Westworld Saskatchewan

savvytraveller Essential gadgets: Staying connected on the road S easoned digital nomads , whether on a holiday or business trip, are like Jedi masters in terms of their ability to stay wired in and connected as they roam from one Wi-Fi hot zone to the next. The rest of us, however, need some help in staying current with the dizzying pace of 21st-century technology. We all want the same things, though: realtime updates, easy access to the latest travel apps and the ability to store thousands of photos. Westworld asked Christian Quirion, a freelance journalist specializing in technology, to weigh in with his tips about top gear. Notebook or Tablet? If you need to work or create content, a good notebook is still a must. For the right mix of transportability and performance, a 13-inch unit with a high-quality display is an ideal compromise. Among notebooks, the Dell XPS 13 ($999*) and the 13-inch Apple MacBook Air ($1,199) are recommended. If it's for anything other than working, a tablet is more convenient and affordable. You can't go wrong with the fourth generation iPad ($599/32 GB), new Microsoft Surface ($499/32 GB) or new Nexus 10 ($499/32 GB). Talk About Smartphones It's impossible to pick a best smartphone, but depending on your priorities you'll do well with the iPhone 5 32 ($280/three-year contract for the 32 GB model), Samsung Galaxy SIII ($99/three years) or HTC One X+ ($129/ three years). Among the new Windows 8 smartphones, my current favourite is the Nokia Lumia 920 ($100/three years). GPS Made Easy The best GPS I've come across is the TomTom GO 2535TM World Traveler Edition ($253), a high-end unit with access to maps for 95 destinations worldwide. It's not cheap, but it will provide Internet connectivity, free lifetime map updates and spoken turn-by-turn directions on a five-inch touchscreen. To avoid finding a dead battery after leaving your car at the airport, consider the Blue Planet Solar Power Battery Maintainer ($10). It plugs into your car's cigarette lighter; you 8 westworld p08-09_SavvyTravlr.indd 8 >> spring 2013 then leave the unit on your dash or directly on your windshield (it comes with suction cups). It will convert solar energy into 12 volts and maintain your battery while you're away. Storage and Backup Solutions Encased in a waterproof, aircraft-grade aluminum housing, the 32 GB Corsair Flash Survivor USB 3.0 drive ($36) will ensure your data remains safe. Looking to extend the storage of your smartphone or tablet? The 500 GB Seagate GoFlex Satellite ($175) streams wirelessly to almost any device that has Wi-Fi connectivity. If you're looking for a more traditional portable drive to back up data to your laptop, the 1 TB Seagate Backup Plus ($93) offers an unbeatable price/quality ratio. Bluetooth Everywhere Light and stylish, the Motorola Elite Sliver ($85) provides the best quality of audio among any Bluetooth headset I've come across. If you'd like to switch between calls and music with the same headset, the Sennheiser MM 400-X ($275) stereo unit features a replaceable battery that can be charged via USB or a wall adapter. If you would rather have noise isolation, the Klipsch Image One ($249) produces a great sound. Finally, if you want to share your music, why not bring along a small Bluetooth speaker you can link to your smartphone, tablet or laptop? No wires required. Consider either the tiny Jawbone Jambox ($180) or top-of-the-line Bower & Wilkins Zeppelin Air ($600). Top Carry-ons and Carry-alls You're carrying lenses and a reflex camera? The best bag is the Shape Shifter ($249) from Think Tank. It's built to last, will hold your laptop or tablet and compresses down in size when gear is removed. If you don't need to carry lenses, the Crumpler Beer Back ($199) is my favourite – padded, water resistant, featuring an internal laptop sleeve and indestructible enough to carry a lifetime guarantee. Need an extra clothing bag? The carry-onsized Crumpler Spring Pepper Duffel Bag ($169) is big enough to handle a long weekend's worth of necessities. Finally, if you're looking for a vest in which to carry all of your gadgets, consider the Scottevest Transformer Jacket ($160). Featuring no less than 20 pockets and 12 magnets, this jacket transforms into a vest in two seconds – you simply pull on the sleeves. –Christian Quirion *Prices cited are the lowest available online as of January 2013. Bellebrute/threeinabox.com 13-01-22 8:15 AM

• Cover