Slap on the tempered glass on your devices, keep them in your bag, and you should be good, right? Perhaps, but there’s more that you can do to keep your devices safe.
While most anti-theft and anti-damage measures for devices are pretty much common sense, a lot of us tend to forget to use them, or perhaps underestimate their importance. This is especially true when it comes to traveling. Many people still lose or damage their devices while traveling despite countless protective measures available.
The main reason for this is while we’re on the go, we’re also doing a dozen other things apart from making sure our devices are safe. This results in an increased risk of damage, theft, or loss, especially when we’re frazzled and rushing to the boarding gate or running to the next bus stop.
So, how can you keep your devices safe while traveling? Here are some useful tips that you can use:
Use casing and screen protectors
You probably already have a case for your phone so that you don’t make an untimely trip to an iPhone repair service, but do you also have a protective covering for your tablet, laptop, camera, and other portable devices? If not, invest in durable and shock-proof casings to keep your devices safe from physical damage. Apart from that, you should also buy screen protectors for your phone and tablet to protect them from scratches.
While you’re traveling, it can be easy to drop your devices or accidentally jostle them inside your luggage. Even if you’re the most careful person in the world, ensure that your devices are travel-ready with protective coverings.
Put a tracker on your devices
Another major threat to your devices while traveling is theft. No matter where you are in the world, there is always a risk of losing your devices to the hands of a sneaky thief.
It is not possible to protect your devices from theft completely. But in the event that your devices do get stolen, you can increase the chances of retrieval by putting trackers on all your devices. Install tracking apps on your phone, tablet, and laptop. For your other devices that can’t support apps, buy physical trackers instead. Doing this will allow you to track the location of your devices and make it easier for the authorities to retrieve them.
Close your bags
This seems pretty obvious, but a lot of us still forget this important safety measure, especially when we’re distracted while traveling. Keep your bags closed wherever you go, even if your bag is just on the next seat beside you. Avoid storing valuables in bags that cannot be closed completely (handbags without zippers, tote bags). Not only will this protect your devices, but it will keep the rest of your valuables safe as well.
Don’t let your guard down, even if your destination has low reported levels of crime. Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and the last thing you want to happen on your vacation is to have your belongings stolen.
Keep your devices close
As much as possible, it’s best to keep your devices with you to prevent both loss and damage while on the go, especially the ones that you can’t afford to lose. Put your phone in your front pocket, keep the camera lanyard around your neck, and place your laptop in your backpack. If you have to part from your devices, ensure that a companion is watching over them.
Use the hotel safe
If you are not going to use some of your devices, keep them in the hotel safe instead of leaving them out in the open in the hotel room. If the room does not have a safe, ask the front desk to keep it in their safe for you. Can’t trust the hotel room nor the front desk? It may be better to just take the devices with you, even if it means extra weight in your bag.
Bring a limited number of devices
Do you really need to bring every piece of tech that you own? Probably not. Bring only a limited number of devices on your trip, particularly the ones that you want or need to bring the most. Your smartphone may already be enough since you can do pretty much everything on it unless if you have to work in which case bringing a laptop is a must.
Along with all these safety tips, the best way to keep your devices safe is to always be alert. While you’re on the go, it can be difficult to keep track of everything you’re carrying, but it’s important that you pay attention to where your devices are at all times. It sounds like overkill, but you can never be too sure, and it’s better to be a little paranoid than suffer the consequences later.
