Whereboutz by TeleNav lets you create a social networking travel journal

by Scott Carmichael on

Whereboutz is a new social networking site from the people behind the popular Telenav navigation software. The site lets you create your own trip journal, filled with maps, geotagged photos, videos and more.

Unlike many other social networking sites, Whereboutz allows you to keep your site private, which means you get to pick the people you share your trip with. Of course, if you prefer to share everything you do, you can also share your updates using Twitter of Facebook. With the iPhone app, you can upload your location, along with photos, videos and voice memos.

The site is free of charge, as is their iPhone app. Best of all, if you sign up, and provide some feedback, you’ll be entered to win a $500 Visa gift card!

So, if you are heading on a trip this summer, and you’d like to keep friends and family updated on your adventures, go sign up for the site and take it for a spin.

AdventureFinder.com helps you discover your next adventure

by Kraig Becker on

Orbitz Worldwide launched a new online search tool, called AdventureFinder.com, earlier this week with the intention of making it easier than ever to help you discover new locations to explore, then customize and plan active, outdoor escape to those places. The site replaces GORPTravel.com, which was formerly used as an adventure travel resource as part of The Away Network.

Visitors to the website will find a variety of ways to search for their next trip, including by destination or activity. So for example, if you’re looking for a trip to Africa, you’ll be presented with a list of the many options for that continent, from some of the top adventure tour operators in the world. But if you want to see the best places to go mountain biking or white water rafting, you can do that too. The AdventureFinder front page also offers featured destinations and activities as suggestions as well, with Japan and Hiking/Backpacking getting those respective nods at the moment.

The unique “Who’s Going” search option allows you to find trips designed for specific types of travelers. Options include “singles”, “couples”, “family”, and so on. This option is great for helping you select a trip that will ensure you’ll be joining a group with which you have a common approach to travel, which can sometimes mean the difference between an enjoyable vacation and an awful one.

With so many great destinations to choose form, a tool like this is always welcome. I’ve found a couple of nice deals on places that I would certainly like to visit, and it seems that this will be a great resource for adventure travelers before they head out on their next escape.

Tripatini launches new “Ask a Travel Expert” features, contest

by Jeremy Kressmann on

Gadling first reported on Tripatini, a new social networking website for travelers back in January. The site has earned a devoted following thanks to its large and growing community of passionate travelers, journalists and industry professionals. Recently Tripatini unveiled a new feature to tap into the collective experience and expertise of its members called “Ask a Travel Expert.”

For all the information that’s floating on the Internet, one of the most frustrating aspects of travel is finding reliable, up-to-date information. Tripatini’s Ask a Travel Expert fills that gap, creating a dedicated Q&A forum where information seekers can ask the site’s savvy travelers and travel experts specific questions about their trips. Right now there’s ongoing discussions about New York food trucks, shark cage diving in South Africa and tips for the Hawaiian isle of Kauai. Tripatini has also built their Ask a Travel Expert function around an embeddable widget which can be added to websites anywhere on the web.

Best of all, to help promote their new Ask a Travel Expert feature, Tripatini is giving away a trip for two to London now through June 30th. All you have to do to participate is simply ask or answer a question during the contest period and you’re entered for a chance to win. A forum to get answers to your most pressing travel questions and a chance to win a free trip? Sounds like good deal to me. Head on over to Tripatini’s Ask a Travel Expert page and complete the easy sign up for an account if you’d like to give it a try.

BootsnAll launches new Travel Writers Platform

by Mike Barish on

Our pals over at BootsnAll have been working feverishly to launch a new series of sites with writers focused on specific locations and topics. Now, all that hard work has paid off as the first wave of their Travel Writers Platform has begun to fill BootsnAll with incredible useful content. With a redesigned homepage and a slew of new writers, the site is looking pretty darn spiffy.

Their new experts focus on travel to Spain, Australia, France and Las Vegas, as well as the latest travel gear. The location-specific sites are still being developed, but the introductory posts look great.

So, after you’ve finished researching and reading about your dream destinations here on Gadling, be sure to check out BootsnAll. They’re a fantastic resource and getting better everyday.

Free Gogo Inflight Wi-Fi on Alaska Airlines this summer

by Scott Carmichael on

Alaska Airlines is celebrating the rollout of Gogo Inflight Internet on their fleet with a summer of free access.

Gogo Inflight Internet is available on six of their Boeing 737-800 planes and the current plan is to have the entire fleet outfitted by the end of the year.

You’ll know that you are on a Wi-Fi enabled plane thanks to a Wi-Fi decal next to the boarding door. Once the plane reaches 10,000 feet, you’ll be able to turn on your portable device and search for the “gogoinflight” Wi-Fi network.

Through July 31st, access will be free of charge, compliments of the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature card – saving you up to $12.95 per flight. You’ll need promotional code “ALASKAVISA” to bring the price down to $0.

Once the free period ends, access prices will vary between $4.95 and $12.95 depending on the length of the flight and the kind of device you are using.

At the moment, the Gogo Inflight service is only available when the plane is flying over the contiguous U.S. – coverage in parts of Alaska is scheduled to be available in early 2011. A map of the coverage area is available on the Alaska Airlines Wi-Fi information page.