5 Pieces of Technology You Should Never Travel Without ...

MomsGetReal Guest Contributor Alyssa Ennis

You know the classic scene: mom and dad in the front of the minivan, nerves frayed and patience wearing thin. Kids in the back, fighting and starting an unending chorus of ?Are we there yet?? Well, these days there?s a bit less of that because of technology, of course, but the institution of the road trip might still be less than serene. That said, if you pack the right gadgets, you might keep the kids entertained, and who knows?you might even enjoy it.

We?ve narrowed our picks down to the top five, and we?re focusing on the things you need to get from point A to point B, not what you?re going to need when you arrive at your destination. In order, here are our suggestions:

iPad

? In the world of tablets, the iPad still reigns supreme. Between the killer display, the well-stocked app store, and the sheer prettiness of the device, this is by far the most enjoyable piece of tech for your travels. If you?re looking for a tablet, but have a budget restriction, consider Google?s Nexus 7 instead. It?s smaller, but responsive and very easy on the wallet.

iPhone

Much like the iPad, the iphone is indispensable for families on the go. Whether you need GPS assistance, apps and games, music, or just a quick chat with a friend to ease your mind, Apple?s smartphone does everything you expect a smartphone to do, and that pretty quickly.

Playstation Vita

As the premier portable gaming system on the market, there is a huge library of games supporting it. Along with a pretty respectable battery life of five or six hours, the Vita comes with a camera, a browser, and a number of other goodies to keep the kids (or maybe yourself) entertained.

Satechi Portable Charger

Of course, with all these gadgets in tow, you might need a little extra juice. There are plenty of flashy portable chargers on the market, but none of them offer as much energy for your dollar as the Satechi, which is conveniently sized, and stylish to boot. This charger will refill the battery on a normal device around five or six times.

Nook Touch

After choosing so many high-end devices with all the bells and whistles, we?re going to go minimalist with this pick. The e-reader with everything: e-Ink display, touch screen, and backlighting, is also one of the cheapest devices out there. This could be useful for kids who are old enough to read chapter books, or for mom or dad, sneaking in a few pages of the latest bestseller between rest stops.

Of course, with all the tech goodies in your bag, it might actually be difficult to get the kids to share, so you?ll want to set time limits on who gets what for how long. If only there were an app for that.

Alyssa is an avid blogger and family photographer currently residing in the beautiful PNW. When not chasing after kids with her camera, you can usually find Alyssa rummaging through thrift shops or enjoying Seattle?s drink of choice (coffee, of course!)If you enjoy this post, be sure to follow MomsGetReal on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Google+!

Source: http://momsgetreal.com/2013/01/5-pieces-of-technology-you-should-never-travel-without/

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