Holiday tech toys for travelers

Practical. In a word, that’s what frequent travelers want in a holiday gift, to hear Baltimore sales consultant Joyce Baker talk about it. Nothing complicated or frivolous. Just functional.

“This was a trend that started last year,” she says. “Travelers want something of value. They want something that they would use over and over again.”

So if you’re reading this and you still haven’t bought the business traveler in your life something for Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa – whichever holiday you prefer – then take heart. This year, practical makes perfect.

Here are a few of my picks:

– The Seiko Instruments Daily Insights calendar alarm looks like a digital clock, but in addition to displaying date and time, it can wake you up with a trivia question. Now that’s a much better way of having your shut-eye interrupted than with a shrill alarm. The system comes in six flavors: sports trivia (“How old was quarterback-kicker George Blanda when he retired from the NFL? Answer: 48″ plus cat tips and facts, Bible verses, business wit and wisdom, golf tips and expressions of love. It costs about $25.

– I like the idea behind the Sony Voice File Recorder. This pocket-size device lets you digitally record and access notes without all the fuss of reloading magnetic tapes. Although the technology isn’t necessarily new, I’ve noticed that these gadgets are finding more uses, particularly with the introduction of speech-recognition programs like IBM’s ViaVoice. The Voice File Recorder’s PC compatibility makes transferring your dictation to a computer a snap. The Sony toy costs about $250.

– The Europe Access Pack from 1-800-Batteries is nothing if not exhaustive. Chances are you’ll rarely fail to connect with this powerful package of phone plugs in your luggage. It comes with 20 telephone adapters and six grounded power adapters, plus an in-line telephone coupler, modular dual telephone adapter, two-line adapter and an RJ11 retractable phone cable. Use them anywhere from Austria to Yugoslavia. I’ve written that these connection sets can amount to a scam, but if time’s short and you’re on an expense account, I’m not opposed to shelling out the $230 an access pack costs. The rest of us should bring a good screwdriver on our next overseas trip.

– I couldn’t mention phone connectivity without bringing up Norton’s Mobile Essentials, a nifty application that helps you connect to the Internet while you’re on the road. I like the way the program handles troubleshooting and elegantly manages my laptop’s multiple locations. Mobile Essentials promises to reduce your setup time by as much as 95 percent, a figure I’m inclined to believe, at least when it comes to my dismal experiences with getting wired overseas. At about $80, the current release will probably save you lots of headaches.

– On the software side, I’m partial to Berlitz’s Passport to 31 Languages, a CD-ROM tutorial that helps you grasp the essentials of 31 major languages. What I liked best about the multi-CD set was the way it compared my speech to that of a native, letting me hone my pronunciation until I sounded like I fit in. All right, so I’ll never sound like a native Turk, but I suppose if I spend enough time in front of my computer, I’ll come reasonably close. Cost: $30.

Want more recommendations? Check out this column’s archives where you can find out about all the gadgets I liked – and disliked – this year.

But you don’t really need me. Listen to Baker; she’s got a point. Don’t think ties or shirts or perfume. Believe me, that’s the last thing any road warrior wants to see under the tree. Go for something useful, practical, or even fun.

Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.

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