Nuts & Bolts of #SkyTeamRTW – The iPad Mini + ZaggKeys = Netbook
Choosing what to pack for #SkyTeamRTW was a trying process. Everything for 12 days spanning the globe, and working on six continents needed to fit in a small roll-a-board Timbuk2 Copilot and the Timbuk2 Custom Commute Laptop Messenger Bag you see traveling the world on Instagram … and the Messenger Bag needed to remain light enough to be carried all day, every day.
The need to shed weight impacted what laptop would be packed (a 13” MacBook Air … but more on that later) and the choice to extensively rely on a 64gb cellular capable iPad Mini with ZaggKeys Folio Keyboard became clear.
Many who use an iPad overlook its full potential, especially the iPad Mini. The iPad Mini is not the easiest tablet to use as a business travel tool. It is small, which is an advantage, however it is small which can be a disadvantage. The iPad Mini when coupled with the ZaggKeys Folio blue tooth keyboard however is transformed into an excellent tool on the road.
The iPad Mini can fit into the pockets of many cargo pants, for #SkyTeamRTW it easily fits in the pockets of the Scottevest Fleece 7.0 or Cotton Hoodie, even when fitted into the ZaggKeys Folio. With a battery life of roughly 10 hours (nearly 7 hours with regular cellular usage), a keyboard that can go more than a month between charges) and the ability to quickly and easily ingest SD cards via the camera connection kit, the tablet is no longer a tablet, it is an effective netbook that allows for use without the need to rely on a wifi connection or external cellular connections and shed the weight of even the smallest netbook.
While the iPad Mini and ZaggKeys Folio do not replace a laptop, they make building social media content on the fly extremely easy and writing longer content as it comes to you more convenient no matter where you are or what you are doing.
While out wandering the world, or just walking through your hometown, this combination is a great way to be effective and lighten your load.
Below is the iPad Mini and ZaggKeys Folio in use while flying somewhere over the Pacific in the middle of the night.
Happy Flying!
