Travel season is back and with the ever-evolving world of electronics, now’s a better time than ever to review what’s in your gadget list when you are travelling. Who knows, you might be able to shed some weight or space in your luggage with the latest gadgets, so you have more luggage space for all the overseas shopping. 

What better place to start than Changi Airport and Jewel to hunt for your perfect electronic gadgets? With a wide range of electronics stores like the brand-new 5,640 sq ft Flagship East Challenger store, Apple Store, The Digital Gadgets stores, and more, you would be spoilt for choice shopping at Changi. If you are travelling, enjoy savings at duty free stores like iStudio, Sony and Sprint-Cass in the transit areas of the airport. 

As the dad who oversees the family’s devices for travel, here are the top seven devices I’ll recommend bringing along for your vacation.

1. GaN chargers

If you’re on the lookout for a USB charger, do keep an eye out for chargers that use the new GaN (Galium Nitrate) technology. Sans the geek talk, GaN chargers are simply smaller, lighter yet more powerful versions of your typical USB chargers. The boost in power is due to the use of Galium Nitrate, which is a thousand times more efficient than silicon materials that are traditionally used in chargers.

Hence, no more lugging your chunky and heavy laptop chargers around. These credit card-sized tech marvels can simultaneously charge your laptop, tablet, and phones with no sweat. And if you are intending to charge a laptop, I would recommend a unit that is 65w and above. 

Do note that for a power-hungry gaming laptop that requires a much higher wattage (200w and above), a GaN charger will still not be able to charge it efficiently. 

My recommendation: Mazer 65W GAN Charger

Where to buy:

  • iShopChangi; check it out here
  • Challenger (Jewel Changi Airport #B2-214/5)
  • iStudio (in the Transit Area across all four Changi Airport terminals, more info here)

2. Portable chargers

While the battery life for smartphones is constantly improving, it’ll never hurt to have a power bank charged up for standby use. This is especially so when you’re travelling. The last thing you’ll want is to your phone battery go flat when you’re out and about in an unfamiliar place. Navigating your way through a foreign city and looking through social media for your next restaurant inspiration can drain your phone battery rather quickly, so it would be best to have a portable charger on hand.

Portable chargers have a range of power capacity, typically in denominations of 5,000, 10,000 or even 20,000 mah. The bigger capacity, the bigger the device and the more it weighs, so find one that hits the sweet spot for you because you will be carrying this device the entire day.

My go to device is UNIQ’s Hyde Air (10,000 mah), which acts as a stand for your smartphone and has wireless charging capabilities.

But if you’re looking for something no-frills and at a great price point, you’d be surprised that Don Don Donki in Jewel carries Smacce 5,000 mah portable chargers at just S$13.90.

My recommendations:

  • UNIQ’s Hyde Air 10,000 mah
  • smacce 5,000 mah Mobile Battery

Where to buy:

3. Travel adaptors

Unless you’re heading to Hong Kong, Malaysia or Great Britain, where the same electricity plug is used as in Singapore, you’ll need a travel adaptor for your power supplies to work.

Instead of fretting over which plug type will work, simply get an international travel adaptor that will work in any country like the Skross World Adapter, or Energea’s Travelworld Adapter 35 from Challenger.

While most of your crucial devices (Handphones, laptops) are typically rated for international use, do watch out for the voltage rating for your devices, especially for hair dryers or electric kettles if you choose to bring them. If it’s not rated for international voltage (100-230v), chances are you’ll need either a step-up or step-down transformer so as not to damage your devices.

My recommendations:

  • Skross World Adapter USB
  • Energea Travelworld Adapter 35

Where to buy:

  • Challenger (Jewel Changi Airport, #B2-214/5)
  • Boarding Gate (Jewel Changi Airport, #01-239; Changi Airport T3 (Public), #B2-08/09)

4. Electronic luggage weighing scale

Here’s a travel hack I discovered as an avid shopper – always bring a travel-sized luggage weighing scale. 

Overweight baggage at check-in for your flight – sounds familiar? Often, we would be pushing the weight limit for  our check-in baggage to bring home items from our holiday shopping sprees. This can result in a mad scramble at the airport trying to repack and rationalise belongings to bring on board.

So why leave things to chance? If you can weigh your checked baggage in advance and plan ahead, you can save yourself the hassle (and embarrassment) at the airport. 

Pro-tip (for shopaholics): Weigh your luggage across the trip to devise your shopping strategy and plan for the amount of things that you can buy. Can I get that extra toy for my son, and can I get that headphone that I have been eyeing for the longest time? Now you will know exactly what you can fit within your checked baggage limit without paying  extra for excess baggage before you reach the airport.

Where to buy:

  • Challenger (Jewel Changi Airport, #B2-214/5)
  • Sprint-Cass (in the Transit Area across all four Changi Airport terminals, more info here)

5. Portable vacuum pump

So, you’ve made sure you’re well within the weight allowance for your baggage and ready to pack. But to your shock and horror - you can’t fit everything in. Here comes the palm-sized VAGO Z portable vacuum to the rescue. 

With the right vacuum bag and pump combo, you’ll be able to reduce as much as 50% of the volume from bulky items like clothes or plush toys. Now you’ll be able to fit more clothes, souvenirs and local snacks in your luggage.

My recommendation: VAGO Z Portable Travel Vacuum Gadget

Where to buy:

  • Challenger (Jewel Changi Airport, #B2-214/5)

6. Apple AirTags

One of the worst scares a parent can go through is to have your child go missing, and I had a close brush in my recent family trip to Australia. Since then, we have never travelled without a tag on our child.

Travel with peace of mind by making your child, or expensive items like cameras and laptops,trackable. Simply secure Apple’s AirTags onto your child’s belongings, or insert them into bags or pouches that contain your devices.

Receive separation alerts on your phone so that you will be notified if you’ve moved a distance away from the AirTag. Using the “Find My” app on your iPhone allows you to locate the AirTag and even send an audible ping to help find the item once you are in range. 

For non-Apple users, you can consider Tile and their range of trackers. 

Where to buy:

  • Apple Store (Jewel Changi Airport #02-234)
  • Challenger (Jewel Changi Airport #B2-214/5)

7. Noise-cancelling earbuds or headphones

Among the items at the top of my travel gadget list and easily the most essential travel item in my packing list is a good pair of active noise cancelling headphones or earbuds. Noisy children down the aisle on the same flight? Sitting right next to the airplane engine? Turn on the active noise cancellation on your headphone and start your trip proper.

When deciding between headphones and earbuds, your choice may be influenced by several factors.

First, headphones would be your only option if you intend to watch inflight entertainment with the help of an airplane adaptor. But if you’re self-entertainment-sufficient with your smartphone or tablet devices, then your Bluetooth noise cancelling earbuds will do the trick. 

Size would be another important aspect to consider. Headphones would take up significant space in your backpack or luggage, versus a pair of earbuds that could fit in your pocket. And ultimately, comfort – get something that works well for you since you will be using it for prolonged periods of use for your music and entertainment needs. 

Come playtest some of the latest headphone and earbud models at Changi Airport and Jewel:

  • *New* Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphone and Earbuds
  • Sony WH-1000 XM5 (Headphones), WF-1000XM5
  • Apple Airpod Max, Airpods Pro (2nd Generation) 

Where to buy: 

  • iShopChangi; check out earbuds, headphones, and more here
  • Apple Store (Jewel Changi Airport, #02-234
  • Challenger (Jewel Changi Airport, #B2-214/5)
  • Sony (Changi Airport T3 Transit, Level 2 Departure Lounge Near B Gates)
  • Sprint-Cass (in the Transit Area across all four Changi Airport terminals, more info here)

 

Arming yourself with the right travel gadgets that cater to your needs can enhance your vacation experience. Investing in these devices would also prepare you for any adventure, allowing you to capture precious moments and stay connected with ease. 

And if you ever need to find travel gadgets right before your flight, you can be sure that Changi Airport has got you covered with the array of electronics and travel essentials stores, ensuring you will find exactly what you need for a smooth journey ahead.

 

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