Taking off Travel blog

What is your computer setup?

I recently wondered whether business travelers dare to unplug in the 21st century. If your answer is a resounding ‘no’ then it’s time to look at what you need to really stay connected today. Here’s a peek at my setup. I hope you’ll share yours in the comments below.

Computer

This almost goes without saying. Over the years, I’ve fluctuated between desktops and laptops. My current set up is a Dell desktop machine for home use with as large a screen as I could afford and a small laptop (Samsung NC-110) for taking on the road.  Tip: Choose a laptop with as big a keyboard as possible; tiny keys can be hard on the hands and wrists.

Other Hardware

One essential item for me is a good headset. Not only does this prevent me from annoying others around me when I play music and videos, it also comes in handy for VOIP software. A webcam is another tool that’s almost essential. When you are talking to and meeting people online, it’s good to be able to see their faces and gauge reactions. Read more »

I’ve recently discovered a great business travel tool and I didn’t have to spend a dime to get it. When you’re on a business trip to a new city, you need to be able to find your way around very quickly so that you don’t waste valuable time. Ovi Maps (formerly Nokia Maps) helps you to do just that. If you have one of the recent touchscreen Nokia phones, then this mapping program comes as part of the package. I recently put it to the test, using my Nokia 5800 Xpress Music.

Getting Started

In order to use the maps program on your phone you will need to download some maps. There’s no need to worry about the often prohibitive cost of data downloads. The bundled Nokia software also includes a desktop maps program, so fire it up and download the maps to your computer. That can take a while on slow connections, but once it’s done, you can sync the maps you need to your phone.

The maps are divided by continent and then by major area. For the UK, you can load maps for either England, Ireland, Scotland or Wales, but not (as far as I could tell) for specific regions such as London. Similarly, the US maps allow you to load maps for each state. I loaded up New York and New Jersey in preparation for my trip and set my phone to use the program offline to avoid roaming charges. Read more »

Can you unplug on a business trip?

Business travel has changed a lot since I took my first business trip. Then, it was taken for granted that when you left your office, you would be out of reach for a few days. Sure, you might phone in on an extended trip, or communicate if you really needed to find out something, but if you were leaving the country, you wouldn’t waste the company’s money on an international phone call. There were no mobile phones and very few computers - and they certainly weren’t portable.

Fast forward some 25 years and the picture is different. Now, it’s strange if you aren’t constantly connected. I don’t know about you, but one of the first questions I ask about a hotel these days is not ‘what is the room like?’ but ‘do they have free WiFi?’ But is being constantly connected always a good thing?

21st Century Business Travel

On my very first business trip, once meetings were out of the way, I was left to my own devices. I could hang out with colleagues or take off for a bit of sightseeing. Once I had achieved what was required for the day, there was nothing more I needed to do. Now, whenever there’s a five minute break, I’m heading to the business center or to my laptop to check my email and make sure that nothing urgent has happened in my absence. While I’m at it, I also check up on the main social sites I frequent, as I wouldn’t want to be out of contact for too long.

The result of that is less down time, less time to enjoy the locations I travel to and to appreciate the diversity of human culture and behavior. I may travel more, but I often think that I see less of the places I visit on business. So, what’s the answer?

I think that if your holiday allowance permits it, tack on a couple of days to the trip so that you can explore the town you are in and the surrounding area. Leave your laptop in the hotel safe and only use your mobile phone if it’s absolutely necessary. Unplug for a day, if you dare - it’s one way to put the fun back into business travel.

I love looking at new gadgets and there are some great ones on this month’s list.

Get Fit

There’s no reason to slack on fitness just because you’re on a business trip. On my last trip, I saw dozens of people get up early to use the hotel’s fitness room. If you’re lucky enough to have good weather, then walking or jogging are an option - and that’s where the Live-Lite comes in. From Perception Digital, this device measures steps and your heart rate, ensuring that you stay on top of your fitness regime.

Ergonomic Elegance

I don’t know about you, but I often travel with an external keyboard for my laptop to save my wrists. The trouble is that it takes up a lot of space. However, I may not have to do that for much longer, since Goldtouch has released a foldable ergonomic keyboard, the GoldTouch Go! It only weighs a pound and is supposed to be comfortable to use - $139 seems a small price to pay to avoid tendonitis.

Mouse Phone

For me, the Skype Travel Mouse comes under the category of ‘neat, but do you really need it?’ It’s a mouse that slides open to reveal a phone keypad. It also has a decent sized LCD display at 128×64 pixels, and is $35 plus shipping. The fact that you only need to use a single USB port for both mouse and phone is undoubtedly a plus, so it could be worth a look.

Charge It All - Or Almost

The Charge4All is yet another device that allows you to charge multiple devices from a single power connection. It won’t charge your laptop or anything else that needs high voltage, but it will charge MP3 players, cell phones, digital cameras and the like. It’s $29.95.

Swiss Army Drive

You’ll need to pack these in your checked baggage, but the SwissFlash and Presentation Master Swiss Army Knives have all the usual array of gadgets as well as a flash drive with a maximum capacity of 32GB. There are also versions with built in laser pointers. Prices range from the low 60s to over $300.

New In Japan

We can’t wait for this one to hit our shores. It’s a credit card sized digital voice recorder - perfect for taking voice notes on the move (that’s if you haven’t already got it built into your phone). Rumor has it that you can record up to 30 hours of digital voice with this compact gadget.

So you’re going on a long haul business trip. While it’s great to be traveling to a far away destination, the mechanics of travel can be exhausting and stressful. If you know how to plan, though, you can make sure that you have a comfortable flight.

1. Seat Allocation

The first step is to get a good seat. If you do your research before booking, you may be able to choose an airline that offers a couple extra inches of legroom. That makes a heck of a lot of difference after you’ve been sitting in a plane for hours. I once took a charter flight from the UK to the Caribbean and it took three days for my knees to recover.

Seven Long Haul Travel Tips

2. Check In Early

Check in early to stand the best chance of getting the seat you want. I always like to arrive at least an hour before the given check in time. The best seat depends on whether I don’t want to be disturbed by others getting in and out of their seats (window) or whether I want the freedom to move around (aisle). Once I’m checked in, I can make an early start on my in-flight reading in the departure lounge instead of standing in line with those who arrived at the stated time.

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