Power For The Connected Traveler

Whether you're in the car on a roadtrip, flying around the world, or criss-crossing Europe by train, you've got a need for one thing: power. Chances are, you've got a phone, an iPod, or some other small devices that needs the occasional recharge. But getting them the juice they need can mean dragging along cables, converters, and all sorts of other accessories. But it doesn't have to be that way! Keep reading to learn more about three devices that can lighten your load, while still keeping you powered on the road.

How do you keep your phone buzzing and your iPod playing tunes on a long road trip? Do you have a mess of wires and converters for your cigarette lighter? Or are you an inverter kind of person? You won't have to use either, if you have iLuv's tiny USB to Cigarette Lighter plug. At a diminutive 2 inches, you probably won't even know it's there.

You can get it for $7.50 from Adorama, or $15 from the manufacturer.

I've always been intrigued by the Solio family of solar chargers. They're attractive, support a ton of devices, and come with an internal battery. That means you don't have to charge your device while in the sun, but instead you charge the Solio's internal battery, then charge your stuff to your hearts content. The standard Solio Classic Hybrid charger comes with tips for most brands of cell phones, a mini-usb tip for lots of other devices, and a usb port replicator that lets you charge iPods. Reportedly, you can charge a mobile phone twice on one full charge, which means you won't have to be constantly be searching for a plug, or for the sun.
You can get the Solio Classic Hybrid charger for $99 from the manufacturer or $79 from Amazon.

If you're like me, and need to keep more than just a mobile phone charged, you might want to consider something with a little more juice, like the solar-charging bags made by Voltaic. You can get backpacks, messenger bags, and more, all of which can charge your phones, iPods, digital cameras, and even your laptop. Like the Solio, these bags have batteries in them, which means you don't have to charge your devices while the sun is up.

The backpack is $219 at Amazon, or $249 from Voltaic. The messenger bag is $199 at Amazon, or from Voltaic.