're entering a new era of Windows devices
and it's one where tablets rule the roost. Windows tablets not only rival the
other tablets on the market, but blow the competition out of the water in terms
of power, portability and connectivity.
The Acer Iconia W510 is a super- svelte
tablet that measures just 8.8mm thick and weighs a mere 600g. That's 50g
lighter than the iPad 3. What's more, unlike the iPad it’s running an Intel
processor, meaning it will run the latest Windows 8 apps as well as older
applications like Photoshop without any hassle. Elsewhere there's 4GB of RAM
and 32GB of memory, which is expandable with a MicroSD card, giving the W510
nearly 100GB of storage. But aside from these power boasts, what makes the
Iconia such a great travel companion? Windows tablets offer much better
connectivity than their rivals, so let's imagine a couple of scenarios.
After a day out taking pictures at the
latest sights, you can back up your photos to the Iconia W510 using the USB and
card slot. You won't find these on many rival tablets and means that you can
store them safely, and even edit, share and enjoy them on a proper screen.
Then, when you're back in your hotel and fancy watching a movie, the HDMI cable
can be connected to a TV or display for family enjoyment, or if you're sitting
back and watching a TV in bed, you can take advantage of the Dolby-powered
built-in speakers.
Battery life, based on these specs, should
be absolutely phenomenal, so the Iconia W510 won't let you down.
What’s more, the sub-$750 price for the
32GB model makes it one of the smartest buys on the market, especially compared
to some RT tablets.
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Details
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Price:$749
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Website: www.acer.com
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Nokia Lumia 920
Advanced mapping and augmented reality city
views make this one of the best smartphones on the market.
When you're in a strange city, be it
backpacking around Bangkok or enduring a business trip to Slough, traversing
foreign surroundings can be challenging. In this digital age our smartphones have
become personal assistants, helping shepherd us to our destinations with
built-in maps to find essential sustenance in the form of good coffee and ATMs.
In this age, we simply couldn't survive without them.
The Nokia Lumia 920 is the greatest
assistant you could hope for, offering the lonesome traveler more
helpful tips than a personal guided tour. It starts by packing excellent
mapping and Nokia Maps is one of the best digital services around, offering
turn-by-turn directions and truly gargantuan local business listings. The Lumia
920 takes this a step further with Nokia City View. This uses augmented reality
to scan what's around you, displaying the plethora of city secrets onto your
phone's display, on top of a live image from the built-in camera. City View
helps you find anything from that coffee shop around the corner for a
well-earned rest, to the closest ATM.
It's not just the software that helps you
navigate strange lands safely. The Lumia 920 is packed with hardware that makes
your travels even more memorable. The PureView technology in the 8-megapixel
camera is designed to reduce shake and blur in your photos, so you can snap
your friends and family in front of landmarks, and when you upload them to
Facebook, they'll be clearer than other smartphones. The Carl Zeiss lens also
helps get great results, meaning you can leave your compact camera at the hotel
and free yourself from unnecessary luggage.
The final triumph is the AMOLED display, which
helps your screen to stay visible in direct sunlight. Brits will be surprised
to learn that in some countries, the sun can be so bright that it makes reading
text on your smartphone impossible. That's not a problem with the Lumia 920,
and the screen punches out with such vibrancy that it’s always legible.
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Details
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Price: Contract
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Website: www.nokia.com
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Great Travel Apps
Don't leave home without these apps
Travel
Price: Free
Hi-res photography of popular worldwide
destinations mixes with all the local knowledge you'll need to get along.
Maps
Price: Free
There's location awareness, traffic details
and integrated directions so you can always find your way to your destination.
Skyscanner
Price: Free
Find the cheapest flights in seconds. Input
your location and destination and filter by carrier, duration or time.
Try
it with these
Travel in style with these superb gadget
companions
Olympus SZ-14
720p HD video, 14MP, a 24x optical zoom, a
wacky 3D panorama mode, and a whole host more for just $225. This really could be
the perfect travel camera. It’s not super robust, but the metal front makes it
tough and good looking, and it’s only 216g with a battery and memory card
inside.
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Details
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Price: $228
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Website: www.currys.com
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Powerbag
With a built-in battery and compatibility
with tons of different cables, you can simultaneously recharge up to four
devices wherever you are, zipped away and hidden from view. You'll need to
order from the US, but we reckon the Powerbag is a must-have for serious
travel.
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Details
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Price: $128-$225
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Website: www..com
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Sennheiser MM550 X Travel
Yes, the price is eye-watering, but that’s
typical for good headphones now. And look: these fold. They cancel noise. They
use the fancy-pants aptX Bluetooth codec. They’ve even got TalkThrough, so you
can keep the noise cancelling on and still talk to people.
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Details
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Price: $492
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Website: www..com
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