Tagged With "technology"
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Re: Staying In Touch on the Road: Part 1
It's a nightmare! A fair chunk of my packing now includes various chargers, connection cables and mains power adaptors for phones, iPads, Kindles. cameras.... Oh, plus a universal backup power supply battery (RAVPOWER - good value) in case I cannot get to a mains socket - just to keep in touch! I have to say that the Euro proposal to have ONE single charger for all devices has some merit!! PS - watch out that chargers that are sold as suitable for iPhones are often not powerful enough to...
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Re: Staying In Touch on the Road: Part 1
The RAVPOWER unit that I went for is shown on the following link (a real mouthful): http://www.ravpower.com/ravpow...hite-us-version.html This model has enough power to fully recharge an iPad! Currently available from Amazon for USD 36.00 They also do more powerful packs. (Hope this doesn't cut across any "No Advertising" policies
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Re: Staying In Touch on the Road: Part 1
No, Mac, that doesn't cross any sort of policy. We want to help travelers get good honest feedback about products that might be helpful to them on the road (or conversely that aren't worth the money). What's not tolerated is people paid to promote products on our website and providing dishonest information. Ravpower is exactly the kind of unit I'm looking for. Need to go order it soon.
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Re: Staying In Touch on the Road: Part 1
In the Duel of the Devices, I'm going to declare the RAVPower unit the winner. Both of these devices are essentially external batteries, something that's becoming more popular as more phones come with non-removable batteries. There are two critical differences, however: capacity and output. The PowerStick has a capacity of 750mAh (about half the power held by an average cellphone battery) and a maximum output current of 700mA (phone chargers usually supply 1000mA). The RAVpower device has a...
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Re: Staying In Touch on the Road: Part 1
By the way...here's my solution to the other charger issue (plugging in at home). It's a 5-port USB host that has a short cord to plug in (no brick to get in the way at the outlet) and takes 5 standard USB cords for your devices...the kind that come with your device, although more are available cheaply. The five outputs include 2 2100mA for iPad, 2 1000mA for most phones, and 1 1300mA for Samsung. All can be used for any device up to the designated output (that is, you can plug your phone...
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Re: Staying In Touch on the Road: Part 1
PowerStick only charges from a USB port. The PowerStick has a capacity of 750mAh Perfect ! That is all that I need for my modest travel needs - just a little juice for a camera or my old flip (!) phone, if needed during a day of sightseeing. The PowerStick is only about the size of a pen, takes no thought to use and does not involve batteries. My kind of tool. Travelers who carry a lot more toys have greater needs than little me.
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Re: Staying In Touch on the Road: Part 1
Well, I understand the urge for simplicity and not getting tied down...but both the PowerStick and the RAVPower ar e batteries. The RAVPower isn't big; about the size of a cellphone. But it costs 30% less, and will actually put a full charge on a phone, which the other won't. In fact, it will put a full charge on about 6 phones.
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Re: Staying In Touch on the Road: Part 1
Ran across this device for charging smartphones http://www.jackeryusa.com/
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Re: We Love our Travel Gadgets--And We Take Them with Us
It would be interesting to see the breakdown between domestic trips and international trips. I think we'd see the rates of smartphone use drop on international journeys because of the complexities and cost of connecting, unless it's with wi-fi. Tablet use probably wouldn't change significantly. But no, I'm not surprised at all.
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Re: We Love our Travel Gadgets--And We Take Them with Us
You're probably right, but I think the gap is narrowing rapidly. In the study, nearly half those surveyed cited fear of losing touch with friends and news. And, it's getting easier to travel with your phone! For those who aren't sure how, I recommend our TravelGumbo series on Staying in Touch on the Road
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Re: We Love our Travel Gadgets--And We Take Them with Us
That's interesting. I travel in part just so I CAN lose touch. Except once. On a stroll through a Borneo jungle, emerged alongside the only restaurant for many miles, it's TV announcing the election of Pres. Obama. An exciting moment but the only one I can think of when I was momentarily glad to be in touch. Maybe another thing that separates tourists from travelers is the "need" to be available.
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Re: We Love our Travel Gadgets--And We Take Them with Us
Like PortMoresby, I also like times where I'm out of touch. For me my favorite escape is into the wilderness, hiking, camping, backpacking. Always enjoy coming home but always look forward to the next time I can do it all again.
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Re: It's not a train, it's not a plane, but it's superfast!
If not cost prohibitive, it would be an excellent way to travel around Europe.
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We Love our Travel Gadgets--And We Take Them with Us
TripAdvisor has published a report on how we travel, and found that 85% of us take our smartphones along on vacation, and 61% use social media while traveling. Not surprised, are you? REPORT
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FIT Museum: The History of Fashion
Jonathan L explores the history of fashion at the Museum at FIT
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Staying In Touch on the Road: Part 1
PICKING THE RIGHT TECH FOR YOUR NEEDS This is part 1 of a 4-part report on communication for travelers. Years ago, traveling meant being out of touch with home, and struggling with unfamiliar pay phones for local calls for...
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New cruise ships will pioneer hybrid technology
Norway's coastal cruise line, Hurtigruten, is building two new ships that use hybrid engines similar to those in cars, and can be adapted to newer technology.
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Robots on the Road to deliver Swiss packages
The Swiss postal service is trying out rolling robots that can deliver parcels within about a 5km radius of home.
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Gear up Chandler’s, Apps for Pitching High
Gadgets have become the best friends for the people around the world. A survey states that 85 percent of the population does have a cell phone for themselves. It is not just a cell phone which we are talking about, the tablets, laptops, iPods, and smartphones. In today’s generation, things are getting done by staying at one place with the help of the gizmos. Business people want to know the ways in which they can get their work done in no time. Now, everything has started to become digital,...
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Switzerland tries new buses with no drivers
If Google's self-driving cars seem a bit futuristic (even if one got pulled over by a cop for going too slow), consider this: starting next spring, Switzerland will actually put passengers on driverless buses for a two-year test. The buses will...
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It's not a train, it's not a plane, but it's superfast!
Based on an idea from Elon Musk, Hyperloop hopes to move passengers at 700 mph from Vienna to Bratislava. They've signed a contract to build it.
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Lost in transition? Tokyo station app can help
Tokyo's giant rail and subway stations, Shinjuko and Tokyo Station can be a puzzle even for locals who need to switch among many different lines...and for visitors it's even worse. But a new app is designed to save the day for both. Released last year for Tokyo station, it now covers Shinjuku as well, and works in either English or Japanese. It uses positioning beacons inside the stations to help the app show you where you are and where you have to go. You are represented by a bright blue...
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New study: How smartphones change travel
We all know smartphones have 'changed everything,' and a Hong Kong professor is studying how they've changed how we travel.
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What Can We Expect from the Future of Indian EdTech
The following article has been inspired by the thoughts of Mr. Mayank Srivastava . He is the Founder of Experts’ Global, one of the world’s leading EdTech firms in the field of GMAT prep and MBA admission consulting . Education Technology is the practice of deploying technology to impart education. This practice has the potential to revolutionize how far and how effectively education is imparted, across the world. Technology may seem like it is already a very big deal in education but the...
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Re: Robots on the Road to deliver Swiss packages
I wonder if the robots have been trained to yodel?
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Re: New study: How smartphones change travel
We have come to rely on the internet more and more. Before (1990s) when I left on a several week journey, it was rare that any postcards I'd sent (remember postcards?) would arrive before I returned. Phone calls were ridiculously expensive and travelers would make due. I recently traveled to India which I would have thought would have reasonable internet access. Such as not the case. With rare exception, the internet was expensive ($5 and more a day -- a lot of money for India) and was...
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TSA tries touch-free security checks
New technology has a machine, instead of an agent, determine whether you are a good match for your ID photo.
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The Falkirk Wheel, Scotland
Judy Barford captures the world’s only rotating boat lift in action.
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Re: The Falkirk Wheel, Scotland
A marvel of engineering. I never cease to be amazed at how clever people can ber.
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Silicon Valley's Birthplace in Palo Alto
On a visit to Palo Alto, Jonathan L stops to see the birthplace of Silicon Valley
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Re: Silicon Valley's Birthplace in Palo Alto
Humble beginnings for two geniuses....never saw this place before, thanks for sharing.
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Travel Tales Transformed: Creative Ideas for Preserving Your Adventures
Our trip experiences are among the most colorful and intricate threads in the fabric of our life. From the breathtaking scenery to the chance meetings with people, every voyage has its own special tapestry of experiences. However, even intense memories can dull and lose their clarity with time. Travel narrative preservation is a craft that goes beyond simple nostalgia to create enduring gems out of transitory events. We will explore the various methods available for encapsulating and...