Kayak adds GateGuru content to its iPhone App

GateGuru has joined forces with Kayak to bring their database of airport amenities to the Kayak iPhone app.

As a quick reminder – GateGuru has the most comprehensive airport amenity guide in the world – and it currently covers all US airports along with a growing lineup of international locations.

With the addition of this new feature, the Kayak app has (in my opinion) become the best all-in-one travel app there is on the iPhone.

From within Kayak, you can now search for fares, find hotels and rental cars, check flight status, look up airline fees and phone numbers, store trips from Kayak.com, set up fare alerts and more.

Best of all – the Kayak app is still free of charge (a “first class” version is available for $1.99 if you need access to business and first class fares).

If you want to take full advantage of GateGuru for features like ratings, ranks and social media updates, you’ll still need the separate app, but having instant access to this information from within Kayak is still a really neat feature.

To download the Kayak app, search the app store for Kayak, or follow this link.

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V-MODA Remix Remote headphones – fantastic sound + remote control

It has been several years since we last reviewed a pair of V-MODA headphones, so when I came across the newest product from these audio specialists, I decided to take them for a spin (on a plane).

The Remix Remote headphones build upon the V-MODA concept that headphones need to look good and sound good. These headphones are no exception. On the Remix Remotes, you get plenty of chrome, an all metal casing with a pair of mini-drivers capable of producing some awesome bass.

As the name implies – the Remix Remotes add a wired remote control to the package, allowing for play/pause and track control on the iPhone 3GS, iPod Shuffle (3rd gen), iPod Touch (2nd gen), iPod Nano (4th gen), 120GB iPod Classic and even on the MacBook, MacBook Pro, iMac and Mac Pro (2009 and newer models only). I was able to use them on my Nexus One as well – but only to play/pause music.

The inline remote also houses a very impressive microphone, and the people I spoke to on the other end of my calls told me that it sounded much better than the stock iPhone headphones.

The V-MODA Remix Remote headphones have a Kevlar reinforced cable (which should take care of cable issues V-MODA headphones sometimes suffered from in the past). The headphones come with a 2-year premier warranty and a lifetime replacement program.

Included in the box are the headphones, a carrying pouch and an assortment of silicone earpieces. If you plan to use the headphones at the gym, you can use the included ear hooks to prevent them falling out of your ears.

Because all ears are different, V-MODA include four pairs of black and clear fittings in XS, S, M and L. I found the best fit with a pair of M fittings – and experienced some very acceptable noise isolation on my flight. Now, they obviously won’t perform as well as a $300 pair of active noise canceling headphones, but the reduction in noise is enough to let you enjoy your music in peace.

Bottom line is that these are very good headphones with a good remote, excellent microphone and a decent price.

The new V-Moda Remix Remote headphones are now available directly from V-Moda for $99.99.

Lonely Planet volcano relief – free European iPhone city guides!

Stranded in Europe due to volcanic ash? How about getting to know your host city a little better with the help of a Lonely Planet city guide? The guides normally cost $9.99, but Lonely Planet has graciously turned them into free apps until Thursday.

The lineup of apps covers most major European cities, and a list of the cities included (with App store links) can be found on the Lonely Planet blog.

Of course, nothing is stopping you from downloading the apps if you are not stranded, but be nice to Lonely Planet and snag one of their paid apps as well – they are good people, and the quality of these free guides is quite impressive.

This isn’t even the only bit of goodwill from Lonely Planet – they have also opened up a discussion forum where stranded travelers can find some assistance. To find a bed, car for share or anything else – head on over to the Volcano Refugee Network.

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The Mophie juicepack air – Protection and power in an single product – the Gadling review

As awesome as the iPhone is, all that awesomeness comes at a hefty cost of battery life. Traveling with the iPhone means you will need to find a power source at least every 48 hours, or you may find yourself with a shiny brick. There are countless battery charging solutions for the iPhone – and we have covered many of them in the past here on Gadling.

In this review, we’ll take a quick look at a battery backup product built into a case – the Mophie juicepack air. The juicepack air is part case and part iPhone 3G/3GS battery pack. The case consists of two parts – you slide your iPhone into the bottom half, then slide the top on, creating a hard shell that protects the entire phone.

Of course, when you add any kind of case to your phone, it is going to add some bulk, but adding a case and battery obviously makes things even bulkier. The case weighs 2.2 ounces (62 grams), so while weight may not be an issue – the added thickness to your otherwise sleek iPhone may annoy you. This is of course the price you pay for more than doubling the battery life of your device.

The design features of the juicepack air are really quite clever – the microphone and speaker are fully functional thanks to two small indentations in the bottom of the case, and because of the way the speaker is pointed up, sound actually becomes more vibrant – as long as you don’t turn your phone screen down.

Charging the juicepack air is simple – you use the included MicroUSB charger cable, plugged into any USB power source. This USB cable doubles as a sync cable, which means you can leave your regular iPhone dock cable at home.

On the back of the juicepack air is a battery level button, and four blue LED’s show the current battery status. Unlike many other iPhone power sources, the juicepack air only powers your device when you need it – by turning it on. This means it is always ready to help power your device.

Yes – your iPhone will become quite a bit thicker, but anyone who has arrived at their destination only to find their iPhone is dead will probably learn to live with the bulk.

Final thoughts

The battery in the juicepack air is 1200mAh – which should be enough to almost double the life of your iPhone battery. In my test, I took an iPhone with an empty battery, and with the juicepack turned on, was able to keep it going for another 19 hours – which is about the same amount of time I’d get off the iPhone without a battery booster. During that test, I did the same things I usually do – lots of email and other apps, Wi-Fi on and some Bluetooth audio streaming.

The price is a bit of an issue – at $79.95 the Mophie juicepack air is not a cheap accessory, and there are cheaper options out there. Several online retailers stock the juicepack air for around $65 – which is still on the high side. That said – the juicepack air is one of the better looking battery packs, and many of the cheaper solutions really don’t look that appealing.

Still – if you don’t care about looks, or value your cash more than your style, then the juicepack air may not be the best option for you. However, if you like keeping your iPhone sleek, the juicepack air more than delivers.

PROS: Good looking, good build quality

CONS: Price, relatively low battery capacity

Personally, I would have preferred to see the package come a little more complete – there is no AC or car charger included, and no screen protector. These extras could have made the price a bit easier to accept.

Product page: mophie juicepack air

Two new smart iPad accessories from Cocoon Innovations

Yes – today is “iPad day”. As thousands of people anxiously await the brown truck pulling up their house, I am reading the 120 or so emails announcing new iPad accessories that were sent in the past week – and picking out the best of the best.

Two of those “best” come from Cocoon innovations – their new The Harlem and The Gramercy both feature the neat GRID-IT! object retention system, allowing you to carry a lot more than just your iPad.

The Harlem (pictured above) is a water resistant messenger sling. The bag comes in three color combinations – black with yellow interior, gray with orange interior and red with brown interior. The Harlem will be available later this month for $54.99.The second new iPad case from Cocoon Innovations is one for the true Apple fan – the Gramercy messenger sling holds your iPad as well as your iPhone. Of course, this bag also comes with a GRID-IT! organizer making it the perfect storage system for your charger, iPad accessory dongles and more.

The Gramercy will also be available later this month, and at just $29.99 it appears to be a real bargain.

It is available in the same color combinations as the Harlem (black with yellow interior, gray with orange interior and red with brown interior).

Check out the full assortment of bags over at Cocoon Innovations which is where you’ll also learn more about their GRID-IT! system.