I have spent most of 2024 traveling for work. It all started in the back half of 2023 but really exploded this year. Because of all that traveling, I’ve been slowly refining the gear I take with me on planes and the occasional train. Fortunately, as a writer, I can get away with not carrying a lot around with me. One thing I need to have is a writing machine.
A traditionalist would say I need a laptop. The problem with laptops on a plane is that I’m a bigger guy, and sadly, I’m usually relegated to economy seating. Those two things do not go together well, so a laptop is a non-starter for me. However, on a couple of recent trips to California and New York City, I discovered a great combination of technology that allows me to get some work done without having to pray that the person in front of me won’t lean their seat back.
This setup revolves primarily around an iPad Mini (6th generation — I don’t have the new one yet), but I had to pick up a few other accessories to make it work. What I like most about this setup is how versatile it is. It works just about anywhere, ample belly notwithstanding. So here’s the setup I usually work with.
Quick links for everything you need
Build-a-laptop
Of course, we’ve already discussed the iPad mini. I use Apple‘s small-but-mighty tablet daily, primarily for gaming. But when I’m traveling for work, I find the 8.3-inch screen in landscape orientation is just big enough for writing and reading, while remaining small enough to fit into a pocket in my bag. When I travel for work, it’s usually for a press tour, which also tends to involve a lot of walking, so the 293 grams are barely noticeable in the grand scheme of things.
Of course, as a writer, I need to have a keyboard. For that, I use the Logitech Keys-to-go 2 portable keyboard. It includes a flip cover to keep it nice inside my bag and a coin cell battery that is rated to last up to three years. It connects to the iPad using Bluetooth LE. The keys are lovely, with 1mm of key travel and 18mm pitch (this distance between the keys). There’s a power switch on the back for when the keyboard isn’t in use and three buttons allowing you to switch between three connected devices.
One nice part about this keyboard is its ever-so-slight wedge shape, typically missing on portable keyboards. This shape gives the keyboard a nice angle and makes typing easier and more comfortable. It’s also compatible with all operating systems, including iOS. At 222 grams, it is exceptionally lightweight. When paired with the iPad in my bag, the two add just over one pound to my bag. Good luck finding a laptop that light.
Pièce de résistance
Then, there’s the rug that really ties the room together — the device that makes this whole setup work. The Apple smart cover on the iPad does the origami fold to stand the tablet up, but the angle is too steep when placed on a tray table on an airplane, so I turned to Amazon for one more piece to the puzzle. I found it in the WixGear Universal Airplane tablet mount. This tablet mount is similar to those cheap phone mounts that spring shut.
The difference is that this mount can expand wide enough to accommodate tablets up to 7.67 inches in width. The other end has a spring-closing clamp that can clamp to a tray table or sometimes even the pocket in the seat in front of you. You can twist the mount to put the tablet just about anywhere.
The key benefit is that I can separate the “monitor” and the keyboard, which provides much more flexibility. On a cramped airplane, that often means the iPad covers a bit of the keyboard, but I’ve been writing for so long that it doesn’t really bother me.
I also carry a cheap, slim mouse and mousepad to complete the package, but I rarely use them on the plane when space is at a premium. They’re nice for when I land and can spread out a bit. Most of the time, I just gorilla arm the tablet or use the arrow keys when necessary.
Some things to be aware of
Overall, when I need to work on the plane, this setup gets me through. However, it’s not perfect. Given unlimited space I would rather use a laptop, but that’s not the reality of airline travel. My only real gripe about this setup is that depending on where I can clamp on the tablet holder, I might have the screen uncomfortably close to my face. The tablet holder has a very long base, so if I need to attach it so that it sticks horizontally out from the seat in front of me, there’s not a lot of wiggle room.
Ideally, I can attach the clamp to the back of the tray table. Of course, different aircraft have different seats and trays, so your mileage may vary. But if you’re a frequent traveler, this is a great setup that can accommodate almost any sized space and any sized writer.
