My Blogging Gears: 10 Gadgets Every Blogger Should Own

April 30, 2017 Ruth Dela Cruz

My Blogging Gears: Gadgets Every Blogger Should Own

When I started blogging back in 2003, I only have a dusty old desktop computer running in Windows XP to help me draft my first entry.

I didn’t know that blogging would evolve and would require me to invest on some gadgets and gears. Blogging is a serious business (especially for a full-time blogger like me). Sharing with you my trusty blogging gadgets that are functional, stylish and can take care of my blogging needs.

Laptop
Light, Sleek and Functional

From dusty desktop computer to a hand-me-down Dell Laptop to an Acer netbook (I bought from my blogging gigs back then), now I use my Lenovo Yoga 900. That is after 14 years of blogging, and 7 years of professional blogging (I started working with brands in 2010).

As a blogger and mobile warrior, I need a trusty laptop that is lightweight, sleek and can handle many running tasks.

My Yoga 3 Pro in Clementine Orange and Yoga 900 in Champagne Gold (it is gold!)

I always bring my laptop if my travel would be more than 2 days.

Lenovo Yoga 900: Lenovo is ranked as number 1 laptop brand by Laptop Magazine.
Quick Specs:
Up to 6th Generation Intel Core i7 Processor
8 to 16GB DDR3L-1600 RAM
Intel HD 520 Graphics
256GB, 512GB Samsung SSD
Full review of Lenovo Yoga 900

Camera
Mirrorless please!

When I started blogging, I thought I could get by with just text. I was wrong. I invested on digital camera and started uploading photos to go with my stories. Funny, I cringe whenever I look at the old photos I uploaded in this blog. But we learn everyday.

After 3 different camera brands – Canon, Sony and Olympus which I mostly used for travel and events coverage, I finally settled with my Fuji X-A2. It was actually an impulse buy that I bought before my trip to Barcelona. I really love to hear the clicking sound of a camera, so I bought a mirrorless one (the joy it brings just like the hissing sound of newly opened can of Coke! Haha)

No regrets with this impulse buy as it is very light and perfect for travels. I never liked bulky DLSRs (although they look so commanding). I have dropped it a few times and I was lucky that it is still functioning well. You might find me always wearing it like a shoulder bag 😀 You can check the full specs of Fuji X-A2. I got it for Php 25,000 (USD $ 498) in February 2016.

Smartphone
with Nice Camera & Good Battery Life

I am not the type who easily change and buy the latest smarphones in the market. Just like relationships, I tend to be loyal to a certain model/brand if it can take care of my needs. 😀

As a blogger who is always out and would need to stay connected to social media, I need a smartphone with a good battery life, big memory and nice camera (in cases we need to take a quick snap of an event, scene or food).

My Lenovo Vibe Shot and I had been through a lot. I dropped it a hundred times and it even dove straight into a water (twice!) but still manage to function until now 🙂 Read my review of Lenovo Vibe Shot here. Photos taken using the phone #shootmewithvibexruth

Powerbank

at least 10,000 mah

Powerbank is life. That’s the truth. No matter how powerful your smartphone is, you need spare juice to help you stay connected to the social media world.

Black Ye!! powerbank at Php 2,750 available at Digital Walker and Beyond the Box

My trusted brand for powerbank is Ye!! A bit pricey but you get what you paid for. I also like Momax for its quirky powerbanks but I always go for minimalist and light gears. I also use the powerbank from Thinkpad Stack (10,000 mah). I usually keep them in the pockets of my backpack/travel bag for easy access.

Powerful Cable + Key USB

What good is a powerbank if you don’t have a cable? I love the Titan Fuse Chicken Loop Cable that is the most powerful cable on Earth! My phone came with flat cable but when it died on me, I always have problems with cables (I threw them all out). I love this fuse cable which is so powerful and sturdy.

I also love the Blue Lounge Kii that saved me during my recent adventure in Lubao Pampanga for the Hot Air Balloon.

Side Story: I unfortunately packed a wonky cable (I left my Titan Fuse Cable because I want to pack light). My smartphone was out of battery and I was so frustrated that I even asked the people from Prado Farms if they have cable for Android (they didn’t have! why everyone is using iPhone?). My roomie Rodel is using a Huawei P9 phone which uses a different cable. Bad luck. Anyway, I felt like I have found a treasure in my bag when I saw my keys and found the Blue Lounge Kii! It saved me!!! Glad that I always keep it with my keys.

External Drive

only get from Trusted Brands

Where do you keep all the memories (photos) when you no longer have space in your laptop and smartphone? Every blogger should have an external drive. I love the Thinkpad Stack which comes with External Drive, Speaker, Powerbank and Router.

I love that it the Thinkpad Stack is neat, simple and light. The size is a little bigger than my smartphone.

Thinkpad Stack is a stackable peripheral that is perfect for travels. Imagine having an external drive, speaker, power bank and router in one? You can forget about the cables and all other wires as you can use the Thinkpad Stack as router for Wifi connection or to transfer photos from laptop to external drive. It has been with me for quite a while and I am totally digging the 1 TB storage of Think Stack. I am very picky when it comes to buying external drive (because, memories!) and I have so much trust with the brand Thinkpad 😀

Thinkpad Stack Price

Bluetooth Speaker $89.99

Powerbank $49.99

Router + External Drive $199.99

Read more about Thinkpad Stack.

Earphones

I prefer earphones vs headphones especially when traveling. Earphones are perfect when you want to just enjoy your Spotify music (90’s hits?) or watch your favorite Youtuber while battling the traffic in Manila.

Marshall and Sudio Vasa available at Digital Walker and Beyond the Box

I love my Marshall Earphones for the rugged look (sadly, it is saying goodbye) and Sudio Vasa Earphones for luxe and stylish days.

Tripod

I don’t have a Tripod :p but if you are the type who loves timelapse, selfie and welfie, it is a must to buy a Tripod. I especially love the GorillaPod which you can attach anywhere (could be a tree, branch, fence). I know a lot of bloggers who are using one – but I personally don’t feel the need to own one. A tripod is perfect for group photos like this:

Taken in Anguib Beach in Cagayan

Photo grabbed from @rodelflordeliz

2-in-1 Laptop/Tablet

If you are a digital artist, it is a must to have a 2-in-1 Laptop and Tablet with touch screen.

I started playing with the Lenovo Miix 510 and trying to reconnect with my inner artist. It has a touchscreen and detachable keyboard running in specs 2.3-GHz Core i5-6200U CPU and 8GB of RAM. You can read my full feature here.

Are you starting a blog?
What are your favorite gadgets?

There goes the list of the gadgets I love to use and abuse to create content and write blogs. If you want to go serious with blogging and does not have a budget to invest on these gadgets, I would suggest you buy a really nice laptop and smartphone (with good camera) first. I started with dusty old desktop, remember?

I would try to post more blogging tips! Keep following! @ruthilicious

Disclaimer: I received some of the products/gadgets as part of the Lenovo Insiders program. All opinions are mine based on personal experiences.