Long ago, weary travelers required trunks, boxes, crates, and even porters to carry their personal items on worldly travels. Today, you can carry everything needed for a fun-filled weekend or even weeklong getaway - all in your carry on. Times have changed, and the Crucial X8 gives travelers fast, portable, and convenient storage options that allow you to leave your cumbersome laptop at home. For the space and weight-conscious traveler, pairing a portable SSD with a tablet offers laptop-type performance while preserving space in your carry-on.
Mishaps such as lost or stolen luggage, wallets or purses can turn a vacation into a nightmare. Saving copies of your important documents (think passports, ID cards, medical forms, certifications such as PADI or USPA licenses, reservations, credit cards, boarding passes, etc.) on a Crucial X8 allows you to have back-up identification in the event they go missing. Carrying your X8 in your pocket or separately from your other valuables could save a lot of headaches trying to prove who you are in the event your identification is lost or stolen. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a picture saved of your passport or licenses could easily help prove your identity and minimize frustration. Just be sure to encrypt your drive or folders in the drive to add security to those files if your drive is lost or stolen.
How many times has your carry-on (with laptop or tablet) fallen out of an overhead bin, been dropped to the ground by valets or baggage handlers, or your backpack launched out of a Tuk Tuk in Thailand in search of street food? Portable SSDs are more durable than portable HDDs due to their lack of moving parts such as spinning platters and moving arms. With its 7.5-foot drop rating, you can trust your Crucial X8 will work even with how gentle baggage handlers are at airports. As an avid outdoorsman and adventure seeker, I demand my gear works in many different environments. The Crucial X8 has been tested against extreme temperatures, shock, and vibration. It’s extremely reassuring to know that my files, documents, and photos are safe and secure when I am off on an adventure.
If you have ever lost your pictures and videos after a weeklong expedition in the jungles of Central and South America, you know the value of backing up to a second location. Not one of my proudest travel moments and you usually only make this mistake once. On another venture, a friend’s living quarters even burned to the ground with his laptop “safely” locked in the closet. His saving grace was he had a portable drive with his documents backed up in his backpack, including all the pictures from the trip. OK, maybe these are extreme examples, but you cannot predict the hardships of traveling. I learned long ago to back up my files and back up often. Having, and more importantly using, a durable storage solution for data protection can make bad situations a little easier to deal with. The Crucial X8 gives you the option of storing your important and personal files in a device you can easily keep in your pocket and carry safely with you. I try to do a back-up every evening, I learned my lesson on not backing up and now can only talk about my jungle adventures instead of showing the pictures.
Convenience when traveling is everyone’s goal — we plan, pack, and even dress for convenience when traveling. Pairing a Crucial X8 with a tablet offers similar storage as a laptop with less cost, size, and weight, making them ideal for traveling. While I anticipate and look forward to the trip itself, I don’t usually look forward to the down time of flying or time spent in terminals. I like to pass my time by enjoying movies, e-books, and listening to my music library like most, but I also use a wireless keyboard to stay up on work and email. You no longer need to fight with your laptop, the travel tray, and the seat back in front of you — you can sit back with your complimentary beverage and pretzels and enjoy your files and media on your tablet and drive.
While we aren’t all the next Ansel Adams, virtually all travelers enjoy capturing memories and moments in either picture or video form. Portable SSDs and a tablet offer an extremely fast and convenient way of viewing, editing, and storing your media while abroad. Sure, you won’t have the same editing capabilities, but most of us are not professional photographers and don’t need edited photos instantly. I would argue a tablet and portable drive paired with your camera is more convenient than a laptop for the average traveler. For the outdoor enthusiasts, adventure seekers, or those who prefer the simple and rugged approach of action cameras such as a GoPro®, then a tablet and drive is super convenient. You can view and edit your files on your tablet via the GoPro App, then save to your portable SSD. I enjoy editing and reflecting about my adventures on my trip home, and anyone that travels knows as soon as you get home people want to see the pictures.
One limiting factor I find however is power. Tablets don’t have the capacity that most laptops do. I found that when adding a portable SSD and wireless keyboard, my tablet consumes power at a faster rate. My solution is to carry a small battery pack that I charge via USB or even a small solar panel that will charge my tablet, phone, and camera. When traveling abroad, this allows me to keep items charged without needing multiple power outlet adapters.
Traveling can be stressful. Many things can ruin an experience or trip. Knowing that you have a rugged, fast, small, and convenient storage device such as the Crucial X8 can eliminate some stress of the unknown while traveling. Having peace of mind is one of the best things when traveling. Knowing you have a hotel or car reservation, a friend meeting you, and that your personal files are secure can alleviate a lot of potential worry. Traveling with a tablet and portable SSD can give you some peace of mind — downloading local maps or installing a translation app can simplify travel to exotic places. Computers, tablets, and luggage can all be replaced, but pictures, videos, and personal data cannot. Make the most of your trip. Pair a Crucial X8 with a tablet for a secure, convenient, worry-free vacation. Super easy, super small, and super convenient — what more could a traveler ask for? Happy Travels!
Tags: X8 Portable (EOL), Dan Waugh, Storage
Get to Know the Author:
Daniel Waugh is a content writer. He is passionate about technology and the outdoors and enjoys merging the two.
The opinions expressed in these articles are those of the individual authors and not Micron Technology, Inc., its subsidiaries or affiliates. Upgrading your systems and components can cause damage to the system or components, including potential data loss. Micron is not responsible for any damage or harm, including data loss or system interruptions, that may occur. All information is provided “AS-IS” and neither Micron nor the author make any representations or warranties with respect to the information provided. Neither Crucial nor Micron Technology, Inc. is responsible for omissions or errors in typography or photography. Micron products are warranted as provided for in the products when sold, applicable data sheets or specifications. Information, products, and/or specifications are subject to change without notice. Micron, the Micron logo, Crucial, and the Crucial logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Micron Technology, Inc. Any names or trademarks of third parties are owned by those parties and any references herein do not imply any endorsement, sponsorship or affiliation with these parties.