2010 › May

Daily gear deals – $11 iPod accessory kit, $15 netbook charger and more

by Scott Carmichael on

Here are the hottest gear deals for today, Tuesday, May 25th 2010. Remember, these deals are often valid for just one day, so act fast before they are gone.

Today’s first deal is for an assortment of Griffin accessories for the iPod. In the kit, you get a cup holder dock, charging cable and aux/line cable. On sale for $11 at TotallyAnything.com.

Our second deal is for a GPS unit designed for the great outdoors. The Garmin Colorado 400i comes pre-loaded with U.S. inland lake maps, and a base map of the world. Features are impressive – and include things like wireless transfers of data between units. On sale for $199.99 through BoatersWorld.

Taking a driving trip this summer? Protect against tickets with this Cobra XRS-9440 radar/laser detector. Of course, we don’t endorse speeding here, but we fully understand that you may need to speed up a bit to overtake that slow truck… On sale at 1saleaday for just $29.95.

Taking your netbook on the road this summer? How about keeping it charged in your car? How about keeping it charged in your car for just $15 with free shipping? The charger supports most machines from Asus, Toshiba, Lenovo, Dell, Samsung, Gateway, Sony and MSI. Its IC chip prevents overcharging and short circuits. Click here for this deal.

Top ten best airlines revealed in 2010 World Airline Awards

by Scott Carmichael on

Spoiler alert: U.S. based airlines apparently all suck. At least, if you believe the results of the Skytrax 2010 World Airline Awards. The top ten airlines in the world are mostly from Asia. The only upside for U.S. based airlines is that no European airlines made it to the list either.

American airlines are only represented in the “best North American Airlines” results – and even there, Air Canada takes the top spot.

The results are hardly surprising – I’ve flown many of these international airlines, and their product is indeed miles ahead of anything on offer in the U.S. or Europe. Still, it is a bit of a disgrace that none of the U.S. based airlines managed to make any of the winning categories. The top ten airlines of the world are:

  1. Asiana Airlines
  2. Singapore Airlines
  3. Qatar Airways
  4. Cathay Pacific
  5. Air New Zealand
  6. Etihad Airways
  7. Qantas Airways
  8. Emirates
  9. Thai Airways
  10. Malaysia Airlines

Still, it isn’t all doom and gloom – in recent weeks, the AOL “spy in the sky” flew all major U.S. carriers and found that there are still some friendly and helpful airlines out there. Check out their report cards for the ten airlines they reviewed.

Himalayan High: A trek to Everest Base Camp

by Kraig Becker on

More than any other mountain, Mount Everest has always held an undeniable allure amongst the general public. Ever since it was first surveyed back in 1856, we’ve been fascinated by the massive peak that rises 29,029 feet above the Earth’s surface. Later, the world would hold its collective breath while explorers such as George Mallory and Andrew Irvine challenged the mountain, just because it was there. And later we would cheer when a young man from New Zealand, named Edmund Hillary, and his climbing partner from Nepal, Tenzing Norgay, stood atop the summit for the first time. The fascination turned a bit morbid when Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air told the tale of the that tragic 1996 climbing season during which 15 people lost their lives on the mountain. But that best selling book reintroduced a new generation to Everest, keeping its mystique alive and as strong as ever.

Climbing the mountain is an expensive and challenging endeavor, costing upwards of $50,000 and requiring a two month commitment to complete. Not many of us have that kind of time on our hands, not to mention that much disposable income, which makes it highly unlikely that we’ll ever stand on the summit ourselves. But the desire to see the mountain runs strong amongst adventure travelers, and each year hundreds of them make the trek to Everest Base Camp, just to experience a part of the mountain for themselves.

In April I had the privilege to make that trek for myself, spending 12 days hiking in the Khumbu Valley of Nepal, and ultimately arriving at Base Camp, located at 17,600 feet. Along the way, I passed through mountain villages, stayed in traditional teahouses, and experienced the Himalayan culture first hand, and all the while the stunning snow capped mountains of the region served as a breathtaking backdrop. The trip turned out to be everything I had hoped for and more, and while it isn’t an easy journey, for those who have always wanted to make it, it is definitely worth the hike.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing my experiences from the trek with Gadling readers. Hopefully I’ll be able to convey to you, in some small way, the sense of adventure and wonder that a walk in the Himalaya can produce. And that adventure starts in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, and the gateway to those mountains.

Next: Kathmandu: Gateway to the Himalaya

Marriott International launches water conservation project in China

by Melanie Nayer on

Marriott International is doing more than building hotels in China. The hotel company, which currently operates 45 hotels in China under the JW Marriott, Marriott, Renaissance, Courtyard by Marriott, Marriott Executive Apartments and The Ritz-Carlton Hotel brands, announced Monday it will invest $500,000 in seed money to support a water conservation program in China.

The “Nobility of Nature” program aims to protect the largest source of fresh water on the planet, with a focus on work in Sichuan Province, the area hit hardest by the 2008 earthquake. In addition to the planned water conservation announcement, the Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels in China have committed to reducing their water and energy use by 25 percent by 2017.

According to a press release from Marriott, the water project will assist rural communities in Sichuan Province with sustainable businesses, such as mushroom farming and honey production, which will place less stress on the environment.

“Marriott is committed to doing business in China and to the well-being of the Chinese people,” said J.W. Marriott Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of Marriott International. “There’s a Chinese proverb, ‘when drinking the water, consider the source’. Water is the key to prosperity and sustained economic growth. Helping to develop viable ways to preserve the water supply and conserve water in our hotels is important to our business, our associates and our customers.”

Marriott plans to add an additional 25 hotels in China by 2013, and each hotel is expected to contribute to the water conservation program. Specifically in China, Marriott’s hotels have reduced water usage by 13.5 percent and energy use by 15.7 percent in the past two years. This isn’t the first time Marriott and its employees have come to the aid of Sichuan Province. In 2008, the company raised more than $3 million to help provide disaster relief to victims of the earthquake which took the lives of nearly 70,000 people.

Marriott International will work with Conservation International and the Government of Pingwu County to provide training and resources to the local communities involved in the project. For more information click here.

How to Crash Cannes – a 101 guide

by Annie Scott on


The Cannes Film Festival is an invitation-only, very glitzy affair which attracts hundreds of celebrities and elite guests from around the world. It’s no wonder that many of us fantasize about going. For most people, that dream may seem an impossible one. Well, guess what? It’s not.

This year, I was invited by Stella Artois, one of the main sponsors of the Cannes Film Festival 2010, to attend. Now, I’m not going to tell you “just make friends with someone at Anheuser-Busch.” No. And yes, I was afforded some privileges that crashers won’t be able to come by — but I did manage to figure out how a regular person could get there, attend the private screenings, and have a great time. So here we are:

How to Crash Cannes – a 101 guide

Get yourself to Cannes (obviously).

If you’re thinking about crashing Cannes 2011, book your flight now. The flights to Nice before and during the festival are booked solid and get very expensive if not reserved in advance. Cannes 2011 will be May 11 – 22. This is one thing you can’t get around unless you know someone with a private plane.

*Don’t* book a hotel.

Here’s where we get down to the business of skirting the system. It won’t work if everyone does it, but there are still some sorry folks out there who don’t read Gadling. Chances are, this will work …There are no hostels in Cannes. Some people go as far as finding campsites outside of Cannes and camping to avoid paying through the nose for a hotel when they all seem to be booked. That is not the glamorous kind of experience I’d want to have at the ritzy festival. What’s more, partying till dawn becomes difficult if you’re not staying in Cannes. Here’s something few people know: The Tourist Information Center right at the Palais de Festivals on Croisette has hotel rooms, even when the whole city seems to be sold out (ask for “Last Minute Accommodations”). Not only are there still rooms available — only for those who come to the Information Center and request them in person — but in some cases, they may have worked out deals which mean you’ll get them at discounted rates. Expect to pay about 150 euros per night to stay in the Cannes city center. While one shouldn’t count on it, you may get an even cheaper rate.

If that makes you nervous or is too expensive …

Booking now may save you a little cash, but to save more, you’ll have to stay outside of Cannes. Antibes is a good place to start, as well as Mandelieu. Be careful about transportation, though. Taxis are very expensive in the French Riviera, and having to take one could completely trump your savings. When booking a hotel outside of Cannes, ask specifically about whether Cannes can be reached by train or bus, what time of night the service ends, how much it costs and, most importantly, whether the train or bus stop is walkable to the hotel. If it’s not walkable, you’re not getting a deal. Expect to pay 60 – 70 euros per night for a hotel in a nearby town and be aware that most trains stop at midnight and most buses stop at 1:00 AM.

Getting into films and walking the red carpet — free.

All official Cannes Film Festival screenings are invitation-only. Invitations are given to celebs, friends of the filmmakers, locals, and other folks with connections. It is 100 percent illegal to buy or sell tickets to the festival, so if you see some on Craigslist, be extremely wary; either they’ve fallen into the wrong hands or they’re (probably) fakes. Here’s the good news; no one’s checking IDs or anything. It’s perfectly okay to be given a ticket or to give a ticket away. This results in people with signs like the one at right standing outside the Palais de Festivals during the day. Go ahead and give it a try; there are plenty of people with an extra ticket out there. A little patience could get you in to see a major film. Not only that, but according to the Tourist Information Center, a ticket alone entitles you to walk the red carpet right along with the celebrities. How awesome is that? Answer: I did it twice and it was totally, totally awesome. Be aware that the attire requirement is formal: mandatory tux and black tie or gown.

If that doesn’t pan out, you can still see films at Cannes — just not the official ones. For example, at the beach right next to the Palais de Festivals (below), they show classic films every night except the first and last nights of the festival. The screenings are free and folding chairs are provided. The only thing is, you have to line up to get in; space is limited.
Additionally, you can see films at Espace Miramar, just down the way, for free, or at La Malmaison, also on Croisette, where a parallel, fringe-type festival runs. You can attend for about 7 euros.

Lastly, if you don’t manage to score a ticket but want to tell all your friends that you did, fear not. There are red carpets everywhere, and even the ground along much of Croisette is painted red. A red carpet shot should be pretty easy to fake.

Well, that wraps it up! Cannes is definitely crashable if you’re in-the-know, and now, you are.

My trip to Cannes was sponsored by Stella Artois, but the ideas and opinions expressed in the article are 100 percent my own.