We Geek To Fly And It Shows

It has been a while since I traveled to a trade show, something I used to do on a very regular basis. For this trip, I’ve definitely taken the geek-on-the-road pack list to a while new level.

Some of the items I need to take are actually for the trade show, including a hand-held computer that we didn’t have in time to ship to the event. Other items are part of my standard travel kit. And a small few of these items fit into the “oh crap, what Dragon*Con work can I get done while on the road” category.

So, in no particular order, here’s what I took through security in a single backpack …

• Dell 17” Laptop (on the trip to run booth demos during the day, and edit videos back in the hotel room at night)

• Spare battery for the Dell laptop (it’s an electron chewing beast)

• Asus EeePC 701 (my usual travel laptop, this time playing the dual-role of a booth demo and my business diary)

• Sharp Willcom D4 (the “oh, I can take this … thanks for telling me after we shipped everything, good thing it’s tiny” demo system)

• Apple iPod 30GB Video (slightly worn, well traveled, full of music & podcasts)

• Memorex Noise Canceling (inexpensive and built that way, battery compartment held shut with the twist tie I use to coil the cable)

• AAA Batteries, 4-pack (noise-canceling headphones need electrons, too)

• Stereo earbuds with retractable cable (listening to music out on the streets of San Francisco isn’t really the place for over-the-ear noise canceling headphones)

• RCA Lyra 20GB MP3 Player (my original MP3 player, now serving out its retirement as a USB 2.0 hard drive for Dragon*ConTV)

• Two Nokia cell phone batteries (needed to charge before being transported to SFO for yet another booth demo system)

• T-Mobile Sidekick II (since 2004, my trusty e-mail/SMS/web/phone gadget)

• Motorola Flip Phone & Bluetooth Headset (the work provided phone/leash)

• Panasonic Lumix 6.1MP Digital Camera with 6X Optical Zoom (say cheese!)

• Samson Zoom H2 Audio Recorder (how I record last-minute voice overs for those unedited Dragon*ConTV projects)

• 512MB & 2GB SD flash memory cards (for the camera & audio recorder)

• Chargers for the Dell laptop, Sharp Willcom D4 and RCA Lyra. The rest of my chargers are in my checked luggage, trying to cut down on the spaghetti in my bag.

• Signage for the booth at IDF (printed at the last minute due to changes in the demos)

That’s one backpack kids … a Swiss Army laptop backpack purchased at Sam’s Club ($39.95, pile of digital crap not included). My regular luggage (a very small roll-up hanging bag) is composed of clothing, toiletries, battery chargers and small plastic holders for the newly printed booth signs.

Yes, this is packing light. Over-stuffed overhead compartments and fees for checking a second bag means compression goes beyond my MP3 files. See you on the ground.