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Showing posts with label newest travel gadgets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label newest travel gadgets. Show all posts

Nov 19, 2015

New Cool Up-and-Coming Travel Gadgets - November

New Cool Up-and-Coming Travel Gadgets - November

Terrafugia TF-X Flying Car
A four-seat hybrid car that turns into a flying car. Can park in your garage, take it out and take off for work. It does not need a runway as it is capable of vertical lift off. Per the concept creators, the production of such a vehicle is about 10 years away. Though based on some recent technology and products in the air force, it could potentially be a reality around that time.
http://www.terrafugia.com/tf-x

Google is developing a system to detect if you’re a driver or passenger
phandroid.com/google-is-developing-a-system-to-detect-if-youre-a-driver-or-passenger

Fingerprint scanner bike lock
http://www.treehugger.com/gadgets/you-can-finally-get-fingerprint-scanner-bike-lock.html
via Kickstarter.com

Bicycle for commuters - a folding electric bike can travel up to 40 miles on 1 charge
kickstarter.com/projects/227461008/gi-flybike-the-first-electric-bike-that-folds-in-o


Samsung's next big phone could have a screen that folds in half
http://mashable.com/2015/09/15/samsung-foldable-display-phone

These Headphones Transmit Sound Into Your Skull
http://www.iflscience.com/technology/bone-conducting-headphones

Google's New Project Is So Insanely Advanced It Will Blow You Away
mensxp.com/technology/latest/26366-googles-new-project-is-so-insanely-advanced-it-will-blow-you-away

Game-Changer: Genius Suitcase Has Built-In Shelves
http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/suitcase-turns-into-portable-dresser
via Shelfpack.com

Mercedes-Benz Digital Transformer
Mercedes-Benz Concept IAA Changes Shape As You Go Fast
http://www.gadgetify.com/mercedes-benz-concept-iaa/

AirPod - air-powered vehicle
http://interestingengineering.com/airpod/

Tesla's Model X SUV is finally here
http://www.wired.com/2015/09/tesla-model-x-suv-reveal-specs-price/

The revival of Concorde
telegraph.co.uk/luxury/travel/83904/concorde-flights-planned-to-resume-and-aircraft-proposed-for-display-in-london



Sound-off: What do you think? Let us know below

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Sep 2, 2011

Powering Gadgets a Step at a Time

Powering Gadgets a Step at a Time - Technology Review:
by Prachi Patel on technologyreview.com

  "A new way to harvest footfall energy could someday let shoes generate enough power to keep cell phones and laptops topped up.
  University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers have come up with a microfluidics technique that scavenges considerably more energy from human footfalls and converts it into electric power. Previous attempts to make energy-harvesting shoes have yielded less than a watt of power, but the new approach could lead to a shoe-mounted generator that produces up to 10 watts... 
  Cell phones and smart phones need about one to two watts, while small laptops need 10 to 12 watts. Power-generating shoes could be an important breakthrough for soldiers, who currently carry heavy batteries to power their radios, GPS units, and night-vision goggles...."

Aug 29, 2011

Airplane travel gadgets to keep you moving

  The first time I came across the Knee Defender, I thought it was an interesting idea that might be useful. Though at the time I did not know/understand how beneficial it could be to have this gadget along with you on a plane. That is until I had to flight several times on business.
  Most of the time, flying for pleasure, I try to get ready to relax and have no need to drag the laptop or anything like that. So even though the space in the seat is small, I manage well enough. However, flying during business hours, I had to get some work done while in-flight. Out comes the laptop. And flying economy class, you already have little room between you and the seat in front. That room seems even smaller once you open up the laptop. And then it happens. The person in front is thinking what I am usually thinking on such flights and that is relaxing. So they press the button and push their chair backwards. Some passengers even assume there is no one behind them nor care and try to push it all the way. Making it very uncomfortable for the neighbor in the back and forget about one trying to see things on already half closed computer. This is also the moment when, thinking back to it, it would have been great to have the Knee Defender.
So scanning the web for cool travel gadgets, I once again came across it. This gadget seems to be too good to be true. It is simple in design, just a couple of pieces of plastic, and is quite small in size as seen in the picture comparison to a house key size.

  Knee Defender™ helps you stop reclining seats on airplanes so your knees won't have to. It is adjustable to help provide as much protection as you need. This gadget has been selected as an effective and even essential product from the large pool of available travel gadgets.
  Another gadget for airplane travel featured on GadgetDuck is the Scanner Bag. There are quite a few things to consider when packing your carry-on. Most importantly make sure it abides by all TSA Regulations and Recommendations. With all of these things to consider, going through the security check point can be never racking and bothersome. The Scanner Bag makes it a bit easier by keeping all of the things that you would need to take off and pull out of your pockets and dump somewhere in one spot. Your cell phone, keys, jewelry, pen, iPod, iPhone, coins, Blackberry®, and whatever else that might set off the detectors can all be packed safely in the bag. Moreover, since it attaches to carry-on there is no chance of leaving anything behind. The bag stays with the rest of your stuff before and after the scan so you can just pick up your carry-on up and go without delaying to put everything back where it was.

Why good to have on a trip:
- Keep what little space you have in airplane seat
- Save your knees and your eyes when working during flight
- With Scanner Bag, speed through beginning of security check
- And get out of there just as fast

Getting Through Security

Getting a Good Flight's Sleep

Aug 23, 2011

Travel With the Newest Travel Gadgets

Avoid Travel Chaos With the Newest Travel Gadgets
By Tate Fontaine

Everyone loves gadgets but none more so than geeks, and geeks know that there is a gadget out there that will solve every problem life throws their way. Nothing can throw up more problems than travelling. Gadgets are the perfect solution to travel chaos in whatever guise that takes. So take a leaf out of the geek play book and grab yourself a travel geek gadget or two. Here are some ideas to help prepare you for your next adventure.

Always have some form of entertainment with you. Everyone loves to take good book with them on holiday but the problem is that you are limited by the size of your suitcase. Ebook readers are becoming more and more popular because you can carry with you an entire library for the size of just one paperback. Portable gaming consoles can be essential for long cross country car journeys either for you or for the kids in the back of the car. Portable games consoles have come a long way since the the original 8-bit Nintendo Game Boy came out in 1989. Handheld video game devices now have quite advanced graphics.

Power is another consideration. The problem with travelling is that your not always within arms reach of a power outlet to charge all your gadgets. Now with the price of photovoltaic solar cells at an all time low solar charges are now very reasonably priced. So now you can always charge your gadgets; even if your at the beach.

Safety is another important factor to consider while travelling and gadgets can help you with that too. GPS tracking devices are highly recommended if not essential for climbers and off piste skiers. With the simple press of a button your exact GPS location will be broadcast to the emergency services. These are not just another geek gadget but serious bits of kit that could save your life.

Just because you are away from home does not mean that you can not stay secure. There are some really ingenious gadgets out there to keep your data secure. When travelling it is not always possible to carry around your laptop so you will have to rely on public computers to get work done. You can now carry all your personal data with you wherever you go on a highly secure USB flash drive. Some USB Flash drives now have encryption that the CIA or NSA would envy. Identity theft is on the rise a simple geek gadget like this makes it really easy to stay secure when away from home.

In this article several topics have been covered; Entertainment, power, safety, and security. These are a few different areas that gadgets can really help you when travelling. No specific gadgets have been mentioned as new gadgets come out all the time.

If you are going travelling have a look at the travel gadgets over at Geek Gadget.

Tate Fontaine is a blogger and technology enthusiast. Currently working for a large gadget focused magazine in the US. [http://www.geekgadget.net/]Geek Gadget [http://www.geekgadget.net/Geek_Gadget/17-gadgets-every-geek-needs-this-summer]Newest Travel Gadgets

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Avoid-Travel-Chaos-With-the-Newest-Travel-Gadgets&id=3997488] Avoid Travel Chaos With the Newest Travel Gadgets


Jul 1, 2011

Make boring business trip and meeting more exciting

This week I was on a business trip for a great big small company sales conference.

While out and about one of the sales reps pleasantly surprised everyone when she turned on some music. It was surprising since the music was loud and for the most part clear, yet it was not coming from a boombox. It was from an iPhone that was connected, at least at that time, to a set of small rectangular speakers. Quite a few people were interested to find out what kind of speakers those are and how come she had them with her on a business trip. Her answer was very interesting and both cool regarding the gadget and insightful regarding its application.
The speakers that she had along were Jawbone JAMBOX. The 12-ounce box can produce extreme high and low frequencies from a small dome speaker. The Jambox promises up to 10 hours of continuous play. She brings this little gadget, which is about 6x2x2 inches, to meetings with clients. That is such a great idea. What is a better way to lighten up a mood of another business meeting and break the ice than with some good music. Music revitalizes, divert, and entertains. The client coming into the room with one expectation, but a greeted with a much better one.
This speakers can be connected either through Bluetooth or wires. Since the sales person already has her iPhone with her at all times, her music is also there waiting to be released. It makes a great accessory for a trip to lighten the mood and share the tunes.

Comment below and let us know if you use any gadgets to entertain the clients or yourself that might be a bit of a different tune

Why good to have on a trip:
- compact size
- great sound
- easy connectivity, can be used with no wires
- music lightens the mood and great to share

Did You Know?:
Music has the ability to strengthen or weaken emotions. It can calm, inspire or energize you. It transcends language, culture, gender and age. Music affects us whether we know it or not. Music can help you concentrate or distract.

Jun 4, 2011

Top 10 travel gadgets for Dad on the go

1.Portable laptop/tablet
Laptops are getting smaller and lighter and if you can you should bring one along. With a laptop you can go online, read emails, check Facebook, watch movies, store photos and videos. They are convenient to have period. And now with the tablet it is even easier to take one on a trip.

Laptop/tablet reviews:
http://www.pcmag.com/category2/0,2806,9,00.asp
http://www.consumersearch.com/laptops/compare
http://www.pcmag.com/category2/0,2806,2358246,00.asp


2. i/Android Phone
Motorola DROID X Android Phone (Verizon Wireless)A smart phone lets you access travel tools such as emails, maps, GPS, compass, check the Internet for hotel and restaurant reviews etc.
The iPhone/Pad/Pod is essential for killing time while traveling on buses, trains, and airplanes. With amount of apps available these days for these and Android phones you can keep everyone entertained for ours, find useful information, and simply find and listen to music while on a trip.


3. Travel related Apps
(NOTE: Language packs must be purchased from within the app)
Wi-Fi Finder - Instantly find Wi-Fi Internet hotspots wherever you are online or offline(free)
FlightTracker - Live Flight Status Tracker
Currency Converter- up-to-date exchange rate information for over 100 currencies and countries(free)
Spanish Phrasebook630 spoken phrases
Google TranslateTranslate words and phrases between more than 50 languages
TripIt - Travel organizer (free)
GasBaggas price finding applications (free)
Shazamquickest and easiest way to discover more about music, identify the track, buy it, check out the videos, get the lyric
Gowallasocial travel guide and passport on your phone (free)
Truphonetransforms your 2nd or 3rd generation iPod Touch into a phone (free, though rate charges apply)


4.Noise-Cancelling Headphones
Music just makes the day go faster and helps you immerse in your own world and your relaxation. Give your dad a music interlude with comfortable and stylish noise-cancelling headphones to provide him with some uninterrupted personal time.

Noise-cancelling headphones give the ability to listen to what they want while avoiding outside interference and help reduce the risk of hearing impairment as well. These headphones also provide excellent music quality. With high sensitivity, excellent impedance and a wide frequency range. Frequent travelers consider noise-cancelling headphones a necessity rather than a luxury. This gadget would be something that is at the top of the list of things to take along on flight or ride. They can:
- reduce the whoosh of airplanes' ac and engines
- tune out snoring neighbors
- drown out kid noise
- just help you tune out

Noise canceling headphones - life saver for travelers?

Cool Find of Today: How Do Noise Reducing Headphones Work?

Camelbak Better 0.75L Bottle, Tangerine5. Water bottle 
Reusable water bottle keeps you hydrated during the trip, keeps the liquid cool, and can be used over and over instead of buying and carrying multiple water bottles. Hence these bottles save money, space and weight. And they also help save our planet.
It is well known that to avoid waterborne creepy crawlies you should not drink tap water in places where you are not sure about its quality. Having a reusable water bottle with you instead, you can fill it up at a hotel or other sources of safe drinking water before heading out.
Also bottled water available for purchase has a significant impact on the environments we visit. A better choice and also much cheaper would be to take a reusable water bottle. That combined with a water purifier would make travel more budget-friendly, healthier, as well as eco-friendly.


Canon PowerShot SX130IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 12x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom with 3.0-Inch LCD6. Compact Digital Camera
A digital camera is probably the most essential travel tool so make sure you have one ready for your next trip.
When going on longer trips or tours, that would be better taken in without a lot of bags to drag around, it is great to take along a point-and-shoot camera. As mentioned in post Rechargeable batteries charger - saves money saves planet, it is more convenient to have a digital camera as well as rechargeable batteries. Some small cameras nowadays can take great shots that are almost as good as some semi-pro ones. Get your dad ready for the trip and his stint as a photo journalists with a digital camera with a 10x (or there about) optical zoom to have some great resolution memories. It would also be great to have a little folding tripod like the one from Gorillapod with the digital camera. Gorillapod is a very bendy tripod. It goes just about anywhere with its flexible legs that can wrap around objects and let you take pictures without having to hold the camera. This way you can get a whole shot of the family without leaving dad behind the camera.

7. GPS
One of the most annoying things about going on vacation is getting lost. If you've never been to the area and aren't good at reading a map, then consider taking along a GPS. You'll be surprised at the number of options that you have for a GPS device. You'll find a number of pocket size, easy to use options in GPS, with more coming out every year. There's no excuse to get lost anymore!

Belkin Conserve Valet F7C008q Energy-Saving USB Charging Station
8. Charging pad/pod
Most travelers are taking along a cell phone on their trips nowadays. A cell phone charger could certainly come in handy if your battery runs out and you aren't near your hotel, right? There are options for cell phone chargers that using hand crank technology, and an even smaller option that uses 1 AA battery to charge up your cell phone for a full 5 minutes of use. That should be long enough to call the hotel and get directions back to it or to call a taxi.
This would especially be great when traveling and have your cell phone and a couple of cameras and a GPS with you.  The Chargepod comes with 6 adapters to accomodate different types of connections as well. And you can tell that it is designed as a travel gadget since it is also compatible with all foreign 120/240 V adapter wall plugs. It is compatible with most phones, PDAs, MP3 players, GPS and portable gaming systems.
Charging pad - lets you charge multiple electronics at once without having to plug all of them in an outlet. Only the charging pad gets plugged in and all other gadgets are placed on top of it. The devices are charged using inductive charging. It is a wireless charging method used for mid-sized items such as cell phones, MP3 players and PDAs

Elgin Travel Alarm Clock With Digital Photo Frame, Black9. Digital Travel Clock & Photo Frame
Foldable digital travel clocks are great to have as you can set them up ahead of time and would not need to figure out the ones provided in the hotel rooms each time you travel. Dad can tote these with him wherever he goes as they are light and some can be set for multiple time zones. Perfect solution for the dad who travels a lot.
Moreover, the digital clocks with photo frames are great gift for dad or other frequent travelers so that they can always keep photos of their friends and family with them as the picture viewer comes built into the clock. Upload your favorite family photos and wake up to them every morning no matter where you are in the world


Victorinox Swiss Army Classic SD Pocket Knife, Red10. Swiss Army knife
Swiss Army knife - its a classic multi-tool. Everything you need and more within one device. The basic models include a blade, scissors, nail file with a screwdriver tip, tweezers, and a key ring. Now it also comes with tech gadgets such as USB, flashlight, digital clock and thermometer. Dad would be glad to have this gadget along (make sure it travels in checked-in luggage) on a trip as it can be very handy in numerous situations and make him feel like a regular Macgyver. Check out multiple versions on SwissArmy site http://www.swissarmy.com/MultiTools/Pages/default.aspx?category=multitools&

Did You Know?:
With regular headphones you have to turn the volume up several decibels to drown out the noise around you. Even raising the music a few decibels can cause permanent significant damage to hearing.

May 18, 2011

New Cool Gadgets for Today: bike power, lifehammer, and pearly wipes

1. Phone charger powered by bike power. Nokia came out with a gadget that is able to charge your cell phone while paddling. Speed of 8 mph is enough to generate juice that equates what a wall charger can output to your phone.
There is also ReeCharge power pack by BioLogic that can charge most any USB-chargeable device, including iPhones, iPods, cell phones, cameras or GPS units
Why good to have on a trip:
- power up your cell phone while bike touring,
- no need to stop and look for an outlet
- no extra batteries to carry around
- use less electricity
- make the planet greener

2. LifeHammer® allows people to escape from being trapped in vehicles by cutting jammed seat belts and breaking car windows. Saw a demonstration of how it works on a show today, and it is definitely a tool to have in the car and it can have other uses in emergency situations.

3. Pearly wipes - moist towelettes for cleaning your teeth from stains while on the go.
These wipes have all natural ingredients as described below from the official website (http://www.winewipes.com/pearly-wipes.php)
Ingredients: Baking soda, Hydrogen Peroxide, Calcium, Glycerin, Peppermint oil
Why good to have on a trip:
- remove coffee and tea stains, red wine reside, and other staining beverages from teeth
- freshen your breath
- keeps teeth and gums germ-free
- quick and easy to use
- compact and cheap
- peppermint oil can naturally relieve toothaches, stress, headaches, and indigestion

May 11, 2011

The Racktrap - packing it in for your next trip

  Earlier this morning I, for the first time, heard about this gadget for ladies that I thought is a great idea and would be awesome to have along on a trip. And it seems quite a few people agree as it has been written up about in a lot publications and has been discussed on several shows.

The Racktrap™ (http://www.theracktrap.com/) is an undetectable one-size-fits-all personal bra pocket that holds everyday essentials including license, cash, credit cards, and a photo ID, conveniently in a bra.

If you put stuff for "safe keeping" in your bra, this is a great product. Not that I would know first hand, though I recently got myself one of these things that is a bit similar, to keep valuables close to me. But it seems it would a great accessory for a trip to keep your money and other documents close while on a trip. It is a great solution for females who need to carry the essentials, but either don’t have pockets or a purse to store them in. It is an undetectable pocket that fits inside a sports bra while exercising, walking around town, on a tour or on a trail.
These smart little pockets are made of smooth fabric that nestles right inside the bra. It is hypoallergenic and fits well no matter the bra cup size.
They also could be useful when it’s time to hit up the club for a night of drinking and dancing. You would not have to worry about your bag and who’s going to keep an eye on it while on the dance floor.

Using the Racktrap™ is also a lot more sanitary than just tucking in the dollar bills straight into your bra, since as the research shows, US dollars have been found to have the most bacteria on them compared to other currencies.
  
Why good to have on a trip: 
- Designed to fit comfortably in any size or style bra
- Designed for women on the go
- Holds your small essentials in one safe place
- No need for purse or pockets
- Perfect for running errands, jogging, touring, trailing...

Did You Know?:
A study of American coins and currency revealed the presence of bacteria, including staphylococcus, E. coli, and klebsiella, on 18 percent of the coins and 7 percent of the bills.
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/67218/title/Science_%2B_the_Public__Dirty_money_1_Expect_germs

Mar 24, 2011

For when you have 10 or more devices charging at once ... charging pad

Latest News: the newest entry into the charging pad market is Qi by Energizer. With no magnets to line up or secret spot to find, you don't have to be precise about how or where you set your phone down on the two large areas on the charging station. The drawback, at least for now is that the phones have to have a correct Qi-enabled sleeve

While checking in on my twitter feeds earlier today, I noticed a post, below, by @geekbabe, who I have been following for awhile and has some great posts.
- "Ok I have 10 devices charging, seriously 10, all with cords, there isn't a spare outlet anywhere"
What came to mind as soon as I read it was "charging pad." It is a relatively new cool gadget that lets you charge multiple electronics at once without having to plug all of them in an outlet. Only the charging pad gets plugged in and all other gadgets are placed on top of it. The devices are charged using inductive charging. It is a wireless charging method used for mid-sized items such as cell phones, MP3 players and PDAs. Once the contact points come in contact with the conductive surface of the charging pad, a small current moves through the coils of the charging pad, creating a small magnetic field which is gathered by the contact points of the adapter and converted into energy. The energy gathered is transferred to the device's battery as efficiently as if the device were connected to a wall socket with its regular wired adapter.
This method has already been utilized successfully in several household items such as electric toothbrushes and waterproof vibrating razors. It is in early stages of being used for charging phones and such but is showing promise in de-cluttering the desktops surfaces. These are also great for traveling as a lot of them fold up or roll up to fit into small space and keep your gadgets charging one space for easier pack up.

Here is what others are saying about the charging mats:
CNET - Powermat Review:
"Though we reviewed the Powermat Home and Office Mat, the Portable Mat serves the same purpose but with a compact, foldable design. We updated this review on April 2, 2010, to reflect further testing.
If you had told us five years ago that innovation was coming in cell phone chargers, we wouldn't have believed you. Our response would have been, "What's the point?" We're perfectly happy with the wall charger that came in the box."

PC Mag - Duracell MyGrid Review:
"Pros - Can charge up to four devices at once. Long list of compatible devices. Little extra weight on phone.
Cons - Expensive. Finicky connections.
Bottom Line - The Duracell MyGrid Charging Pad is a convenient way to charge all your gadgets without a mess of wires, but it can be frustratingly finicky."



UPDATE: 

I have been looking more into these. And after reading quite a few reviews, articles, and see video demonstrations  I think that while that is a great gadget and just tossing the phone on a charging pad seems like a dream come true, it still has quite of bit of development to undergo. Charging pads have very useful features and great potential for making it easier to charge multiple gadgets, clean up desktop, and decrease amount of wires.  Though it is still has quite a way to go before it becomes something that anyone would use. Currently, with the multitude of adapters needed and the time and effort of setting these up, I think that a few of the earlier adopters would consider buying these and using them.
Here are some reviews of various charging pads for you to decide:

What do you think, are these ready for mainstream or need more development?

Mar 2, 2011

USB Universal Charger: No More Dead Devices

"About the size of a stick of gum, the Powerstick USB Charger is a self-contained charger that fits most mobile devices, including iPhones, iPads, Kindles, digital cameras and MP3 players. In fact, if your device has a micro- or mini-USB port, Powerstick can charge it." ..
Full article:
USB Universal Charger: No More Dead Devices


Feb 17, 2011

25 travel gadgets under $25

25 travel gadgets under $25
http://www.nydailynews.com/travel/galleries/25_travel_gadgets_under_25/25_travel_gadgets_under_25.html

This list includes some of the T&TG favorites such as:

RingerWraps - clear, disposable protective sleeves that allow you to use the touchscreen on phones and other devices

Safetytats - this one is a new find for us. SafetyTats are temporary tattoos that read 'If Lost, Please Call' and includes a space to write a parent's or guardian’s phone number.

MicciMicci Snapback Bags

Digital Luggage Scale - an essential gadget for today's traveler

TuGo Cup Holder


Jan 13, 2011

Travel Gadgets: Gear for Getting Ready



Travel resolutions for the New Year


And just in case you are wondering about the first travel gadgets depicted in the slideshow, I know I was, here is the description for the product:

"Scalex Map Wheel -Easily calculate distances between two points on a globe or map with the Scalex MapWheel digital measuring device. Simply enter the scale that matches your map and roll the MapWheel along the route you wish to measure to instantly display the distance in miles, kilometers, or nautical miles. Perfect for use by boaters, RV users, campers, map enthusiasts, or any travelers. Also great for when you are traveling on the road and wish to calculate the shortest route on your road map. The map wheel is also a great classroom educational tool to assist in the teaching of scale and distance on maps."

Travel Gadgets