Gadling gear review – NOZIN nasal sanitizer

by Scott Carmichael on

That is right dear readers – the title really does say “nasal sanitizer”. This Gadling gear review is going to give you a quick look at NOZIN.

NOZIN is a long lasting antiseptic, designed to create a barrier against germs. The product consists of a small (8ml) bottle and 30 swabs. NOZIN is applied to the inside tip of your nose using the included swabs.

A lot of people HATE nasal sprays and other foul smelling nasal products (I know I do), but NOZIN is actually very pleasant – the product has a nice citrus scent.

The main purpose of this product is naturally to keep germs from entering your nose, and travelers are of course a perfect target market for this. According to the manufacturer, studies have shown that the risk for infection on an airplane is one in five.

The big question is of course whether the product works. Despite my love for Gadling and our awesome readers, I really draw the line at sniffing sick people just to prove a point. So, the only thing I can work with is the research done on the product.

NOZIN took their product to an FDA recognized lab, and the conclusion was that the product is 99.99% effective at killing bacterial pathogens like staph aureus, strep pneumoniae and strep pyogenes. The research also concluded that the product was 99.98% effective at killing pathogenic virus like the common cold inducing rhinovirus type-14 and even SARS and influenza type-A.

Clinical studies showed that NOZIN was able to reduce harmful germs by 90% when applied correctly.

Applying the product is really simple – you squeeze 4 drops of the liquid onto a swab, and circle the swab on the inside tip of your nose. you then squeeze your nostrils together to make sure they are coated in the liquid.

The main ingredient in NOZIN is ethyl alcohol, so there are no resistance building ingredients that could cause trouble if you use the product on a regular basis.

Bottom line is that NOZIN should work just fine, and given the kind of stuff floating around on airplanes, I’d say it is worth trying. I can’t say that I could feel the germs dying in my nose, but with the research on the product, I do feel confident that it is an effective way to reduce the risk of getting sick when flying, or traveling anywhere else where the risk of illness is increased.

The product costs $14.95, which includes enough liquid for 60 doses. You can purchase NOZIN directly on their web site, and if you purchase before June 1st, you can get 10% off any order, plus free shipping on orders over $25.

Gadling gear review – Verizon Wireless MiFi 2200 mobile hotspot

by Scott Carmichael on

In this product review, I’m going to show off the hottest gadget from Verizon Wireless this summer. In fact, the Verizon MiFi 2200 is so hot – that it is currently one of the hottest gadgets from any mobile operator at the moment.

The MiFi is an “intelligent mobile hotspot”. That may sound complicated, but the entire concept behind the device can be explained in just a couple of sentences.

The MiFi 2200 allows you to connect to the Verizon Wireless broadband network using the WiFi adapter in your laptop, smartphone or PDA.

Before the MiFi, connecting to a broadband wireless network involved a USB modem, a PCCard modem or an Expresscard modem. It did not matter how you wanted to get online, you would always need a modem. The MiFi combines that broadband modem with a wireless router in a small battery powered device. This combination means you can keep the MiFi in your bag, and connect to the Verizon network using WiFi.

This means you and 4 other people can connect to the same connection, at the same time. You do not need to install any software on your device, and getting online is as easy as finding the WiFi network name, and entering the password printed on the bottom of the device (or whatever you changed the password to).
Here on Gadling, we covered a fairly similar product in the past, but that device still required a modem, and was considerably bulkier than the MiFi.

The MiFi 2200 is tiny – in fact it is so small that you could almost carry it in your wallet, as long as you give up a bunch of your credit cards. The device is also as simple as it can get – one button, 2 lights and a USB/charging port is all it takes to get online.

As I mentioned earlier – getting online is as simple as turning your device on, searching for the hotspot name being broadcast by the MiFi, and entering the password. That is all there is to it, the connecting device does not require any software or other settings, and as far as your device is concerned, it is just connected to the same kind of wireless hotspot found in a hotel or coffee shop.

Of course, behind the scenes, the MiFi is doing quite a bit of hard work, but none of that is of any importance to someone who just wants to get online.

Once connected, you can access the Internet, and can even connect to a corporate VPN. Of course, Verizon Wireless does limit the kind of activity you can do on their network, and data intensive applications like file sharing and TV streaming are not permitted.

As far as the speed is concerned, I’ll let these numbers speak for themselves for a moment:

The speed is impressive, and perfectly acceptable for almost any web or email application you’d want to run. In fact, the speed is fast enough for 5 people to get online and surf the web, without any noticeable delays.

Practical applications for the MiFi are endless – you can use it on the road, and get online without having to worry about expensive data roaming fees or overpriced hotel broadband. And since Verizon Wireless offers the largest 3G broadband network in the nation, you’ll find a fast and reliable signal almost anywhere in the country.

The Verizon Wireless MiFi 2200 runs off a removable 1150mAh battery. The device can be charged using the included AC adapter or USB cable.

If your laptop does not come with WiFi, or you just want to get online using USB, you simply plug the unit into your computer, and it starts installing the Verizon Wireless VZAccess manager.

The smart thinkers that built this device actually included a small amount of USB storage inside the MiFi to hold the Verizon access software, which explains why there is no CD included.

Advanced users can tweak a large number of settings on the device, including the security features.

Once you are connected to the MiFi using WiFi, you simply point your browser to the home page of the device and enter the administrator password.

The web interface allows you to change most of the settings on the device, and also lets you turn the device into an open hotspot, which lets anyone connect to it, without a password. This is of course great if your are using it in a meeting, but this is still limited to 5 users.

The web interface also shows how much data you have used, though it does warn that this is just an estimate, and not something you should rely on 100%. Still, it is a handy way of checking how close you are to your monthly data allotment.

The MiFi 2200 is currently on sale through Verizon Wireless retail stores, and Verizonwireless.com.

The device costs $149.99 with a 2 year data contract. Data plans start at $39.99 for a 250MB/month bundle, and $59.99/month for 5GB of data. The final purchase price drops to $99 when you purchase online (after an instant rebate). On a 1 year contract, the price is $169.99 and without any contract commitment, the price is $399.

If you decide to purchase the MiFi without a contract, you can still get online, but it will cost you $15 per 24 hours. Still, this could be a great solution for anyone that does not need more than 2 days of online access per month.

When compared to a “normal” USB modem, the MiFi really does make sense, and is a far smarter choice. Because it uses an internal battery, it will not drain any power from your laptop, and it allows any WiFi enabled device to get online.

When hotel high-tech goes bad

by Scott Carmichael on

Hotels are slowly entering the new millennium, and are investing in new amenities. In addition to better toiletries, most new and renovated hotels are adding (HD) flat panel TV’s, smart thermostats and better water management.

There is however one major flaw with some of these technologies – hotels are installing technology they don’t have any experience with, and some of the technology appearing in the room becomes more of a burden than a blessing. Here are three examples of technology being added to hotel rooms, that simply does not work.
The double flat panel TV curse
Lets assume you find yourself checking into a decent hotel – one that recently replaced all their old CRT TV’s with some nice flat panel models. The hotel even went so far as to install not one, but two TV’s in the suite – which is perfect if you are planning to let someone sleep in the sofa bed, or if you want some TV when you are working at the desk.

There is however one major flaw with this – in 4 different hotels I recently spent the night, each flat panel TV used the same remote control code. The result of this is that anything you do on one TV, also happens on the other.

Ready to go to bed at night? You’ll turn off the TV in one room, and the TV in the other room will turn on. Change the channel on one TV? It’ll change on the other TV as well. Some hotels make this curse even worse by installing a mirror next to the TV’s, making it much easier for the remote control to reach the other TV.

Of course, this does not happen when you have completely separated rooms, but since most suites are only divided by a small wall, you’ll understand how annoying this can be.

The solution for hotels is to find a way to set different codes on each TV, but you’d expect them to have figured this out before they invested in all these nice new TV’s.

Going green means getting warm

I’m not the most “green” person in the world – and one of the first things I’ll do when I enter my hotel room is dial the thermostat down to a comfortable 70 degrees.

In more and more hotels, I’m being forced to become green thanks to motion detection thermostats. These “smart” devices think they know when a guest is no longer in the room, and will disable the AC when it decides the room is empty.

Of course, this also means these stupid boxes think I am gone, when I am fast asleep.

I’ve regularly woken up in the middle of the night several times finding the room at an uncomfortable 78 degrees, all because a piece of equipment thought I was gone.

Thankfully a quick wave in front of the sensor reminds it that I’m still there, and that I’d like a bit of cool air.

The scrubbing shower jet

Thermostatic shower controls are great. These controls keep your shower water at a constant temperature, which prevents being showered with freezing cold water when your hotel room neighbor takes a shower at the same time.

They also have the unfortunate side effect of not controlling the water pressure.

On old double tap controls, you could dial the pressure up or down a little, but had little control over the final temperature.

With these new controls, you run the risk of getting the perfect temperature, but having so much water pressure, that you could use the jet to pressure wash your car.

Things are not too bad in the morning, when everyone else in the hotel is taking a shower, but if you arrive in the afternoon in need of a shower, then you could be the only one using all that water. It’s time like that when a bath is the best option.

FlightStats for Android now free till July 1st

by Scott Carmichael on

Two weeks ago, I wrote about the new FlightStats for Google Android powered phones. The application is still available in the marketplace for $5.99, but if you’d rather take it for a spin before paying, then search for “Flightstats” and take advantage of the free trial version.

This app was placed in the market several days ago, and the duration of the trial should be enough to give you a good idea what you can expect from FlightStats.

As a quick reminder – FlightStats shows live flight information, departure and arrivals data and live map tracking of flights.

In addition to this, you also get airport and airline information and the ability to store flights and airports in a saved list.

If you own an Android powered phone, and are often in the air, then I highly recommend taking FlightStats for a spin.

Gadling gear review – Landor & Hawa Sub-0-G ultralight rolling luggage

by Scott Carmichael on

In this Gadling gear review I’m going to introduce you to the Sub-0-G luggage by Landor & Hawa. By now you’ll know that I don’t review just any old luggage, with so many bags out there, any bag that passes through Gadling better be special.

The Sub-0-G bag may look like a normal rolling suitcase, but read on to see what makes this bag anything but normal. (Kudos to the fantastic OBOW Blog for first posting about this product).
The Landor & Hawa Sub-0-G luggage is quite simply the lightest rolling bag I have ever seen. In fact, I’ll call it “silly light”. The rolling suitcase in this review weighs just under 5 pounds and offers 2759 cubic inches of storage space.

When I opened the box, I lifted the bag out with one finger, and spent my first 10 minutes just playing around with it in amazement.

Light luggage is perfect for those of us that carry far too much stuff. Some of my rolling suitcases weigh 15lbs when they are empty. In fact, I have several backpacks that weigh more than the Sub-0-G rolling suitcase!

Despite weighing next to nothing, the bag still offers everything you’d expect to find on a piece of rolling luggage – retractable handle, smooth/silent rolling wheels, and plenty of storage compartments.

The inner structure of the bag is designed around a fiberglass frame, not unlike the kind of stuff used in an ultralight tent (in this photo I have unzipped the inner cover). Thanks to this design, the weight is kept to a minimum, and the bag still has plenty of strength.

The fiberglass also provides a bit of “bend”, which means over-packers will still be able to bring all their stuff along with them.

On the outside of the bag is where you’ll find 2 zippered pockets, large enough for a couple of magazines, books or other items. On the inside is of course the main compartment, with 2 elastic packing straps. Behind the flap are 4 elastic pouches, perfect for socks, underwear or other small items.

Going back to the outside – the top of the bag features a very comfortable aluminum tube handle for carrying, and a very wide retractable aluminum handle for dragging the bag through the airport.

Sadly, there are two small things that I found lacking on the bag – there is no handle on the side of the bag, and the retractable handle does not lock. Having a handle on the side makes it easier to pull a bag out of the baggage compartment, or off the luggage belt at the airport.

The lack of a retractable handle means you will push the handle in when you push (instead of pull) the bag. Neither of these omissions are that serious, and given how well the rest of the bag performs, I don’t think they are a reason to think negatively about the Sub-0-G bag.

The Landor & Hawa Sub-0-G luggage is available in 3 versions; 20.5″, 24.5″ and 28.5″. The manufacturer is in the process of making some changes to the available sizes, so some online vendors may still stock the previous lineup (19″, 23″, 26″ and 30″).

MSRP for the bags is $205 (20.5″), $235 (24.5″) and $265 (28.5″). A set with all three bags will retail for $600. The bags are covered by a generous 10 year warranty.

Of course, as with all luggage, it pays to shop around, and you’ll easily find some retailers with much lower prices on this fantastic luggage.