RovAir.com: Single day wireless card rentals

by Justin Glow on

How do you connect to the Internet when traveling?

If I’m abroad, I’m at the mercy of the hostel or hotel I’m staying at. If their connection is shaky or non-existent, I don’t get online without finding a cafe. When traveling domestically here in the U.S., I use my Blackberry as a phone-as-modem (via USB) which offers decent speeds in metropolitan areas. Even in the sticks it works well enough to check email and browse the web. But it’s expensive — there’s no way I use it enough to justify the cost. But the convenience outweighed the high price, so I signed my data plan contract and use it when I’m on the road.

But that was before I knew about RovAir.com. Billed as the “business traveler’s best friend,” RovAir offers single-day data card rentals starting at $5.95 per day. Once you sign up for an account, they overnight the card to you. You plug it into your laptop (via USB), and off you go. Our friend Christopher Elliott had a chance to test it out on a trip to New Orleans. Here’s what he had to say:

“In terms of performance, the card worked flawlessly every time and offered a lighting-fast connection. I Skyped my family using video, and there were no noticeable delays. One of the things I really liked about the card is that it worked anywhere – in the hotel, the cab to the airport, at the airport. Really, anywhere I could open my laptop, I could connect.”

Read his entire review here.

I really wish I would have known about this service before signing my data contract with Sprint. I could have saved a bundle of money.

RovAir.com

Elliott reads the fine print for you

by Justin Glow on

Does anyone ever read the fine print when purchasing airfare or booking a hotel room? I’ll be honest — I never do. But Christopher Elliott and his band of smart consumers do, and he wrote a quick piece on “5 travel traps lurking in the fine print.” They are,

  1. Caution: our ships may sink
  2. We’re not responsible for your checked luggage
  3. Something stolen from your room? Tough luck
  4. We can take your rental car back anytime we want
  5. We remove your miles and change our program rules whenever we please

Not that any of this will actually get me to read the fine print, but I now peacefully accept that most major companies who require me to sign a contract can rip me off, steal my belongings, and even kill me without an ounce of responsibility. Surprise, surprise. It’s a sad realization in a world of lawyers and people who will do anything and everything to sue.

Head over to Elliott’s blog to read the details.

4 car rental scams you should be aware of

by Catherine Bodry on

Travel columnist Christopher Elliott is always full of great tips and useful information. We covered his Lessons Learned from Summer 2007 in September as well as his thoughts on airport security. And now I have some more information from him: four new scams from car rental companies.

The first, according to Elliott, involves companies strictly enforcing rules that they were perhaps less strict about in the past. If you return your car early, for example, you might get slapped with a 10-dollar “early return fee.” Elliott concedes that the only way to beat this game is to know the rules and conditions of your rental agreement — it’s time to read the small print.

In the second scam, the rental company charges you a fee if you return the car with the gas gauge needle at less than 100% full. Even if it’s 98% full, you might be fined. Elliott reports stories of returns where customers were charged even if the tank was at 100%. Stop at the gas station immediately before returning the car, and keep all your receipts.

Thirdly, car rental companies have been caught charging customers for damaged vehicles, sometimes billing different customers for the same dent or ding. Elliott recommends taking photos of the car when you pick it up and when you return it, in case you need to prove that specific damage did or did not exist. If you notice any preexisting damage, make sure it’s noted on the rental form.

Finally, Elliott advises to be alert for new and clever fees. Rental companies are finding ways to cover the car’s registration (“vehicle license recoupment fee”) and the removal of old tires (“tire disposal fee”). Check your rate quote and make sure the fee is disclosed — if it’s not, you should argue to have it removed from your bill.

Use your common sense, read your agreement, and don’t be afraid to question a charge. It’s still possible to get a good deal on a car rental — you just need to be as creative as the rental companies!