The way in which we travel nowadays is significantly different from how we moved around in the past. We used to lug around heavy cameras, with bulky and messy cables to make sure that they stayed charged. Travelling with several bags, often filled to capacity, was the norm, too, because it's just what we did. Well now, thanks to technology, we have all the necessary gadgets we need to reduce our luggage space and keep our devices fully charged, and we have items such as smartphones and GoPros that are far smaller in size, but capture those picturesque moments we want to share on social media or just with those in our inner circles. This month, we bring you gadgets that you should definitely find the space for in your luggage.
1. Vago
Is your bag too heavy? Are you a bit low on space because of those winter woollies? This little gadget from Vago might solve your problem. It's a compression device, 70 millimetres long, that will reduce the space taken up in bags by half. There are four available colours (white, black, purple and pink) and it is powered by a USB cord that you attach to a power bank to start the compression. As we head towards the festive season, you can now compress your soft items and make space for those all-important gifts.
Vago compression devices cost from Dh249 and are available from www.gadgetgoodsasia.com, which also sells small, medium and large vacuum bags
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More Ultratravel:
The ULTRAs 2018: vote now for your chance to win a seven-night luxury holiday
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The world's longest train ride in stately luxury
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2. Bang & Olufsen wireless speaker
If you like your music portable, with a side of high-end Danish quality, Bang & Olufsen's latest wireless speaker could be what you're looking for. The Beoplay P6 is the latest iteration of wireless speakers from the luxury consumer-electronics brand. While the portable smart speaker market is becoming increasingly crowded, B&O has focused its efforts on aesthetics and powerful audio. The retro-chic aluminium speaker – reminiscent of the brand's products of the 1970s – wields 16 hours of playback time. You can also access Siri or Google Assistant, or accept calls on your phone via the speaker's OneTouch button. While it's on the heftier side for a portable speaker, at one kilogram in weight, you will be glad to know it's equipped with a leather strap for easy carrying.
The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay P6 costs from Dh1,599 and is available from Bang & Olufsen in Dubai Mall
3. BenQ Projector
As we head into the cooler months, it's an opportune time to be gearing up for the camping season. While mums and dads take in the fresh air, your little ones might be more inclined to have something to watch before bed. So a happy medium is Benq's camping portable projector. The GS1 portable mini projector is cable-free, and its one-touch set-up means that anyone can use it without needing a degree in engineering or physics to figure out the controls. The palm-sized projector has a built-in USB reader and can run for up to three hours on just one charge. It's a big hitter, too: you can project onto a 60-inch
big screen from just a metre away.
The Benq GS1 costs Dh1,899 and is available from Jumbo, Sharaf DG and EMAX stores across the UAE, or online at
souq.com and dubaimachines.com
4. Belkin power bank
Smartphones are great for many reasons, but for all the positives they bring, the one issue that manufacturers are yet to fix is the battery life. This has resulted in most of us being out of juice at the most inopportune time. So if you're travelling and your photo gallery is made up of snaps from your phone, invest in a power bank. Belkin's lightweight portable charger is perfect for your bag or your pocket. This slim, lightweight and compact power bank can give you an additional 19 hours of call time or 11 hours of browsing social networks, apps and other web platforms. You can also charge wireless headphones, speakers, drones and smartwatches.
The Belkin Pocket Power 5K costs Dh99 and is available from belkin.com
5. GoPro HERO
Earlier this year, GoPro launched the new Hero edition. This go-anywhere camera makes it easy to capture everything and share those experiences with those you have left back home. The durable device is waterproof up to nine metres, it has a two-inch touch display, a video stabilisation feature and a voice control feature, which is perfect for when you're climbing or riding your bike. What's also good is that it's easy to sync to the GoPro app and it allows you to create the videos you want with the minimum of fuss.
The GoPro Hero costs Dh849 and is available from gopro.com
6. Duffel Pack 2
A nice thing about camping is that you don't need to pack a lot of clothes. So in an effort to travel light, use the new Duffel Pack 2 bag. The compartments allow you to place your laptops and gadgets on one side and your clothing in the other. Plus, if you're out and about and your shoes get wet or you need to air your clothing, the ventilated shoe compartment will come in handy. The Duffel Pack also has a padded mesh back panel to ensure you're comfortable, and it's breathable, too. The bag is available in black, grey or navy. Use it as hand luggage or even day-to-day – it's a product that will work for all occasions.
The Duffel Pack 2 costs from Dh625 and is available from aersf.com
How it works
1) The liquid nanoclay is a mixture of water and clay that aims to convert desert land to fertile ground
2) Instead of water draining straight through the sand, it apparently helps the soil retain water
3) One application is said to last five years
4) The cost of treatment per hectare (2.4 acres) of desert varies from $7,000 to $10,000 per hectare
Draw
Quarter-finals
Real Madrid (ESP) or Manchester City (ENG) v Juventus (ITA) or Lyon (FRA)
RB Leipzig (GER) v Atletico Madrid (ESP)
Barcelona (ESP) or Napoli (ITA) v Bayern Munich (GER) or Chelsea (ENG)
Atalanta (ITA) v Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)
Ties to be played August 12-15 in Lisbon
ATP RANKINGS (NOVEMBER 4)
1. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 9,585 pts ( 1)
2. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 8,945 (-1)
3. Roger Federer (SUI) 6,190
4. Daniil Medvedev (RUS) 5,705
5. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 5,025
6. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 4,000 ( 1)
7. Alexander Zverev (GER) 2,945 (-1)
8. Matteo Berrettini (ITA) 2,670 ( 1)
9. Roberto Bautista (ESP) 2,540 ( 1)
10. Gaël Monfils (FRA) 2,530 ( 3)
11. David Goffin (BEL) 2,335 ( 3)
12. Fabio Fognini (ITA) 2,290
13. Kei Nishikori (JPN) 2,180 (-2)
14. Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 2,125 ( 1)
15. Denis Shapovalov (CAN) 2,050 ( 13)
16. Stan Wawrinka (SUI) 2,000
17. Karen Khachanov (RUS) 1,840 (-9)
18. Alex De Minaur (AUS) 1,775
19. John Isner (USA) 1,770 (-2)
20. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) 1,747 ( 7)
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
A cryptocurrency primer for beginners
Cryptocurrency Investing for Dummies – by Kiana Danial
There are several primers for investing in cryptocurrencies available online, including e-books written by people whose credentials fall apart on the second page of your preferred search engine.
Ms Danial is a finance coach and former currency analyst who writes for Nasdaq. Her broad-strokes primer (2019) breaks down investing in cryptocurrency into baby steps, while explaining the terms and technologies involved.
Although cryptocurrencies are a fast evolving world, this book offers a good insight into the game as well as providing some basic tips, strategies and warning signs.
Begin your cryptocurrency journey here.
Available at Magrudy’s , Dh104
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Croatia v Hungary, Thursday, 10.45pm, UAE
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
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%3Cp%3EAuthor%3A%20Alasdair%20Soussi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPages%3A%20300%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPublisher%3A%20Scotland%20Street%20Press%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAvailable%3A%20December%201%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
TALE OF THE TAPE
Floyd Mayweather
- Height
- Weight
- Reach
- Record
Conor McGregor
- Height
- Weight
- Reach
- Record
The six points:
1. Ministers should be in the field, instead of always at conferences
2. Foreign diplomacy must be left to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation
3. Emiratisation is a top priority that will have a renewed push behind it
4. The UAE's economy must continue to thrive and grow
5. Complaints from the public must be addressed, not avoided
6. Have hope for the future, what is yet to come is bigger and better than before
Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
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More on animal trafficking
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Sam Smith
Where: du Arena, Abu Dhabi
When: Saturday November 24
Rating: 4/5
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
