As the mercury rises and the days get longer, there’s no need to stay locked up indoors. We here at Adorama encourage you to get out there, get some sun, and live it up; but just because you’re away from your power outlet doesn’t mean you have to rough it like some kind of caveman, keep reading for some of our must have gadgets to keep you company wherever your summer wanderlust may take you.
Day at the Beach or a Summer on the Road
Nothing quite says summer like a relaxing day at the beach. Friends, family, fun, and sun is the recipe to make memorable summers so why get out there and take the party with you.
It’s not a party without the tunes so make sure to bring a Bluetooth portable speaker system like the Bose Soundlink Mini. We love the Soundlink Mini for its long battery life, up to 7 hours on a single charge, Bluetooth connectivity up to 30-feet from your device means you can feel free to roam, and an option 3.5mm jack for non-Bluetooth devices. The Bose Soundlink Mini definitely can get the party started at the beach, BBQ, park, your backyard or anywhere else you can think of. We recommend you check out our BOSE Soundlink Mini Bundle that includes the Soundlink Mini, a color face-cover, and soft-travel case; you’ll never have an excuse to not carry it along.
Now that we’ve gotten our feet wet make sure you’re equipped to capture all the fun. If you’re looking to become the next YouTube Action-Cam star then look no further than the GoPro HERO4 Black action camera. The GoPro HERO4 is the de-facto camera for everyone from extreme sports pros to drone photography enthusiasts to anyone else that wants a camera that can pump out 1080p HD video, brave the elements, take a tumble, and is completely waterproof (thanks to the included housing). Another added benefit of choosing the GoPro HERO4 is the large array of mounts, housings, and accessories that make this one of the most versatile cameras you can buy. Best of all the GoPro HERO4 makes it easy to start, stop, and share your videos and photos thanks to its built-in WiFi connectivity and companion apps (iOS and Android).
If extreme sports isn’t really your thing and are looking for a more traditional camera, leave the DSLR at home and instead consider the Olympus Stylus Tough TG-4. The latest version of the Stylus Tough series, the TG-4 is designed to withstand depths of down to 50-feet, it will brush off drops from 7-feet up, and is crushproof up to 220lbs. So don’t worry about missing that shot while snorkeling or simply having the peace of mind of not worrying about tossing your camera in the bag and hoping it makes the trip in tact. The Olympus Stylus Tough TG-4 is not just about outward toughness either, the TG-4 packs a 16-megapixel backside illuminated CMOS sensor that’s paired with a fast f/2.0 super wide angle lens to give you crisp, clean images no matter where you’re shooting.
Still carrying around a paperback to the beach; why not pick up a new tablet instead. If you’re a fan of Android make sure to check out the new Samsung Galaxy Tab A. Whether you’re off for a day at the beach, a cross-country road trip or spending some time up in the air, we love the 8-inch model in Smokey Blue (there’s also a 9.7-inch model available as well). The Samsung Galaxy Tab A comes preloaded with the latest version of Android, Android 5.0 – Lollipop. Aside from being able to take all your music, movies, and ebooks wherever your summer travels may take you, the latest features in Android 5.0 let you pick up where you left off. If you’ve started a novel during your commute on your Android phone you can just as easily pick back up on the Samsung Galaxy Tab A without missing a beat. What’s best, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A makes it easy to import all your contacts across various platforms including Windows and even iOS.
If you’re still flying your #team_iOS flag high, consider picking up the iPad Air 2. Sure we choose the smaller of the two Android tablets but as far as choosing between the iPad Air 2 or the iPad Mini 3, the choice comes down to processing power. Both the iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3 come with gorgeous Apple Retina Displays that offer high resolution for apps, games, and more importantly text (for all those ebooks you’re going to be enjoying) and Apple’s TouchID technology but the Apple A8x 64-bit processor will get you a lot more mileage out of the iPad Air 2 in the long run. Also, with the recently announced enhancements to iOS9 at Apple’s WWDC developer’s conference, we definitely see lots of features that will benefit from the large screen real estate offered up in the iPad Air 2.
With all that technology in your bag, all the cords, accessories, and everything else you need to carry your go bag may begin looking a mess. Keeping organize will help beat the stresses of travel more than you can image. To help keep it all under wraps, consider picking up a Cocoon CP-G10 GRID-IT! Organizer. The mesh organizer will help keep all your cords, cables, and personal items easily within reach and neatly packed. There’s even a GRID-IT! cases for laptops and tablets – either way you can be keep everything within reach and in its place.
This summer there’s no excuse to stay locked indoors. Take a day, take a week and be sure to take your creature comforts wherever you may go, and make sure to visit Adorama.com to make sure you’ve got everything you need to make some memories.