Apple picker Consumer electronics fair CES 2015 it starts in a few days and I'm packing my standard gear. More precisely, for the second year already, it is a light version of it built on the iPad and the right accessories. What will my backpack contain for a week-long trip where I need to write articles, manage the daily agenda, take photos, shoot videos and process and publish everything?
iPad instead of Macbook
Last year I replaced my Macbook Pro for the first time with a combination of iPad, Apple Bluetooth keyboard and Incase Origami. The weight of this combination is about the same as a Macbook Air, but I'm comfortable taking only the iPad to the trade show during the day and using the keyboard in the hotel to write longer articles. At the same time, the iPad serves as navigation, has a longer battery life and is slightly more compact, so it is easier to carry.
I am currently using iPad Air and if I were extremely concerned about weight and dimensions, the iPad mini 2 or 3 would do the same service. But I work better with texts and photos on a larger display. Combination Apple wireless keyboard a Incase Origami it has worked incredibly well for me. The keyboard has the same layout and key response as Apple laptops, so I'm able to type on it with all ten. Origami not only protects the tablet, but is an ideal support that allows you to work both horizontally and vertically. In particular, writing with a tablet in portrait is excellent and, unlike a laptop, you can do it even in economy class on an airplane.
iPhone 6 and SLR camera
The heaviest piece in my gear is the SLR Canon EOS 7D MII with lens Sigma 18 – 35mm / 1.8. It's true that the iPhone is great at taking photos and recording videos in good lighting conditions, but if you want top-notch photos at a trade fair, you can't do without an SLR camera. The lack of light, the mixing of different light sources and my perfectionism when it comes to photos do not allow any other choice.
The EOS 7D MII has the advantage of being able to write to two memory cards at once. I write RAW images in full resolution to the CF card and JPEGs in medium resolution to the SD card. Thanks to this, I can very quickly and easily download only JPEGs to the iPad, which are more than enough for publishing on the web, and still have RAW images as a backup.
In order to minimize the size of my equipment, I carry only one lens for shorter events, namely the ultra-bright, relatively wide-angle Sigma. It worked best for me for reporting. For the same reason – to have as few things as possible – I only need a spare battery instead of a charger. I can reliably take 500 photos and about 2 hours of video recording on it. The last detail is the strap PeakDesign Slide, which can be positioned or removed very quickly and easily if you don't need it.
Small accessories
As I wrote above, I take it with me SD card reader for the Lightning connector, in which I have tried the SD card Sandisk Ultra 64GB. It's fast enough to download JPEG photos and short videos, and I don't know of a smaller reader.
Likewise, the US version of the original Apple charger is the smallest I've found for charging an iPhone/iPad. You can easily carry it in your pocket and get some energy in your spare time. In case of emergency, especially during a long flight across the ocean, I also carry an external battery Soulra with a capacity of 4200 mAh. It also comes with four pencil accumulators Sanyo Eneloop in case the keyboard runs out unexpectedly, and especially the digital nomad never knows when he will need power for some device.
And the last trick is Powercubes in the version with a built-in USB charger. The one with the US end serves both as a reducer, for example for a shaver, and at the same time is a second charger for iDevices. It is relatively small, compact and very practical on the go.
US SIM card
A reliable Internet connection is an absolute necessity for a mobile newsroom. You cannot rely on WiFi networks in an airplane, hotel or press center, so the only option is mobile internet. Fortunately AT&T offers special tariffs for the iPad, with the fact that you get a SIM card for free, and the rest can be set directly in the iPad if you have an American payment card available. For tourists, the situation is a little more complicated, but there is a solution for these situations too, it's just a little more expensive.
Software equipment
I primarily use it for writing texts on the go Pages for iPad combined with iCloud. Other necessary helpers are Snapseed a Pixelmator for photo processing and iMovie for working with video. I use navigation from Sygic, even if you don't really need it in Vegas.
I praise you for the quality pencils :) Where is the charger in the picture, or do you only have the flashlights for backup?
I don't need a charger for pencils or Canon Acu for a week. The only thing that needs to be charged on the way is the iPhone/iPad.
and what about the virtual SIM that is supposed to be in the iPad Air, or does it not work yet? :)
I have had a SIM card from AT&T for about two years, which I always activate only when I need it. They bill decently after months and it works great
Hon, what is that black thing under the camera?
Could it be the Origami ipad case in the first photo?
Yes, that's the Incase Origami and the Apple wireless keyboard in it
Is that iPhone case from Happy Plugs?
No, it's an Apple original
god this digital "expert" and hypocrite? who is that person interested in? I won't do any more complicated iOS training?
aha... you experts better go to the Tatras, where you won't have access to the Internet :)