What Does Your Luggage Say About You?

by McLean Robbins on

We’ve seen travelers dragging everything from Louis Vuitton to what looks like a used trash bag through airport security of late, and new research shows that most travelers are closer to the latter than the former.

A new study from Virgin Atlantic shows that one in five of us (20%) can’t remember the last time we bought new luggage, while more than half (55%) would only upgrade their suitcase if it was worn-out or broken. That said, the lifestyles of the rich and famous are quite likely to influence us at the wheelie shop; 25% of 16-24 year olds admit they’d buy a bag based on what their favorite celeb’s been seen toting at check-in.

Women are also more likely to upgrade their luggage than men (11%), while around one-third would consider buying new luggage based on their holiday destination.

There is also a bit of one-upmanship going around – more than one in ten (12%) have bought luggage in the past to make sure it is better than their traveling companion’s.

[Flickr via o5com]

Gadling Gear Review: Poüch iPad Case From Tabü

by Kraig Becker on

Let’s face it – iPad cases are a dime a dozen these days and owners of Apple’s tablet have more options to choose from than they ever thought possible. Most of those cases are fairly generic looking and bring very little to the table beyond providing very basic protection to the device. But occasionally a case comes along that does stand out from the crowd and offers some unique options that make it noteworthy. The Poüch case from Tabü happens to be just such an option, paring simplicity of design with some handy features.

The first thing that struck me about the Poüch was just how thin it is. The case uses a special anti-shock memory foam that manages to both provide protection for its contents and remain rather svelte at the same time. The iPad is a thin device, which is part of what makes it such an attractive option for travel, but when you slide it into a bulky case it loses some of that appeal. The Poüch manages to not only keep your tablet safe from harm, but it does so without adding undue weight or thickness. That is much appreciated by those of us who like to travel light.

Unlike some cases I’ve tested, the spacious interior pocket of the Poüch provides plenty of room for the iPad even if it is outfitted with an Apple Smart Cover. Similar products from other manufacturers sometimes have a too-snug fit, which makes it a challenge to actually get the tablet inside, but I was pleasantly surprised at the ease at which I was able to get my tablet in and out of this case. The pocket is also nicely lined with a very soft micro-fiber liner that both protects and buffs the iPad’s screen.In another nice touch, the designers of this case eschewed the use of a zipper on the main compartment so as to provide yet more protection to the device inside. They chose instead to incorporate a series of surprisingly strong magnets into the fabric, which seal the case very nicely. This approach means we don’t have to worry about our devices getting scratched by the zipper when taking them in and out. It also makes it far easier to quickly access the pocket as needed.

There is, however, a single zipper that runs down the front of the case, which is used to seal a second pocket on the exterior of the Poüch. This pocket is designed to carry cables, earbuds, a cellphone, mp3 player or any other small items you want to take with you on the go. I found this extra storage space to be a nice addition and very helpful for staying organized.

Overall, I was impressed with the quality of the Poüch. It is made from durable, yet soft, fabrics and its construction is solid on all fronts. It feels like a product that will hold up to the rigors of the road and keep its contents safe and secure at the same time. This is an excellent case that does exactly what you would want – namely, provide protection for your iPad and add convenience when traveling.

When it officially becomes available, Tabü will be selling the Poüch for $39.95, which makes it more than competitive with similar iPad cases on the market. But in order to fund the initial design and production run, the company organized a Kickstarter campaign. That campaign continues through Monday and if you contribute to the cause before then you’ll be able to pick up a single case for as low as $25. Not a bad deal at all.


Gadling Gear Review: Geneva Model XS Travel Alarm Clock And Speaker System

by Kraig Becker on

The travel alarm clock was once required equipment on any trip. These small, usually battery operated, clocks were essential to getting us up and moving in the morning no matter where we slept the night before. Slowly over time, the travel alarm clock has mostly been replaced by our cellphones, which have included alarm options for years. But if Geneva Sound System has their way, the travel alarm clock is poised to make a big comeback in the form of their Model XS.

Stylish and elegant the Geneva Model XS is unlike any travel alarm clock you’ve ever seen. As you would expect, it packs a bright, easy to read LED display and an alarm that is powerful enough to wake you from the deepest of sleeps. It also has three incredibly loud, yet clear, speakers (2 tweeters, 1 woofer), an FM radio receiver, integrated Bluetooth for streaming audio from a smartphone or tablet and a built-in lithium battery that promises five hours of untethered play time. On top of all of that, the entire package comes wrapped in a high-quality faux leather hard case that looks great and keeps the unit well protected from the rigors of the road.

It only takes one look at the Model XS to see that Geneva has put a lot of thought into the design of this device. When the case is open the lid serves as a natural brace for the speakers and clock, which collapse neatly inside for storage when not in use. Touch controls line the top of the case and are logically laid out and simple to use. They also light up nicely, making them easy to find in the dark, which is much appreciated when you’re on the far side of the planet, suffering from severe jet lag and need to be up before the crack of dawn.Geneva is quick to point out that the Model XS is not simply a travel alarm clock but is in actuality a portable sound system. After hearing it in action it is hard to argue with this assessment as it definitely delivers clear, high quality audio from a variety of sources. The device includes a direct line-in option that allows it to work with any audio source, but it is the wireless Bluetooth capability that really sets it apart. Once paired with a smartphone, tablet or laptop it is a breeze to send your favorite music, podcasts, or streaming audio to the powerful speakers, which actually have the ability to fill a room with sound.

The addition of an FM receiver to this device also helps set it apart from the competition as it is often nice to listen to local radio when visiting a new destination. A hidden telescoping antenna helps to pull in the signals, but unsurprisingly the audio quality wasn’t nearly as good when compared to streaming from another device. Radio reception was a mixed bag, with some unexpected static even on strong stations, but overall it performed about as well as you would expect.

It is actually hard not to be impressed with the Model XS, which simply exudes class and quality in every way. But the device is a bit large in size, which could be a turn-off for travelers who like to hit the road as light as possible. The unit measures just over 6 inches in length and weighs in at 1.1 pounds, which makes it much larger and heavier than a typical travel alarm clock. It also lacks features like dual time zones or multiple alarms, which can come in handy for road warriors.

The size of the device isn’t the only thing that is large on the Model XS. The system also sports a hefty price tag as well. Geneva has priced the unit at $250, which makes it an expensive option for many travelers who simply need a lightweight clock to carry with them when they hit the road. Then again, this device isn’t really aimed at that market and for those looking for a great portable sound system, that also happens to tell time, the Model XS is the perfect choice.

Available in three colors (red, white and black), the Geneva Model XS is a beautifully crafted piece of technology that packs excellent sound. For travelers looking for a great portable sound system to take with them on the road, this is a fantastic option, provided they don’t mind adding a bit of extra weight to their bags. The clean, classic design of the device makes it stand out both at home and while on the go, which will make this a popular product with those who appreciate high quality portable audio.

Why I Buy Travel Gear From REI: You Can Return Old Underwear

by Dave Seminara on

There are a million and one places to buy travel gear, but I think there’s only one that will take back year-old pairs of used underwear: REI. This might read like a paid endorsement, but it isn’t. I almost never write about products or stores that I like but I’ve got to give props to REI, my one-stop shop for travel.

Over the years, I’ve had a number of positive experiences buying, and sometimes returning, travel gear – luggage, camping equipment, clothing and the like, from REI, but a recent experience I had at one of their stores in Virginia absolutely floored me.

More than a year ago, I purchased three pairs of $20 ExOfficio briefs before going on a trip and immediately hated them. Twenty dollars is expensive for a pair of underwear, but when you’re traveling with only a handful of pairs, high quality underwear is worth its weight in gold. Without going into much detail here, let’s just say that these pairs of underwear were constantly riding up on me, leaving body parts exposed.I found myself constantly having to make adjustments, and doing that in public makes one look like a pervert or worse. I resolved to send the underwear back to the manufacturer with a nasty note but never got around to it. But then one day a few weeks ago when I was forced to wear a pair of the horrible underwear because everything else was dirty, I resolved to go back to the REI where I bought them and make a complaint.

I had no expectation that they would actually take the things back, but I wanted to vent my frustration. Perhaps this seems ridiculous to you, dear reader, but I grew in a household where returning things was par for the course. My dad is an expert returner. He’ll eat half a meal at a restaurant and decide he doesn’t like it, so he can send it back and get something else. And there is no product or store that he won’t try to return something at, no matter how long ago he bought the product or whether he has a receipt. The man is unstoppable, and, amazingly, no one ever questions him.

When I was about 12 year old, I smashed my tennis racket in a rage after losing a match. It was one of those black, wooden Bjorn Borg Donnay models, and after my fit, the entire top of it was warped so the head looked oblong rather than round. Undeterred, my dad marched us to K-Mart, warped racket in hand, and managed to return it, claiming the thing was defective.

To my horror, the store employee put the darn thing right back up on the shelf, even though my name was written in magic marker on the cover. At that age, no one wants their name advertised at K-Mart.

All of this is to say that in returning items, I’ve learned from the best, though I am not nearly as brazen as my father. Still, I have expected the customer service person at REI to grab the pile of used underwear I unfurled onto the desk and throw it back at me. But he didn’t.

“Do you want to return these?” he asked, after listening sympathetically to my complaint.

“Can I?” I asked, a bit in shock.

“Absolutely,” he said. “All of our products are guaranteed for as long you have them and if you’re not satisfied you can return them.”

“You don’t have a receipt do you?” he asked.

“Nope,” I said. “But I am an REI member.”

He tapped my name into the computer and found my membership.

“Ok,” he said. “I see that you bought two pairs of these a little over a year ago, does that sound right?”

“Um, yeah,” I said sheepishly.

The young man couldn’t find a record of the third pair but gave me a store credit anyway. He was ready to give me my money back for the two pairs he did find in the system, but I felt too guilty to take it. They were horrible underwear, but I had purchased them more than a year ago!

You might think that this was just one fluky experience but I don’t think it was. A few years ago, I bought a pair of hiking shoes that turned out to be very poorly constructed and I returned those too – no questions asked – a good six months after purchase.

The truth is that I buy a lot of gear from REI and I love most of it, so there is usually no need to return items. But it’s awfully nice to know you can bring things back – even old underwear – if you need to. And unlike K-Mart, I’m pretty sure they didn’t put my used underwear right back on the shelf.

[Photo by Seansie on Flickr]

5 Secret Tech-Savvy Tips For Traveling Abroad

by Elyse Pasquale on

As a perpetual wanderer who spends roughly half the year outside the United States, I’ve learned a few savvy tricks for bettering my own travel experience. From making free phone calls to accessing the entire “Doctor Who” series, here are five tech tips for the modern traveler abroad.

1. You can watch Netflix out of the country.

You can also watch HBO Go and Hulu, listen to Pandora Radio or access Facebook in China. All you need is a VPN. This stands for “Virtual Private Network,” and what it does is run your Internet traffic through a network with a different IP address, making your computer look like it’s back in the states, while you’re typing away in a hostel in Beijing.

StrongVPN and Hide My Ass! are two reliable and cheap VPN services, starting as low as $6.55 per month.

Once you sign up, you’ll have access to a number of servers around the world. The set-up instructions are also easy to follow, and both companies have excellent 24-hour customer service. A VPN will work on your iPhone, iPad and computer.

2. You can make free calls to the United States.

T-Mobile is the best cell service for travelers abroad, but they don’t really want you to know it. They certainly won’t advertise the fact that all calls made to the United States from abroad over a Wi-Fi connection are free. As in, totally free. No roaming or data charges apply.

Wi-Fi calls connect to a UMA (Unlicensed Mobile Access) network. Much like a VPN, UMA gives the Wi-Fi caller external IP access to T-Mobile’s core network, making the phone act like it’s in the United States, even when it’s not.

Heads up, university students heading overseas in the fall: it might be worth it to invest in a T-Mobile plan for the year to keep in touch with friends and family back home.

T-Mobile and Blackberry also have the best-combined overseas data plan. For $19.99 a month, unlimited emails are covered. This service doesn’t cover apps like Twitter and Facebook, but once on the UMA Wi-Fi network you can access the phone’s web browser and log onto your favorite social media apps.

3. You’re at risk for being electronically pick-pocketed

RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) “skimming” is the world’s latest, greatest form of pickpocketing. RFIDs are the radio frequency chips in your credit cards and passports that carry all sorts of personal data, and stealing that data is a piece of cake. All it takes is someone with a portable card reader to simply walk closely past you in a crowd.

I personally know travelers whose data has been accessed while in transit, and their bank accounts drained. Crowded transport hubs like airports, train stations and shopping centers are pickpocketing hotspots, electronic or otherwise.

How to protect yourself: invest in an RFID-proof wallet or passport case. I swear by PacSafe‘s anti-theft and travel security products, carrying the RFIDtec™ 150 RFID blocking passport wallet everywhere I go.

4. You don’t need a converter.

I’m often asked which adaptor plugs are used for different countries, and if purchasing a converter is necessary. Today, most – if not all – modern electronic equipment comes with a converter already built into the charger. This covers your camera, iPod, computer and cellphone.

What you do need is an adaptor plug. Different countries use different types of plugs. In Europe, the plugs are two-pronged and round. In the United Kingdom, they’re three-pronged and square. It’s always a good idea to do some research in advance and determine which plug adaptors you’ll need when traveling.

I recommend purchasing an all-in-one or universal plug adaptor that will work in Australia, Europe, Asia and the United Kingdom, currently available on Amazon.com for less than $5.

So when DO you need a converter? The answer is: for a hair dryer, curling iron or electric shaver. If you absolutely have to have your styling products abroad, then you’ll need to invest in a good step up/down voltage converter. Be warned: even with a converter, I’ve seen rural European sockets melt American appliances to mush, with a good dose of indoor fireworks to boot.

Take my advice: buy a hair dryer abroad. It will most likely cost you less than buying a voltage converter and it will be one less thing to lug in your suitcase.

5. There’s an App for that.

Need some helpful phrases in Amharic? A guide to traveling to Paris with kids? European train schedules? Where to find Madrid‘s best tapas? There’s an app for that. Really, there is.

It’s a good investment to purchase destination-specific travel apps before you leave on your next trip abroad. Mobile guidebooks, language lessons, city maps and comprehensive transit information are just the tip of the travel tech iceberg.

Apps don’t take up that much room on your electronic devices, and they don’t cost a lot. What’s an extra $20 in your travel budget if it means you can competently navigate the London Underground or effortlessly order the next round in Moscow?