Want the very best technology gear? From portable computers to a gold-standard music player, we’ve got you covered.

WORK

Business always comes before pleasure, right? But just because you have tons to do doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it in style and as efficiently as possible. A good laptop and smartphone are the core of any business travel toolkit. We’ve also got a nifty hard drive on tap that should put your mind at ease, whether you’ve been on the road for weeks or are sitting at your desk.


THE LAPTOP


HP Compaq 8710P
$1,499 and up, hp.com

Hewlett-Packard consistently produces some of the best laptops on the market, and its business-focused Compaq line is at the head of the class. Looking at its 17-inch screen, you might expect the 8710P to be too hefty for travel, but it’s only a pound heavier than the average 15.4-inch machine. It’s also loaded with an almost obscene amount of power, and the screen looks great. And it happens to be one of the best gaming notebooks on the market—but, hey, we won’t tell anyone you’re playing Quake between meetings.


THE SMARTPHONE


RIM BlackBerry 8830 World Edition
$200 (with service plan), blackberry.com

Forget the iPhone. It’s a nice enough toy, but overpriced and pretty much useless when it comes to receiving corporate messages, because of system conflicts. If you want to get real work done, stick with the trusted standby: The latest BlackBerry is a true world phone, with both CDMA and GSM radios, making it capable of working almost anywhere on the planet. The device still includes the always reliable BlackBerry OS, plus a lighted trackball that makes navigating messages and Web pages easier than ever. But here’s the bonus feature: real-time GPS, for keeping all your travels on course.



THE SAFETY NET


Buffalo LinkStation Live
$200 (250GB) to $400 (750GB), buffalotech.com

By now you know that you should always back up your data. Buffalo’s LinkStation Live offers a great—and fast—way to back up every computer in your house by connecting directly to your network, instead of a single PC. But the real utility happens when you’re not at home at all: Any file on the LinkStation can be accessed via the Internet from anywhere in the world by entering a special Web link into a browser. Left your PowerPoint slides at home, or dropped your laptop in the drink? Now you don’t have any reason to panic.

PLAY

Dinner at Nobu on your expense account, 18 holes with a colleague—sometimes it’s hard to tell work and play apart. Whether you use this portable technology gear strictly for leisure or while trying to land that whale of a new client, enjoy the best after-hours gadgetry tech has to offer.


THE CAMERA


SONY Cyber-Shot DSC-T100
$400, sonystyle.com

With 8.1 megapixels and a stylish, brushed-metal case (available in silver, black or red), the T-100 is the best in Sony’s series of impressive pocket cameras. Shutter lag is virtually nonexistent. Just flip the lens cover down and snap away: The T100 automatically detects the faces in every shot, improving focus and reproduction of skin tones. Best of all, the Cyber-shot enables an impressive 5x optical zoom—but thanks to nifty “folded” optics, there’s no lens jutting out the front.



THE VIDEO PLAYER


Archos 605 WIFI
$300 (30GB) to $400 (160GB), archos.com

Is there anything the Archos 605 can’t do? Load it up with movies (up to 40 at a time) from your PC, or just browse the Web wirelessly when you run out of video to watch. You can even play back videos from YouTube and DailyMotion—and not just a small sampling, like the iPhone offers, but the entire collection from both sites. Naturally, the 605 plays music and displays pictures, but it can also record live TV, which you can browse and schedule just like on a full-blown TiVo.


THE MUSIC PLAYER


Toshiba Gigabeat U202
$90, gigabeat.com

Despite its ubiquity, the iPod isn’t the only great music player. The Toshiba Gigabeat U202 is just as capable and portable as Apple’s gear, as well as considerably cheaper. The only drawback: Storage is limited to 2GB, but the $90 price tag ought to compensate for that oversight. An FM tuner and color LCD are included, and audiophiles will love the line-in jack that lets you make high-grade digital recordings on the fly.






THE HEADPHONES


Denon AH-C751
$200, usa.denon.com

From one of the top names in audio come these sound-isolating earbuds, with a striking design and incredibly small profile that won’t consume valuable space in your travel kit. Unlike many earbuds, the C751 features a hefty, durable cable that resists kinks and tangles. And the sound? Thumping bass and clear highs—enough said.


THE SPLURGE


Xexoo Audio Masterpiece 1
€12,000 (approximately $17,000), xexoo.com

This standard iPod Shuffle comes sleeved in 18-karat gold instead of aluminum. Its German customizer, Xexoo, calls the Audio Masterpiece “a real eye-catcher.” We call it decadence at its height. Your outlay of more than 12 grand (and that’s euros, not greenbacks) also gets you 24/7 concierge service, should you ever experience a problem with your Audio Masterpiece, including repairs or replacements delivered to you anywhere in the world. And if that isn’t luxurious enough for you, pick up a custom-designed, diamond-encrusted version (starting at €35,000, or approximately $50,000).

TRAVEL

Whether you’re on the road for business or pleasure, the critical part is that you stay on it, regardless of the whims of the transportation grid, weather, construction and other unsavory elements that can ruin a perfectly good trip. Don’t take any chances: Consider this gear an insurance policy for whatever might befall you.


THE ACCESSORY


Monster Cable Outlet To Go
$15, monstercable.com

You’ve undoubtedly had to huddle around the lone power outlet in the airport terminal, biding your time as you wait for someone to leave so you can quickly recharge your cell phone or notebook. The solution? Pack extra outlets, thanks to Monster Cable’s tiny, portable extension cord. It’s simple in the extreme: three outlets for the price of one, in a package that collapses so small you won’t notice it’s in your bag. Don’t need three outlets for yourself? Share the wealth with your newfound, power-hungry friends.


THE NAVIGATOR


Garmin Nuvi 680
$680, garmin.com

Don’t call it a GPS—Garmin’s nüvi 680 is a “personal travel assistant.” Once you pop it on your dashboard, you aren’t likely to go anywhere without it again. Sure, the nüvi is preloaded with street maps and a vast points-of-interest database, pinpointing hotels, restaurants, and even ATMs, but it also does just about everything else: Weather and traffic reports arrive courtesy of the MSN Direct service, a Bluetooth chip lets it work as a hands-free speakerphone for your cell, and it even plays MP3s and audio books. Packaged in a stylish, slim case, the nüvi is a pleasure to tote.



THE BRIEFCASE


Targus Leather Corporate Traveler
$100, targus.com

CHRISTOPHER NULL is a freelance writer in San Francisco and Executive Travel’s technology editor.