So … I do a fair amount of traveling (I logged about a dozen trips last year in the US and abroad) … speaking at and attending events, whether they might be conferences, user group meetings, festivals, code camps, and the like.

One of the challenges I face as mobile and device developer is carrying gear around without looking (too much) like a nerd. I have a lot of computer gear.

A couple years back, in fact, I bought a Scott-E-Vest to try to tackle the challenge of carrying around devices, and as an easy way to pack my devices away in an organized fashion without throwing them into a computer bag (and additionally having to carry it around).

Scott-E-Vest:

BTW: This is in fact, Scott that made Scott-E-Vest, but it’s not me.

This worked to some degree, but wearing the Scott-E-Vest isn’t always an option, nor is it always prudent in event settings (i.e. due to weather, or if the event is “formal attire”). I must admit though, Scott-E-Vest has done a great job on expanding their clothing line to suit many occasions, and spans both genders now!

One thing that Scott-E-Vest does not do too well is store a lot of stuff without getting weighted down. Some gear like sync cables and/or power adapters you don’t need to carry around. They just add weight and really just need to be packed in a bag. But the problem still remains … how to organize all those dozens of potential cables, power adapters, and other computer accessories you might have in your bag without them tangling, or getting lost amid a mix of hardware and other items.

Well, my first attempt to address this was a Camera Bag with several compartments. I got a Lowepro Camera SlingBag last year, and it has worked pretty well.

Camera Bags such as Lowepro Slingbag are awesome for storing items other than cameras … like say mobile devices or a small laptop (i.e. netbook or macbook air)

I’ve also used a trick a while back, by storing wrapped/tied cables within heavy duty see through freezer bags. This works pretty well, especially since you can see what’s inside each bag. Problem with this has been the bags tend to open sometimes, and after some time they tend to rip. It’s a temporary solution, albeit it an inexpensive one.

Overall the “plastic baggie” technique worked pretty well, but I just became aware of a new product called GRID-IT! a few months back (the main reason for this post, actually). GRID-IT is a clever bag accessory than turns a flat surface into a multiple item “surface bag”.

Basically you tuck your accessories (power adapters, cables, or anything) underneath the many elastic “belts” overlaid in a grid pattern. They call it an “OBJECT RETENTION SYSTEM”.

Here’s more marketing spiel:

“The GRID-IT!™ organization system is a proprietary patent pending object retention system. A unique weave of rubberized elastic bands made specifically to hold personal objects firmly in place.

Designed to provide endless configurations of objects, digital devices and personal effects,
GRID-IT!™ is as versatile as life itself!”

Demo Video:

Here’s the results of a couple GridIt’s on the partial contents of my bag.

BEFORE GRID-ITs!:

AFTER 3 GRID-ITs! (one small, one medium, and one large unit):

Amazingly, all 3 GRID-ITs fit nicely into my lowepro camera bag. I haven’t been on the road yet with the GRID-ITs, but I imagine they will work very well. Rather than dumping out my bag to search for a cable, I’ll only have 3 things to dump out, instead of a hundred different tangled items.

I’m sure you could DIY yourself (check instructables, maybe), the price is worth the ROI (I think).

ok, enough the blatant product endorsement … but if you do decide to buy someGRID-IT, please mention my name (“Scott Janousek”) in the “Referral” field.

Check out GRID-IT!:

Listen to Party into the future with @FrogDesign & @JaredRawk

There’s an upcoming Mobile Devices and Platforms seminar hosted at Microsoft NERD this week.

It’s basically a “who to target” seminar for those looking to start creating apps for mobile.

It’s a paid event, but based on the speakers, you’ll get direct info from the OEMS and other folks involved with ecosystems.

I think the only caveat is that it starts at around 8am.

$40-$80 for an hour and a half about ecosystems seems reasonable if you’re are new to mobile, or just want the low-down on what each player is doing today and insight into what they may do tomorrow.

Here’s more info, in case you may want to attend here in Boston:

Mobile Devices and Platforms Seminar – March 16, 2011

Mobile Thought Leaders Share Development Strategies on Handsets and Platforms
With choice comes decision. With three major platforms, app developers and mobile service providers have a number of considerations as they decide which developer they should release with, support and build future products on.

Join this outstanding panel of mobile handset and platform providers and hear directly from them on the benefits to working with their platform and handsets. Also hear from a current developer on their experiences and lessons learned on developing for each of the platforms. Discussion to include:

• Which platform should you develop for first?
• What kind of support can you expect from the platform providers?
• Are all markets equal? Is bigger better??
• What are the pros and cons of each platform?
• Lessons learned while developing
• How does the handset impact how users interact with your app or services?
• What does the future hold? Where are the biggest opportunities moving forward?

Don’t miss this opportunity to ask your questions and hear firsthand what the platform providers have in store for future releases. Demos to follow panel discussion.

Moderator:
John Tremblay, Practice Lead, Mobile Integrity

Speakers:
Damien Balsan, Director, Head of NFC Business Development Americas, Nokia
Kenneth Daniels, Director of Strategic Alliances, Samsung
Anthony Kinney, Mobile Evangelist for Windows 7, Microsoft
T.L. Neff, EVP and Product Management and Client Services, Pyxis Mobile
Alex Willis, Director, Business Mobility & Professional Services, RIM

Event Details:
March 16, 2011
Registration: 7:30am – 8:00am
Panel: 8:00am – 9:30 am
Microsoft NERD Center
One Memorial Drive
Cambridge, MA 02142

Running a mobile solutions company means I get to work on a lot of different projects with a lot of different technology and across a lot of different device form factors … but, this is how I feel sometimes as a consumer.

Update:
@jwilker tweeted he has used “stuffbak” which is a service. I like the DIY approach since it has minimal overhead and is easy for the user to understand (i.e. dial a phone #, or send an email), but this is another option available to those reading this post.

There’s no denying there’s no shortage of mobile or other device platforms to develop on these days, but as a mobile developer, having a lot devices, also means keeping track of them (unfortunately).

Recovering them if you should ever lose one outside the office can be quite an painful ordeal … and for those that travel a lot, and like to use physical devices to demo their content it’s kind of nightmare (i.e. calling up the airport, the hotel, the conference organizers, etc) it can happen easily by simply leaving your phone in your hotel room (case “#235″).

Sure there are high tech methods to track devices (i.e. phones) with “Find my Lost Device” type services, but these require setup, and are really meant for theft, not lost & found activities. What’s more is that these methods are also meant for personal daily devices, and not necessarily development devices you use for demoing or testing apps, etc (these devices may not be fully configured, lack a SIM, or otherwise be considered a “dev device”). Thus, it’s best to make this as painless as possible for those who may *find* your device to get it back to you unscathed.

Common methods include setting up “Lost and Found” splash screens on some devices, as well as programming your “lost & found” phone number/email into the device that allows a finder to track you down … yet a third method is to add simple stickers either inside the battery case, or one the exterior of a device.

This is a passive, as opposed to active approach to a bad situation. It’s also an approach that gets the return to sender ball rolling immediately, which you may not be able to do if you’re stuck on a plane at 30k ft and you notice you’ve “misplaced a device”. This also works well for dev devices, because it doesn’t require anything in software, which may get wiped with updates and/or reformats (it *is* a dev device after all).

If most people see this sticker, most people are going to try to get it back to you as best they can.

Here’s how I have been doing it for the last year or two on some example devices:

Inside the battery over is not a bad place. The user will see it the first time they open, if they are putting in a SIM or removing something (like memory)

Outside stickers usually work best as transparent ones, which make it harder for the casual holder to read your contact info (a potential “security risk”)

On the inside beneath the battery (harder for user to find, but they will eventually, especially when they are thinking about activating it!)

You can add whatever contact info you feel comfortable sharing. A device might be lost, or it might actually be stolen. Obviously the minimum info required
to get it back to you if it’s lost is best … so things like an email address, phone #, and maybe even your first name are good enough.

If the device is important enough you can also put a small reward offering on the sticker. You might even offer a huge reward if it’s a proto/unreleased OEM device that shouldn’t be out of the office in the 1st place (case in point token “iPhone 4 bar dude guy”).

If you’re wondering where to get the stickers … well, I’d try staples, or perhaps an online place that prints custom mailing address labels, like vistaprint.

Anyways this is a tip to help you recover your lost device … if it’s stolen, well, maybe you’ll get lucky … or maybe it’s time to try to load up that “Track a Device” service for your personal device, and possibly do a remote data wipe. =)

Losing a device can be a distressing event, because it may mean you lost money, time & effort (loading apps, or storing work), lost private contact info and configurations, or a pain because it was communications device you need when you get off a plane. Taking the time for a sticker is a minor price to pay for not trying to maximize your chances of getting it back if it’s ever lost.

If you’ve lost one recently, I feel for you … Good Luck on your recovery, just don’t grieve too long on your technological loss. There are no shortage of upgrades these days to choose from!