4 Ways To Track And Recover Your Stuff If It Gets Stolen When Traveling
We’re beginning a new era in the cycle of travel theft in favor of the victim despite the amount of coverage of what thieves can do to you with technology. Yet, our stuff that is so tempting to steal, is also getting smart enough to protect itself, fight back, and find its way home. You’re probably carrying smaller, more expensive electronics today than you ever have – two good reasons to prepare yourself in the craftiest ways possible.
1. All Around Laptop, Tablet, Mobile Phone Recovery: Project Prey
I am a huge fan of Project Prey and if there’s one solution you should use as part of a physical security plan for your gadgets, Project Prey is it. This free piece of software runs on your laptop (Windows, Mac, and Linux), mobile phone (iPhone and Android), and tablet (yes, iPad too); remaining hidden until you activate it. If your gadget gets stolen, you activate Project Prey remotely (through a free account on their website) and you can track it, get secret screenshots, steal passwords, and even get pictures of the crooks covertly with any built-in camera. Need more convincing? Project Prey helped Matthew recover his Macbook Pro in Panama.
Mac users can also take a look at iCloud (although it doesn’t work nearly as well).
2. Set A Decoy Wallet Trap To Surprise A Pickpocket
I’ve talked about decoy wallets before as part of a broader travel security plan to reduce your loses if you’re unfortunate enough to be pick-pocketed. Decoy wallets also make good dummy targets but if you want to add a small chance of catching the thief, be sure to leave an unused – but activated – credit card in yours. This won’t work in every country but if the pickpocket decides to use that credit card somewhere and you’ve reported it stolen, police can use surveillance footage from stores to track them. More criminals are caught this way than you might think. Plus your credit card company likely won’t hold you liable for unauthorized transactions.
You probably won’t get your wallet back but justice may still be served.
3. Find Lost Or Stolen Luggage With An Inexpensive GPS Tracking Unit
Although controversial, GPS tracking units are often used to follow the movements of criminal suspects in many countries around the world. These small-palm sized devices broadcast radio signals that can be used to track them from a computer. Place Hide one of these (the Winplus AC13268-72 Beacon GPS Tracker is $29 or the Telespial TrackStick $149) in your backpack or checked luggage to find out where it is when it’s not where it’s supposed to be.
4. Keep A Digital Eye On Your House With Your Desktop
There are plenty of uses for that clunky desktop when you’re traveling; one of which is to act as security guard. Both Yawcam (Windows) or iAlertu (Mac) can snap and email you photos when they detect any motion – especially useful when things should be motionless. A picture of a potential burglar may help you get your stolen things back. Plus, you’ll finally know if you’ve really trained your cat not to jump on tables when you’re at work.
In addition, iAlertu (and Laptop Alarm for Windows) can put some muscle on your laptop so it sounds a loud alarm if moved. Useful for those times you’ve just got to hop up for a napkin or your 6th cup of coffee in a cafe with your laptop just within visual range.
Hope For The Best But Plan For The Worst
No security is absolute – the first rule of security – and that’s why any plan without a backup is doomed to fail eventually. Remember, your data is more valuable than any piece of electronic equipment you own so don’t screw up your vacation by preparing for mini-disasters. Recruit your gadgets and technology to work on your side for protection and preparation just in case.
My 2012 Travel And Technology Predictions
When we were looking back at your and my travel predictions for 2011 we were mostly on the money with our guesses. Not to sell our prophecies short, but we had a lot of help from the momentum of the trends we saw building in 2010. This year though, things are different. There’s uncertainty in the air – the kind that often leads to opportunity.
As for who picks up those favorable morsels, let’s have to look into my crystal iPad and see what the future may have in store for the present.
Airline Fees Drop And Disappear (Yay!) But Ticket Prices Go Up (Boo)
First of all, don’t get completely crazy and run off with the title – some airlines will drop minor fees throughout the coming year. They’ll do it in such a way that makes it seem like you’re saving but don’t forget airlines follow the Ferengi Rule of Acquisition, “once you have their money, never give it back.” Drink fees for example may go away with some baggage fees reduced, but watch those airfares creep up to compensate. [ED: I wrote this article before this news came out but I'll take it as a good omen for my predictions.]
Americans saw about a 6% increase in prices last year around peak travel times even though more people are now flying than ever. The problem is a combination of rising fuel costs, the use of online aggregators (e.g. Kayak), and prices that don’t reflect the real price of flying through the air in a heavy metal tube. So this year you’ll go (a bit) closer back to the golden days when there weren’t luggage fees or 8 dollar cans of Coke but instead plane tickets that cost 5-8% more.
Tablets Are Going To Kill The Kindle (Fire And All)
I’m a big fan of the smaller 7-inch tablet variety, especially the Nook Tablet and not-so-much the hastily-put-together Kindle Fire; but they’ve really paved the way for their own demise. I can’t see either device dominating that space in the current market. Those devices can’t move up into the larger screen, more expensive/versatile market where iPads and Samsung Galaxy 10.1s hang out. But the big boys can and will come down to bully the current 7-inch tablets off the digital playground.
Now that improved displays optimal for reading (nearly-at paper resolution) are falling in price, you’ll start to see iPads (as rumored) with retina-displays and watch the current iPad 2s drop about $100 (also rumored). One thing that’s definitely not going away are the smaller form tablets like the Nook and Kindle Fire, but they’re now occupying an ecological niche on an island just waiting for some feral 7-inch iPad mini-cats to be dropped off to wipe them out.
A Serious Skype Rival Emerges
The ever-useful Skype is one of several free programs you shouldn’t travel without. So while they’ve added 3-way video calls to the Mac (finally) and a few other features to the video chat client everyone loves (me included) I can’t help but feel that entire genre of software has been static too long. You might be thinking, “well, what more could they do?,” and well, I’ve got my hunches someone or some company is going to answer that question this year.
Countries On The Rise: Ruckus In The Caucus(es)
As I noted last week, Turkey has seen a healthy jump in tourism over the last year, aided by travelers scared off by the Arab Spring. Turkey this year will follow a trend that’s very common in national tourism – start cheap, people visit > get more expensive add more tourist offerings > cheaper bordering countries become new “low-cost” alternatives. (Think Thailand compared to Laos or Cambodia.) Istanbul is already in the expensive phase nearly all year round now – not without good reason – but people are going to begin discovering alternatives in the region during 2012.
The Eurovision contest in May might draw in some interest in Azerbaijan with both nearby Armenia and to a lesser extent Georgia seeing indirect spillover from Turkey’s tourism boom. I’ll stretch my prediction to include Iran as well. Finally, to get specific – Oman will see a 5-6% increase in tourism, Colombia 12%, and Chile 8%.
Dogs In The Skies (Yes, Cats Too)
As Amy mentioned in her prediction last year, there will be more restaurants, hotels, and generally pet-friendly options on the ground. In the skies…well, not-so-much though I’ll disagree a bit on this one. There won’t be any better options (pets not in the cabin are basically treated like cargo) but more people will take to the skies with their pets. (If you happen to be one of them check out The Ultimate Guide To Traveling With Your Pets or these 5 great pet travel sites.)
I would hope that more pets flying would cause the airlines to get creative with their offerings but since bankruptcy hasn’t done that I think we’re out of luck for 2012.
More Bloggers, Less Traveling
Wow, wow, wow, there are about a zillion travel blogs online now. Many are dead zombies, left quiet after their creators have finished a one-year RTW. Many more are born every day as travel journals or money-making hopefuls. The travel blog market though, generally, has become a static factory churning out top 10 things to do in Paris posts and photos of the day. This all said, the travel blogosphere is new and uncertain – like I said before – that’s an environment ripe with opportunity for something unique. You’ll see that this year my crystal iPad says (or this bottle of Jack Daniels, sometimes they sound alike.)
Without getting too deep into the world of blogging you’ll see many more bloggers slow down their travel pace. That will lead to an improvement of the quality of what they produce, whether it’s writing, photography, or video. I’ll also predict independent travel blogs will see some very strong competition from a large outside force.
Where Do You See 2012 Going?
End of the world? The year we finally find out the pyramids were built by aliens? Do we discover time travel is possible from a visitor who arrives from the future?
I’m ready to hear your travel predictions for 2012 large and small in the comments below. We’ll meet up here again in, say, a year from now to find out how we did. Taking bets optional.
Low Budget Travel Tricks You Can Use To Overcome Big Budget Problems: Part 3
Now here you stand great traveler, with all of the power in your hands, expertly wielded with your mind. Nature was subdued in Part 1 and nicking nicked in Part 2. But with great power comes great temptation on the journey we travel. You’ll need to make new allies and rely on ancient texts to guide your quest as lord of the wings.
Upgrade Your Tech For Free From The Inside Out
I really wish I could send all of you a few thousand dollars to buy a bunch of new fancy gadgets but until I can, let’s talk about upgrading what you already have. Remember, gadgets are hardware and software – and software is often you can do something about right away. When it comes to unlocking your phone – Android, iPhone, or otherwise I’ve got you covered with my complete guide to unlocking mobiles. You can do things like add multi-tasking, games, and other apps not available directly for your version of phone. On top of that, you’ll get the added benefit of being able to choose any carrier you want around the world and at home.
Going Apple? – I’ve mentioned a few times before that several PC netbooks are compatible enough to run Mac OS X – with some modifications. If you’re up for creating a Hackintosh that’s one thing but when it comes to tablets it’s another.
- Talking Tablets – iPads aren’t the only tablets on the market – Samsung’s Galaxy 10.1 is a nice competitor – but basically the same price. Rather, if you happened to get a Kindle Fire or (in my opinion superior device) Nook Tablet over New Year’s you can root either (Nook Guide – Kindle Guide) to access to the full Android store. A solid tablet for $250 less than you might pay otherwise. (On a side note, the next version of the iPad will be released by April this year and it’s rumored that the current iPad 2s will drop $100. So, if you can wait until spring, your wallet will likely thank you.)
- Extend Your Battery Life And Wireless Range – Both are easier than you may believe.
- Get Better Alarm Clocks Across Timezones – These 3 methods work across laptops, phones, and other portable devices if you’ve been oversleeping one too many times.
- Take Better Photos With The Same Camera – Software can go a long way to improving your travel photos too.
Finally, if you’ve got a desktop at home, the office, or your parents house you can create your own mini cloud to backup, speed up downloads, and get around Internet censorship. Here’s how to make the most out of your desktop while traveling.
Airlines Beware Nerdy Ninjas Await
The airlines have money and can make metal tubes fly across oceans but you’ve got the world’s largest collection of knowledge at your disposal. First though, let’s go old school. Very, very, old school.
- The Art Of War - Whether it’s literally (don’t fight uphill battles) or figuratively (don’t fight uphill battles) Sun Tzu’s timeless advice can help you win many battles at the ticket counter. (And elsewhere, it’s one of the best books I’ve ever read; I highly recommend it.)
- Get More Frequent Flyer Miles – In 8 minutes for the reluctant of you out there.
- Weave Yourself Around Airline Fees – For free you can fly with baggage without the fee.
Now let’s bring out the big guns. Here’s how to use the entire Internet to stand up to the airlines when you need to.
Beat The Bling, Fight Temptation, And Shave Your Hairy Budget
When you’re already off on vacation or traveling it’s easy to dismiss the impact ATM, foreign transaction, and other miscellaneous fees can have on your budget. Avoid wasting your funds unnecessarily (imagine how many beers you could buy) by choosing the right bank before going overseas. In case that’s too late or you’re just extremely diligent, for all its faults, Mint.com does a heck of a job notifying you of fees you’ve paid but could be avoiding. From credit cards to coupons, Mint will also automatically suggest improvements based on your spending. Why think when a technology can do it for you – focus those brain cells on beautiful sunsets or amazing views – it’s what travel is all about.
- Miss Flights For Free – I have a tendency to never be on time and this is a skill I’ve perfected over a lifetime of being late and skipping college exams.
- Exchange Cash The Star Trek Way – Need to borrow a few bucks from a friend or perhaps want to payback your friend Pat Stewart for all of those Romulan ales? Well, Paypal for one lets you bump phones to give and take cash. It’s one of many apps using Bump Technologies.
How much would a week in Indonesia cost you? Budget Your Trip knows the answer to that and many other destinations. Remember preparation and anticipation is what makes the difference between a guy who gets beat up and Batman.
The road is a long one for a traveler without shoes, stamina, or smarts. You are now not one of them, armed with the knowledge of Part 1 and Part 2 of this series.
The Complete 2011 foXnoMad Travel Gadget Gift Guide
The only thing that moves faster than you and your traveling peers is the rate at which new gadgets are released, updated, and desired. Buying any electronic, whether it’s a laptop or digital camera, is largely a personal decision – there is no one “best” in many cases. Just like there’s no one “best shoe” for every lady but there is one out there your mom is sure to love. It comes down to asking the right questions, knowing how your traveler gets their gadget on, and having a few suggestions to help you narrow the choices down.
I’ve got the categories of tech you’re most likely to be looking at, along with my personal favorites added in for good measure. From expensive to cheap, you’re sure to find the perfect gift for your traveling techie.
Laptops: From Small To Ultra-Small
When it comes to laptops for travelers we often think smaller is better; but really it depends on how you use it. For some background reading you can catch up with the traveler’s guide to choosing the right laptop, but when it comes to size, most travelers go with either an ultra-light netbook or a laptop in the 13-inch range.
The major difference for a traveler? Screen and keyboard space; photo editing buddies may prefer an extra 3 inches of screen to work whereas your email-only/Facebook types would probably prefer ditching 3 pounds from their backpack. (Shopping for backpacks? – I’ve got you covered there too.)
13-Inch Laptop Category
- Toshiba Portege R835-P81 (~$799) – An impressive mix of power and size in a 13.3 inch laptop; this Toshiba only weights 3.2 pounds (~1.45 kilos), has an effective 7 hours of battery life (9 hours by manufacturer specs), and comes loaded with 6 gigabytes of RAM.
- 13-Inch Macbook Pro (~$1199) – If given the choice between a Macbook Air 13.3 inch and the 13-inch Macbook Pro; I’d go with the $100-less Macbook Pro. Sure it’s a little thicker (.3 inches extra) and weighs about a kilo more, but you get much more machine with components that can be upgraded for less.
Netbooks
- Dell Mini 10v (~$399) – This older, heavy (1.9kg – 4.4lbs), netbook might seem an unusual choice to go at the top of this list. The Dell Mini 10v is here because it’s hardware still holds up for casual use but more interestingly, that hardware is compatible with Mac OS X. That means the Dell Mini 10v can act as a poor man’s Macbook without the added $600 investment. (Here’s how to hackintosh your netbook.)
- ASUS Eee PC 1018-P (~$410) – For all of their faults (poor instruction manuals, manic-depressive customer support), the Acer Eee line of netbooks are durable little machines. They’re not the fastest (typically the processor’s are lagging behind other brands by 15%) but they’re not meant to be overworked with photo-editing or graphic-intensive games either. One bonus is they’re particularly efficient at dissipating heat; good for laptop longevity – especially if you’ll be hanging out in the tropics or be that guy who’s always working on the beach.
Laptop Accessories
You might not be the one buying a new laptop for a friend but can help spice up the one they’ve already got with these (much) less expensive accessories.
- SwissGear Computer Backpack ($59) – The backpack I’ve been using to carry my electronics for over 4 years now, the SwissGear line of backpacks are not only extremely durable, but come loaded with a large number of pockets. (Geeks love pockets.) There’s also a laptop compartment (making it easy to remove in airport security lines) and back cushioning for long walks around town.
- Encrypted USB Drives (~$70) – Added protection built-in to USB drives that tend to get lost easily. The IronKey S200 (~$69), Corsair Flash Padlock (~$49), or the Patriot BOLT (~$15) are good options to look at.
- Klear Screen Cleaning Kit (~$10) – Apple stores around the world use this solution to get your greasy fingerprints off of display models everyday. Klear works on screens or all sorts, keyboards, and mobile phones as well.
- USB Squid (~$9) – Adds 4 more USB ports to a laptop, making it easier for a traveler to charge all of their electronics at once.
eReaders: The Nook Vs. The Kindle
It wasn’t so long ago that there were some important differences between the Kindle and nook for international travelers. Since that time though things have mostly evened out – and you’ve got Amazon’s Kindle line competing with Barnes & Nobles’ nook – both taking up most of the eReader market. Things are quite even between the two – if you’ve already got a Kindle or nook and looking to upgrade best advice is to stay with the same company – otherwise these are the major selling points of both.
Non-Color Display Winner: Amazon
- Kindle Touch (~$139) – The shape of the competing nook Simple Touch is a bit too wide for my tastes and if you’re not committed to either online bookstore yet, the Kindle Touch makes a great eReader.
Verso Clip-On eReader Light (~$20) – For any eInk (aka non-color) eReader you’ll find these invaluable on night trains, flights, and hostel dorms.
Color Display Winner (With Geek Award Bonus): nook Tablet
- Nook Tablet (~$249) – A smoother display, more digital horsepower, and quite hackable with an active community, the nook Tablet is a slick tablet eReader. To sum it up, it’s an overall better computing device than the Amazon Kindle Fire; but lacks the online music and media cloud that Amazon offers. Still, head-to-head, I give my preference to the nook Tablet – which unlike the Amazon Kindle Fire – supports the ePub format.
Digital Cameras And Accessories
Let’s take a short look at 3 categories of digital camera, starting with the point and shoot I use.
Point & Shoot
- Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10 (~$250) – A Leica lens with an amazing 24-384 millimeter range, this camera takes spectacular photos and decent HD video. This is the only dedicated camera I use (the other non-dedicated being an iPhone 3G.)
Micro 4/3rd
- Olympus PEN E-P3 (~$800) – I recently saw one of these in the hands of Jodi (aka. Legal Nomads) and was impressed with the photos I caught a glimpse of (here’s a taste from Morocco.) Jodi’s using the Panasonic f1.7 20mm lens (~$345) to snap those amazing pictures.
DSLRs
This is a gigantic category that I could devote multiple websites to; these are just some suggestions that might fit what you’re looking for and if they don’t – can help you get started.
- Nikon D90 Body (~$1,100) – Many travelers I’ve spoken with have or are using this as their first DSLR on the road. But while preference of the Nikon bodies vary, nearly all frequent travelers will tell you the 18-200mm Nikkor lens (~$879) is the most versatile they’re carrying.
- Canon 550D Body ($1,299) – When it comes to video the Canon’s tend to be much better at picking up audio, and this camera came highly recommended by several of you when I asked on Facebook.
The shot below from the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey can only be gotten if you throw yourself off the top balcony (ouch) or use an xShot Extender (~$25). This monopod lets you take good photos of yourself with background and company included – perfect for the solo traveler who only has photos of their face close-up from a million places around he world. Also, like I mentioned above, you can get photos above a crowd and over physical barriers as well.
You’ll notice I haven’t jumped into video here and that’s for two reasons. The first being that I don’t do much video work and the second being that for general shooting when traveling, a digital camera or newer smart phone does a pretty good job. That said, what makes any travel video better is good sound and a wireless lapel microphone ($20-250) can be your first big improvement.
Mobile Phones
Although I’m someone who hasn’t had regular mobile phone service in over 3 years, I test, take apart, and crack a surprisingly large variety of them. (Mostly companies sending them my way for testing.) So which phones are the smartest? Well, the one you pick of course…
- iPhone 4 ($679 – no contract) – Forget about the “S” for now because as sexy as Siri is, she’s getting an upgrade in a few months. Take this with a huge grain of salt…but back in August Apple is rumored to have sent iPhone 5 specs to China for manufacturing. Apparently scrapped due to design flaws, a potentially “radical” redesign in the iPhone 5 may appear next June at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Event (WWDE).
- Samsung Galaxy S II (~$549) – Thinner but with a larger screen, this is one of the slickest mobiles I’ve come across in a long time. The screen resolution is incredible and the apps run remarkably smooth on its Android 2.3 operating system. Add a 8.1 megapixel camera and 1080 HD video and it’s a powerful phone package.
- HTC Amaze 4G (~$650 – no contract) – Lots of processing power under the hood in addition to a vibrant display.
Whichever phone you go with, if it’s got a fancy screen you ought to invest in good protection for it. The ZAGG Invisible Shields (~$20) for phones and more were once used to protect the blades of military helicopters and do a heck of a job on digital screens.
Connections, Coils, And Cables: Going MacGyver
It’s the little, simple items in our backpacks that go unnoticed but work so hard to make our techie lives easier on the road.
- Organize Your Cables – Keep those cables organized so they’re easy to manage using either Applecores (~$7) or UT Cord Wraps (~$7).
- V-MODA Vibe Earbuds (~$35) – I’ve been using V-MODA to listen to my music, movies, and podcasts for several years now. They eliminate outside noise extremely well and provide exceptional audio quality.
- Duct Tape (~$5) – Combined with dirty socks can help reduce mosquito bites, along with countless other uses.
- All In One Charger (~$3) – A permanent resident in any frequent international traveler’s bag as is this Belkin mini-surge protector (~$12), turning one outlet into 3 plus 2 USB ports.
- Alfa USB Wireless Antenna (~$40) – Geek out and extend your laptop’s wireless range by 3-5 times.
- Stereo Audio Cable (~$1) – Anyone who spends a decent amount of time in rental cars will appreciate being able to plug their iPod or mobile phone in to listen to their own tunes.
- Garmin Forerunner 405 Water Resistant Running GPS (~$175) – Wherever I am in the world I run, and I run a lot. These GPS come in handy for athletic, hiking, and calculating travelers who might want to keep up with how many calories they burned sightseeing.
- Flip-It Plugless USB Charger (~$16) – That outlet isn’t really full; a great find on Legal Nomads’ resources page as is the JuiceBar Pocket Solar Charger (~$50).
Travel eBooks That Come In Paper Too: Recommended Travel-Nerd Reads
Of course the best gadget in the universe sits between your ears – and enthusiastic minds deserves some good hacking too. These are books (all come in handy digital Kindle, nook, etc. formats) that are a bit travel and a bit geek; some of my favorite recent reads you may enjoy as well.
- Incognito: The Secret Lives Of Brains By David Eagleman (~$15: Kindle/nook/Paperback) – One cubic centimeter of your brain has more neurons than our galaxy has stars. Find out what your brain is actually doing when you’re starring off into space on a long layover.
- The Hidden Europe: What Eastern Europeans Can Teach Us By Francis Tapon (~$10: Kindle/nook/Paperback) – One of the best history, culture, travel books, period, I’ve read in a long time. Here’s my full review.
- The Dervish House By Ian McDonald (~$10: Kindle/nook/Paperback)- Leap forward to the year 2027′s Istanbul in this science-fiction story that is based in much of today’s fact.
- Long Way Round By Charlie Boorman & Ewan McGregor (~$13: Kindle/nook/Paperback) – In many ways this journal by Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor led to the journey I’m on now, it’s still one of my favorite all-time books and one of these motorcycle best.
- The Post-American World: Release 2.0 By Fareed Zakaria (~$15: Kindle/nook/Paperback) – An insightful look into the “rise of the rest” and how world powers are shifting; what that means for economics, people, tourism, and more.
- From Eternity To Here By Sean Carroll (~$14: Kindle/nook/Paperback) – Why does time time flow in one direction? Scientists don’t know exactly but the possibilities may explain where our universes (yes, more than one) came from.
- The Survivors Club By Ben Sherwood (~$10: Kindle/nook/Paperback) – A book I’ve referenced in several posts that looks at how to survive plane crashes and what you can learn from super-survivors.
Finally, I’d like to show you over to my eBooks page with more of my recommended reads (and two written by me.)
Accept What You Buy Will Get Old Fast But Keep Receipts In Case It’s Too Fast
Keep in mind that there never is a “best” gadget – it’s more like a “best for the moment and best for you” gadget. Technology gets updated quickly but it doesn’t mean that a previous model isn’t the perfect deal and if you do happen to buy a large ticket item, keep the receipt as occasionally new versions get released a bit sooner than any of us anticipated.
Have any questions or gadget recommendations? Add you additions to the comments below!
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