Photo Of The Day: Bahamian Perfection

The view above, captured by Aaron Gilson, is an incredibly common Bahamian sight: perfect crystal blue water distinctly visibly from space, sand just the right shade of white and a little bit of an unpolished edge. The island chain just off the Atlantic coast of Florida has become famous as a cruise line, gambling and resort destination. However, this photo was taken on Andros, the largest island in the Bahamas. A region famous for its blue holes, Andros is just far enough away from all of that commotion. It’s an ideal place to disconnect.

If you have a great travel photo, share it with us on our Gadling Flickr Pool and it could be selected as our Photo of the Day.

Photo Of The Day: Clouds Over Spain

Today’s Photo of the Day takes us on a hike overlooking the Alta Garrotxa in Spain from a vantage point across the border in Pyrenees-Orientales, France. Flickr user hern42 stunningly captured the layers of clouds in the valleys.

There is a certain feeling that you get when you complete the hike. This photo reminds me of the times I made it to the top of a mountain and looked back at where I started from an entirely new perspective. This landscape of blues certainly could not have been appreciated as much from the ground level.

If you’d like to see your work featured here, upload your best photos to the Gadling Group Pool on Flickr. Several times a week we choose our favorite images from the pool as a Photo of the Day.

[Photo credit: Flickr user hern42]

Review: Callpod Onyx and Vetro Bluetooth headsets

The world of Bluetooth headsets is relatively boring – the vast majority of headsets look dull and offer only mediocre functionality. Because of this, I’ll usually skip the chance to review most of them – and only focus on headsets with something not found elsewhere. This explains why this review will take a closer look at the Callpod Onyx and Vetro Bluetooth headsets.

Inside these headsets are several features that make them stand out in the busy headset market, along with a couple of features that can really benefit travelers.

The most important feature is the extended range – 50 meters / 164ft. With this extended range, you’ll be able to leave your phone in your bag, and not have to worry about crackling phone calls or dropping the connection with your phone.

The second smart feature is the ability to operate as a walkie-talkie between two Callpod headsets. Of course, real life usage for this is rather limited, but with the extended range, you could walk through a mall, and stay in touch with someone else, without having to make an expensive phone call.

Both headsets offer the same feature package, the differences are mostly cosmetic. The Onyx headset features a metal finish and comes with an AC charger, USB charger cord, Chargepod MicroUSB plug and a replacement earbud and earhook.

The Vetro features a slick clear cover and comes with an AC charger, car charger, USB charger cord, Chargepod MicroUSB plug and a replacement gummy earbug and earhook.

Call quality on the headsets was above average – mostly thanks to the louder than normal volume and dual-microphones. The promise of extended range was not broken – in my tests, the headsets did indeed reach much further than any of the other headsets I tested to compare. The 50 meter rating is clearly only in open spaces with no obstructions, because as soon as walls get in the way, range decreases quickly.

My only complaint is in the controls – most functions are performed with a rocker switch on the back, along with a second button on the top. This second button is rather hard to push. And unlike some other brands, there is no physical on/off switch on either of these headsets.

The Callpod Onyx retails for $69.99, and the Vetro for $99.99, and at these prices you are suddenly in the realm of headsets like the Plantronics Voyager Pro and the Motorola HX1 – both outstanding performers. Bottom line is that while the Onyx and Vetro perform very well, most of the purchase decision will be based on design and taste. The inclusion of additional accessories with the Onyx and Vetro does add quite a bit of value.

Photo of the Day (6-24-09)


With the heat of summer, a cool breeze is welcome. This photo of a sailboat jib captures that carefree quality of escaping heat and having time on one’s hands to enjoy a gorgeous day. Gadling’s own Willy Volk recently snapped this one in the Virgin Islands. Must be tough, but someone’s gotta do it. I particularly like the way the landscape in the background gives a hint at the location and how the blue stripe of the sail works along with the sky and the ocean in a study of blue. Read Willy’s post on Maho Bay Camps in St. John here.

If you have a photo to be considered for Photo of the Day, submit it here at Gadling’s Flickr Photo Pool. All sorts of subjects strike our fancy.

Photo of the day (5.19.09)


What I wouldn’t give to be on a beach right now, watching seagulls drift around and not wearing pants. jrodmanjr actually took this shot on San Francisco (hence the fog) where the beaches may be less tropical but where the scenery is just as gorgeous. The perfect combination of light, shadows and high shutter speed in this photo add to its magnificence. Nice pic, jrodmanjr.

Got any cool photos that you’d like to share with the world? Add them to the Gadling Pool on Flickr and it might be chosen as our Photo of the Day. Make sure you save them under Creative Commons though, otherwise we can’t use them!