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Ten... smartphone survival accessories

Protect and deploy

T-Tech by Tumi International Travel Adapter

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It may be obvious to pack an adaptor for charging your device abroad, but with an abundance of these on the market, the right choice is crucial, particularly if you're always hopping between regions.

Those with the cash might like to look forward to this T-Tech by Tumi, released next month, which features slide out power plugs for Europe, the US, Australia and Asia. There's an AC socket, as well as two USB 2.0 ports, which deliver enough power for tablet devices.

OK, so you'll still need to bring a USB cable or power lead, for which you might want to chew over a tangle-saving retractable setup such as the aforementioned OneCable, however the T-Tech looks unrivalled when it comes to AC adaptors, winning an innovation award at CES 2012.

Of course, there are plenty of more inexpensive options available too, such as these adaptors from ReTrak. It all depends on how much you're willing to splash and the destination of your holiday, really.

T-Tech by Tumi International Travel Adapter
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Price £TBD
More info Jasco

Vodafone Sure Signal

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If you know you'll be in a remote area without a decent 3G signal, a Femtocell can utilise a nearby broadband hub to produce the connection you need.

Vodafone offers such hardware with its Sure Signal service, which utilises a box built by Alcatel-Lucent and lets you route incoming and outgoing calls through t'internet. Some 32 numbers can be registered to use the device, with four handsets able to connect simultaneously. As long as the network connection is 1Mb/s or faster, the femtocell will run smoothly, apparently.

With 3G connectivity so vastly spread, Femtocell tech is rather niche. Still, it's nice to see Vodafone stick with it, Three's version has just rolled out, and O2 is following suit after trials with the tech late last year. You can read Bill Ray's assessment of Vodafone's first Sure Signal box here on Reg Hardware.

Vodafone Sure Signal
Mobile logo
Price £50
More info Vodafone
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