Tech Gadgets that Make Road Trips a Breeze

The thrill of vacations seems to peak after the first hour of driving. However, times have changed and there have been some really great advances in tech gadgets that will ensure a great trip for parents down to their pets. Here are ten gadgets that will make a road trip smooth from start to finish.

Garmin Nuvi 205

Everyone knows that the number one needed item on a road trip is a GPS. And for less than a hundred dollars at the gpsstore.com one can purchase a Garmin Nuvi 205 Automotive GPS System. It comes with features such as a 3.5" touch screen and maps of the lower forty-eight states as well as Puerto Rico and Hawaii. It also houses features such as points of interest, restaurants, ATM's, hotels, gas stations, and many more. The Garmin Nuvi 205 can be used in any car or on foot making this one great GPS system.

Moodoo's Bluetooth Hands Free Car Kit

These days with money being tight and road trips becoming the once again preferred mode of travel it is essential to having a hand free way to talk on the phone. With the Moodoo's Bluetooth hands free car kit the driver's hands only have to push one button. One of the coolest features of the Moodoo's Bluetooth is that the phone number of the person calling pops right up onto the rearview mirror. One can purchase this devise for $180.00.

GearGrip Notebook Travel Harness

Because most families today already own a laptop there is really no reason to get a DVD player and flip down screen for the car. By buying a GearGrip Notebook Travel Harness for just $35.00 one can just attach their own laptop and start watching shows or movies immediately. The straps attach to the headrests keeping the computer firmly in place. This gadget is great because not only can movies be watched with it but, also video games can be played, or just regular surfing of the Internet with attachable mouse and keyboards.

Komfort Pets' Climate-controlled Pet Carrier

A pet owner knows that it is hard to find someone reliable enough to take care of his or her dogs and kennels can be very costly. Thanks to Komfort Pet's Climate-controlled pet carrier one no longer has to leave man's best friend behind. According to the CEO of Komfort Pets, " Each Komfort Pets' climate-controlled pet carrier comes with a 12 volt DC converter and cord that plugs into any 110 volt AC power source. We also provide a six foot, 12 volt DC cord that can be plugged into the 12 volt DC power outlet in any car, SUV, RV, boat or private plane," making this pet carrier fantastic for any kind of travel. The climate control is programmed to kick start at 72 degrees F keeping the dog nice and cool. Prices start at $299.00.

Voltaic Solar Bags and Solar Chargers

In today's society technology is abundant and most families have a least a few cells phones, laptops, iPods, and MP3 players all of which need to be charged every day. The Voltaic Solar bags make it easy to charge the handheld electronics anywhere there is direct sunlight. Just one hour of direct sunlight will give the iPod four hours of life. Another great perk is that these bags are made from recycled PET (soda bottles) which in turns keeps the need for recycled products while keeping energy use down. The price of the bags ranges from $199.00 to $499.00. The bag that costs $499.00 is called the generator and it provides 15 watts and can be used for laptops.

Sirius Satellite Radio

After spending any time in a car it is easy to see why no one listens to the radio for very long anymore. One only has to listen for thirty minutes to hear all the songs that they are going to play for that day. So if the family vacation is going to be longer than a jaunt across time getting a Sirius Satellite Radio is a must. Sirius allows one to "listen on your computer, mobile device, or compatible Internet radio." Sirius also offers over 120 channels of music without commercials as well as sports, talk, news, and entertainment. They offer several different packages so that anyone can afford it. Packages start at just $6.99.

Vector Jump-Start System

On road trips people start thinking about a million other things and sometimes forget to turn off lights leaving the battery dead the next time the family gets into the car. With the Vector Jump-Start system one does not even have to worry about flagging down someone else as it is an all in one system. The Vector system comes with a keyless on and off switch, a 19 Ah battery, AC and DC charging adapters, 27 heavy duty welder-type cables and clamps, a 12 volt DC portable power outlet, and a built in LED emergency light. This system is priced at around $80.00.

Coleman 40 Quart Powerchill Thermoelectric Cooler

This cooler is fantastic for road trips because one does not have the worry of ice. Did we buy the ice? Is the ice already melted? Plus then the ice does not drip on packed luggage or leak out. Then there is the added bonus of not having to drain the cooler and reload each and every time the ice melts. Enabling a hassle free way of transporting snacks and drinks on the next family outing. The Coleman 40-quart powerchill thermoelectric cooler will plug into any 12v adapter. This cooler also cools to below 49 degrees F, can stand up straight or lay flat, comes with a tray, can open from left or right, and comes with a one-year warranty. This unique cooler is priced at $134.99.

Amazon Kindle

Amazon.com had gone above and beyond the call of duty with this great gadget. The Amazon Kindle is a "software and hardware platform developed by Amazon.com for the rendering and displaying of

e-books and other digital media." While reading using this device it is possible to "add highlights and notes." They offer over 500,000 books, newspapers, magazines, and blogs. One of the best features is that it allows one to preview the first chapter for free before deciding to buy. Another great feature is that it is wireless enabling one to take it anywhere they wish to go.

Canon PowerShot A590

What road trip or vacation is complete with out a camera? Today families are leaving the disposable behind and embracing the digital age. The digital feature allows families to only print the pictures they want saving them money. According to reviews at pcworld.com the Canon PowerShot A590 is "Easy to use, even for extreme novices

Excellent optical image stabilization." Having the optical image stabilization makes this a "point and shoot camera." This camera comes with a SD media slot and is powered by two AA batteries. According to some user reviews found of pcworld.com battery life is good. With 8 megapixels the quality of the pictures is top notch making this point and shoot camera so easy to use even the children can take pictures. Prices on this camera start at around $209.00.

With these ten great tech gadgets family road trips just got easier.

www.gpsstore.com
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www.voltaicsystems.com
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www.amazon.com
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