Win big in the Kenneth Cole Digi-Touch watch contest

Kenneth Cole recently launched a new line of touch-screen watches – and because these watches feature some very travel friendly features, they’ve asked us to spread the word about the launch contest.

The Digi-Touch technology is available in 7 different versions – with a different version for every taste. The technology on these watches means the watch only needs a single button – to activate the touch screen. Once enabled, you simply tap the screen to control the various features.

The watches all offer the basics – including time, date, alarm and a countdown timer. But travelers will love the 32 city world time database, backlit EL display and easy time adjustment option.

The grand prize in the launch contest is for a 4 day / 3 night trip for two to a “top world city destination” – which means they’ll send you and a friend to New York, Buenos Aires, London, Paris or Rome. They’ll also throw in ground transportation, hotel accommodation and spending money.

The first prize winner will receive a $590 Kenneth Cole luggage set, and second prize winners will get $100 American Express gift cards.

To enter the contest, head on over to the Sweepstakes page and fill in the form, or enter using Facebook Connect. On that page, you can also learn more about the Kenneth Cole Digi-Touch watch technology, and where to buy yourself one.

High Gear Axio Max Steel Watch giveaway

Last week we reviewed the Axio Max Steel watch. This feature-packed wristwatch is ideal for independent travelers who need a compass or altimeter on their journeys. We’re giving away an Axio Max Steel to one lucky Gadling reader! Who’s ready for a backpacking trip?

The Axio Max Steel is more than just a timepiece – it’s a navigational toolbox. The Max Steel has dual time zones, two alarms, a digital compass, altimeter, barometer, and more. All these features are packed into an unassuming metal casing, so it doesn’t look like you’re wearing a two hundred dollar watch – even though you are.

HOW TO WIN:

  • To enter, simply leave a comment below telling us where you would use this watch first.
  • The comment must be left before Friday September 24, 2010 at 5pm Eastern time.
  • You may enter only once.
  • One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
  • The winner will receive one free Axio Max Steel watch.
  • Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia who are 18 and older.
  • The watch is valued at $210.
  • Click here for complete Official Rules.

SkyMall Monday: Square Root Watch

Around the country, kids are heading back to school. Lunches have been packed (hopefully with napkins carrying inspirational notes from moms with phrases such as “I’m proud of you”), notebooks are ready for doodling and detention rooms are already filling up. As another school year begins, kids everywhere are already asking their teachers, “Why do I need to know this?” and “When will I possibly have to use this information in real life?” These are valid questions. I’d love to go back in time and tell my biology teacher that I’ve never had to dissect a Garden Yeti in the SkyMall Monday headquarters. My drivers ed teacher never prepared me for piloting a Cruzin Cooler. That’s not to say that everything that kids learn in school is useless. There are plenty of concepts that are relevant in everyone’s day-to-day lives. Math, for example, is particularly relevant to a large percentage of the population. That’s why kids should be paying special attention to numbers this fall. If they want to tell time the SkyMall way, they’re going to need to be math whizzes. Forget digital; the best way to track time on your wrist is with the Square Root Watch.Your grandfather’s watch probably has a sundial on it. Your father’s watch most likely has Roman numerals. Your brother’s watch is digital, which is so 1980s. The only way to stand out now (and prove to yourself that paying attention in sixth grade math class rather than experimenting with drugs was a good decision) is to rock a watch with square roots in place of numbers. Let’s be honest here: Are square roots any more ridiculous than a completely numberless watch face?

Think that having to solve a math problem to know the time is a waste of, um, time? Were you always better at English than math? Well, you should have no problem reading the product description then:

Brainy math types will love this watch, but why should they have all the fun?

Brainy math types are currently running Google, Facebook and every other website that knows everything about you. Smart is cool now (even if Barbie struggles with math). Rather than deny it, embrace it. It beats risking Carpal Tunnel Syndrome from dishing out wedgies to all of those nerds.

Make all that time spent in drab classrooms passing juvenile notes to your friends worth it. Put your knowledge to use. Prove to your teachers that you will amount to something one day. Strap on the Square Root Watch and then check your cellphone to see what time it is.

Check out all of the previous SkyMall Monday posts HERE.


High Gear Axio Max Steel watch

When it comes to travel watches, telling time is good, but a watch that can help pinpoint your position is even better. Each trip has a unique itinerary, and those who choose the path less traveled may require a bit more from their timepiece. The Axio Max Steel rises to the challenge with its humble styling and powerful navigational instruments.

The Axio Max Steel is made by High Gear, an up-and-comer in the adventure watch market. They produce a variety of styles, but this particular model packs several features into its unassuming shell. Most altimeter watches have an over-sized face for reading information. The Axio Max Steel does this in a decidedly smaller package that doesn’t scream, “Steal me – I’m expensive!” The stainless steel body could easily be mistaken for a less pricey brand. Below that steel casing, however, lies an army of features that will help you get from point A to point B… or get back to point A, if you’ve lost your way.The main appeal of the Axio Max Steel is this arsenal of features that can help the directionally challenged out of precarious situations. No particular expertise is needed to use this watch, just a good map and a little basic orienteering knowledge.

Altimeter/Barometer
The altimeter on the Axio Max Steel claims to work between -2,303 and 30,045 feet. This means you could theoretically use the feature in the depths of Death Valley or on the icy summit of Mt. Everest. The altimeter uses barometric pressure to find the altitude. Once the altitude is set, the air pressure sensor reads the barometric pressure, and adjusts the altitude accordingly. As with most altimeter watches, the altitude and barometric pressure need to be reset each time the watch lands in a new place. For instance, when you step off the plane in Colorado, your altimeter might be a little confused until it adjusts.

Altitude is a great way to find where you are, if your map has contour lines and elevations marked. If your watch shows you are at 3,000 feet elevation, you can identify the 3,000 foot mark on the map and hone in on your possible locations. Don’t fret if your map has metric measurements – the watch can be adjusted to show meters as well.

Digital Compass
Beyond your map, a compass is the most essential navigational tool you’ll need. The digital compass on the Axio Steel works well. Our tests compared its readings to a magnetic compass, and they matched up almost identically. If you are ever unsure of your location, simply take a compass reading, find north from your position, and find north on your map. Turn the map so that north on the map lines up with actual north on your watch. Now you have oriented the map. Once this is done, you can take a look around at landmarks and natural features to get a better idea of your location.

Other slick features
Beyond the altimeter and compass, there are other features on the Axio Max Steel that make travel easier. The watch is water resistant to 50 meters, which works out nicely for a spontaneous dip in the pool or an accidental fall into the river. There are two alarms to keep you on schedule and ensure you don’t miss the next train stop. A dual time zone feature helps to keep track of the time at home while displaying the time in your current locale. The thermometer also makes for a fun feature when you’ve just got to exactly know how cold or hot it is.

The Axio Max Steel comes in at $210. This price is quite typical of watches that garner this many features. The styling works well for those who want a relatively normal-sized watch, but need the features of the larger computer-style watches.

Specs can be found at HighGear.com

Daily Pampering: The Chanel J12 diving watch

Don’t you just hate it when you’re planning your diving trip and you realize your watch doesn’t match your diving gear? Just because you’re under water doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice fashion. Leave it to Chanel to create an accessory that is spectacular both on land and at sea.

Chanel recently unveiled a professional diving version of the popular J12 watch (named for the luxurious racing yachts of the 1930s), one of the designers’ most iconic pieces. We discovered this miraculous marine watch at FirstwaterNews.com, and now it’s been aptly placed at the top of our ‘must have’ list.

The new J12 Marine is a water resistant authentic diving watch that can submerge to almost 985 feet (300 meters). The second and minute hands are luminous, so they can be read even when you’re down in the darkest depths of the ocean. Complete with a high-tech matte rubber strap and a caseback in engraved with stylized waves, the J12 also comes with options. Choose from 38 mm or 42 mm, and pick your color: all-white, all black and black and blue. Regardless of your color choice, each watch features sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating (colorless for the white watch, and tinged blue for the black).

The price of his underwater beauty: A mere $5,000.

Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.