TUAW @ Macworld/iWorld 2013: The blog gear diaries

A lot of the TUAW crew is packing for the trip to Macworld/iWorld 2013, and while we're usually pretty lax in terms of our show garb (Victor's bow ties being the exception), we pay strict attention to what gear comes with us.

It's important for us to be able to share the sights and sounds of the show with you as realistically as possible, so many of us bring equipment to allow us to capture and edit the written word, audio and video efficiently. With that in mind, here's a sampling of what the TUAW blogging team is packing in terms of gear.

Steve Sande

• iPhone 5

• iPad (3rd generation)

• MacBook Air 11"

• Canon EOS Rebel T4i DSLR (18 Megapixel still photography/1080p video) on Joby UltraFit Sling Strap

• A bunch 16 GB SD cards and Transcend USB SD card reader

• iStabilizer tabMount/tabFlex tabletop tripod and iPad mount

• Fitbit Ultra (so I can see how many miles I walk each day)

• Tons of cables and chargers. I'm hoping that mophie ships a juice pack air for iPhone 5 at Macworld/iWorld, because I'm probably going to need it

• Logitech Broadcaster Wi-Fi Webcam

• Field Notes notebook, a gift from Dave Caolo in years gone by

• Ear plugs

• V-Moda Crossfade LP headphones for editing audio/video in the noisy press room

• Some generic 4-plug outlet thingy

As usual, there will be equipment I wish I had remembered to bring with me that I won't have onsite, and there will be items in my packing list that I'll never use. I decided to leave my Manfrotto 679B Monopod/Tripod at home, simply because I got tired of carrying it around the past couple of years.

Megan Lavey-Heaton

This is my second Macworld/iWorld, and a lot of the gear I took with me last year has served me well. The one major addition to my kit is the Nikon DSLR and tripod, which replaced a prosumer Canon I took with me last year. The other is swapping out the late-2010 MacBook Air for a mid-2012 MacBook Pro. The hardware bump will make processing video less of a waiting game, like it was last year.

• iPhone 4S with mophie juice pack air and a Glif, in case I need to use it with either of my tripods (not shown, as the iPhone was used to take the photo).

• iPad mini with Belkin classic tab cover

• mid-2012 13-inch MacBook Pro

• Belkin mini surge protector with dual USB chargers

• Nikon D3100 (14.2 megapixel DSLR with 1080p video) and a tripod

• Canon PowerShot SD 1300 IS (12.1 megapixel point-and-shoot) and Joby GorillaPod Original

• Tom Bihn Synapse as my mobile office with assorted organizer pouches and a 3D Clear Organizer Cube to hold everything in.

• Moleskine notebooks and pens (because you can't go wrong with basic pen and paper)

• Kindle Paperwhite

• Required cables and chargers for all of the above. Thankfully, the mophie juice pack and Kindle use the same charging plug, and I can charge my iPhone while it's in the juice pack.

• Sonic screwdriver (River Song's for the Whovians in the audience.)

Please note that feline TUAW staffer Peekaboo will not be attending Macworld/iWorld 2013.

Michael Rose
I covered most of my show gear preferences in my packing list post prior to Macworld 2010, but here's this year's tally:

• iPhone 5, iPad 3rd gen

• MacBook Pro w/ Retina display

• Another Belkin mini surge protector like Megan's, plus a few $6 3-plug pigtail AC extension cords

• Twelve South Plugbug and a Griffin pass-through USB charger

• My modified MBP power supply cord, with the ground pin removed -- necessary for some power situations

• Mophie juice pack powerstation for extra ergs

• Canon S95 point and shoot for stills and quick movies

• Panasonic HDC-TM900 for longer videos

• Joby GorillaPod Video

• Felix tablet stand

• Logitech solar Bluetooth keyboard

• Livestream Broadcaster portable streaming unit, which I need to review

• Fitbit Ultra, like Steve

• Plenty of cables, adapters and other gack

• Comfy shoes

• A Remee lucid dreaming sleep mask

• A pack of Field Notes notebooks and a pencil

• Small stack of special gifts for my colleagues

Victor Agreda, Jr.

• MacBook Air 11"

• iPhone 4S

• LifeCase for 4S

• Wedge

• iPhone 5

• Sony MDR headphones

• Adonit Jot Pro

• Tylt bumper case for iPhone 5

• AC charger for MBA

• Arkon iPad stand (folding)

• Smartklear carbon cleaner pad

• Purell hand sanitizer

• tenOne Pogo Connect

• Sharpie

• Red pen

• Pentel P225

• Uniball Precise V5

• 2 GB USB flash drive

• Moleskine

• iPad 3 LTE

• 30-pin USB/card reader

• Verizon Mifi

• Fitbit, charging cable

• iLuv USB/ethernet hub

• elgato eyeTV (dyle)

• iPhone microphone for interviews

• 30-pin charging cable

• Lightning charging cable

• Olloclip for iPhone 5

• micro USB charging cable

• mini USB data cable

• iPad charger

• Tylt battery (iPhone) charger

• HyperJuice battery, car adapter kit for MBA charging

• X-mini pop-up speaker

• 1 TB USB portable Seagate USB drive (Time Machine backups)

• iPhone charger

• Aluma-wallet

• Water bottle

Randy Nelson

This is my first Macworld as a member of the TUAW team, but it's far from my first expo. I've actually been covering the annual E3 video game trade show in Los Angeles since its inception -- two hot, sticky years in Atlanta included -- and the gear I'm bringing to Macworld has served me well for those. My bag (a no-name messenger design with an embroidered Gears of War 2 logo) contains my:

• 13" mid-2011 MacBook Pro

• 64 GB iPad 2 Wi-Fi + Cellular

• 32 GB iPhone 4

• Canon DSLR camera

• Canon DSLR speed flash

• Glif mount for iPhone 4 (http://www.studioneat.com/products/glif)

• Gorillapod tripod for iPhone 4 and DSLR (http://joby.com/gorillapod/slrzoom)

• Griffin stylus for iPad and iPhone (http://store.griffintechnology.com/ipad/stylus-colors)

• Apple In-Ear Headphones (http://store.apple.com/us/product/MA850G/B/apple-in-ear-headphones-with-remote-and-mic)

• Retractable USB to mini-USB cable

• iPad / iPhone power supply

Kelly Guimont

It's kind of a long story, but I used to be a Boy Scout. As such, I am a firm believer in being prepared, so I have a wide variety of stuff here.

• 13" current MacBook Pro

• 128 GB iPad 3 Wi-Fi + VZW

• 16 GB iPhone 4S (not pictured, I needed it for the photo!)

• Mountain Hardwear backpack for 13" laptops

• Pouch style water container

• Scosche GoBatt II

• Altoids

• Hand Sanitizer

• Just Mobile Lazy Couch (laptop feet)

• Kindle (Kindle touch, with red leather lighted case)

• Belkin mini surge protector w/2 USB ports

• Blue encore 100 mic w/XLR to 1/8" cable (for iPhone recording)

• iPod

• Sharpies

• Video adapters of all kinds

• Retractable 30-pin, microUSB, and 1/8" cables

• USB Hub

• Cocoon GridIT to hold most of it down (Christmas gift. Thanks Mom!)

• ZAGGsmartbuds on a cassette tape cord winder

• Logitech UltraThin iPad Keyboard Cover

• And more! Enjoy the photo.

Mike Schramm

I'll have my standard convention gear, nothing too special:

• 13" MacBook

• iPhone 5 (used for checking the calendar, recording interviews, and playing games while waiting for meetings)

• iPad 2

• PSP (for relaxing back in the room)

• A Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH1 digital camera, for taking any pictures the iPhone can't handle (fewer and fewer these days)

• Cables and adapters for everything

• And of course, a notebook and a few pens. Never underestimate the value of old-fashioned pen and paper!

Brett Terpstra

I travel pretty light these days. All but one of the following are true:

• iPhone 5

• iPad 3

• 13" MacBook Air

• Logitech Ultrathin iPad Keyboard

• Olloclip

• Jam Bluetooth wireless speaker

• Blue Snowball

• Assorted audio, video and charging cables

• Field Notes

• Fisher Bullet Pen

• lace up shoes to prevent blisters

• helmet cam for skydiving aerial shots of Moscone