Tech Mami: Must Have Conference Gadgets

If you follow me on The Twitter or FB (if you don't, what is wrong with you?) you know by now that this week I have the pleasure of driving down to Miami for Hispanicize '12! I really should be packing and doing laundry but, I'm living dangerously, people! I'd rather tell you about some gadgets that will be making the trip with me in order to facilitate me keeping in touch with the 'hood as well as ensure that I am fabulously organized (or at least appear to be) as I meet with bloggers and brands alike.

Without further ado, here's the list:

#1: I select the Zagg Portable Charger as my #1 must have! Why you ask? Well, I was introduced to this puppy by the every techy Kludgy Mom while we galavanted in Nashville at BlissDom.

In case you're wondering, when you get a group of bloggers in one room and throw in some exciting topics, great quotes and positive energy what you run the risk of ending up with is: a dead battery.  I'm currently giving Evangeline (the EVO) the cold shoulder as she has been losing her charge shortly after leaving the charger in the morning.  I could not fathom not having access to all of you while at a conference.  Well, you and my frog princess. And so, this going in my bag.  I get to charge this badboy overnight and then throw it in my cute purse where it can charge both Evangeline and...

#2: My iPad! Or as we prefer to call it here: mamiPad.  I picked mine up today and look forward to not having a dislocated shoulder from carrying iMami (the MacBook Pro) around. I felt like an ancient dinosaur the last time I went to a conference and realized that having an iPad while there will facilitate not only taking notes but also responding to your one million comments that you will leave on my posts while I'm out of town as well as participate some awesome Live Chats taking place this week over in the Random House Community (you really should check it out).

#3 Sony Bloggie: I fell in love with this puppy when I attended BloggyBootcamp in ATL last fall and when I got back, I had to have it. Now, I am ashamed to say I don't use it as often as I should (I blame prolonged periods of not scheduling appointments with Salon Namora as the main issue on this one).  But over the last week I have fallen in love with it all over again and plan on getting much use out of my little purple passion.

#4: Evangeline. She may be acting all finicky with her battery life but, I do love her.  I can keep up with my child via text while at conferences (she doesn't text for herself yet but, she's in training), talk to family members, etc. I'll be interested to see how much use I get out of Evangeline now that I have the mamiPad.

My issues with Evangeline reminded me of something (because I'm totally thinking about taking advantage of this but, shhh, don't tell her I said that).   Did you know it's America's Mobile Makeover Month? Uh, I didn't either but thankfully, I know now.  Radio Shack put this little badboy together and what you need to know on this is that starting April 1 through April 28, through this special promotion RadioShack guarantees customers at least $30 and as much as $300 in immediate store credit when they trade in a working mobile phone and activate a new one.  So, I'm pretty sure that you only get $300 bones if you're trading in something like an iPhone.  But even then, I think I can scrounge up at least 2 phones around here (one of which, the frog princess used to play with).  That's like $60 towards a new phone (should I find them before the deadline).  Anywho, if you are considering replacing your phones, now's the time to do it because if you're like me, you probably have a couple of old phones lying around holding doors open or your bills down on your desk.

My list seems awfully short but, I am trying to cut back on the crap I carry along.  I detest packing a bunch of stuff because I think I "may" use it and then having it sit here for months weeks days after I get back in the same spot that I packed them in.

The one thing I will say is that as many gadgets as we all have, conferences are a chance for you to get out of those gadgets and get a chance to interact with people in real life.  So to that end, my last gadget I'll be sure to pack is my winning smile!

Do you attend conferences? What gadgets can you not be without while you're there?