We particularly like the one from Master Lock, which strikes a balance between durability and aesthetics. The simple design gives the illusion of being little more than a regular padlock, but a raft of features includes the option to provide temporary access and monitor activity. Although it can be used around the home, this is particularly effective for travel, meaning you don’t have to rummage around for a key or try and input a 4-digit code. There’s also the option to choose between indoor and outdoor versions, although the latter was £20 more at the time of writing. This Music Sleep Mask is a cheap and cheerful way to help get more shut eye. It is comfy, blocks light and can connect to your phone to allow you to play your favourite sleep-inducing tunes. Sound quality isn’t amazing, but it’s good enough and even at a high volume there’s little or no sound leakage. While this version does need a 3.5mm cable to work, Thumbs Up has now released a wireless version, complete with 6 hours of playback. You can buy it now for £24.99/ US$35. We’ve rounded up 20 of the best power banks on the market in our best power banks group test, and one of our current favourites for portability is the Zendure A2. It’s a 6700mAh power bank that holds its charge incredibly well. Zendure A2 power bank It’s also extremely portable, tough enough to drive over in a car, and has enough power to charge up your phone two- to three times (depending on its battery capacity). But the problem with power banks is that eventually they will run dry, and then you’ll still need a mains port to recharge them unless you have a solar charger (see our round up of the best solar chargers here). If you’ll be driving a lot on your journey, also consider a car charger that plugs into the cigarette lighter port (just be careful not to leave it in with the engine switched off for long periods – been there, done that). SoundMagic E11C These in-ear headphones are another essential travel accessory for backpackers, business travelers and family tourists alike. The earphones look expensive, but more importantly they sound great for a pair of cheapies. For when you’re less likely to annoy other travellers – and, in fact, are wanting to share your tunes – a Bluetooth speaker will be more useful. We’d recommend the Aukey Eclipse ( £43.99/ $49.99). If you’d rather be looking up tourist spots, restaurants and nightlife though, check out round up of the best travel apps for Android and iOS. iPad
RRP: starting at £349Buy from Apple UK, Argos or Apple US, Best Buy
The iPad has become almost synonymous with the word ‘tablet’, and 2020 has only extended the gap between Apple’s slates and the competition. The latest refresh of Apple’s entry level iPad added a bigger screen, smart connector and upgraded internals to what was already an excellent device. You can read our review on sister site Macworld here, or check out our best tablet round-up for more options. See more e-reader options here. TP-Link M7350 We love the TP-Link M7350, which has a built-in LCD screen that shows you how much battery remains, how strong is the signal, how much data has been used, how many devices are connected and so on. It also has a microSD slot, which lets you share up to 32GB of storage across networked devices. The beauty of the TP-Link is that it’s unlocked, so not only can you use it with any SIM from any mobile operator, but you can also take advantage of cheap PAYG SIMs abroad. If you’d rather get a MiFi device for free and pay for it over a monthly contract as you would your phone bill, check out some of your other options in our MiFi buying guide. Fitbit Charge 3 The Fitbit Charge 3 earned an excellent 4.5 stars out of 5 in our review. It has GPS tracking and a heart-rate monitor, it records fitness statistics, offers guided breathing sessions, and measures sleep. It probably gives you more insight than you may ever need on a holiday, but at least you can bask in the satisfaction of knowing you’ve burnt some calories (even if it’s a casual waltz over to the tiki bar). Misfit Ray Another great option is the Misfit Ray if you’re on a tighter budget. Though it doesn’t have a screen like the Fitbit Charge 3, it is swim-proof, can send call and text notifications, and of course can track steps, distance, calories and sleep as well. Check out the best activity trackers in our group test. The real magic happens when you unfold it: the outer layer of the ‘can’ becomes a 13.5in polycarbonate seat, while the 34in telescopic leg is extended in seconds. While it may seem a little bit awkward at first, you get used to it within minutes and relax fairly quickly. While admittedly it isn’t as comfortable as sitting down in a soft chair, Sitpack claims that “it embodies the positive outcomes of resting with the right posture” by increasing blood circulation and encouraging a natural upper body posture, amongst other things. The Sitpack is available in five colours at the Sitpack website. Marie is Editor in Chief of Tech Advisor and Macworld. A Journalism graduate from the London College of Printing, she’s worked in tech media for more than 17 years, managing our English language, French and Spanish consumer editorial teams and leading on content strategy through Foundry’s transition from print, to digital, to online - and beyond.
