Do You Get Overwhelmed While Traveling? These Tech Products Can Make It Stress-Free. From an unlosable pencil to a backpack that lets you over-pack, these products can help you keep it together.
This story appears in the March 2025 issue of BIZ Experiences. Subscribe »
Everyone knows that traveling has gotten less predictable, and more stressful. Will your flight get delayed, or cancelled? Will you get a seat with your travel companion, or end up paying exorbitant luggage fees? We can't fix those problems, but we can make some recommendations for products to help you stay sane while on the move — from a tablet pencil you cannot lose, to a backpack meant for overpacking, in case you want to snag that Spirit flight without paying for a carry-on!
1. More intuitive headphones.
As headphones become more sophisticated, controlling them becomes more complicated. What does one tap mean again? What about two? The JBL Tour One M3 with Smart Tx [$400; jbl.com] fixes that: It comes with a small, rechargeable touch screen to handle the basic headphone functions without opening an app or memorizing a pattern of taps and swipes. The Smart Tx also plugs into the jack of your middle seat's infotainment system, letting you stream content wirelessly while blocking out the guy snoring in the aisle seat. It releases in April.
2. A universal smart lock.
With their chunky plastic housing, bulky keypads, and battery compartments, smart locks aren't very discreet. But the matte black or satin nickel Level Lock+ (Matter-over-Thread) [$329; level.co] looks like a regular lock, down to the included keys. The Level works with all the smart home ecosystems you already have, pairing with hubs like some Apple TV, Nest, or Echo devices. With some basic DIY installation, you can keep your existing handle and use almost any smart device to lock and unlock the door, or even ask your virtual assistant to do it for you.
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3. The unlosable pencil.
If you've bought one stylus for an iPad, you've probably also bought a second — after losing the first one. ESR Geo Digital Pencil [$30; esrgear.com] is much harder to lose: It works with Apple's "Find My" feature, so you can use your tablet or iPhone to locate the pencil with a real-time map. The pencil recharges via USB-C in about 30 minutes. Shortcuts like single-and double-clicking the top button help streamline your workflow on the tablet.
4. A true wireless TV.
When you buy a new TV, you must plug it in somewhere. That limits where you can hang it. But you don't need to worry about that with the 4K OLED screen on the Displace Pro [from $4,000; displace.tv]. It uses an internal battery that you charge with a cord through a pop-out port, which provides up to 10 hours of viewing, while also powering suction cups on the back that keep the nearly 17-pound, 27-inch TV in place on a wall. It comes with a battery-powered soundbar and also connects to Wi-Fi — making it a truly detached experience.
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5. A backpack for overpackers.
Need to pack a lot, but still want to travel light? The Sandmarc Backpack + Compression Kit [$280; sandmarc.com] has an innovative solution: It contains a 17.7-by-11.4-inch nylon compression bag along with a cordless vacuum-blower. Just stuff your clothing in there, and then suck all the air out. You'll be shocked at how much it all shrinks. The backpack itself also has external compartments to store items like a phone, and a zipper that bumps the capacity from 25 to 30.5 liters.
