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With the news that laptops and tablets would be banned from airline routes to the UK from six countries, workaholics across the globe let out an audible, collective gasp. With PC-based work banished to ground-level would they be expected to simply rest, eat and browse in-flight entertainment? While WIRED heartily endorses the opportunity to legitimately binge-watch box sets on company time, it does present a challenge to those that fly the restricted routes (inbound flights from Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia) on a regular basis for business.
The ban prevents any electronic item with built-in batteries and plugs from being taken on the flight, if it exceeds any of these measurements: 16cm long, 9.3cm wide, 1.5cm deep. This covers laptops, tablets, phones, e-readers and portable DVD players. These items can be transported in the hold.
The iPhone 7 Plus is not affected, for example, because it measures 15.8cm x 7.8cm x 0.73 cm. However, the Kindle Paperwhite measures 16.9cm x 11.7cm x 0.91cm and is therefore covered by the ban.
The result? Anyone that has to work, will be forced to use their phone. It's not going to be the most comfortable ride, but here are WIRED's tips to make it workable.
If you're going to be working solely from your phone screen, you'll need help typing in a more agile, efficient and comfortable way. There are plenty of options on the market, but WIRED likes this Universal Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard from Microsoft (£99.99, or currently £39.99 on Amazon), which can be paired with up to two iOS, Android or Windows devices at a time and can handily switch between the two. It folds in half across the centre, weighs 399g and is 5mm-thin when open, with a full-size set of keys. After being paired with a device, it automatically connects on opening and turns off when shut. Vital for travel, the rechargeable battery can last three months with just one charge. Handy for a cramped in-flight tray, it’s also ‘spill-resistant’, which we’re guessing means that although it will survive spills you can’t temporarily store it in your gin and tonic and then expect signs of life.
Also able to be paired with two devices, LG's Bluetooth Rollable Keyboard (£79.99, or currently £24.95 on Amazon) does what it says on the tin, and weighs less at 222g. It claims to have a four-month-long lifespan when connected to a device, powered by one AAA battery. It can also be used from a distance of 10m away, but we don't recommend you join the cabin staff in the kitchen to demonstrate. And "mile-high" typing from the smallest room in the plane would certainly be frowned upon.
If you really are in the mood for in-flight demos, though, the I/O Magic MagicTouch Bluetooth Virtual Keyboard ($149.95, I/O Magic) is your best bet. It will display a laser hologram full-size keyboard onto any opaque, flat surface, has a mouse function, and can be paired with iOS, Android, Windows XP and Blackberry 10 via Bluetooth. It's likely not the most practical option if you're facing turbulence, though, being reliant on the display tool standing upright and remaining relatively still. In fact, with the rest of the cabin typing into their average caveman tools and having to watch you constantly readjusting its position at every bump, it may even cost you friends and incite derision.
While the Bluetooth keyboards all offer a hearty lifespan, we're all well-versed with the rapid drainage of today's smartphones - especially if you are accessing in-flight wifi and burning through emails and web video. So to keep your processing power up, a battery pack is a key piece of kit for any journey longer than your commute (unless you take Southern, in which case get one of these, too). There are, however, strict guidelines on how much power you can lug across the skies with you. Different airlines have different restrictions, so you should always check before you fly. WIRED would go for the RAVPower Power Bank with a thumping 16,750mah battery pack (capable of filling an iPhone 7 5.5 times and a Galaxy S7 3.5 times), dual USB output and smart charging so that it automatically detects and delivers the optimal current to any connected device. For a final flourish, the RAVPower also has a handy built-torch, perfect for locating those items dropped under the seat.
Apart from working offline in Evernote, Google Docs and Sheets, there are a number of apps to help make the most of those productive hours where all you can do is stay in your seat. Pocket is one such example. Forget bookmarks. Pocket lets you save articles and web pages offline so you can read them at your leisure on your smartphone - whether there is in-flight Wi-Fi or not.
If you are committed, and we mean truly committed, to working furiously while up in the air, try Flowstate, an app that deletes all your hard work if you don't stay focused. Choose how long you want to write for - five, ten, 30 minutes - then start typing. If you exit the app before the time has elapsed or stop writing for more than five seconds, you lose everything. The only way to save the fruits of your toil is to keep going to the bitter end. Harsh, but effective.
People can be annoying. On a plane, doubly so. Especially when you are trying to concentrate. Every slurp of an ice-filled plastic cup; every incorrect punch of the touchscreen TV; and from those lucky enough to be able to sleep in-flight, every snort and snore. Drown this din out with some premium noise-cancelling wireless headphones.
The QuietComfort 35 wireless headphones from Bose (£329.95, John Lewis) are a solid option. They claim 20 hours of wireless listening, with every 15-minute charge giving you an extra 2.5-hour boost. The headphones come with an app for easy switching between devices (but the aviation authorities made you put the rest in the hold, so this probably won't matter). A dedicated switch turns on Bluetooth or NFC, and buttons can be used to play, pause and adjust volume. Apparently, they are also covered in the same material found on yachts and high-end cars (WIRED cannot attest to this but they are mighty comfy), while fake leather makes for cosseted ear cushioning. Caution: choose inappropriate music and they might make you want to dance across the cabin energetically like the woman in the embedded Bose video below - or dunk your foldable keyboard in your G&T. Resist. They are available in black or silver-grey.
If you are going to be staring at a much smaller screen than normal trying to file that crucial market report, then definition is going to be key. The new Sony Xperia XZ Premium is just such a mobile to fulfill this brief. This is the first handset to have a 4K HDR display. This means that its 5.5in screen will not only be pin sharp to the tiniest detail, it will also likely be significantly higher quality than the television you have at home. The performance is tip top, too, handled ably by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 835 processor. And once work is done, thanks to a partnership between Sony and Amazon Prime, you can stream 4K HDR content if the signal at 35,000ft can cope with it.
- Read our guide to the best laptops for our definitive verdict on which laptop to buy. And, if you're a student, try our best laptops for students guide. When you buy something using the retail links in our stories, we earn a small affiliate commission. This does not impact the products we recommend
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
