In the scramble to pack for a conference, just remembering to pack your laptop charger is a win. But a larger question looms: what tech do you bring?
Having a checklist certainly wouldn’t hurt. So, here it is, the Official Conference Tech Checklist. It’s for everyone—from the technically-challenged among us to the absentminded tech genius.
Must-have Technology
- Your phone: It may sound obvious, but have you got your phone with you? Is it charged? Recently backed up? Are all of your conference appointments in there as well? Just checking!
- Your phone charger(s): Having a smartphone is like having an infant—there are lots of accessories to keep track of. Consider keeping one adaptor in your purse, briefcase, or backpack—and one in your suitcase or travel bag, as a backup.
- Your laptop charger: Are you going abroad for your conference? Most laptop chargers are multivoltage, but whether your plug will fit is another question. A Universal Travel Adapter will do the trick.
- A power bank: It’s a portable power boost—in case you’re far from a wall outlet or USB port. You’ll want a power bank small enough to fit in your pocket. And if it automatically knows the right voltage your device needs, so much the better. What can your power bank actually charge?
- 2 pairs of earbuds: Say you’ve got an iPhone X (with the tiny, rectangular plug thingie) and a two-year-old MacBook Air (with the circular plug thingie). You’ll need those two sets of earbuds—one for your phone, and one for your laptop.
- Your laptop or tablet: It’s up to you which to take. Can’t decide? Why not take both?
- A USB flash drive: It’s tiny—so tiny, in fact, it’s liable to get lost. That’s why we wear ours around our necks, the way soccer referees wear their whistles.
- A mouse. Or not: People who love mice insist on traveling with them, as if they were therapy pets. And then there are “I’m good with my touchpad” sort of people. Which one are you?
- A multiport adapter: Because sometimes you’ve got more to plug in than you have ports on your laptop.
Nice-to-have Technology
Noise-cancelling headphones: Do they actually work? When you’re on a plane, for sure. And here’s our dirty little secret: we use noise-cancelling apps, like Binaural.
- A mini-speaker: Why not play that YouTube video or Spotify pick at a volume you can actually hear, for a change?
- A laser pointer: Will you be presenting at the conference? Assisting the keynote speaker, perhaps? Consider the Star Wars Darth Vader Lightsaber Laser Pointer—and the force will definitely be with you!