Fun in Dominican Sun

Last week we spent relaxing for the first time in quite awhile in the warm sunny Dominican Republic. While we have taken trips here and there, this was the first trip that we were down South and relaxing for most the vacation.

To get to DR, we flew on JetBlue, which has shuttle flights a couple of times a week into the southern resorts. The airport is less than half hour away. Better yet, JetBlue has a policy of first checked in bag flies free. If we really wanted to and really tried, we could have packed all of our stuff in the two carry-ons. However, we expected to have some more stuff with us on the way back as well as wanted less packing hassle.
The plane, while small, had good leg room. Surprising, since most of the other flights with larger airlines were with very tight quarters. Another thing that JetBlue has, that other do not, is included "unlimited" snacks and drinks.

At the resort, I expected tech gadgets, and mostly smartphones, as everyone has them now and are rarely separated. I was surprised by how many iPads there were. Folks were using them to take pictures and videos quite often. And to surf or look through pictures at lunch time.

Large part of the time on vacation we spent in the ocean. The water was great, clear to the bottom. And we actually had a beach. Quite contrary to our trip to Cancun a few years back where there was only about a foot of beach left after some storms. During every one of our swims we had along our newest travel gadget, Panasonic Lumix underwater camera. We fell in love with it after the first swim. It is easy to use and can be left on while swimming and be able to take a photo at any time. It was great during our snorkeling venture in the open ocean. The camera has all the features of a regular digital camera with great function in and under the water. See some of the water fun shots we have taken on the trip below. We got the camera together with a floating strap. It connects to the camera and hangs on your wrist. And if it does happen to slip off, the strap will just float on the surface keeping the camera within reach.

Another great feature of the camera, that made it like a swiss knife, was its time telling capability. We had a sports watch along with us for that purpose. A watch is also a great gadget to have with you on a trip. Even though it is not much used when at home with smartphones and so on, it comes in very handy in traveling. Unfortunately, we lost ours, rather I lost it, half way through our vacation. And it was at that time that we realized that the camera which we dragged just about everywhere around the resort, can also be used to tell time. It was awesome.


A smaller part of the vacation we spent lounging around. During that time we caught up on some reading. I had a magazine with me and my wife her Kindle. I monopolized the Kindle during our flight as I was reading one of the books from the Hunger Game trilogy. All three books were pre-loaded on the e-reader. My wife also had a few other books loaded as well. It is great that you can carry so many books in one small compact and light package. It saves so much luggage space and provides hours of entertainment. Kindle also came in very handy when I got a sunburn and had to wait around for all the lotions, to make my skin normal again, absorb :)
By the way, if anyone has some tips on either good sunscreen or technique for staying out in Caribbean sun without feeling the burn after, PLEASE Let Me Know


To keep our relaxation going even when it was time to head back, we packed with us our digital luggage scale. Good thing too, as the all-inclusive resort that we stayed in charged extra for weighing your bags before departure. That was only one of the reasons we were happy to have this gadget along. It is small, compact, and does not add much weight to the luggage. We were confident when giving our one bag for check-in with the souvenirs and damp clothing (we went swimming on our last day in the morning to enjoy the clear ocean one last time)

Packing it in:


How do you relax? And what do you take along, if anything, to help you do that? Let us know below



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Keep Your Gadgets Safe While Traveling

Per a recent survey by Credant Technologies, travelers left behind 8,016 devices between July 2011 and June 2012 at airports. Of those, 45 percent were laptops, 43 percent were smartphones or tablets and 12 percent were USB sticks. (Credent) Only 52 percent of these items, on average, getting returned to travelers.
More people are carrying gadgets such as phones and laptops everywhere they go, a phenomena now called BYOD (bring your own device) This means that a lot of these travel gadgets that may contain personal and/or confidential business information end up lost or stolen and in the hands of strangers, which is why it is important to take precautions to keep them safe and facilitate the process of getting them back.

There a few things you can do to make sure your gadgets stay with you

- Turn up the volume
When you are at an airport or other crowded places were it is OK to have your volume up (unlike movie theaters) make sure to set it to high on your phone. You are more likely to hear the ring and locate it. This could also work for any gadget that has audible alerts.

- Keep your travel gadgets in your carry-on bag
Do not put anything that is valuable and you do not want to lose in your checked luggage. It is a lot safer and more comfortable and likely to arrive in one piece packed well into the carry-on. Anything that is easily replaceable either at your destination or back home can go into checked-in luggage.

- Tag it
Not only personalizing your phone is fun, but it could also mean getting it back when it is misplaced. Bright colors or unique designs would help you easier and quicker to see and identify your gadget.

- Wrap it
Recently we purchased an underwater digital camera. We got tired of using the disposable ones as they are cumbersome to use and to take photos. Also the price for these adds up over time. The digital camera would pay for itself in a couple of trips. To go with our Panasonic Lumix waterproof camerawe also got the floating strap. It is the same color as the camera (yes, bright orange). You can see it from a distance, it secures the camera on your wrist. And best yet, if it does come off, it will just float on top of the water with the camera attached and not letting it sink to the bottom of the ocean.


- Track it down
Apple mobile devices come with FindMy(fill in iProduct) apps. Turn these on, if have not already, when traveling. These will allow the carrier or the police to locate your tech gadgets on a map via GPS signal. You can also sign up for or install other similar features for your mobile gadgets either from cellphone providers or stand alone software such as Lojack For Laptops, which tracks and recovers lost or stolen computers.



- Put it on a leash
Wireless leash that is. ZOMM Wireless Leash tethers to your phone wirelessly and will alert you if you and it ever separate by more than 30 feet. Another safety feature that it has is the simple one-button press and hold system to get you in touch with 911.



- Keep the data secured
Put a password on any device that has an option. Turn off wi-fi when not in use. Be careful when using public access wireless services as these are not secure. Refrain from logging in and accessing personal and financial information while in these spots. Back up all your files before taking off.

Did you know?
It is a good idea to not post your pictures and videos of your vacation until after you get home. Some unsavory internet users search through social networking sites looking for clues that homes are unoccupied.

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How To Get Through Airport Security Fast

Fly through checkpoints with ease:

A handful of tech-savvy airport-savvy travelers have figured out how to deal with the TSA’s security hassles. There those out there and most of them are either frequent business travelers and /or tech bloggers.
For most of us, it is still a wild jungle and a guessing game when it comes to airport security.

Here are a few tips to make your air travel easier:

First, you got to ask yourself: how long will your trip be? Is your trip and overnight trip, a weekend getaway, or will your trip be a week long or even longer? The answers would determine from the type and number of bags you will pack to the type of items you would bring. The less is more for most destinations.
This is especially true when it comes to luggage fees. For business trips and most of our vacations we try to pack everything into two carry-ons.
To accomplish this feat my wife packs every items of clothing and anything else that is made of fabric into the Space Bags. She also uses the roll method for the bags and other foldable items. By rolling several garments together rather than packing flat, you can fit more in and it distributes the weight more evenly, you may even end up with fewer wrinkles. Make sure to pack all the cloth on the lower level of your suitcase.

Pack Your Suitcase as Efficiently as a Flight Attendant

Place electronics on top of those clothes.
Arrange all of your cables, chargers and similar stuff into a bag and make that the last thing you put in the case. It's handy to have that mess of potentially suspicious-looking cables in one easy-to-find location, to help the TSA with its inspections.

As it goes, the heavier the bag, the fewer things you'll be able to put in it. Look for bag that does not add a lot of weight itself, such as the Delsey Helium Fusion Carryon that weighs only 9 lbs.
On most airlines, the carry-on bag must be no larger than 45 linear inches and fit in an overhead compartment or under the seat. Linear size is comprised of the length + width + height.

Make your carry-on luggage airport-friendly -
One great gadget for carry-ons that helps get through security check point quicker is the Scanner Bag luggage tag. We have used it on several trips now. It is great for dumping all the stuff I usually have in my pockets such as cell phone, keys, and wallet. Keeping all in one place instead of all over the plastic bins makes it easier to gather your self after the screening and keeps all these important items organized.

Consider a checkpoint-friendly laptop bag. These usually have a deprecate compartment just for laptop or other electronic gadgets so they can be easily removed or viewed without disturbing the rest of the luggage.

How to Get Through the Line Faster - from TSA

Airline Baggage Fees: How to Get Around Them

Did You Know?:
Weird laws to know before you travel

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New Cool Up-and-Coming Travel Gadgets

Plantronics BackBeat Wireless Headset
- Unhook yourself from your device. -Wireless Bluetooth connectivity
- Noise-Canceling Microphone
- Take calls, skip tracks and adjust volume with in-line controls
- Foldable for Easy Storage & Transport
- Compatible w/ Most Bluetooth Smartphones, Tablets & MP3 Players
- Ultralight, comfortable, easy-to-wear
             available on Amazon.com Plantronics BackBeat


driSuit iPhone Waterproof Case
- 100% waterproof case
- Take photos underwater up to 15 feet deep
- Cushioned to protect your iPhone if dropped
- Waterproof headphone jack
- Touch-sensitive gel screen

Zomm Wireless Leash
- 3-in-one device: Wireless Leash, Bluetooth Speakerphone, and Personal Safety Device
- Keeps your phone and your keys on a leash
- ZOMM Wireless Leash tethers to your phone wirelessly and will alert you if you and it ever separate
- speakerphone with a noise-canceling microphone
- simple one-button press & hold system to get you in touch with 911
- more here "ZOMM Wireless Leash for Mobile Phones" and "Ready to travel Back to School"


Solar Backpack

- Keep your gadget powered up while traveling
- Use renewable energy to keep devices charged and be green
- No need to carry around as many chargers
- A source for charging when traveling in remote areas where traditional charging sources are not available, and in emergency situations.
- These backpacks come with multiple organizer pockets for your smart phones, iPods, and accessories
- Sturdy and spacious backpack


Viewermate Smartphone Stand
- V-shaped, wallet-sized combination of case and stand for the smartphone
- flexible and stable
- can be affixed to back of the seat for watching movies on airplane or in Car for passengers. It can also be attached to a car visor for hands-free conversations and GPS assistance


Jawbone Up
- from the maker of cool portable wireless speakers, Jambox, this latest gadget goes on your wrist.
- monitors your steps, distance, calories burned, pace, intensity level, active vs inactive time, GPS routes and more
- moreover, it can track your sleep patern and act as an alarm clock waking you up by vibrates on your wrist and slowly getting you our of sleep mode
- syncs up easily with an iPhone through its own app
- and many other features





Any other cool new gadgets you know of that are on horizon? Let us know below

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