cowboymi

All power adapters are not created equal. Some have a rather obscure warning on them - DO NOT USE WITH ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT - that means - no ipod's, Tv's, etc. You can use them with a shaver or a brief session with a hair dryer. There are some available which (it says so) are OK with electronic equipment. Hope this little bit helps. Daryl

BabsB

OK, I'll bite. I hardly think at almose 50 years old that I have been captured by the be cool technology god, but I am interested in what is new in the world that might make my life and my travel more enjoyable. So, I pose a question to Rufus,rkkwan and weber6560, what do you take technology wise and other wise when you travel? I would bet that you take some things that other Fodorites might think are non-essential also. This is all in a friendly spirit OK!

FauxSteMarie

I bought a universal charger for my IPOD because I want to use it instead of CD's when I got out of the country. I am not getting one for the cell phone because I don't bother with it on holiday. It doesn't work in Europe and I don't much like office calls when I am on vacation. I don't "get" taking all that stuff with me on holiday. If I were working, it would be another story.

And I don't take a laptop on vacation as it is one more thing I would have to worry about.

If you cannot go anywhere without all your electronics, then you would need one of those universal charger things.

I bring "throw away" books with me on vacation. When I am done with them, I just give them away or leave them behind. They are generally old fast read novels left around by my kids. Sometimes in Europe, I will switch books with people. I have done it in hotels and trains, etc.

For my digital camera, I simply pack extra batteries to avoid needing a plug to charge it. There are sometimes not many plugs in rooms in Europe and using batteries can be easier. I also bought a camera that uses AA batteries after a search for an exotic battery in Edinburgh one year. It keeps things simple for travel.

rkkwan

I take the followings:

- iPod nano with the sound-isolating Shure E4c in-ear headphones
- a Nikon 3700 (very compact digital camera) with extra battery
- sometimes a Sony DCR-PC55 (very compact miniDV camcorder) with one or two extra batteries
- Sony Ericsson T610 unlocked tri-band phone, with local SIM card when applicable

Yes, each one with its charger. But the Nikon one isn't very big, and I bought Sony's travel charger for the camcorder batteries. I also bought a more compact and nicely designed Sony Ericsson travel charger for the phone.

Chargers go in suitcase, as well as extra batteries that I don't need that day. The rest goes in a small camera bag that I carry everywhere with maps & guidebooks.

The "igo" idea is not bad, but it can't charge the camera and camcorder batteries directly unless I plug it through the cameras themselves. Not very useful on the go.

ScienceNut

I have the adapter package...the best I have found is from a store that only sells batteries...

i have never used it in Europe because most pl;aces have the converters already in place and the better hotels even have 115 volt built-ins

I don't even carry it anymore

walkinaround

>>>>>
Babs--that stuff still isn't essential.
>>>>>

the whole act of going on holiday is, by definition, non-essential. some people go on holiday to enjoy themselves, not just to satisfy the bare minimum requirements to keep themselves alive. but we are all different, i guess.

nick_the_rooster

This is probably a bit late but I found a couple of videos explaining exactly how to download Audiobooks to a PC. The videos also explain how to burn onto CD's and transfer onto MP3 players, and iPods. The videos are here www.best-audiobooks.com.

nick_the_rooster

Sorry, I meant to tell you to click on the help tab at www.best-audiobooks.com to see the videos

DougSlimline1

hey no problem.

Doug the <a href="http://www.emusic.com/audiobooks/index.html">Audio Books</a> man