The secret is out ... Comfortable in-flight Travel supplies

While flying to the business meeting that I mentioned in the previous post, I got reaffirmation just how uncomfy airplanes can be. It is especially more so these days with a lot less extras available on planes. There were no blankets on the seats, no giving out of headphones to listen to music and or videos. We did get a tiny bag of peanuts and pretzels.
Awhile back I came across Magellan's site that has a large variety of travel supplies. It has clothing, accessories, gadgets, trial-size items, guides, and much more. The latest portion of the site that I found is the Get Comfortable En Route collection. It is an awesome gathering of things that would make a flight a lot more comfortable, clean, dry, and relaxing. As part of its listings this collection, of course, also has headphones. I have mentioned noise-canceling headphones in several of my entries (10 Travel Gadgets for the warm weather travel, Noise canceling headphones - life saver for travelers?, How Do Noise Reducing Headphones Work?) and just how much of a benefit they are for a relaxing and more enjoyable flight.
Travel Pillow is a great idea to have along to not strain your neck or end up on someone's shoulder while relaxing or taking a nap. I have one and usually take it with me for a long flight, though I did forget it for this one.
On the flight back home, the plane did not even have a built in video player in the back of the seat. So it was up to you to entertain yourself and hopefully you have some airplane travel gadgets. I had a laptop with me that provided something to do and get good use out of the time, however it did not last long as the battery was drained. So having a portable multimedia player is also a great idea to have. And once I upgrade my phone from a media phone to a smart phone when I am up for a renewal, I will have multimedia player with me anywhere I go. Can't wait. Though for now, it was a good book and some Sudoku puzzles the rest of the flight

Other great collections:
Ease Airport Security Checks
Getaway Essentials
Packing For Carry On

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.

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
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

Best travel app I have seen yet! It is awesome and it's free

(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 Phrasebook - 630 spoken phrases
Google Translate - Translate words and phrases between more than 50 languages
TripIt - Travel organizer (free)
GasBag - gas price finding applications (free)
Shazam - quickest and easiest way to discover more about music, identify the track, buy it, check out the videos, get the lyric
Gowalla - social travel guide and passport on your phone (free)
Truphone - transforms 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?

5. 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.


6. 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!


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

9. 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


10. 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.

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.

http://www.theracktrap.com/

  

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

Travel essentials for easy travel by frequent flyers

6 essential items to ease your travel experience

article by By William Bailey from Budget Travel

The folks on this list have quite an extensive travel itineraries and a whole lot of miles under their belts. In the article the provide some of the essential travel items that they always take a long on their journey. I found this post very interesting as it included some of our favorite items to take a long as well.

Matthew Kleinosky, one of the travelers on the list, always has a water filter with him while traveling as well as a water bottle.

From another frequent traveler: "My first aid kit and my Swiss Army knife (in checked bags): I've used the knife to open items, to eat, and for other useful functions..."

Another one takes along earplugs to tune out "loud, unhappy children." While that is great, I like to not only tune out but also tune into some enjoyable relaxing music. And that is where noise-canceling headphone come in handy as they do both and work great to get you through the flight, train ride, or just the wait for both.

Did You Know?:
Be a Packing Genius: Step-by-Step Photos

Packing your essential travel gadgets

Interesting article on CodeFrenzy.com

"Traveling with your tech gadgets"

It provided tips and information on what to take a long and how to pack your tech gadgets for the trip as well as other accessories that are good to have along with your gadgets on prolonged trip.

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

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

As a follow up to several posts (More on making travel fun with cool headphones,Travel gadgets for the frugal traveler, Traveling in comfort, Noise canceling headphones - life saver for travelers?) about headphones and especially about noise reducing headphones that make travel oh so much better, here is an article that explains different types of headphones available and how they work to reduce outside unnecessary noise:
HTG Explains: How Do Noise Reducing Headphones Work?

Did you know that listening to music can make you more productive?
- studies done by F. F. Cripe (1986) , L. Morton, J. Keshner and L. Seigel 1990) that conclude that music with a prominent beat stimulates an increased arousal in students which overrides the effect of environmental distractors…repetitive beat produces a reduction in muscle tension, thus reducing hyperactivity… (there was) significant reduction in distractability among students after being exposed to music. Short term memory was also beneficially affected by having to listened to music

Belt Bank Money Belt

This is an interesting travel gadget that is a regular belt, at least it looks that way to everyone else. However, it has a secret compartment for paper money to carry around with you securely when traveling abroad or unknown territories.

Belt Bank Money Belt Review on TechyZone.

Traveling in comfort

Here are some products that make traveling a lot more comfy:

TravelRest Ultimate Travel Pillow

This travel pillow has a cord that attaches to the back of your airline seat, and a loop to attach the other end to your seat belt. These features, plus the TravelRest's unique shape, allow you lean into it and get a better night of sleep than you thought possible on an airplane.

Neck Pillow

These come in many different shapes and sizes as well as colors. Most of these come in U shape, which supporst your head on all sides no matter where it lands.

First Class Sleeper

The First Class Sleeper helps you get the most comfort possible out of an airplane seat. It provides both lumbar and neck support, turning your coach seat into something more like an easy chair.

Noise cancelling headphones

I wrote about some of these in one of the earlier posts. These headphones offer the comfort of tunning out and relaxing to your favorite tunes during the trip.

Travel Blanket

While some airlines still provide blankets on the plane, it is become more and more rare. You can bring your own one instead to stay cozy and warm on flights or rides when traveling. There are even now blankets with arms, such as the NAP Travel Comfy, that keep you warm and let you type, turn pages and eat without removing it.