The best summer holiday gadgets: From Bose speakers to Plantronics headphones
The gadgets you should load up on before you even think about boarding a plane this summer
BOSE SOUNDLINK MINI SPEAKER II
Make sure you leave the weather at home but bring the party with you this summer by investing in a wireless speaker. This one pairs with your music library via Bluetooth, has a rechargeable battery that lasts for up to 10 hours and even has a built-in speakerphone so you can take calls on it. It sounds pretty great, too.
£169.95; bose.co.uk
EYE TV MOBILE
Plug this natty little device into your smartphone or tablet, install the companion app and watch TV on the go with no need for a subscription. The aerial picks up Freeview broadcast signals the same way the antenna on your roof does, and the quality is far better than the portable aerials of old. Make the most of that long weekend in the Lake District by watching telly all day.
£89.95; elgato.com
GOPRO CAMERA
If extreme sports are your thing, the ultimate holiday gadget is indisputably the GoPro camera. It’s barely bigger than your fist and comes with a waterproof case so you can strap it to your board and capture yourself in crystal clear 4K ultra HD video as you ride the waves. A useful tool for modifying your technique, and – more importantly – a great way of showing off your exploits to your mates.
GoPro Hero4 Black; £409.99; shop.gopro.com
OTTERBOX DEFENDER
Opening a suitcase to the sight of a cracked iPad screen is almost as sad as opening a suitcase to find it full of dead kittens. Make sure the former never happens by protecting your precious tablet with an Otterbox Defender Series case, which is virtually indestructible, protecting your device from drops, bumps, scratches and maybe even the maniac responsible for the kittens.
£69.99; otterbox.co.uk
OLLOCLIP
iPhone cameras are already great but the Olloclip lens can take them to the next level. The clip-on device now works on both the front and back cameras, resulting in almost SLR standard images, whether you're taking selfies or landscape shots. Get the 4-in-1 model to capture images in fisheye, wideangle and zoom formats.
£51; alza.co.uk
JUNE BY NETATMO
If you’re prone to falling asleep on a sunbed, this smartband could be thing that stands in between you and a world of agony. The UV sensor measures your daily sun dose while taking your skin type into account. Linked to an app, it sends you an alert when you should re-apply suncream and tells you to get in the shade when you’re about to burn. £129; netatmo.com
ANKER IQ CHARGE HUB
You love gadgets, right? Of course you do, that’s why you’re reading this. But what happens when they all run out of charge at once? Bad times indeed. Unless you bring one of these on holiday with you: the Anker wall charger allows you to plug in six USB devices at once. It can even detect what type of device is plugged in and charge it at the maximum safe speed.
£25.99; amazon.co.uk
SOLAR JUICE BAG
Why embarrass yourself with a clunky rechargeable phone case? Get a backpack, satchel or tote bag that suits you, carries your stuff and “juices” your tech at the same time. Solar panels attached to the front mean you don’t have to charge it overnight and it works particularly well in hot countries.
From £128.25; available from amazon.com
PLANTRONICS HEADPHONES
Planes are loud. What’s the point in taking your favourite albums and films on a long journey if you can’t hear even hear them. You’ll hear every range loud and clear – even at 30,000 feet – with these Backbeat Pro Bluetooth headphones from Plantronics. They’re stylish, wireless and offer great noise cancellation.
£124; plantronics.com