A Gadget-Cluttered Trip
Let me paint the picture for you… You are going on a trip with your family. You want to capture these moments you spend together, so you bring a still and video camera. The kids will need to be entertained so you bring a portable DVD player and maybe a portable game system. You throw in your trusty portable GPS system just in case you need it and maybe your laptop in case you need to get online. Oh, and we can’t forget about your cell phone. Now you’ve got to figure out how you’re going to carry all of this with you.
Whether you are traveling to another country or just down the street, clutter can plague you on the road, just as easily as at home. You’ll find many articles on packing light (which I highly recommend), but I have one thing that has greatly reduced the gadget clutter for me.
A Modern-Day Swiss Army Knife
I love my iPhone. It’s one of those things where once you use one, you can never be without one. My intent, however, is not to start another “iPhones are the greatest thing ever” vs “you bought an iPhone just to look cool” debate. There are enough of those going on right now all over the internet. My intent is to show how iPhones and other similar devices are really great at replacing many gadgets with one, thus reducing your travel clutter.
Let’s take a look at the poor soul above, who is about to venture out into the world with armfuls of electronics. In most cases, an iPhone, or similar device, could have replaced most, if not all, of these items. Will it take shill photos and videos? Check. Will it play a movie to keep the kids occupied? Check. What if the kids want to play a game? Check. What if I get lost or need to find a nearby restaurant? Check. How about looking something up on Google or sending an email? Check and check.
The Best Camera is the One That’s With You
I can hear you all now, “But my camera phone can’t take photos that look as good as my dedicated camera.” Well you are right. And there may be times when you really need that dedicated camera to capture a special event or you bring the portable DVD player so the phone can be used at the same time a movie is being watched. Overall though, I found that I can do quite nicely with the camera on my iPhone. If you don’t believe me on this one, check out the book The Best Camera is the One That’s With You: iPhone Photography by Chase Jarvis. This simple book showcases what can be done with a camera phone. It really does prove that any camera can take great photos.
It used to be, that if I was rushing out the door towards whatever sporting event my son was about to participate in, I would just open the car door when my wife would yell to me that I needed to go get the cameras. I’d have to run inside the house grab the still camera from the counter, then run upstairs to grab the video camera. I would usually just about be to the car again when I would realize that I forgot to take the battery out of the charger.
Now, most of the time, I just walk out the door. My iPhone is always in my pocket anyway. If I need to take a photo or video, I pull my iPhone out and do it. When I’m done, back in my pocket it goes. It couldn’t be easier.
