March 2005

Lexar’s new 256MB Jumpdrive Touchguard USB drive has a built in capacitive sensor that you just swipe your finger across to access up to 200 user names and passwords, web site login information and browser favorites. The AES 256-bit encryption software that is included allows you to encrypt or decrypt any file on your computer or on the drive.

Included is a USB extension cable and an interactive tutorial

to help organize your data. See this graphic

for a simple explanation of the capacitive scanner used in the drive.

This lightweight, adjustable headset, optimized for palmOne’s Treo 650 Smartphone is equipped with a unique multifunction button for last number redialing, answering/ending calls, putting calls on hold, muting and more. Also of note is the advanced Bluetooth communication protocols provided with this headset, allowing for more secure voice transmissions.

The over-the-ear design can be adjusted to fit either ear, providing up to a claimed 7 hours hand/cord free talk time or 170 hours of standby with its lithium-ion Polymer battery (charging in 2 hours with its included worldwide AC Travel Charger).  The headset will work with other Bluetooth enabled phones as well. To learn more about this headset go here. To get more information about Bluetooth Technology, check out this informative URL.
 

Keeping charged just got a lot easier……using its array of Photovoltaic Cells, this 5.8 oz (and about the size of a small cellphone), weather-proof solar charger called the Solio™ provides the ultimate in portable power.  It either stores energy in its rechargeable lithium ion battery, or gives you access to the endless power supply of the sun through 3 foldable solar fan blade’s (achieving maximum solar area at minimum size).

When there’s no sunlight, the Solio™ can be plugged into its dedicated wall charger to recharge its internal battery, or, with just 10 hours of direct sunlight, it can provide enough power to charge an average cell phone more than once, or give your iPod an additional 9 hours of playtime. Thats what I call freedom from the grid!

The Solio™ also has a convenient interchangeable adapter system allowing an array of mobile devices such as iPod’s, cell phone’s and PDA’s to be charged (at the same rate as their individual wall chargers, according to the manufacturer), freeing up valuable carrying space that otherwise would be needed for multiple adapters.

So next time you are trying to be productive at 30,000 feet (hopefully in a window seat), and you need some extra juice for that iPod or PDA, just pull out the Solio™ and get recharged.

The retail price for the Solio™ is $99.99.

For more information/direct sales and to review its collection of awards and rave reviews go here.

According to a Wall Street Journal Article (subscription required) titled "Ready for Takeoff? New online travel sites aim to offer what their predecessors couldn’t: one-stop shopping" The new sites emerging that aggregate content from multiple travel (and more importantly, the cheaper Airline sites) appear to make it easy to find truly less expensive fares. I just ran a search for an upcoming trip on Expedia and on an aggregator site Kayak. Kayak informed me that the Alaska Airline site offered the same indentical trip for 34% less than Expedia’s best price. I suspect I will now head to Kayak first for my future travel inquiries…

Waiting at the airport for an incoming flight? There are several online services that will show you graphically where the plane is, and estimated time of arrival. We like flightview the best. Flightexplorer is another popular service, but wasn’t able to track some of the more obscure airlines we wanted to monitor.

Bloggers have been posting, while in-flight, using Connexions’ service. Check all the posts

• Up in the Air
• Blog’n Sky High
• JAL - Wireless - Tokyo to London
• 36000 ft
• Mr. Watson, come here
• Video Mail Demo
• Video Conference Above Greenland

Besides all the love from the bloggers, Apple users are having a great time with Connexions as well. Glenn’s post, Up in the Air, covers how easy it was on his mac.

Would you like to finish up on that email or spreadsheet without taking out the laptop?…..and tired of wondering when the guy in front of you will recline his seatback, turning your workspace useless?  Try using the new wireless (infrared) keyboard from palmOne™ to keep productive. It’s a full size, ultra lightweight keyboard powered by 2 AAA batteries (palmOne™ claims up to 4 months of use per set) that folds into a small 5.4 x 3.9 inch transportable accessory. It is compatible with the Tungsten T5, T3, E, C, Zire™ 21, 31, 71, 72, Treo 600 and 650, as well as select Dell and HP models…….all this and no wires!  MSRP $69.99