What's New What's Hot is Travel Weekly's look at useful and fun travel gadgets, edited by Joe Rosen. Click on the image to open the slideshow of all of the featured products for December.
ShowOffs Carry-On Travel Bags. These reusable, resealable and leak-proof plastic bags and refillable toiletry bottles are TSA-compliant and hassle-free. More dependable than ordinary zip-lock bags, ShowOffs feature a colorful patterned design while maintaining a see-through look that should help speed you through any airport security inspection. Each order comprises two quart-size bags for carry-on luggage, two matching gallon-size bags for checked luggage and three refillable travel bottles. $14.99; www.showoffstravelbags.com.
Amelia Airport Express. This all-purpose purse can be worn as a waist pack, toted as a shoulder bag, used as a large travel wallet or carried as a wristlet. Its detachable strap adjusts to shoulder- or cross-body-length. Constructed of durable, lightweight nylon, the Amelia Airport Express features two exterior pockets to keep your passport and travel docs handy; a zippered main compartment; a back slip pocket; and a zip-around organizer section that includes a large zip pocket, a mesh zip pocket, two slip pockets, three card slots and one clear ID slot. The purse, which is available in a variety of colors, measures 9.5 by 6 by 1 inches and weighs one pound. $44; www.ellingtonhandbags.com.
Pong cellphone and iPad cases. Not all experts agree with the World Health Organization that radiation emanating from cellphones and tablets is a possible carcinogen, but Pong Research, a Virginia-based tech company, takes the WHO admonition to heart, offering a range of cases designed to protect consumers from possible health risks associated with cellphones and other portable devices. According to Pong, its cases, which fit a variety of smartphones as well as the original iPad and the iPad 2, employ a "proprietary technology that redirects and redistributes the cellphone radiation that would otherwise be absorbed by the user's head and body." The cases are available in a variety of colors. $49.99 to $99.99; www.pongresearch.com.
12-Hour Shift Bag. This insulated bag is great for day trips and outdoor adventures in that it allows you to split your on-the-go meals into two separate side compartments: one for a thermos and hot foods, baby bottles and incidentals and the other for cold foods, drinks and ice packs. The machine-washable Shift Bag, which measures 12 by 9 by 9 inches, has a nylon exterior, elastic straps to hold drinks in place, a zippered compartment in each side flap for ice packs and cutlery and shoulder straps for easy carrying. The Shift Bag comes in black and three patterned colors. $26.95; www.balanceddaylunchkit.com.
Solio Bolt Solar Battery Backup. Two high-efficiency solar panels make the Solio Bolt the lifesaver you don't think you need until the time comes that you need it desperately. Designed to keep you online and in touch on the road by charging a USB-powered device with the device's own cable, the Bolt charger features a rechargeable and replaceable battery that is energized by the sun. It also can be powered by way of a USB port or a wall adapter (sold separately). The Bolt holds a charge for up to one year, provides as many as two complete charges for most cellphones and has a LED battery level and charging indicator. With dimensions of 4.7 by 2.5 by 1.3 inches and weighing only 4.8 ounces, this compact dynamo can easily be stowed away in a backpack or carry-on until you need it. $70; www.solio.com.
Got something for What's New, What's Hot? Email Joe Rosen at [email protected].