5 of the Most Redundant Travel Gadgets

Green Light App

As if the flashlight apps for smartphones weren’t useless enough already. This one supports environmental awareness by displaying a “green”, energy-efficient lightbulb.

Displaying one, mind you. Not using one. It’s the message that counts, but I don’t think I’m going to care when I’m crawling in the movie theater aisle looking for my glasses. This is no more green than the iPhone itself, and is in fact a waste of energy since iPhone flashlights are not effective yet drain the battery quickly. Verdict? Redundant.

Ambient Umbrella

This “intelligent” umbrella glows when rain or snow is coming – “so you know when to take it with you.” The thing is, I don’t spend much time staring at my umbrella. If I’m looking at it, it’s with me, and if it’s with me then a warning that rain is coming when I’m already lugging the thing around makes this one redundant gadget.

StashCard

I’ve mentioned this little doodad in the past, as I admittedly thought stashing credit cards in a laptop was rather Bond-like.

But I’m seeing some irony in hiding your cash inside what is probably the most expensive piece of equipment you own, therefore making it the first a thief will go for. Granted, he may never find the cash…but how is that really going to do you any good?

Seismometer

Call me app happy, but I couldn’t leave this one off. The sad thing is, if it actually works it’s brilliant – Seismometer uses the iPhone’s accelerometer to measure the scale and rating of an earthquake.

But should I actually ever find myself in an earthquake, I’m thinking pulling out my iPhone and starting up this app up to measure the level of oh-shitness might not be preferable to running like a decapitated chicken to the nearest bathroom.