The Traveler's Toolbox Part 10

David J. Danto

Travel thoughts in my own, personal opinion

eMail: ddanto@IMCCA.org Follow Industry News: @NJDavidD on

The Traveler’s Toolbox – Update #10

“What do you have in this thing?” is what colleagues often ask me when they attempt to lift up my flight carry-on bag (my “personal item” as it were.) Over the last few years I’ve published a series of blogs ( 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9) that listed a number of devices and tools that I keep with me when I travel. Things change rapidly in technology, and my bag will always have a bunch of new items, so here is the latest update. Click the links in each section to see some examples of where to get these cool travel tools.

· A Mouse That Fits in Your Pocket – The Logitech Mobi Fold. Portable mice have always involved a compromise. A normal mouse is too bulky to carry everywhere, while many so-called travel mice are so small and flat that using one for more than a few minutes feels like trying to operate a computer with a hotel-room bar of soap.

The Mobi Fold approaches the problem differently. It is a real mouse that folds nearly in half when you are finished using it. Folding it shuts it off and creates a compact package that fits easily into a small pocket in a computer bag. Open it and it sort-of takes on the curved shape of a more conventional mouse (The open shape is closer to a tent than a curve, but it works just the same.) It weighs less than three ounces and feels solid enough that I am not worried about the folding mechanism coming apart after a few trips.

It can connect directly through Bluetooth or use Logitech’s included Logi Bolt USB-C receiver. A button lets you move quickly between the two types of connected devices, making it practical for someone carrying a laptop, tablet and perhaps a second computer. Logitech says it can remember as many as three devices. It is rechargeable, runs for about a month between charges and can reportedly get approximately 22 hours of use from a one-minute emergency charge. The traditional scroll wheel has been replaced by a touch-sensitive strip that automatically moves between precise, line-by-line scrolling and faster movement through a long page. Scrolling took a little getting used to.

I like the Mobi Fold about 90 percent. The missing 10 percent is all in my right index finger. When my hand rests naturally on the mouse, my index finger does not quite reach the portion of the left button where the click is easiest to activate. My longer middle finger reaches the right button without any trouble, but the left button requires me to stretch or move my hand forward slightly. The front of the mouse needs to be raised, tapered or angled so the active clicking area comes back toward the user.

That is irritating because nearly everything else about this mouse is exactly perfect. It is compact without feeling like a toy, the touch scrolling works, the battery lasts and the choice between direct Bluetooth and a USB-C receiver makes it useful with almost anything. It has earned a place in my travel bag, but Logitech is one small ergonomic adjustment away from having something genuinely wonderful.

· A Translator That Explains More Than Words – The Vasco Translator Q1. Electronic translators are not new. Smartphones can already translate spoken phrases, typed words, menus and signs. The question is whether a separate device can do enough more than a phone to justify carrying and charging another piece of hardware.

The Vasco Translator Q1 makes a surprisingly strong argument that it can. It handles the expected voice, text and photo translation functions, but its most interesting feature is something called Vasco Assistant. Point the camera at a symbol, a street marking, a local food or another unfamiliar object and it attempts to explain not only what you are seeing, but what it means in that specific country or culture.

That distinction matters. Translating the name of a dish does not necessarily tell you what is in it, how it is prepared or why it is important locally. Translating the words on a parking sign may not explain the rules that residents already understand. Vasco Assistant can provide context about regional cuisine, customs, symbols and even local regulations. The Assistant feature currently allows 100 requests, with the allowance refreshing every 30 days.

The other significant advantage is connectivity. The Q1 includes a built-in SIM card and free lifetime cellular data for translations in nearly 200 countries. This is not a general-purpose hotspot that will let you stream Netflix from the middle of Rome. It is connectivity solely for the Vasco translation services. Still, it means you do not have to find Wi-Fi, purchase a local SIM, activate an international data plan or worry that the translation application will stop working just when you need it.

The Q1 is not inexpensive, but unlimited translation connectivity changes the value calculation. For someone who travels internationally only once every few years, a phone application may be enough. For a frequent international traveler who regularly encounters unfamiliar languages, menus, signs and local rules, the combination of translation, cultural explanation and lifetime connectivity may justify the cost by itself.

· A Car Mount That Grabs and Charges the Phone for You – The Scosche MagicGrip Wireless Charging Mount. Most car phone mounts require some combination of pushing, squeezing, clamping or carefully lining up the phone before you can drive away. This one does nearly all of that for you.

The MagicGrip VentCharge attaches to a vehicle’s air vent and receives power through USB-C. It can plug directly into a car’s USB port, or use the included cigarette-lighter adapter in an older vehicle. Once powered, an indicator light confirms that the mount is ready.

Place the phone against the charging surface and the mount automatically senses that it is there. A small motor closes the side grips around the phone and positions it correctly for wireless charging. There is no button to press and nothing to squeeze manually. The phone simply touches the mount, the arms close and charging begins.

What impressed me most is that it works with my iPhone 16 inside a battery case. That makes the phone considerably thicker than a typical bare phone or one in a conventional protective case, yet the mount still opens far enough and grips it securely. That alone distinguishes it from many car mounts that work perfectly in the product photographs but become useless as soon as a thicker case is involved.

Removing the phone is just as mechanical. Press the release button and the same motor opens the arms again. This is not a spring-loaded clamp that snaps open or gradually loses tension. The mount actively opens and closes, with the indicator light showing that it has power and is responding.

It is a clever combination of a vent mount, powered automatic grip and wireless charger in one device. Each of those technologies is familiar on its own, but bringing them together this smoothly makes the MagicGrip VentCharge feel like much more than another piece of plastic clipped to a rental car’s dashboard.

· Open-Ear Audio for a Full Day of Calls – The Shokz OpenMeet2 UC. I have used Shokz bone-conduction devices before, but the OpenMeet2 is a different sort of product. It is a professional communications headset designed for people who spend a significant part of the day on calls but do not want their ears sealed with conventional headphones.

The OpenMeet2 is different from prior Shokz (formerly AfterShokz) products that relied solely on bone-conduction to propagate audio for the user. This device uses Shokz DualPitch technology, which combines the bone-conduction system with a separate air-conduction driver positioned near the ear. The bone-conduction component handles much of the voice and higher-frequency information, while the air driver adds the lower frequencies and fullness that traditional bone-conduction headsets often lack. It is an unusual listening experience because the sound is clearly present, yet your ear canals remain completely open to hear if the doorbell is ringing or the baby is crying.

That open design can be useful in any location where you need to hear both the call and what is happening around you. It also reduces the heat and pressure that can make conventional headsets uncomfortable after several hours. The entire headset weighs about 78 grams and is designed to work with eyeglasses, earrings and hearing aids.

The OpenMeet2 has a boom microphone with AI-based noise reduction, a rotary volume control, a dedicated mute button and the ability to mute by raising the microphone boom. A built-in busy light lets others know when you are on a call. Shokz rates it for as much as 12 hours of talk time or 16 hours of listening, and a five-minute charge can provide roughly two additional hours of talk time. The UC edition also happens to be certified for Zoom and Webex with more platforms coming.

This is one of two new open-ear headsets in this installment of the Traveler's Toolbox, with the new Cleer model below. The obvious trade-off is gaining awareness of the sounds around you while losing the sound isolation that comes at varying degrees from in-ear or over-ear devices.

· Open-Ear Earbuds That Keep Getting Smarter – The Cleer ARC 5. I have previously used and reviewed earlier products in Cleer’s ARC series, and each generation has moved the open-ear concept a little further. The new ARC 5 continues that progression, adding features that would have seemed excessive on a pair of open-ear earbuds only a few years ago.

The basic concept remains familiar. Each unit loops over the ear and positions its speaker just outside the ear canal. Nothing is inserted into or seals the ear, so you can listen to music, podcasts or a call while remaining aware of announcements, traffic and other people. That awareness can be particularly valuable in any number of circumstances where you want to remain 100% aware of what’s going on around you.

The ARC 5 adds THX Spatial Audio, Dolby Atmos optimization with head tracking, Snapdragon Sound and support for high-resolution and lossless Bluetooth formats. Cleer uses a 16.2mm driver in each earpiece and has made the hooks thinner and lighter than those on earlier ARC products. Each earbud weighs about 11.5 grams and carries an IPX7 water-resistance rating.

The charging case may be the most immediately noticeable change. It contains an AMOLED touchscreen that can control playback, adjust the equalizer and display information without requiring you to pull out your phone. I’ve always been a big fan of touchscreens on charging cases, which allow much easier adjustments of headsets than remembering a sequence of presses or looking for a companion app.

Cleer rates the earbuds for as much as 12 hours of use on a charge and 60 hours when the case is included. A ten-minute quick charge can provide approximately four hours of listening. The ARC 5 also supports Bluetooth multipoint, which is important for anyone moving between a phone, tablet and laptop.

I’m always on the lookout for convenient or cool things to carry on my travels. If you spot something I should feature in a future Traveler’s Toolbox, please drop me a note. I also want to hear if you’ve had any issues with any of the items I’ve mentioned – good or bad experiences help others. And to answer a question I’ve gotten from a few manufacturers: no, I don’t earn any money or commissions from the links or products I write about. The most I’ll ever accept is a sample to test because I never recommend anything I haven’t personally tried. It’s just easier to remember the truth than to keep track of a story that isn’t real.

After decades of candid travel commentary – from loyalty program “magic tricks” to hotel check-in roulette – I’ve decided to turn some of that honesty into apparel. These aren’t novelty shirts; they’re the exact truths every road warrior wishes they could say out loud. Whether you’re quietly muttering “My loyalty points devalued while you read this shirt” or admitting “If delays build character then I’m the whole movie’s cast” you’ll find plenty of familiar sentiments… and more. Everything is produced by a reputable outfit, with black tees that work under a sport jacket plus hoodies and wicking travel gear for life on the road. The site also has my honest and snarky takes on technology trade shows. Take a look at Tinyurl.com/TechAndTravelWear. Even if you’re not buying they’re fun to read and commiserate – and if you do buy something, maybe I’ll break even. If you want a style you don’t see, just email me and I’ll add it.

This article was written by David Danto and contains solely his own, personal opinions.

All image and links provided above as reference under prevailing fair use statutes.

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As always, feel free to write and comment, question or disagree. Hearing from the traveling community is always a highlight for me. Thanks!