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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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
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Yahya Al Ghassani's bio
Date of birth: April 18, 1998
Playing position: Winger
Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Tips for taking the metro
- set out well ahead of time
- make sure you have at least Dh15 on you Nol card, as there could be big queues for top-up machines
- enter the right cabin. The train may be too busy to move between carriages once you're on
- don't carry too much luggage and tuck it under a seat to make room for fellow passengers
Credits
Produced by: Colour Yellow Productions and Eros Now
Director: Mudassar Aziz
Cast: Sonakshi Sinha, Jimmy Sheirgill, Jassi Gill, Piyush Mishra, Diana Penty, Aparshakti Khurrana
Star rating: 2.5/5
If you go
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Seattle from Dh5,555 return, including taxes. Portland is a 260 km drive from Seattle and Emirates offers codeshare flights to Portland with its partner Alaska Airlines.
The car
Hertz (www.hertz.ae) offers compact car rental from about $300 per week, including taxes. Emirates Skywards members can earn points on their car hire through Hertz.
Parks and accommodation
For information on Crater Lake National Park, visit www.nps.gov/crla/index.htm . Because of the altitude, large parts of the park are closed in winter due to snow. While the park’s summer season is May 22-October 31, typically, the full loop of the Rim Drive is only possible from late July until the end of October. Entry costs $25 per car for a day. For accommodation, see www.travelcraterlake.com. For information on Umpqua Hot Springs, see www.fs.usda.gov and https://soakoregon.com/umpqua-hot-springs/. For Bend, see https://www.visitbend.com/.
Eyasses squad
Charlie Preston (captain) – goal shooter/ goalkeeper (Dubai College)
Arushi Holt (vice-captain) – wing defence / centre (Jumeriah English Speaking School)
Olivia Petricola (vice-captain) – centre / wing attack (Dubai English Speaking College)
Isabel Affley – goalkeeper / goal defence (Dubai English Speaking College)
Jemma Eley – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)
Alana Farrell-Morton – centre / wing / defence / wing attack (Nord Anglia International School)
Molly Fuller – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)
Caitlin Gowdy – goal defence / wing defence (Dubai English Speaking College)
Noorulain Hussain – goal defence / wing defence (Dubai College)
Zahra Hussain-Gillani – goal defence / goalkeeper (British School Al Khubairat)
Claire Janssen – goal shooter / goal attack (Jumeriah English Speaking School)
Eliza Petricola – wing attack / centre (Dubai English Speaking College)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ALRAWABI%20SCHOOL%20FOR%20GIRLS
%3Cp%3ECreator%3A%20Tima%20Shomali%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%C2%A0Tara%20Abboud%2C%C2%A0Kira%20Yaghnam%2C%20Tara%20Atalla%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
