Gadgets Abroad

I am a firm believer in the use of technology to make our lives simpler. Digital cameras are smaller and don't require you to carry around film. iPods let you have your entire music and video library in your hand. To that effect, I have chosen the gadgets to take to Ireland very carefully. Some of these gadgets overlap in function, but my excuse for bringing so many is that I will be gone an entire year, and may not be able to afford a replacement if one should break.
Also, as part of the MSU Study Abroad Office Video Blog scholarship, I will have to produce a certain number of videos throughout the first semester, meaning I will need a primary video camera and a backup. So the list is as of now:

Panasonic HDD video camera: As part of the video blog scholarship they gave me a video camera! Standard definition video that can record to the built in hard drive (for around 55 hours) or directly to an SD card, for around an hour a GB. One quirk of the camera is that it must be plugged in to an external power source (like a wall plug) to show up as a drive, meaning it has to be plugged in to get anything off of it. The easy way around this is to just put everything on the SD card and transfer it to the computer through a card reader.

Samsung point and shoot camera: a pretty decent still camera I've had for a few years, sadly it has a proprietary USB/power connection so I have to take those cords too.

iPods: a 30GB video and Meg's old 40GB clickwheel are loaded with videos and music, in fact I only have a gig or two of music on my computer now.

Computer: Unibody macbook, the old powerbook is incapable of doing video editing at any reasonable pace.

iPhone: I don't use this as a phone, but have been using it as an ipod touch with a video camera and microphone (for Skype). I won't be using it over there either, as we are getting some phones through 3 (three.ie) since Skype to Skype calls are free on their network. This way we can get the cheap-o free on contract phones and still be able to call friends and family back home.

Backup drive: a Time Machine backup drive that should hold complete backups of both our computers.

Miscellaneous -
7-in-1 card reader: For the SD card from the video camera and for whatever else comes around.
Plug adaptors: three US to UK/Ireland plug adaptors and one "universal" plug for when we travel.
Headphones: travel and studio
Gorrillapods: Bendy tripods for the cameras.



Of course this seems like a lot, but in total all this weighs around 20lbs pounds in a pack, and some of these things (like the tripods) are going over in a suitcase.

Meg's gadget list is a lot shorter, consisting of laptop, kindle, ipod touch and a camera. Lucky her.