Smarter Travels with Your Laptop: Power Practicalities
You can easily find all three of the following items in electronic stores online and off, as well as in well-stocked travel stores and at some airports.
Plug Adaptors: If you're travelling outside of North America, you'll need a plug adaptor to convert your computer's American-style plug into one that fits into the power outlets used in other countries.
Power Adaptors: If your computer is fairly new, it's probably capable of handling the power voltages used in other countries. Look at the label on the "brick" -- the box that's part of your computer's power cord -- you should see "Input: 100-240 v AC." If not, you'll need to purchase a power adaptor suitable for the country you're visiting. Most of North America, the Caribbean, and parts of South America and Japan use voltage between 100 and 125, the rest of the world uses 220--240 volts.
Surge Protector: Bring along a portable surge protector designed for use in the country you're headed to, especially if you'll be staying outside of major cities or in an area where power is likely to be unreliable. Sudden spikes in power can fatally fry the delicate innards of your laptop.
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