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Survey: Losing smartphone worse than wedding ring

Posted at 6:35 PM, Jun 24, 2012
and last updated 2012-06-24 18:35:53-04

(CNN-Karin Caifa)--Tablets, smartphones, and other devices can be great ways to pass time as you travel. But from battery chargers to unpacking your laptop at the security checkpoint, all that tech is creating some new travel anxieties.

Summer vacation is supposed to be a time to unplug. But with more travelers taking their gadgets with them to post, search, tweet and share, gadgets are creating a new breed of anxieties.  

A recent survey by Intel found that Americans are pretty wedded to tech. Those surveyed ranked the loss of a device slightly less stressful than losing a wallet, and more stressful than losing a certain piece of jewelry.

The survey shows that losing your wallet was the first thing and then the second thing was losing your tech device and somewhere down the list was losing your wedding ring.  

The desire to be constantly connected has also created a new phenomenon dubbed "outlet outrage."  

Half of travelers admitted they've sat on an airport floor, searched a restroom, or otherwise compromised comfort and hygiene to charge a device.

But in that overwhelming need to get online, travelers can forget to put safety first. One quarter admitted to leaving their device unattended, or entering sensitive credit card information in public.  

You have to also take some very basic precautions in using strong passwords and being aware of your surroundings when it comes to WiFi networks, etcetera.  

Also, watch who's watching you. One-third of travelers confessed to being a "peeping tech," or peeking over someone's shoulder to get a glimpse of what's on their screen.
 
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