Tag: Holidays

Useful travel gadgets and accessories for holidays and trips in 2025

Need to up your tech game for your trips and holidays well here below is some you might want to check out for the year ahead with the latest tech on the market from cables to watches bluetooth speakers and more there is something for everyone that is also affordable and will make life easier in 2025
Twelve South PlugBug Travel Kit
Price: £79.99 (50w), £129.99 (120w)
Available from Twelve South UK and Apple
Twelve South’s PlugBug is the first ever USB-C plug with built-in Find My! Travellers will never leave their charger in the hotel or airport lounge again. Simply launch the Find My app on an iPhone so see exactly where it is, even if it’s on the other side of the world. The PlugBug can also act as an AirTag tracker for any bag it’s in, allowing users to find both their bag and charger. Users can even utilise the Notify When Left Behind feature to help ensure it’s not lost in the first place.

It can charge Power Delivery compatible devices much faster than a standard USB-C charger and detects which devices are being charged and delivers the right amount of fast charging power to them. Available in 50W with two ports or 120W with four ports, the Plug Bug also includes EU (Type C) and UK (Type G) interchangeable adaptors.

Folding prongs and ports that are accessible from the bottom of the charger rather than the back, make it easy to plug in to wall outlets in tight spaces, such as behind a sofa or side table. The all new travel version includes adaptors for US, UK, EU, AU KR and CN as well as a handy travel case to keep things organised.

QDOS PowerMotion Ultra 4.0 USB cable
Price: £39.99
Available from QDOS
The new QDOS PowerMotion Ultra USB-C to USB-C cables offer high performance both in terms of power delivery and data transfer. Users can enjoy up to 40Gbps of data transfer, making it the ideal travel accessory for creatives who travel, gaming, and those who want to transfer large files.
What’s more its 100% recycled TPE stepped connector means it’s compatible with all USB-C and high power enabled devices including Macbooks, laptops, smartphones, tablets and more.
Vango Tempest Airbeam pump from Outdoor World Direct
Price: £89.99
Available from Outdoor World Direct
The most intuitive pump for air tents available, the Vango Tempest pump offers easy inflation of any air tent or awning (not just Vango’s), meaning there is no need to carry and work a manual pump. The rechargeable pump simply plugs into the valve and inflates any tent to the correct pressure, offering effortless, fast-pitching when camping. The included attachments mean it can also inflate other gear like airbeds. It also has a deflate function to safely set down the tent. The LED screen features PSI (pressure gauge) and there’s even a USB port so it serves as a powerbank for charging other devices, like phones. What’s more it weighs just 1kg, so doesn’t add to a backpacker’s or festival goer’s load.
Highlander Ben Nevis 52L rucksack from Outdoor World Direct

Price: £99.99

Available in petrol blue for women and grey for men from Outdoor World Direct in March

Ideal for those who love hiking, and embark on multi-day hikes for pleasure or  the Highlander Ben Nevis 52L Rucksack in men’s or women’s from Outdoor World Direct is specially tailored for women’s bodies and designed for comfort.
The adjustable height system and dual webbing on the shoulder and hip straps prevents shoulder pain from long periods of carrying. Hydration bladder compatibility means no need to lift the rucksack off once it’s comfortably in place to drink to stay hydrated.
Large front and side pockets provide easy access and the included rain cover keeps belongings dry in wet conditions. It also features dedicated points for ice axes, walking poles, and a Pole-Park system for more technical hikes.
Highlander Venture Backpack from Outdoor World Direct
Price: £24.99
Available from Outdoor World Direct
This 20L day pack by Highlander is ideal for day trips, whether exploring the mountains or cities. It is also within cabin baggage size guidelines (H48 x W27 x D16cm) and so can make a useful hand luggage option, especially as it’s packed with features.
The main compartment has compression straps for neat packing and hydration bladder compatibility for outdoors activities. A bungee corded front pouch makes handy storage for a helmet or compressing a jacket, while the elasticated side pockets are perfect for a water bottle and umbrella.
Adjustable chest and shoulder straps allow for correct load distribution, preventing aching shoulders.
Groov-e Kidz Headphones – new upgraded version
Price: £17.99
Available from Amazon now and Currys and Robert Dyas in March
New and improved for 2025, these headphones now have a volume limiter switch of 85db or 100db to help protect little ears. Ideal for keeping them entertained on long car journeys or flights, they can be used wirelessly via Bluetooth or with the included 3.5mm cable (so compatible with in-flight entertainment).
The integrated mic is ideal for catching up with friends or gaming online. The generous 20-hours playback, adjustable headband and soft, padded ear cups make them ideal for long durations. When they’ve finished listening, the Kidz fold down to a compact size for storage or transportation.

Styletech Portable LED Speaker

Price: £19.99

Available from Very

This affordable, compact Bluetooth speaker is ideal for enjoying music and more when travelling. Enjoy up to 11 hours playback and punchy sound from the 5w speaker, while the 11 RGB animated light options on the LED ring – including 5 static colours and 6 animated – are perfect for setting the mood, or turn them off entirely.
Integrated buttons mean controlling playback can easily be done on the speaker, as well as from the connected device. Standing just 105mm tall and with a handy carry loop, it’s the perfect speaker for holidays and adventures.
Maxcom Gold and Silver 2

RRP: £79.99

Available from Amazon in gold and silver

Maxcom Gold and Maxcom Silver 2 smartwatches combine a classic look with advanced technology for managing life on the go. Designed to look and feel like a stunning piece of jewellery, perfect for dinners out when on holiday, its round stainless steel body and shiny gold or silver bracelet accessories any outfit perfectly.

The watches are ideal for travel; make calls and texts, check the local weather and receive important notifications on the go, as well as track steps and outdoor activities. They also continually measure pulse and blood pressure and analyse sleep quality, suggest breathing exercises, measure stress and mood and send reminders to stay hydrated.

Dedicated female focussed features allow women to track their menstrual cycle, fertile periods and pregnancy. A versatile fitness trainer, it also counts calories burned, distance travelled and supports over 70 sports disciplines.

The 1.2-inch AMOLED touch screen is bright and easy to read. Always-On-Display mode allows users to display the time on a blank screen, giving it the feel of a traditional watch. Users can choose from unique, original dials or from over 100 free watch faces that are available in the app. Its efficient battery lasts for up to seven days without charging.

Maxcom FW66 IronR review

Groov-e Triton
RRP: £20
Available from Groov-e, Moto motorway services, House of Fraser, Sports Direct, Amazon

Ideal for keeping your devices charged on the go, Groov-e Triton is a folding 3-in-1 portable magnetic wireless charger. Compact and no bigger than a post-it note when folded, it fits easily in a handbag, backpack or carry-on bag, meaning users don’t need to take multiple cables or chargers with them.

When unfolded, it has three separate Qi wireless charging pads that lay flat to provide power to multiple compatible devices. Whether that’s an Android or Apple mobile device, Apple Watch, AirPods or wireless earphones, users can charge them at the same time. Triton can also be folded into a rigid stand, allowing users to watch videos or take calls whilst charging.

PayPal study reveals that 71 per cent of people in Ireland establish a budget for the holiday season

New research from PayPal unwraps consumer expectations and beliefs relating to Christmas shopping and spending during the festive season.

PayPal’s 2023 Festive Spending Snapshot – conducted by Censuswide and polling more than 1,000 consumers who celebrate the holiday season across Ireland revealed that 71 per cent of people actively establish a budget for the holiday season. However, despite their best intentions, 74 per cent of these budget-setters often overspend during the holiday season.

Budgeting plans for the holidays

Perhaps unsurprisingly, more than half (57%) of people get stressed when it comes to planning their Christmas budgets and 37 per cent would like better control over their holiday expenses.

Popular tips and trends among Christmas shoppers across Ireland included:

  • Ringing the bells for budgets – Out of the shoppers who actively establish a budget for the holiday season, 36 per cent allocate budgets per person that they need to buy for. Just under a third (32%) say that having a budget makes them less stressed/more relaxed and some 26 per cent set one to prevent them from dipping into their savings.
  • Jingling rather than mingling – A quarter (25%) of people in Ireland are forgoing their work Christmas parties to make their budgets stretch further this Christmas. Furthermore, attending New Year’s Eve parties are off the list of 24 per cent of consumers to reduce costs.
  • Sleighing with saving – Thirty-two per cent of consumers plan to pay for goods using loyalty points or rewards, while 28 per cent will compare prices using apps to cut back on spending this year. Moreover, 21 per cent will use a digital wallet (like PayPal) to track online purchases and 18 per cent will shop online this year.

Festive shopping habits

When it comes to online shopping, respondents cited main benefits which included saving time (48%), helps them to avoid crowds (44%), better offers (36%), more competitive prices (33%), greater variety (31%) and it enables them to complete their shopping earlier (27%).

On timing, 57 per cent of consumers expect to have their Christmas shopping finished by the 12th of December. On the other hand, the county with the highest proportion of last-minute shoppers – those that wait until after 20th December – is Monaghan (50%). This was followed by Offaly (29%), Kerry (28%) and Carlow (27%).

Looking beyond Christmas, 60 per cent of survey respondents usually shop in the January sales, with just over a third (34%) picking up presents for the following year. The expected average spend in the coming January sales is €248.

Are Irish people rationalising spending?

The study revealed people’s concerns when buying Christmas presents. These included delivery/arrival times (62%), overspending (61%) being scammed (57%), shopping on unfamiliar websites (49%) and filling in financial details when making purchases (46%).

However, despite the concern around excessive expense when Christmas shopping, more than three quarters (77%) of people have justified spending over their budget. About a quarter (28%) agree that ‘buying one and getting one free’ means they can treat themselves to the free item.

Meanwhile, 27 per cent typically spend enough to get free delivery so that they don’t lose money and 23 per cent believe that getting something for half price means they can make their budget go further.

The leading reasons for rationalising spending during this time of year were found to be that it is a means of relaxation (27%), gift-giving fosters emotional connections (25%) and it makes people feel less guilty (23%).

As for what’s driving this spending over their budget among consumers, more than a third (36%) cited much higher prices this year.

Speaking about the findings, Maeve Dorman, Senior Vice President, PayPal, commented: “It’s clear that people in Ireland are conscious of the cost associated with Christmas, with many justifying the expense and others overspending. But this is where “festive maths” comes in. It means planning and sticking to a budget, while being smart with spending. From tracking transactions and using Honey for discounts or using PayPal at Checkout, festive maths enables people to take better control of their finances and enjoy the holiday season.”

Refer to the PayPal website for more information on easy budgeting solutions for the festive season.

Most Popular Holiday Backgrounds On Zoom Revealed. #Zoom #Tech

With the effect of coronavirus meaning that holiday plans have had to be postponed, a lot of us are missing the ability to explore the world.

It’s perhaps unsurprising then that many people are using video calls as an opportunity to virtually travel, with holiday-style Zoom backgrounds seeing a huge 9,900% increase in searches according to Google Trends data.

Noticing the increase in demand, and anecdotally hearing of people using their destination imagery as video call backgrounds, luxury travel company Kuoni has released a select set of images and video to be used as Zoom backgrounds.

Kuoni has made 14 backgrounds available, 12 images and two dynamic videos, that reflect some of their most popular destinations. From Bangkok cityscapes to crystal-clear Caribbean waters, the collection offers a range of amazing travel landscapes.

James Nye from Kuoni comments: “Just a few days into lockdown we started to hear about people using our destination images as backgrounds to their video calls, to at least momentarily transport them to somewhere else in the world. Coupled with the increase in online searches for travel-inspired video call backgrounds, we wanted to release a collection that hopefully gives people a slice of their dream holiday whilst they’re at home. The collection includes some of our most popular destinations and we hope the range of landscapes means you can switch up the backgrounds depending on where you want your wanderlust to take you.”

Destination Zoom backgrounds have seen a spike in popularity

 

Kuoni also delved into the search data to discover which destinations and landscapes are currently seeing the largest surge in popularity for virtual backgrounds. With its beautiful beaches and sparkling waters, it may come as no surprise that the Caribbean is the most popular Zoom background right now – seeing a whopping 9,900% increase in searches. The data shows that long-haul destinations are the favourites, with just Sweden making it into the top five from Europe.

Most Popular Zoom Background Destinations

  1. Caribbean +9,900%
  2. =Australia +9,800%
  1. =Maldives +9,800%
  2. =Vietnam +9,700%
  1. =New Zealand +9,700%
  1. =Sweden +9,700%
  2. Philippines +8,800%
  3. =Canada +8,500%
  1. =Brazil +8,500%
  2. USA +8,100%
  3. Ireland +7,200%
  4. India +6,500%
  5. Portugal +5,000%
  6. Spain +4,900%

When looking at holiday types, such as dramatic mountain scenes or serene waterfalls, it’s safari backdrops that are currently the most popular followed by mountain views and cityscapes.

Most Popular Zoom Background Landscapes

  1. Safari +9,900%
  2. Mountain +9,800%
  3. Cityscape +8,100%
  4. Beach +7,800%
  5. Waterfall +6,600%
  6. Sea +6,400%
  7. Rainforest +5,000%
  8. Field +4,000%
  9. Desert +3,200%
  10. Lake +1,500%

To download all the backgrounds and for further information visit: https://www.kuoni.co.uk/travel-zoom-backgrounds