Joe Maring / Digital Trends

It ’s early January . You sleep with what that intend , do n’t you ? We ’re cure hangovers from New Year ’s Eve party , committing to a fresh set of resolution , and render to remember how to work after multiple farsighted weekends .

For folks in the technical school space , it also means that it ’s time for the Consumer Electronics Show — better known as CES.CES 2024is right around the recession , and after covering the event remotely for the past few age , I ’m ultimately pop off back to get over it in - mortal — my first time doing so since CES 2017 .

To harness a busy hebdomad of press briefing , meetings , and alotof walking , I ’m taking a salubrious amount of tech to insure my reportage goes off without a stoppage . There will be a raft of stuff and nonsense in my bag , but it all has a piazza and purpose .

iPhone 15 Pro Max

Having a reliable smartphone is essential for any work trip , specially one as busy as CES . That ’s why theiPhone 15 Pro Maxwill be my go - to smartphone while tackling CES 2024 .

Why the iPhone 15 Pro Max ? There are a lot of reasons . I want a grownup filmdom to look at Telegram messages and Outlook calendars , but I also do n’t want to carry around a brick all Clarence Day . Apple ’s switch to titanium on the iPhone 15 Pro Max has been a game - changer after using the iPhone 14 Pro Max and its stainless brand organic structure last year . I now get a big CRT screen in a body that ’s surprisingly lightweight and prosperous to admit . It may seem like a small reason , but it ’s an significant one .

More significantly , the iPhone 15 Pro Max is a reliable smartphone . The cameras are consistently great ; I can hope it to get a potent 5 gigabyte signaling , and — of course — there ’s the iOS element . As a MacBook and iMessage user , there ’s a logical welfare of using an iPhone over an Android phone , peculiarly when I ’m travel .

Google Pixel 8 Pro

But that does n’t entail I ’m going to CES without an Android earpiece . While the iPhone will be in one pocket , my other air hole will carry theGoogle Pixel 8 Pro .

The Pixel 8 Pro has been my Android phone of option since it was put out in October . I love the design , the cameras are brilliant , and Google ’s Android 14 software has been a treat to use .

The main reason I ’m wreak the Pixel 8 Pro to CES with me , however , is Google ’s Recorder app . Much of my clock time at CES will be spent in briefings , coming together , and visit various company booths . Whether I ’m experience a 1:1 interview with someone or need to ensure I remember everything from a orotund briefing , Google ’s Recorder app is my go - to for those situations . The app interface is easy to use , it mechanically detects and organizes different multitude speaking , and it ’s easy to edit / share recording . It ’s the honorable fipple flute app you’re able to get on a smartphone in 2024 , and I do n’t want to be at CES 2024 without it .

OtterBox Wireless Power Bank for MagSafe

As much as I love the iPhone 15 Pro , there ’s one problem with it : battery life . It ’s good enough to get me through a full Clarence Shepard Day Jr. when I ’m working from menage , but CES will demand alotmore from it . From calling Ubers , often tally my calendar for approaching appointments , and being on the go for essentially the entire solar day , I do n’t intrust the battery to last . That ’s why I ’m taking OtterBox ’s Wireless Power Bank for MagSafe .

It ’s a simple accessory that seize to the back of any MagSafe - supported iPhone to wirelessly institutionalize your speech sound wherever you are . The 5,000 mAh battery in spite of appearance offers plenty of supernumerary succus on top of the iPhone ’s battery , and the USB - C port on the bottom intend it ’s easy to charge up with all of my other devices . It ’ll abide in my bag when I begin each daylight , but when I retrieve myself needing more juice , I can slap it on the back of my iPhone and keep on trucking without miss a musical rhythm .

Anker 747 Charger

While the OtterBox power savings bank will be helpful for charge my iPhone on the go , I also need a reliable charger forallof my devices . That ’s where the Anker 747 comes in .

I ’ve been using the Anker 747 since 2022 , and it ’s remain my favored charger . Not much larger than Apple ’s 30W charging transcriber , the Anker 747 has three USB - C interface and one USB - A port wine and is equal to of a full baron output of 150W.

With this selection of ports , I can well appoint my iPhone 15 Pro Max , Google Pixel 8 Pro , MacBook Air , and my Apple Watch Ultra 2 — all from the same power adapter . In addition to the huge port and power excerpt , the Anker 747 is also smart . If you plug in multiple devices , it do it which one(s ) have the lowest battery remaining and prioritizes them with the fastest charge speeds possible .

Chargers are a dime bag a dozen in 2024 , but the Anker 747 ’s intermixture of king , contrivance , and portability kept it in my backpack throughout all of 2023 , and I ca n’t imagine lead to CES 2024 without it .

Apple Watch Ultra 2

Just like I ca n’t go to CES without a trusty smartphone , I also ca n’t envisage lead to the trade show without a sound smartwatch . For CES 2024 , the smartwatch that will be on my wrist is theApple Watch Ultra 2 .

I used a lot of smartwatches throughout last yr , but the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the one I keep coming back to . I love the bad , bright display , the electric battery life is great , I obtain all of my notifications reliably , and I wish the bulky , rugged conception . I need a smartwatch that ’ll make it through long days , show me important notifications right when I need to see them , and supports locomotion apps likeFlightyandTripsy . That ’s why the Apple Watch Ultra 2 will be on my wrist throughout CES 2024 .

Whoop 4.0

With the Apple Watch Ultra 2 on my remaining wrist , my veracious radiocarpal joint will be home to theWhoop 4.0 . The Apple Watch ’s seaworthiness / health tracking suite is good , but it ’s not one I ’ve ever been capable to stick to for very long . Some people jazz closing their anchor ring , but I require more out of my fitness tracker .

I started wear the Whoop 4.0 in former December , and so far , it seems to be everything I ’ve been searching for in a dedicated fittingness wearable . Over the past month , it ’s helped me push myself to achieve my fitness goal , get into better quiescence habits , and discover activities that help / suffer my consistency ’s convalescence .

Although I ’m not sure how much time I ’ll have to visit my hotel ’s gymnasium while I ’m in Vegas , I am concerned in seeing how minute upon hour of walk , meeting , and other work impact my body this week . I have a few trackers that could do this , but I trust the Whoop 4.0 the most to give me the data I need to see .

AirPods Max

My flight to Las Vegas from Michigan is a little over four hour . When I ’m listen to music / watching movies on the plane drive , I ’ll expend my trustworthy duad ofAirPods Max .

I ’ve been using AirPods Max since 2021 , and although they are n’t perfect , they are my preferent pair of airplane headphones . Why ? The fighting disturbance cancellation isso damn good . They block out talking passengers and engine vocalise with ease , and it still amazes me today just how good the consequence is . The AirPods Max are also very comfy , and the transparency way rest the near I ’ve used on any twosome of headphones . I do n’t love that I require to bring a Lightning transmission line to charge them , but it ’s a sacrifice I ’m willing to make .

M1 MacBook Air

Last but not least , there ’s the computer I ’ll be put to work from while at CES 2024 : theM1 MacBook Air .

Is it the newest , flashiest , or most powerful MacBook you could buy today ? utterly not . But for what I need to do on a laptop — writing in WordPress , chatting on Microsoft Teams , and some easy photo redaction with Darkroom and Affinity Photo — it powers through it like a champion . It ’s also well-fixed to fit into nigh any rucksack , the keyboard is prosperous to type on , and it works seamlessly with my iPhone . It ’s one of the most irksome laptop computer , but I reckon it ’s still one of the best in its class .

CES 2024 is almost here

Now that you bang what gear I ’m involve with me to CES 2024 , it ’s clock time for me to start pack all of it and vanish off to Vegas to cover the show . CES is always a huge spectacle of what ’s to come in the consumer technical school human beings — from goggle box , computers , headphones , smartphones , and everything in between .

CES is a busy , hectic , and tiring calendar week , and I can not wait to plunk right back in after a seven - year hiatus . And , hopefully , all the appliance I ’m bringing will make itjusta little easy .