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James Cook/BI I only had one rule for my 10-day vacation: Keep this trip tech-light.

I love technology, but I wanted to keep things simple (almost too simple it turns out).

That strategy worked, and I now feel more rested and healthier than I have in months.

It was amazing how little I missed my gadgets while abroad, but there was a product I realize is more than creature comforts.

It's the Amazon's Echo, a product I was actually reluctant about buying for many months. "I have Siri in my pocket" I thought, making the necessity for another "smart, virtual assistant" unnecessary.

But I was wrong, and I've written about how the Echo has become one of my tech staples. Still, there's something slightly concerning about sitting silently in a room thousands of miles away from your typical bedroom saying "Alexa," and getting mad nothing happened. Yet, it happened. Multiple times.

When I didn't actually say it out loud, I'd think it instinctively. It turns out having an always-on, always-listening, seemingly all-knowing (until it messes up) presence around you is very convenient. I'd want to ask about the weather, or for a particular conversion (I spent a lot of time during my break learning recipes), and it was annoying to fish my phone out of my pocket.

Having an Echo makes getting the answers to these questions seamless, and I rely on it more than I thought.

The only other piece of tech I kinda-sorta missed was actually a complementary product to the Echo: Philips' Hue lights. Again, it comes down to convenience. At home, I've connected my Hue bulbs to my Echo, letting me ask Alexa to turn those lights on and off. It's become second nature, and I do it without thinking. Half the times I asked or thought about using my Echo, it was to turn the lights in my room off.

Other than that, I'm very pleased with how it felt to be nearly tech-free for a few days. Gadgets are incredible, and they let us do amazing things, but unplugging and unwinding can also be super important.

Amazon Echo, $179.99, available at Amazon

Hue Bulb Starter Kit, $199.99, available at Amazon