surrender (your down time): wi-fi at 35,000 feet is coming

Whether you’re in Singapore, Stockholm or Seattle, people expect to be able to reach you, virtually 24/7. The only escape (and one I cherished) was on a flight – especially a long one like the 17 ½ hour nonstop from Singapore to Newark. I loved not having access to my phone or Wi-Fi – for the first few hours, that is.

Not surprising, as virtually everyone now uses either Wi-Fi or their mobile service to do everything from answering client emails, to booking restaurants, to checking flight departure times to looking at pictures your friend posted on Facebook. While being accessible all the time is great for productivity, it’s a double-edged sword.

i’m only sleeping: what is your favorite free perk when staying at a hotel?

you don’t bring me flowers: skip the bouquet and give your valentine the HP mini Vivienne Tam edition

Now, I normally wouldn’t be telling guys who like gadgets to go with their instincts on Valentine’s Day. Probably the worst move you could make on this romantic occasion is to go the electronics route. Safer to stick to roses or chocolate, or a nice romantic dinner. Champagne. Strawberries. A ride in Central Park. But if your significant other is trend conscious, travels a lot and likes to stay connected on the go, there is one exception to the no-gadgets-on-Valentine’s-Day rule: the HP Mini Vivienne Tam Edition. (Note, I and my company work for HP, so it’s very likely I’m biased). It’s not only small and lightweight  with decent battery life and built-in WiFi (the keys to successful travel technology), it also looks stylish and hip enough that she’ll be happy to pull it out at the airport lounge.

on the road again: top 10 travel apps for iPhone

I’m a recent convert to the iPhone, and am very glad I finally made the switch. I’ve been playing in the App store for the past few weeks, and there are a slew of great applications for frequent travelers. Here is a short and sweet list of my 10 favorite iPhone apps for travel — in alphabetical order for objectivity.

do you want to know a secret? Lenovo ThinkPad USB Portable Secure Hard Drive makes sure YOURS are safe

Want to feel a bit like James Bond when traveling with important information? Or do you actually carry important client, business or personal data on the go? The Lenovo ThinkPad Portable Secure Hard Drive ensures your secrets stay safe even if they’re lost of stolen. The 160- or 320-gig hard drives (US$179 and 219 respectively) have a built-in keypad and require passwords to access stored information. Less than an inch think and weighing about 11 ounces, they are the size of an index card. The drives use 128-bit encryption, can have up to ten separate users (with each user’s info partitioned on the drive) and are wrapped in a shock-protective shell.

Both offer driver-less operation with all XP- and Vista-based PCs. Best of all for travelers, they are self-powered via built-in USB, so you don’t have to carry a separate AC adapter or USB cable. If you want to feel like a spy or require extra security for sensitive files, this drive is an easy-to-use, travel-friendly option.

Winner of a CES Innovations Design and Engineering Award at the January 2009 show.

Available online at lenovo.com or at Amazon.com.

start me up:mobile power on the go, for up to four gadgets

One of the biggest hassles when traveling is trying to find outlets to either plug in and use or charge up your multiple electronic gadgets and devices. How many hotel rooms have you been in where, despite having a nice workspace, there is only a single available outlet to power your phone, blackberry, PC, iPod and, say, your Bluetooth headset. Gadget hounds would have to either swap the plugs out and spend four times longer to charge/use everything, or lug a bulky power strip around.

Freedom(from roaming charges): GO-SIM prepaid international card

If you’re traveling internationally across multiple countries, be very prepared for some serious sticker shock when you get home and open your mobile phone bill. It’s not just the high rates for the actual calls — there are roaming charges, data charges and even charges to receive calls. They come from your carrier, plus the carriers you are using on-the-ground. And once you’ve made the calls, there’s not debate. You’re on the hook for all the costs, whether you think they’re extortion or not. My bills are regularly three to five times higher for months when I travel.

photographs & memories: keep them safe with the Epson P-6000

the epson p-6000 is a traveling photo pro's storage tool of choice. (photo: Epson)

Photographers have never been known to be penny-wise. They’ll plunk down dollars left and right when it comes to gadgets. When traveling, keeping images safe and secure while being able to “play” with them is critical. That typically means lugging around a laptop. Even a Macbook Air takes up valuable space in a photographer’s already crowded gear bag.

fly like an eagle: zip through airport security with Belkin Flythru laptop case

Belkin Flythru Laptop Case (image via Belkin Web site)

Crave, a blog by Cnet (and one of my favorite reads), recently posted a story about the Belkin Flythru Laptop Case, designed to meet TSA guidelines and make it safe(r) and eas(ier) to get your laptop through security without actually having to expose it to the hazards of the security lane. Belkin and others have designed bags that unzip then lie flat with the laptop on one side and everything else on the other. The Flythru has a clear window on the laptop sleeve let security see it’s actually a laptop. The Flythru looks semi-hip and less geeky than earlier versions, so you don’t have to sacrifice style for safety and security.

Plus there’s the added benefit of not having to open up your bag and dump all sorts of cables, books and other gear out to reach your laptop.

Read the Crave review or visit the Belkin site, where the Flythru is “coming soon” at US$59.99.

menage a quatre: the perfect stocking stuffer for a traveler

Forget the menage a trois this Christmas and go one further for your favorite traveler. The Kensington 4-Port USB Charger, US$30, is as compact as a standard travel charger but you can charge up to four devices at once. This sleek little tool isn’t finicky – it will hook up with any gadget that uses USB charging: Blackberries, iPods, Samsung cameras and more. Just plug the gadgets’ cables into this beauty and you’re ready to go. It takes 100-240 volts, so it can work from Paris to Peoria, putting out 5 volts. I could see it of major value in-flight too, where you might want to charge your iPod, your PSP and your over-used and under-charged camera from a single (probably shared) power outlet. Kensington also sells USB power tips for multiple brands (Sony-Ericsson, Blackberry, Ipaq, LG, Motorola, Nokia, Palm and Samsung) so this one charger can power up just about any mobile device.

See the spec sheet from Kensington here or buy it at Amazon here.

For more gift recommendations for travelers, read my post on the Top 5 ultimate holiday gift guides for travelers