Eight Tech Tips for the Digital Nomad

The digital nomad lifestyle is fast-becoming popular for the young professionals of this generation. Having the freedom of travel and leisure, all while working remotely through the internet, is an attractive alternative after all.

Being a digital nomad can be a challenge, however, especially for the unprepared. Below are some quick tips to make digital nomading a smoother, less stressful, and more fun experience.

Don’t Leave Home without a Surge Protector

Never ever travel without a trusty surge-protected power strip. Also, don’t forget to buy the necessary travel plugs and adaptors for your devices. You’ll want to protect your precious electronics from any electrical surges and voltage mishaps with these accessories.

Bring the Right Smartphone and SIM Card Set

A little research is in order for this tip. First, find out whether your handset is compatible with the mobile carriers at your destination. If it’s usable, you can go ahead and secure the appropriate prepaid SIM card for it. Otherwise, you’ll have to buy a different smartphone.

Have a Durable, Lightweight Laptop

Your laptop is the main enabler for your digital nomad lifestyle. Make sure that your portable workstation isn’t flimsy and is lightweight enough for your back’s and arms’ sakes. If applicable, it wouldn’t hurt to get your laptop a protective casing as well. For example, MacBook Air hard cases are available for the Apple laptop enthusiast.

Know Where You Can Get Your Gadgets Repaired

This is very important, especially for your laptop and smartphone. Find out whether your gadgets have international warranty coverage and where the nearest service centers are for them. If you’re out of luck with an official repair center, you’ll have to do some homework in locating reputable third-party technicians.

Get Enough Chargers for Your Devices

Having an extra charger for all your gadgets should be part of your preparations as a digital nomad. Your gadget is practically useless without power. You also may want to consider investing in a portable solar charger or panel if you’re going to a sunny region. You’ll get a lot of mileage with one, especially if you’re a gadget aficionado.

Power Banks Are Extremely Important

This is another step in preparedness for the bonafide digital nomad. Power banks allow you to charge your gadgets on the go, without the need for a conventional outlet. In certain parts of the globe, stable electricity can be an issue, so you may as well be ready for it.

Pack a Portable Wi-Fi Router and Signal Booster

A solid, speedy connection to the local internet and mobile services is crucial for digital nomads. Sometimes, hotel and resort Wi-Fi can be terribly spotty and slow. Oftentimes, especially in remote locations, cellular service can be frustratingly unreliable.

As a digital nomad, you have to be ready for these scenarios. A portable Wi-Fi router and a cell phone signal booster should be part of your toolkit. Take note that some signal boosters are carrier specific. For example, AT&T signal boosters will only work for AT&T mobile users.

Thumb Drives and Flash Storage Are Nifty

These are for the times when you want a document printed or just want to copy and transfer files. There’ll be situations where you can’t rely on Wi-Fi to mail or send files to a different computer. A thumb drive or portable storage will be useful in these scenarios.