Get Ready for Summer with These Tech Essentials

With the arrival of warm weather, summer is the prime time for logging hours by the lake, pool or on the patio. And as many of us head outside for outdoor fun, our days can be enhanced by the right tech gadgets. Here are a few tech essentials to stay cool and help you get the best out of your favourite summer activities.

Waterproof Speakers

Music is the perfect accompaniment to summer camping trips and beach days, but tech gadgets and water are typically not a great combination. If you like to bring your favourite tunes to the beach or lake, invest in a waterproof speaker. These speakers can withstand splashes and rain and can often withstand being submerged in water for up to 30 minutes. Basically, they’re a smart investment if you plan to bring your music outdoors or to the beach.

There are a number of water-resistant and waterproof speakers out there, but I recommend looking for ones that are rated IPX7 waterproof, like the ECOXGEAR EcoEdge Plus Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker or the JBL Charge 4 Portable Bluetooth Waterproof Speaker. As you might’ve guessed, these speakers are also Bluetooth capable, so you can connect your phone or other devices wirelessly.

Rugged Phone Cases

Along with investing in a waterproof speaker, I recommend protecting your phone with a rugged phone case. Depending on your needs, these cases can provide protection from drops and bumps, water splashes and submersions, and abrasive particles such as sand. When it comes to rugged cases, I recommend brands such as Lifeproof and Otterbox. These brands offer a variety of rugged cases with varying degrees of protection.

Power Banks

Enjoying Canada’s beautiful outdoors often makes for long days, which can pose a challenge when it comes to the battery life of your tech essentials. I rely heavily on my phone not just to stay in touch, but for features like GPS, so it can be extremely inconvenient to have it die in the middle of the day. To prevent this from happening, I keep a power bank on hand. This allows me to give my phone and other tech essentials a boost of power.

There are a lot of power banks on the market and most will do the job, but I recommend getting one that has the maximum amount of mAH, or milliamp hours, your budget will allow. Keep in mind that as the mAH increases, so does the weight of the power bank.

Now, you’re all powered up for the best vacation - or staycation - ever.