The Best Tech Gadgets of 2024 to Take on Business Travel

It’s a new year, and you know what that means–new technology is here! The Consumer Technology Association held their annual CES trade show January 9th to 12th. There were some incredible new gadgets either introduced for preorder or ready to buy right at the booths. We’ve taken stock of the top 10 tech gadgets to bring along on your next travel trip.

1. The Rabbit R1

The average American phone user spends four hours and 25 minutes daily on their device, according to techjury. That’s why the Rabbit R1 is going to be your must-have tech purchase for 2024. This AI-powered gadget uses your apps for you as a standalone gadget, about half the size of an iPhone. It features a 2.88-inch touchscreen, a rotating camera for taking photos and videos, and a scroll wheel/button you press to navigate around or talk to the device’s built-in assistant. Additionally, it comes with a 2.3GHz MediaTek processor, 4GB of memory, and 128GB of storage–all inside a rounded body.

Rabbit’s operating system, called Rabbit OS, can control your music, order you a car, buy your groceries, send your text and email messages, and more–all through a single interface. On the second day of the CES trade show, the $199 gadget sold out of its initial 10,000 units, and Rabbit is now taking pre-orders for an incoming spring shipment. Reserve yours quickly!

2. Clicks iPhone keyboard case

A new company called Clicks Technology created a stunning iPhone protective case with a built-in keyboard on the bottom. The case which comes in bright and fun colors is called Clicks too; it’s the brainchild of Michael Fisher and Kevin Michaluk (aka MrMobile and CrackBerry Kevin).

Clicks connects to your phone like a Backbone controller: Slide the phone in, carefully line up the phone’s power port with the USB-C or Lightning connector jutting out from the inside edge, and snap the case around the top. The Clicks case doesn’t use Bluetooth or a battery to operate. Instead, it draws power directly from the phone. The iPhone 14 Pro version starts shipping on February 1st and is available for $139. You can also preorder the iPhone 15 Pro Max Model ($159) arriving in mid-March.

3. SmartThings Map View by Samsung

When you're traveling for business and leaving behind an empty house, it’s hard not to worry about leaving it unattended. But, what if you didn’t have to? Map View for SmartThings simplifies device management across a smart home. It allows users to see their entire home at-a-glance, and all the devices in it in real-time, through mobile or household devices.

Users have immediate access to cameras, temperature, remaining laundry time, energy usage, and other essential data. Another exciting feature are the new AI characters that users can create in Map View. These characters can mimic the family members and even pets in the home and provide an intuitive and fun way to monitor your smart living. For example, if your home is too warm, then your AI characters will appear to be sweating. Pretty cool! Samsung is set to release Map View in March 2024 (pricing not yet available).

4. Motion Pillow

If you dread traveling because it interferes with your sleep, you’re going to want to purchase this pillow ($699) to take on your next business trip. The AI-powered smart pillow detects snoring, which then activates the pillow inflation feature to elevate your head and open your airway. Other features include sleep tracking, measuring oxygen saturation levels, seven airbags, and automatic adjustments of the head and back.

Accompanied by a comprehensive app available for Apple and Android devices, users can adjust settings, track snoring duration, and even listen to recordings of their snoring. The app provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of the pillow.

Clinical trials of the Motion Pillow have shown promising results, with nearly 94 percent of participants reporting a reduction in snoring. The CertiPUR-US certification it comes with ensures it meets health and environmental standards. The Motion Pillow earned a “Best in Innovation” award at CES 2024.

5. Google built-in apps added to cars

People who own cars with native Google apps, also known as “Google built-in,” will soon be able to send driving directions from their smartphone directly to their car. This feature will be OS agnostic, so anyone with an iPhone or Android device can use it.

Google is also adding new apps to cars with Google built-in, including video streaming services like PBS Kids, Crunchyroll, and The Weather Channel app.

It’s the perfect “built-in” to your car while traveling, since Google apps already contain your personal preferences.

6. ATH-TWX7 wireless headphones by Audio-Technica

Imagine this: You’re traveling and a bundle full of nerves. You need a way to relax and unwind, while escaping everything going on around you. Audio-Technica’s new earbuds let you turn on a sound bath whenever you want.

The ATH-TWX7 compact earbuds include a Soundscapes mode that plays meditative sounds of nature or other calming sounds for when you just want to chill. The noise cancellation tech also has two modes for calls: Natural (for quiet, indoor environments) and Noise Reduction (for louder, outdoor environments).

The “splashproof” buds are priced at $199 and are available now.

7. Qi2 charging stands by Satechi

The foldable charging stands are designed to charge a pair of earbuds and a phone — using MagSafe or Qi2 — at the same time, while the higher-end of the devices adds an Apple Watch charger to the back. Both will be available in the second quarter of the year, costing $79.99 for the 2-in-1 stand and $129.99 for the 3-in-1 version, which provides 15 watts of charging power.

Satechi’s new stands fold flat and come with a 45W power supply and two travel adapters for foreign plugs. The 3-in-1 model supports fast charging for the Apple Watches that feature it. Satechi’s stand also has a removable USB-C cable.

These folding charging stands are a must-have to pack for your next business trip and you’ll never have to worry about long charging cables or rushing to power on your device at the end of the day.

8. Galaxy smartphone cameras compatible with Microsoft Teams

Good news for Galaxy smartphone users! This March, you’ll be able to use your camera to enhance a business meeting on services like Microsoft Teams. The webcam support will include both the front- and rear-facing cameras, and the ability to apply background blur and auto-framing to your camera feed.

Users of Galaxy Book 4 and Galaxy smartphones will also be able to experience the incredible new capabilities supported by Microsoft Copilot by linking to Windows to find, read, or summarize text messages.

The Copilot integration will also support automatic message draft creation based on prior user usage, and the ability to send messages directly from a PC.

As more and more companies integrate the Microsoft Teams software for their employees, these new Microsoft features will become increasingly useful!

9. Invoxia Smart Dog Collar

Imagine taking your dog on one of your long-haul truck drives, or project-based field trips and they escape from you. Thanks to Invoxia's Smart Dog Collar ($149), you can locate them in real-time, without distance limitations! Considered one of the most advanced GPS collars on the market, it allows you to track your dog's real-time movements, while also monitoring their well-being, sleep, heart rate, appetite, and even their bark!

Dog owners can use the data the collar provides to give to their vet for diagnostic purposes and catch diseases early before they become severe. With the price of vet visits rising every year, this is not only a smart investment for your pet’s health, but for your wallet too! Remember, wearable tech isn’t just for people anymore. Available now for purchase.

10. Asus Zenbook Duo

One computer monitor display is so 2023! The Asus Zenbook Duo (UX8406) is a dual-screen laptop that’s designed with two, 14-inch OLED touchscreen displays. Each one has a resolution of up to 3K, while the laptop comes with a detachable Bluetooth-enabled magnetic keyboard that rests on the bottom display.

Use it as a traditional laptop or a dual-screen computer with more screen real estate. It’s powered with Windows 11 and has an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor, up to 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of on-board storage. While Asus hasn’t announced pricing yet, it’s likely to be released in early 2024.

As you plan out your travel for 2024, consider implementing travel tech that improves your bottom line. CLC Lodging specializes in workforce, field work, and project-based travel. Best of all, it’s free to join!