Voltage Information for Travelers

Voltage Valet
Very helpful website when preparing to travel internationally.

Welcome to the world of Voltage Valet, the traveler's choice for dual voltage travel appliances, foreign electricity converters and adaptors, and other travel necessities. While most people travel to experience the sights and sounds of exotic, far-away lands, they also want to take along some of the comforts of home. Hair dryers, shavers, radios, and other small appliances all make the journey more pleasant, and connecting a computer to stay in touch with home or the office is becoming an important part of modern travel. This site was created to give the traveler easy access to important information about traveling overseas: What is foreign electricity? How can I use my North American 120 volt appliance? What do I need to use my laptop computer and modem? What are dual voltage appliances? These answers and more are all here, just click where you want to go. Have a pleasant journey!

Taking a Moment to Pay Tribute

New Memorial Plague on Greenwich Street, right next to the World Trace Center site.

"Dedicated to those who fell and to those who carry on"

"May we never forget" (click to enlarge photo of plaque fire trucks)

Go Fast and Light Online Store - Soap Leaves -

This product moves paper soap from the purely utilitarian category to a more aesthetically pleasing one. The soap paper I purchased before worked fine, but the smell was overpoweringly "clean".

Go Fast and Light Online Store - Soap Leaves - Lightweight hand and face soap

Description Compact Paper Soap leaves - 50 Sheets single use soap in a compact plastic container. 4 scents to choose from. Great for the purse, pack or car! Soap Leaves come in a plastic dispenser. These are light, work great and smell wonderful. Each 17 gram compact comes with 50 wafer thin soap leaves provide a perfectly measured amount of soap for quick cleanups - just add a dash of water and you are clean and smelling fresh. use! Great for when you go traveling. Choose from Ocean, Lavender, Green Tea and Rose scents. Just because you are roughing it, doesn't mean you have to smell bad. For less than 10 cents per wash - treat yourself to luxury on the trail.

Which Resealable Bag Works Best for Travel?

Just Zip It: How to Make A Clear Choice - washingtonpost.com

RESEARCH QUESTION: The Transportation Security Administration limits carry-on liquid- and gel- based toiletries to what can be crammed into one quart-size zip-top bag. Plenty more will be cruising the X-ray belts come Thanksgiving. Resealable bags are plentifully stocked in the aisles of supermarkets and other stores, and a few travel product companies sell heavy-duty bags, too.

We wondered: Which bag does the best job of not only keeping your toiletries secure but also acting as a toiletry kit for your travels? The store brand or the name brand? Regular or freezer? The one with a double zipper that changes color when sealed or the bag with the plastic clip? Or do you spring for a more expensive version from a travel goods company?

This article is a couple years old, but still very relevant. I recently purchased some assorted size Aloksaks to carry my toiletries and such, so I was curious to find out how they fared against the much cheaper grocery store brands. Follow the link to find out.



In summary, your priorities determine which bag is best. The Aloksak is the toughest by far, and when closed properly, watertight to a greater depth than you are likely to take it. But, the Aloksak also holds the fewest toiletries. In the first photo, you can see that I can't even close the top of the bag with my regulation size toiletries in it. Conversely, the Safeway freezer bag held the most items.



The bags resealed by sliding plastic clip are the least likely (at least of the grocery/drugstore variety) to tear at the seams with repeat closings. I have found that these Hefty Freezer bags with the plastic clip are quite sturdy, and seem to hold the most 2-3oz travel size bottles. In the second photo, I have all the same items, from the Aloksak photo, in the Hefty bag, and I usually add 3-4 more items to it when traveling (small toothpaste tube, sting kill, shampoo and conditioner in small bottles). It holds them all with ease.

Does Continental's Mobile Boarding Pass work?

Continental Airlines - Mobile Phone Boarding Pass

I gave this a try on a flight to Portland Or (PDX) from Newark Airport in New Jersey. The day before I flew, I checked in online, but instead of printing off my boarding pass to take with me to the airport, I had it sent to my mobile phone, in this case an iPhone. A link to a web page was sent to my phone via my email address. I clicked on the link, and there was my boarding pass, along with the scanable barcode.

The next day I showed up at the security screening area of the airport (a bit early, since this system seemed to good to be true) and showed the security agent my phone opened to the browser page displaying the boarding pass (I had already pulled this up before I got into line, to make sure I could access it). The security agent then scanned the barcode right from the screen of my phone, and I was allowed pass through. At the boarding gate, the attendant was waiting with a printed boarding pass, which she scanned directly and then gave me the paper stub. Success! And no boarding pass to misplace, which was the best part. Unfortunately, this is only available at a few Continental Airlines airports.

This worked very well and easily from my iphone because the screen display is scalable, and I was able to enlarge the icon for agent to scan. I would be interested to know how well this works on a blackberry, since it seems the barcode would appear very small, making it harder to scan. If anyone has tried the mobile phone boarding pass using a Blackberry, please let me know how it worked for you. See the link below for more details.

Introducing Truly Paperless Check-In

Ongoing Offer Posted Wed., Dec. 5, 2007

Mobile Boarding Pass option is currently available for Houston departures (Terminals B, C and E only), Newark Liberty departures, Boston departures and Washington, D.C. departures from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Customers have the option of Mobile Boarding on nonstop domestic flights and this option is only for single travelers. Now when you check in for your flight, you can choose to receive your boarding pass electronically on your mobile phone or PDA. Just display your barcode at the security checkpoint and when boarding your flight, and you're on your way. Tips for Using a Mobile Boarding Pass Know your e-mail address for your mobile phone and/or PDA. Save your mobile boarding pass to your phone to make it easy to retrieve when you get to the security checkpoint (check your phone/PDA manual for options on how to save e-mails and view offline). Make sure the entire barcode is visible on the screen of your phone/PDA (example: photo shows proper display of barcode). If the scanner cannot read your barcode, a paper boarding pass will be required. Turn the backlight setting for your phone/PDA display to the brightest mode. Continental is the first U.S. carrier to test paperless boarding passes. The paperless boarding pass pilot program is consistent with the global standard of the International Air Transport Association for bar coding of passenger boarding passes. This program also heightens the ability to detect fraudulent boarding passes while improving customer service and reducing paper use.

BugX™ Insect Repellent Towellette with Deet

These seem to be the best altenative for heavy duty insect protection. Not something I would use everyday, since I have a dog that licks my legs, but perfect for travel, since you can just throw a few packages in your carry on bag and walk right through security. Available at http://www.alltravelsizes.com

BugX™ Insect Repellent Towellette with Deet



BugX™ Insect Repellent Towellette with Deet provides over 7 hours of effective protection from mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, chiggers, gnats, no-see-ums, black flies, sand flies, and deer flies, biting flies, and stable flies. Water based, not greasy or oily. Deet based insect repellents such as BugX™ have been shown to be the most effective way of repelling mosquitoes and ticks and thus providing the highest degree of protection against vector borne diseases sush as LYME DISEASE, HUMAN GRANULOCYCTIS EHRLICHIOSIS (HGE), ENCEPHALITIS, MALARIA, DENGUE FEVER, SPOTTED FEVER, AND WEST NILE VIRUS. Licensed for sale (in accordance with EPA Regulations) in all 50 states.

Review: Soap Sheets

I have written about these soap sheets before. I think they were originally made for backpackers, but now they are a very appealing solution to the constant struggle with the TSA when going through security at airport. And if you are just trying to pack every thing into to one carry-on bag, these see like a great solution both weight and space-wise.

They are now being sold at many stores and online, including Flight 001, Magellan's and Target online (though for some reason they are $9.99 at Target, and 3.95-4.95 everywhere else ????) under the name soap sheets, soap leaves, paper soap, etc.

I purchased the shampoo, conditioner, and body soap sheets at Magellan's, my new favorite online travel store, and did a trial run at home to see if they work well enough to ake them on my next trip.

Hygiene - Magellan's Travel Supplies

Shampoo Sheets $9.85 Leave the shampoo bottle at home. First I tried a sheet of the shampoo, with little success, it seemed there was not enough to clean my hair.	Soap Sheets $9.85 Easier to carry than a bar of soap. With the body soap, I accidentally pulled out a couple sheets, and it worked great, giving me lots of soap after I ran water on the sheets and rubbed them together in my hands. I was finally getting the hang of it.
Conditioner Sheets $9.85 No need to pack a bottle of hair conditioner. One sheet of conditioner did not seem like it was making my hair silky at all.

After this first only semi-successful trial, I took a second look at the soap sheet dispensers, in other words, I read the directions on the back. There are amount recommendations. For instance, the shampoo (in yellow) says "Use 1-6 sheets, depending on length and thickness of hair." The 1 sheet i had used for my long hair was not enough.

I did a second trial the next day, this time with varying numbers of sheets, and had much better success. 3-4 sheets for the shampoo (do not expect a lot of suds, since this is environmentally friendly soap), 3 sheets for the conditioner, and 2 sheets for the body soap. Much better outcomes!

My thoughts on this type of product:

The toughest part is to take the sheets out of the dispenser with dry hands, as it says on the label. This is impossible once you get in the shower unless you take a towel in the shower with you and try to thoroughly dry your hands before extracting each different type of soap. Very tough to do. The obvious solution would be to remove the sheets before you get in the water, but all the sheets look the same, so if you remove them all from the dispensers beforehand, you get in the shower and don't know which is which, plus its not like you can lay the conditioner sheets down while you use the shampoo, they will get wet or drift off with the slightest draft. It would be nice if each product was a different color, but then I guess you are adding environmentally unfriendly additives.

I found the fragrances a bit overwhelming. To be fair, I am sensitive to scents, and usually use fragrance-free products, so this might not be a problem for others. Of course, some time later I saw a fragrance free version of the body soap at Magellan's. (Arrgh, why is this not on same page as the others?)

The best method for use seems to be to hold the sheets under a small stream of water to wet them, then rub them together in your hands to create a soapy residue to spread on your body and/or head.

Be sure to rinse very thoroughly. Combing through my hair after one of the trials, I found a tiny piece of white paper soap. Not attractive.

All in all, though the hair products do not leave my hair as silky as the home products I use, they will suffice for me on trips when between hotels with complimentary shampoo and conditioner, and when I am out on the trail.

Now I am wondering if I can replace all the liquids in my toiletries case?

Ginkgo Biloba for Prevention of Acute Mountain Sickness?

Since I am headed to the mountains of Peru in September, I have been searching for ways to ensure that Altitude sickness, technically known as Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), does not mar my excellent adventure. A few people have offered anecdotal evidence of Ginko Biloba being an effective preventative for AMS, so I looked into it.

"Ginkgo biloba for Prevention of Acute Mountain Sickness

Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Paul Auerbach, M.D.

The fourth issue of Volume 18 of the journal Wilderness & Environmental Medicine has recently been published. The lead article is entitled "Ginkgo biloba Decreases Acute Mountain Sickness in People Ascending to High Altitude at Ollague (3696 m) in Northern Chile," authored by Fernando A. Moraga and his associates.

The article describes a study, the objective of which was to determine the effect of Ginkgo biloba in preventing acute mountain sickness (AMS) at an altitude of 3696 meters (12,126 feet) in participants without high-altitude experience. Thirty-six persons who reside at sea level were transported by ground transportation over 8.5 hours to an altitude of 3696 meters. The study participants were divided into three equal groups of 12 persons each. One group received Ginkgo biloba in a dose of 80 milligrams every 12 hours by mouth, one group received acetazolamide (Diamox, a drug commonly used to hasten acclimatization to altitude or to treat AMS) in a dose of 250 milligrams every 12 hours by mouth, and the final group received a placebo (e.g., no active drug). Each group began its treatment 24 hours before ascending and continued treatment during the 3-day stay at altitude. A standard Lake Louise Questionnaire was administered to determine the Self-Report Score, which is an accepted method for determining the presence and degree of AMS. In addition, selected physiological measurements were taken.

The results are the most compelling data to date supporting the efficacy of Ginkgo biloba in prevention of AMS. The group taking the Ginkgo biloba had no increase in their AMS score (which is remarkable), while the acetazolamide and placebo groups showed increases of 36% and 54%, respectively. The authors concluded that their study provides evidence supporting the use of Gingko biloba in the prevention of AMS, demonstrating that 24 hours of pretreatment with Gingko biloba and subsequent maintenance during exposure to high altitude are sufficient to reduce the incidence of AMS in participants with no previous high-altitude experience.

No doubt, others will attempt to replicate this investigation. If the results are corroborated, then Ginkgo biloba may prove to be a very useful adjunct in the prevention and treament of AMS."

Ginkgo biloba plant image courtesy of www.artofbonsai.org

Here is more background info on Ginko Biloba from a very trusted medical website, MayoClinic.com (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/ginkgo-biloba/NS_patient-ginkgo) followed by their official stance on its use effectiveness in preventing Altitude Sickness.

"Background

Ginkgo biloba has been used medicinally for thousands of years. Today, it is one of the top selling herbs in the United States.

Ginkgo is used for the treatment of numerous conditions, many of which are under scientific investigation. Available evidence demonstrates ginkgo's efficacy in the management of intermittent claudication, Alzheimer's/multi-infarct dementia, and "cerebral insufficiency" (a syndrome thought to be secondary to atherosclerotic disease, characterized by impaired concentration, confusion, decreased physical performance, fatigue, headache, dizziness, depression, and anxiety).

Although not definitive, there is promising early evidence favoring the use of ginkgo for memory enhancement in healthy subjects, altitude (mountain) sickness, symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and reduction of chemotherapy-induced end-organ vascular damage.

Although still controversial, a recent large trial has shifted the evidence against the use of ginkgo for tinnitus.

The herb is generally well tolerated, but due to multiple case reports of bleeding, should be used cautiously in patients on anticoagulant therapy, with known coagulopathy, or prior to some surgical or dental procedures.

Altitude (mountain) sickness

A small amount of poorly designed research reports benefits of ginkgo for the treatment of altitude (mountain) sickness. Additional study is needed before a recommendation can be made."

I am still undecided at this point, but feel that Ginko Biloba maybe worth trying, since at proper doses it does not see to be detrimental, and hey, if it helps with dementia, it may be a good idea anyway!

Size Matters; Guidelines For Carry-ons

Here is an extremely valuable domestic airlines Carry-on luggage policy chart I found over at www.TheTravelInsider.info website. Check it out if you are a flyer, frequent or otherwise. Lots of other good information on travel planning at TheTravelInsider too.

The standard size for carry-on luggage in the U.S. is considered to be 22"x14"x9", but as you will see in the chart, it pays to check the policy of your specific carrier. This may be of great interest if you are looking to spend a few bucks on a nice carry-on bag. You don't want to show up at your gate with a bag that is 2" longer (or deeper, or wider) than what you airline will allow, and if you are loyal to one carrier, you might want to buy a bag specific to their size guidelines. When you see a single number guideline, it is the measurement of the 3 dimensions (L+W+H) added together.

"Airline Luggage Allowance Policies and Guidelines

Domestic and International Carryon Luggage Policy variations:

International flights often have much stricter carry-on policies, particularly with regard to the weight of carry-on bags.

Although most domestic airlines have no limit on carry-on bag weight, internationally, you will find that some airlines set such ridiculously low carry-on weight limits (sometimes as little as 11 lbs) that the weight of an empty carry-on bag is more than the total weight you're allowed to take with you!

You need to be aware of these rules, or else the next time you see someone desperately unpacking and repacking their luggage on the floor by the checkin counter, that person might be you!

International airlines may have different size limits on your carry on bags, too - sometimes smaller in one dimension, even if perhaps larger in a different dimension. If you want a bag that is always accepted on both domestic and international flights, you'll need to choose a size or two smaller than the maximum allowable domestic sizes.

If your flight is on a really small plane, you might find that your luggage allowances for both checked and carry-on items are substantially reduced. For example, some light aircraft operators limit passengers to 20lbs of luggage (both carry on and checked).

General Notes about the Luggage Information Below:

This information has been taken from the various airline websites.

Policies do change. The information in the table below is shown as of 7/10/08.

Baggage rules can be complicated, and what is shown is a simplification and may not apply to your particular flight. For the absolutely most accurate information, you should visit the airline's website or phone the airline and get exact confirmation of your luggage entitlements before your flight.

The airlines are also moderately free to vary their carry-on rules as it suits them, and they sometimes do this, particularly on full flights. One reader told a story of being on an American Airlines flight where the gate agent announced that absolutely no wheeled items of any kind would be allowed on the flight!

The appropriate page of each airline website is linked to the airline name in the tables below to make it easy for you to conveniently check the current accuracy of the information shown here. If you should find something out of date, please let us know so we can correct and update this information."

Domestic Airline/Flight Policies - Carry On Luggage

Airline Allowance Max wt per piece Max size per piece AirTran 1 plus 1 personal item - 55" Alaska and also Horizon 1 plus 1 personal item - 10"H x 17"W x 24"L Aloha now ceased operation America West now merged with US Airways - see below American 1 plus 1 personal item 40lbs 45" ATA now ceased operation Continental 1 plus 1 personal item 40lbs 51" Delta 1 plus 1 personal item 40lbs All items must each fit in a 'Size wise' template, approx 22" x 14" x 9" Frontier 1 plus 1 personal item 35lbs 49" Hawaiian 1 plus 1 personal item 25lbs 45" or 22" x 14" x 9" JetBlue 1 plus 1 personal item - Carry on = 26" x 18" x 12" on A320 24" x 16" x 10" on E190 Personal item = 18" x 15" x 8" Midwest 1 plus 1 personal item - Carry on = not stated Personal item = 18" x 15" x 6" Northwest 1 plus 1 personal item - Carry on = 22" x 14" x 9" Personal item = 15" x 11" x 6" Southwest 1 plus 1 personal item - 24" x 16" x 10" Spirit 1 plus 1 personal item - 22" x 13" x 10" United 1 plus 1 personal item - 22" x 14" x 9" US Airways 1 plus 1 personal item - 26" x 14" x 11" Virgin America 1 plus 1 personal item 16 lbs 24" x 16" x 10" for overhead

Here is a link for international airlines carry-on luggage guidelines:

http://www.thetravelinsider.info/travelaccessories/internationalcarryonluggageallowances.htm

A One Bag Pro Packs His Gadgets (and Everything Else)

I just found a Flickr set called Lightweight Travel. On it people post photos of the contents of their "one bag" as it will be packed for a trip of 3 days or longer. On top of the photo, many people attach notes regarding what each item is/is for, which is very helpful/generous/anal-retentive. I love this!

I have not gone through every photo, but I learned so much from this one person, I just had to post his strategies and a link to his heavily annotated photo. This Flickr pool is brilliant, because it is theory put into action.

Please follow the link to his photo on Flick to complete this packing light lesson.

Red OXX Air Boss on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
My one bag carry on for a 14 day trip to the Middle East

Comments

Roscullion says: This is most of what I took in the Airboss. There was a 1 bag 7kg limit on carry on so I wore the vest and put heavy items in the pockets at check in. I wore Craghopper cargo pants and the laptop fitted into the leg pocket. (If you were behind me when I was walking along loaded up you may have thought I was trying to mix a coctail!). I wore the camera kit seperately. All essentials for the filght were packed in the day sack ready to pull if I was forced to check the bag in. (Liquids, Laptop, Ipod etc.) Once into departures I put it back in the Airboss and just had the camera seperate. 6 flights on this trip - got asked to put the bag thru sizing frame once and got it weighed once out of Doha (11 .5kg! - the guy asked if I had a laptop in there, I said yes and he waved me thru). Airlines: Qatar Airways, Oman Airways, Emirates. Clothes all synthetic type that wash thru and dry overnight in hotel sink. Not shown because I was wearing them: Nikon D50 & Tamron lens, Blackberry Pearl, CH cargo pants, CH long sleeved shirt, synthetic webbing belt with hidden pocket containing $100, sandals, socks, wallet. Also 1 short sleeved shirt and 2 pairs socks on clothes line drying over bath. This arrangement works well for travel to Middle East. Total weight of carry items approx 13kg so its a bit cumbersome when transiting or duty free shopping etc. I use Priority Pass lounges to help with this. The choice of clothes gives the ability to look smart - business casual style - and enough flexibiity to hike, do the tourist thing etc. Never been challenged about the Utilikey (which has a blade) on any flight including Far East, North America, Europe. Once they pulled my keys at the XRAY and asked "whats this?" It was the USB drive I explained, the utilikey was right by it!

Many Gadgets, One Carry-On Bag

I am doing a lot of research right now the one carry-on bag method of travel. This is like an entire philosophical system for some travelers, and many swear by it. However here is a recent account of a gadget man who did not take to the theory too well. I read his account at PC World with great interest, since I am a gadget woman who is going to attempt to "one bag it" on an upcoming trip.

PC World - Many Gadgets, One Carry-On Bag: "Many Gadgets, One Carry-On Bag
The practice of packing only one bag for air travel is gaining popularity--but has drawbacks, as Jim Martin found.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008 01:00 AM PDT

One carry-on bag, zero checked baggage. The concept seems absolutely Zen-like in its simplicity. Given that American Airlines and other carriers now charge for every checked bag, the strategy can help cut your travel costs, too.

But for mobile professionals toting a laptop and other gear, how practical is the one-bag-only approach? For a recent trip from San Francisco to Charlotte, North Carolina, I decided to find out."

Women Pee Freely

Urinelle = Brilliant! The perfect thing for when you are out hiking in the sticks, or on a boat, with no head, in cold water. So many uses actually. Women could use this to pee off the Verrazano Narrows bridge just like the men do during the first mile of the New York City Marathon. Why did it take me so long to find this? Growing up as a tom-boy, this absolutely would have changed my life.

The URINELLE is designed to fit women of any age and can be taken on trips abroad. It is ideal for pregnant women, or women who have a hernia and have trouble sitting down. It is also ideal for urine samples.

It is:

• Very simple to use. The URINELLE hygienic cone is held with one hand and springs into its correct shape simply by pressing either side. Its anatomical shape has been tested and adapts to all women. Thanks to its wide edge, there is NO RISK at all of urinating to one side of it and getting your clothes wet.
  
• Safe: The URINELLE is hydrophobic during use. The cone is made of a material that repels water and doesn't wet your hands.
  
• 100% natural and biodegradable. It can only be used once and is thrown in the toilet after use.
  
• Perfectly hygienic: The URINELLE is manufactured under strict bacteriological control and - if required- sterilised in its packing (medical purpose).
  
• Compact and small so you can carry it with you all the time.

You can get it here :
http://www.magellans.com/store/Health___SanitationTW356?Args=
where I originally saw it.

If you are procrastinating right now, then you'll have time to watch the Urinelle in action in this YouTube promotional video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AcgH0e6wmQ

iPhone 3G Armband

As a runner, one thing I love about the iPhone is that I only have to carry one device for music and communication (and camera, albeit crappy camera). The trick has been how to carry it. I bought an InCase armband from the Apple store at the same time I bought my iPhone back in March, but the thing was really designed for the iPod touch. There is no easy way to access the sound buttons on the side of the phone, and the armband velcro strap does not adjust small enough for my arm.

Today I came across this armband designed specifically for the iPhone, and I am hoping it will be the answer for me. Hopefully, it becomes available very soon.

Belkin : Sport Armband Plus with FastFit: "Sport Armband Plus with FastFit

Part # F8Z334 $29.99
Coming soon
Overview FeaturesSpecs
Overview
The ultra-comfortable Sport Armband is hand-washable and water-resistant. It gives you full protection and easy-navigation access to your iPhone 3G, while minimizing bulk on your arm.
Features

* Removable sleeve for iPhone3G
* Armband
* Light weight, water-wicking materials
* Key pouch
* Low profile belt clip
* Complete iPhone3G protection

Specs
Package Includes

* Includes Cable Capsule for added headphone cord management"

Backup Battery for iPhone / iPod - DX001

This iPhone battery is brilliant, and with all the new apps I have added since the iphone 2.0 upgrade, I will be on my iphone more than ever, so this will really come in handy now. And it looks to be just the thing for traveling too!

Backup Battery for iPhone / iPod - DX001: "Backup Battery for iPhone / iPod

"I love my iPhone! It is the best personal gadget I've ever owned. I use it all day, and enjoy all its many features: email, Internet browsing, weather, stocks, maps, and so on . . .

If there is one drawback to being on it all day, it is that the battery begins to show a lower charge level, or run out, towards the end of the day . . .

This led me to work with a leading manufacturer to design and develop a new backup battery using Apple's proprietary connector. It's the rechargeable Smart Backup Battery — just snap it on and it begins to charge instantly. It is the first on the market to be certified for both 'Works with iPhone' and 'Made for iPod.'

One thing about this battery is that it's small but powerful. In fact, it's the most powerful battery of its size available. Keep it in your pocket, purse, or briefcase, and snap it on to keep going all day — and night! You can charge while simultaneously using your iPhone. You can charge both the battery and the iPhone together.

One of the best features of this product is that at night, you snap the battery and iPhone together, and charge them both with the included charger. You'll wake up in the morning with both fully charged. So you are getting a wall / USB charger for free. When you travel, you don't need the Apple charger. Just take this one.

Of course, it works for all models of iPhone and iPod, except for iPod shuffle."

—Richard

(Action photo shot is from http://blogs.zdnet.com/mobile-gadgeteer/?p=1297)

The best way to clean white leather purse?

Let me just say for the record, I love that knowledge is at your fingertips on the internet. Searching for advice on how to clean my white leather bag, that had become grimy as a result of nyc subway travel, I came across this post on Yahoo Answers: The best way to clean white leather purse?

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

Use Mr. Clean magic eraser and water. It is VERY effective and will not hurt the leather as the eraser is not truly wet. Wipe any moisture dry from your bag and then treat with a leather conditioner to avoid cracking and hardening. Allow conditioner to dry thoroughly. -Kanakale

Can I just say - brilliant! Using the Mr. Clean magic eraser is something I would never have thought
of, but it worked exceedingly well.

Here are my results:
First photo - top of the bag still dirty, bottom of the bag Mr. Cleaned.














Halfway
Bottom of the bag - you can see the dirt line between cleaned and not clean.








Bottom of the bag fully cleaned - no more dirt

Your inflight personal media station

Your inflight personal media station - iFlyz

This is what I like to see. Someone sees a problem, someone solves a problem. I have not seen one of these in person yet, but it looks well thought out. The flexible gooseneck is perfect. As long as the suction cup is reliable, so your $400 iPhone doesn't end up on your lap, I think it is good to go. At least until they figure out a way to let us plug our devices into the t.v. screens on the back of the seats. Follow the above link for pics.



To be launched Summer 2008. Bookmark the link to keep updated.

The Original iPhone Stress Tests

Still one of the best iPhone video out there. Viewing this test finalized my decision to buy an iPhone. It is tougher than many other phones on the Market, as you can see from video link below.

"The iPhone takes a licking, and keeps on ticking.

Can you scratch it? What happens when you drop it? PC World's Eric Butterfield takes the iPhone through a grueling set of tests to check how the device handles abuse."

PC World - The Original iPhone Stress Tests

Multi-use "Portabowl"

Tired of carrying a soaking foldable canvas water dish as we explored the neighborhood dog parks, I set out to find a lightweight, quick drying bowl for my Great Dane.

Boy did I land on the target. Orikaso makes these amazingly light, origamish bowls that work perfectly, and are very easy to carry. Each bowl comes in a flat, reuseable envelope like this.

The bowl in its folded and unfolded forms. It measures about 3" across the base, 6" across the top, which makes it great as a water dish because it is very easy for a dog, even a big one, to drink out of. When you are done using it, you just unfold it, shake the water off, and put it back in your pack/purse.

Now for the good part. It is perfect to throw in your carry-on luggage to use as a cereal bowl for that late night snack in your hotel room! I bought mine for $2.69 online at Sierra Trading Post.

Simple, elegant, and extremely functional design. Love that.

One Headset to Rule The Calls

Voyager 855 headset from Plantronics

Anyone who has one set of earbuds for a cellphone and another set for a music player, all spooled up in a briefcase or pocket, has been waiting for the Swiss Army knife of headsets.

The Voyager 855 from Plantronics, which works as both a hands-free headset for the phone and a stereo headset for the music player, may be that multifunction tool for the plugged-in set.

Extending the 855's boom microphone pauses the music played on a phone and answers a call. Ending the call restarts the music. Both earbuds are activated for listening to music in stereo by plugging a detachable cable to the main unit.

But the 855, available next month at most electronics and office supply stores for about $150, works only with phones that are A2DP compliant. You can check whether a particular phone supports this standard for playing stereo through a Bluetooth wireless connection by going to Plantronics' Web site, www.plantronics.com . Now, if only it came with a screwdriver and a can opener.

Words To Live By

I found this post on Cool Tools, a great useful gadget blog. It is a recommendation for the book "Moving Heavy Things". The precept quoted below strikes me as THE guide line for moving house, as I just did, or packing for a trip. Definitely an argument for roller over duffel bags.

Precept Five: Applied Sloth
As stated in the stagehand's axiom: "Never lift what you can drag, never drag what you can roll, never roll what you can leave." Creativity germinates in indolence, and the cleverest people are often the laziest: they are always looking for an easier way. The easiest way is often the simplest, most direct, and the best way.

Cool Tool: Moving Heavy Things

Sleek Aluminum Roller Case

Here is what I would use as the side table for the "Chair" in the previous post, when I wasn't chic-ly cavorting about the country with it.

Polycarbonate Expandable Zeroller - It comes in Black, Red or Silver, in sizes from 19"-29"

Polycarbonate Specific Features In creating the new Polycarbonate collection, Zero Halliburton was inspired by the contemporary design objective of providing lightweight, protective, flexible luggage with the level of functionality expected from a bag designed for today's frequent traveler. Features include: Removable Garment Carrier Stain resistant fabric Numerous interior pockets Laundry Bag Removable wet pocket Tie down straps Center Divider TSA Locks Multiple colored ID options Long lasting, highly durable wheels and trolley system Lifetime Warranty

the polycarbonate expandable zeroller

Chair or Luggage?

This post is less about being portable and more about looking portable. If there was ever a chair to give you the feeling of travel while staying home - this is it. It reminds me so much of those ZERO Halliburton aluminum briefcases I used to lust after.

Design - Chairs - Furniture

Daniel Stier The aluminum 'suitcase' version of the chair at a train station. (photo courtesy of NYtimes)

Naoto Fukasawa's design, called Chair, embodies his notion of objects "dissolving" into their environments. The sight of travelers perching wearily on their rolling luggage inspired the witty aluminum-clad "suitcase" chair, while the idea of a bale of hay becoming an impromptu seat resulted in the hay chair. Other versions of Chair are made of clear acrylic, marble, felt, wood and polyurethane, each one of which evokes an entirely different feeling. The prices, though not yet set, promise to be anything but dissolving. But then good things come in small quantities.

How to Buy a Cheap Airline Ticket in First Class

Great tip, courtesy of Daily Candy yesterday. I fly quite often, and I have never heard of this. Totally worth a look at FareCompare or more info. Who would pass up a chance for first class?

Step-By-Step Guide:

"These discount first class tickets are the airline industry's best-kept secret. Called Y-Ups, they price like a coach ticket, they look like a coach ticket, but when you sit down, you are one seat behind the pilot -- and they serve warm cookies.

FareCompare.com is the only web site that tracks over 100,000 of these confirmed discounted first class airfares. Y-Up airfares are intentionally published by the airlines to look exactly like a coach ticket, but the seats are allocated in the first class cabin. This sneaky little trick allows corporate travelers to legitimately & inexpensively get around their "No First Class Travel" policy.

Y-Up airfares are deeply discounted first class airline tickets available for travel within/between the United States and Canada. They do NOT apply to international coach, business or first class air travel.

How to Buy a Cheap Airline Ticket in First Class

Top 10 Discount First Class Airline Ticket Tips

• Seat inventory for Y-Up airfares is almost always available -- even on full flights, peak days and times (Mondays, Fridays, Sundays, Holidays) or last-minute trips.
• Frequent corporate travelers have the most to gain from Y-Up airfares. For the same or cheaper price than they are paying for refundable and last minute coach tickets, they get a confirmed first class cabin seat BEFORE frequent fliers are automatically upgraded. You don't have to compete against the 60 road warriors that are vying for upgrades to 10 first class seats when you purchase a Y-Up.
• Most airline and travel agents don't know about Y-Up airfares. You should ask for Y-Up airfares by name as most agents are not trained to offer these even though they may be cheaper.
• Most "self-serve" corporate booking tools do not check for Y-Up airfares. You will need to call your corporate agent and ask for them specifically.
• Most Y-Up airfares are one-way. If you miss your flight be sure and ask the airline ticket agent to check for a Y-Up. Many times the Y-Up first class airline ticket will be cheaper than the walk-up coach ticket for the flight replacing the one you missed.
• In many cases Y-Up airfares are refundable and are always exchangeable.
• If there is a super cheap Y-Up airfare, it is normally due to a promotion or an airline attempting to match a smaller competitor that has first class cabin seating on the same route.
• Make sure the planes on your itinerary have a first class cabin. You may end up on a regional jet on a segment of your journey that does not have a first class cabin.
• Y-Up airfares are great for special occasions and in some cases are a better deal than using your frequent flyer miles for a first class seat (honeymoons, anniversaries, ...)
• Y-Up airfares are booked in the first class cabin; you will get frequent flyer mileage based on buying a first class ticket (usually 2 times the mileage award of a coach ticket)."

DO Drink the Water

SteriPEN
Pocket water purifier

"I took a SteriPEN to Africa for 3 months this summer and the verdict is in: it's the best water purifier you can carry without a tractor-trailer. It's basically a UV ray flashlight you submerge into your glass. The water stays cool and it doesn't change the water, except to kill all the living things in it, viruses included. It is expensive,

but pays for itself quickly, as you don't have to buy bottled water. On my trip, often when I asked a waiter for a glass of tap water, my request would elicit a smile or a laugh. In some cases, they simply would not bring me a glass of water. Most of the time, though, I convinced them -- and then, to their amazement, I would take out the SteriPEN, push a button, and stir the water with the glowing purple UV light that always brought stares from other diners. After less than 60 seconds, I would take out the SteriPEN and drink the water, occasionally hearing gasps from other tables. Then I'd mention that UV light is how certain towns and companies now sterilize water."

-- David Siegel

SteriPEN
$125
Available from Amazon

This is such a great idea, with a high level of portability and low level of fuss. My problem would be the sheer amount of water I drink, and having to continually refill and repurify. If this would work for a bottle of water, it would be perfect, but I am assuming it would have to be a lot longer, and then I guess then it wouldn't be so portable? How great this would be for hiking though!

DAVEK Umbrella -The Last Umbrella You'll Need

OH MY GOSH! I fell for this 'brell' the moment I laid eyes on it in the New York Times Sunday Styles section last weekend. My pulse quickened as I couldn't stop myself from ordering one even before I posted it. It represents everything that makes me a gadget freak: high-tech materials, supreme functionality, sweet, sleek, beautiful design, and extreme portability. Sure its spendy, at $95 for the solo version, but can you put a price on love-at-first-sight? Besides, this relationship has a life time warranty.

Its the last umbrella you'll need . . . if you don't leave it in a cab.

DAVEK Umbrella - Davek Solo

Davek SOLO™ The Davek Solo features our unique carbon WindFlex Frame™ System and automatic-open and automatic-close button system. With its sturdy frame construction and distinctive design, the Solo is the perfect combination of durability and metropolitan style. The canopy is constructed of 190 thread count nylon (the most tightly woven available) to offer maximum protection from precipitation. The gorgeous handle features a convenient clip to attach to your belt or hold in place within a bag. Coverage arc diameter is a comfortable 43". Closed Length is compact at 11.75". Click to enlarge

COLORS Classic All-Black Black/ Pale Blue Black/ Wasabi Green Black/ Pale Yellow (available on 9/28)

A Moment of Reflection

Having witnessed the attack on 9-11 first hand, I really appreciated this thoughtful post and photo from Sherry at Geeky Traveller.

A break from travel gadgetry
by Sherry on September 11th, 2007

"I tried very hard to make myself post something about a cool gadget to make travel fun or a nifty site to make vacation planning easier, but I kept looking at the date on the calendar hanging on the wall beside me, and I can't do it today.

Instead I'd like to offer up a moment of silence for everyone who lost their lives this day six years ago. I will never forget."

Mindmap Software for Phones

For all you right-brained creatives out there who use mindmaps to organize your grocery list/presentations/IPO, you'll be pleased to know that they are now offered in in a pocketable form.



Pocket Mindmap Features
The mindmap below and the list describes the most important features of Pocket Mindmap. (You can download this map from the download area.)

The topic with the title "Attribute" is a maplink to the map below. In Pocket Mindmap you can switch to this map by simply tapping the red arrow.

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As you can see, you can drill down several levels, instead of having all the details on the same pagel. This makes better use of the smaller phone/PDA screen. (all photos courtesy of Mindmaps.com)