Sometimes you just have to take your business to the streets - or onto the plane or down the highway to make the pitch face-to-face. But savvy road warriors know that doesn't mean leaving your office behind or being incommunicado. These top business travel accessories run the gamut from basics such as wheeled luggage and toiletry kits through high-tech devices such as PDAS, laptops and digital voice recorders - a packing list for taking your business on the road.
1. palmOne Tungsten T3 PDA
A PDA is an ideal travel accessory; it lets you take your office on the road in one small, light package. The Tungsten T3 has all the classic organizational features you expect from a Palm PDA and more, including voice-recording, built-in Bluetooth, MP3 and video playback software - and the stretch display gives you 50 percent more viewing area than other Palm PDAs.
2. Palm PDA Universal Charging Kit
Don't run the risk of running out of juice while on the road. Be sure you'll always be able to use your PDA handheld by packing a travel charger or PDA travel accessory kit. This universal charging kit from palmOne includes a USB Hotsync cable for recharging from a computer, an AC recharger, and both airline and cigarette lighter adapters to make it easy to charge your PDA wherever you are.3. Olympus DM-10 Digital Voice Recorder
Whether you're in a car or in a client meeting, you don't need to worry about getting the details right later when you've got a digital voice recorder to record all your notes and ideas. The Olympus DM-10 Digital Voice Recorder is an ideal business travel accessory because of its long recording time (record up to 22 hours of dictation) and practical features, such as 5 folders for voice files and 2 for music, 4 recording modes, and voice activation and index marking.4. Acer TravelMate 4500 Laptop Computer
If you really want to do business on the road, a laptop computer is de rigueur. Packing a laptop along is like taking your office with you, letting you work on documents and projects and stay in touch wherever you are. The Acer TravelMate 4500 laptop has a 1.8GHz Pentium M 745 processor, integrated 10/100 Ethernet LAN and wireless connectivity, DVD-RW/CD-RW drive, Windows XP Professional operating system, a 15 inch active matrix display - and up to 5 hours of battery life.5. Kensington Contour Roller Laptop Case
Being able to carry your laptop case by the handles or by rolling it along behind you is so convenient - and saves stress on the neck and shoulders, too. I've picked this wheeled laptop case as a top business travel accessory because it has all the features to keep you organized, with top-loading compartments and expandable utility pockets, and if you do decide to carry it over your shoulder, the handle telescopes.6. Samsonite Signature Expandable 22" Upright Suiter
This is a great bag for anyone who makes frequent short trips. On the outside, it's a good-looking, sturdy wheeled travel bag. On the inside, the front compartment is expandable, and there's a tri-fold removable suiter with hangers to help reduce wrinkling, and a removable toiletry kit. Pack this travel bag and your laptop case and you're ready to go.7. L.L. Bean Personal Organizer
Starting out organized always makes for a better trip. Make it easy to find your toothbrush and other personal items by packing a toiletry kit. L.L. Bean's Personal Organizer is made of durable water-resistant nylon, has a rust-proof hook and lots of pouches and pockets. Best of all, it opens wide and hangs, so you don't have to rummage through it to find what you're looking for.8. Bulova Odessa Travel Alarm Clock
When you're on the road, a travel alarm clock is a must-have business travel accessory. A travel alarm clock takes the worry out of wake-up and will fit neatly into one of your luggage pockets without adding any weight. This travel alarm clock from Bullova is inexpensive but has a lighted dial with glow-in-the-dark arms, an especially nice feature when you're getting up in the dark.