New Flight-Tracking App Takes The Hassle Out Of Airport Pickups

by Jessica Festa on

Have you ever told a friend you’d pick them up from the airport, only to have to wait around for two hours at the arrivals gate? Forget those hassle-filled days, as a new app called Just Landed has been launched to help with seamless airport pick-up.

This free tool has many useful features, including information and alerts on:

  • A flight’s arrival time
  • If a flight will be late, early or on schedule
  • Arrival terminal
  • Driving time to the airport
  • When to leave your house to get there on time

According to Jaunted, the app uses GPS to locate you. “When pickup time nears, a countdown begins until a push notification pops up, commanding you to get the heck out of the Lay-Z-Boy and get on down to Arrivals.”

To use the app, simply input the flight number, and Just Landed will do the rest.

Just Landed is compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. To view the app in the iTunes store, click here.

Google World Wonders Project Lets You Explore From Your Browser

by Kraig Becker on

Is the economy continuing to hinder your travel plans? Do you like the idea of visiting distant places but can’t handle being on an airplane for more than three hours? Never fear! The Google World Wonders Project is here to satisfy your wanderlust without ever leaving home.

Using its famous Street View technology, Google has managed to deliver some of the most impressive world heritage sites to Internet users directly through their browser. Street View, which has been used to explore cities across the globe for a number of years, employs a special camera system that captures images in a 360-degree, panoramic format. When those images are stitched together and displayed online they create a virtual space that offers viewers a chance to wander around some very iconic places. But unlike Street View, the World Wonders Project is even able to go inside some famous buildings.

The full list of places that are part of the project can be found on the World Wonders webpage where they are organized by both region and theme. Some of those places include the archaeological areas of Pompeii, the Palace of Versailles and the Hiroshima Peace Museum in Japan, just to name a few. You can even visit the Antarctic hut of explorer Robert Falcon Scott, who lost his life on a return journey from the South Pole in 1912.

In addition to the Street View virtual environment, each of the locations also includes a brief explanation of its historical or cultural significance, as well as additional photographs and videos of the site. That information is organized nicely and serves as a great introduction to the different places as well.

If you can’t travel at the moment, the Google World Wonders Project just might be your best alternative.


Gadling Gear Review: Satechi Portable Energy Station

by Kraig Becker on

I think it is safe to say that we now travel with more gadgets than ever. Between laptops, iPods, smartphones, tablets and digital cameras, we tend to hit the road with more technology at our disposal than James Bond. Keeping the batteries on all those gadgets fully charged can be a real challenge, however, particularly when you’re away from a power outlet for an extended period of time. But the Portable Energy Station from Satechi hopes to alleviate those issues, allowing us to recharge our tech toys whenever and wherever we need it.

The Energy Station is surprisingly small and lightweight. Judging from the photos I’d seen before testing it out, I wasn’t sure exactly how portable it would be, but the unit is roughly five and a half inches in length and weighs less than 8 ounces, which makes it easy to slip into a carry-on bag, or even a purse, as you head out the door. I’ve been carrying the review unit in my laptop messenger bag for several weeks and I’ve barely noticed it was there, although it was nice to know I had it on hand just in case I needed it.

The device includes two standard sized USB ports and one mini-USB port. The mini port is used to actually charge the Energy Station’s built in battery, which is rated at an impressive 10,000 mAH. The two regular USB ports provide different levels of power with one rated at 5V/1A and the other at 5V/2A. For the most part, this won’t have any effect on your ability to charge, but if you’re connecting a device that requires more juice, such as an iPad, you’ll want to plug it into the more powerful 5V/2A port. Both ports can be used at the same time, providing the ability to charge two devices simultaneously.Charging the Energy Station is accomplished by either connecting a USB cable to the included AC wall adapter or by plugging the device directly into your laptop. It took about four hours to fully charge the internal battery using the AC adapter, which is not surprising considering its rated capacity. Charging via USB on a laptop can be potentially more convenient when traveling, but expect it to take considerably longer. Many laptops have low power USB ports and while they can trickle out enough juice to charge the Energy Station, it can be slow process. Charging it from my MacBook Air took about six hours.

Once the battery is fully charged it’s ready to be used with your other gadgets. Satechi has included a set of six interchangeable adapters that will work with most smartphones, cameras, tablets and other electronic equipment. You simply attach the adapter you need to the cable and then plug it directly into the device you want to charge. A set of blue lights on the top of the Energy Station tells you how much of a charge it still holds. Five lights indicate it is at full capacity while one indicates that it is time to plug it in again.

I tested the Energy Station on my iPhone 4S, third generation iPad and a point-and-shoot digital camera and it worked exactly as advertised. My iPhone and digital camera were both recharged rather quickly and it was great to know that I didn’t have to worry about either of them running out of power when I needed them most. On the other hand, the iPad 3 took a lot longer to charge, even when plugged into the more powerful USB port, and the Energy Station ran out of juice before I could fully top off the tablet. This is more of an issue with the iPad itself, however, as its high capacity batteries take awhile to charge, even on its own AC adapter. Owners of the iPad 1 or 2 will see much better performance from the Energy Station as those devices have much smaller battery packs.

Carrying the Energy Station while traveling is a great option, particularly if your favorite devices don’t exactly have the battery life you’d like. Satechi’s device is small, lightweight and highly packable, and I found it very convenient to have it in my bag when my phone started to die. If you’re one of the many travelers who now hits the road with plenty of electronic gadgets, then the Energy Station just might be something you’ll want to have on your next trip. The unit I tested comes with an MSRP of $59.99, which I found to be a great price for the convenience it provides. Satechi offers a lower capacity unit with about half the capacity for $39.99 as well, but if the twenty bucks difference doesn’t break your budget, I’d suggest springing for the larger Energy Station. The increased capacity is definitely worth the money, particularly if you intend to use it with an iPad or other high capacity device.

Charge Your Electronics On The Go With Your T-Shirt

by Jessica Festa on

Do you ever feel like you’re constantly on the go when traveling, never having time to charge your electronics? You won’t have to worry about missing that snapshot because of a dead camera battery again, as researchers from the University of South Carolina have discovered a way to turn everyday T-shirts into chargeable power packs.

The way it works is fluoride chemicals are baked into the material of the shirt in an oxygen-less atmosphere with high temperatures. This allows the shirt to hold electric energy, turning it into a portable charger. The research is being lead by engineering professor Xiaodong Li and post-doctorate researcher Lihong Bao, who says the process doesn’t change the shirts’ texture, and enables them to charge items thousands of times. Additionally, the charging method is eco-friendly.

“Previous methods used oil or environmentally unfriendly chemicals as starting materials,” said Li. “Those processes are complicated and produce harmful side products. Our method is a very inexpensive, green process.

Gadling Gear Review: Braven 600 Portable Speaker

by Kraig Becker on

A month or so back we posted some suggestions for tech and travel gifts for dads and grads with the Braven 600 portable speaker earning a spot on that list. This small, yet powerful, sound system is so impressive that we thought it was worth a full review as the compact speaker has a lot to offer travelers beyond just listening to their music on the go.

The first thing you’ll notice about the Braven 600, even before you take it out of the package, is how attractive it is. Wrapped in anodized aluminum, this speaker has a clean industrial design that is simple and elegant without drawing undue attention to itself. Measuring 6.25 inches in length and weighing just 12 ounces, it won’t take up too much room or add extra weight to your bag either.

The speaker manages to pack quite a lot of technology under its metal shell. As with other wireless speaker systems, the Braven 600 uses Bluetooth technology to easily connect to smartphones, tablets or mp3 players. It also features a built-in microphone, which gives it the ability to act as a hands-free speakerphone and its powerful battery not only keeps it operating for up 12 hours on a single charge, but also has the ability to recharge other devices as well.

As a lightweight, portable sound system it is hard not to be impressed with the Braven 600. It pumps out surprisingly crisp and clear sound with plenty of volume, particularly for a speaker of this size. Bass levels are solid but don’t overpower the mid and high ranges, which gives listeners a satisfying audio experience over a variety of musical genres. I’d be willing to bet that even audiophiles will find this to be an acceptable portable wireless sound system.While overall audio quality is excellent, I wasn’t quite as impressed with the device’s performance as a speakerphone. The built-in mic does serve its purpose at an adequate level but voices still sounded a bit muddled on both sides of the conversation. It is hard to fault Braven for including the functionality in their speakers and I’m sure there are some who will find the option useful, just don’t expect to be blown away by this feature.

Battery life on any portable device is of the utmost importance and the speaker doesn’t disappoint in that area either. Braven says that the device can be powered for up to 12 hours on its rechargeable battery alone but I found that it actually exceeded that time by nearly an hour. Performance will vary some based on volume, speakerphone usage, devices connected and other factors, but for the most part the 1400 mAh battery is a real strength of this speaker.

That powerful battery can be put to use for more than just cranking out music and podcasts. Braven included a USB port on the speaker giving it the ability to actually charge your mobile devices while on the go. Doing so will obviously put a hit on the overall battery life of the speaker itself but it is a nice option to have when you’re traveling and need to top off the battery on your smartphone. I tested the feature on my iPhone and found that it was a fast and efficient way to recharge the device, although it wasn’t quite as useful with my third generation iPad, which has a much larger battery to fill.

Braven has included a number of other nice touches on its 600 speaker that will surely be appreciated as well. For instance, the device uses audio cues to let users know when the Bluetooth capabilities have been activated making it easier to connect their devices. This simple addition may seem like an obvious choice but competing products don’t always include this option. It is also possible to daisy-chain several Braven speakers together providing an even more well rounded portable sound system. Travelers will appreciate the included carrying case and audio and USB cables, which make the Braven 600 road-ready right out of the box.

If you’re in the market for a lightweight, durable sound system that works great at home or on the road, it’s tough to beat the Braven 600. It packs a great deal of functionality into a compact package that offers fantastic sound, a speakerphone, great battery life and the ability to recharge your devices on the go. For me personally, this is the best portable speaker I’ve ever used and with a price tag of just $149, it won’t exactly break the bank either.