5 Small Gadgets That Can Upgrade Your Tech Essentials
- Tech Setup
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
A tiny gadget in your backpack can solve a problem you didn't even know you had — or save you from that classic situation where your phone is at 3%, your charger is missing, and suddenly you're questioning every decision you've ever made.
So, here are 5 small gadgets that can make your tech essentials much more useful.
1. A USB Cellular Hotspot Dongle — Turn a Power Bank Into a Portable Router
Scrolling at YouTube I saw this one, I was blown away by it😍. This one is probably the most interesting gadget on the list.
There are compact USB cellular modem/hotspot dongles that can connect to a mobile network and create a Wi-Fi network for your other devices.
And here's where it gets really interesting.
Because the dongle is powered through USB, you can connect it to a power bank.
Your setup could be as simple as:
SIM card → USB cellular dongle → power bank → Wi-Fi
Now you have a tiny portable internet setup that can fit inside your backpack.
Imagine you're traveling, working somewhere without Wi-Fi, or simply don't want to use your smartphone's battery as a hotspot. Instead of carrying a traditional portable router, you can have a tiny USB device doing the job.
Some models support 4G LTE, while newer and more advanced devices can support 5G.
But there's an important detail🔑
Don't confuse a cellular dongle with a normal USB Wi-Fi adapter.
A regular Wi-Fi adapter simply allows a computer to connect to an existing Wi-Fi network. It doesn't magically create internet.
A cellular hotspot dongle, on the other hand, has a cellular modem and connects to a mobile network using a SIM or, depending on the model, an eSIM.
So before buying one, check:
Which cellular networks it supports
4G or 5G compatibility
SIM or eSIM support
Supported frequency bands
Whether it can actually create a Wi-Fi hotspot
Compatibility with your carrier and country
Tiny device, surprisingly complicated little creature.
My choice: https://amzn.to/3TCI9ns
2. A USB-C Hub — One Port, Many Possibilities
Modern laptops and tablets are getting thinner.
Unfortunately, their ports sometimes disappear along with the extra thickness.
That's where a USB-C hub comes in.
A small hub can turn one USB-C port into several connections, depending on the model:
USB-A
USB-C
HDMI
SD card
microSD card
Ethernet
Headphone jack
Imagine arriving at a desk with your laptop and connecting one single cable to your hub.
Suddenly, your monitor, mouse, keyboard, storage drive, and other accessories can all be connected.
It's basically a tiny expansion pack for your laptop.
And unlike a giant docking station, a compact USB-C hub can easily live inside your backpack. Take care, it will be always there, so you're gonna ask it before taking something out of the bag😅
My choice: https://amzn.to/4wJGElS
3. A Portable SSD — Your Files in Your Pocket
Cloud storage is great.
But sometimes you just want to physically have your files with you.
A portable SSD is one of the most useful pieces of storage you can carry around.
But everyone knows and uses it... how about you? Let's quickly talk about the features, you can use one for:
Photos and videos
Large projects
PC backups
Games
School or work files
Creative projects
For example, you could keep your video projects on an SSD and connect it directly to your laptop whenever you need them.
Just remember that an SSD is still storage, not a backup strategy by itself. If the files are important, keep another copy somewhere else.
My choice: https://amzn.to/4wOVxDB
4. A Bluetooth Tracker — For When Your Backpack Develops Legs
We've all been there.
You put your keys somewhere.
Five minutes later:
“Where are my keys?”
Ten minutes later:
“I swear they were here.”
This is where a tiny Bluetooth tracker can become surprisingly useful.
Devices such as AirTag and similar trackers can be attached to things you don't want to lose:
Backpack
Keys
Suitcase
Tech organizer
Camera bag
Wallet
The tracker connects to your phone and can help you locate the item when you can't remember where you left it.
It's especially useful when traveling.
Your entire tech setup might cost hundreds or thousands of dollars, so putting a tiny tracker inside your backpack is a pretty reasonable insurance policy against your brain deciding to temporarily uninstall the “remember where I put things” feature.
My choice: https://amzn.to/4fMG9BF (There's a version only for iOS, this one works with Android too)
5. A Compact GaN Charger — One Charger Instead of Five
Now let's talk about something that can make your backpack noticeably lighter.
A compact GaN charger can provide enough power to charge several devices while taking up much less space than carrying multiple traditional chargers.
Depending on the model and its power output, one charger can potentially handle your:
Smartphone
Wireless earbuds
Tablet
Power bank
Laptop
A multi-port charger can be particularly convenient when traveling.
Instead of carrying:
phone charger + tablet charger + laptop charger + another charger + one random cable you don't even remember owning
you can potentially reduce everything to one compact charger and a few good cables.
Your backpack will thank you.
My choice: https://amzn.to/4g6xqcr
"Which One Should I Get?"
You don't need all five.
That's actually the point.
Each gadget solves a different problem.
Travel often? A cellular hotspot dongle, power bank, and Bluetooth tracker could be incredibly useful.
Use a laptop with limited ports? Get a USB-C hub.
Work with large files? A portable SSD is an easy recommendation.
Carry several devices? A compact GaN charger can simplify your entire charging setup.
And if you're building a Tech Essentials kit from scratch, these gadgets can gradually become part of it as you discover what you actually need.
Final Thoughts
Sometimes, it's a tiny device that solves one very specific problem.
That's what makes these gadgets interesting.
Thank u for reading this post, browse more useful tips at my blog. See you soon! 💜💙
-"where are my keys? sure I forgot it somewhere in this article..."
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