Gadgets & Goodies - A Techie's Guide to Savvy Travel

The Savvy Traveler

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Tech Corner

Come on, guys, why should Arlene get all the fun of writing for this website???? David here, and yes, I am the gadget freak (is that "geek"?) of the family - ready to tell you all my thoughts about the best technology to use in your traveling adventures; or, even at home when you are planning future trips or enjoying memories of past ones!

We've got great technology today that can be fun to use and help you make the most out of your trip. For instance, did you know that you can actually take your telephone with you? No, no - I'm not talking about your mobile...I mean the home telephone! By using VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) you can have the convenience and cost savings of calls to anywhere in the US, Canada, and even Europe right from your hotel room. And when you are out, it's voice mail acts as an automatic answering machine to take your messages for you to review when you return. Like to learn more about Voice over IP? Check out the VoIP Tutorial on my blog, VoIP Answers.

"What?", you say "you want me to take a phone? The whole point of a vacation is to get away from the blasted things!!!" No worries - we can also talk about some cool things to do while you are traveling. From the best internet access while traveling to the best digital camera and onto music or even Music Videos at the iTunes Music Store.

So stick with us and check back often as we add reviews and point you to the best tips in travel technology to help you make the most out of your travel experience.

Product Review:

TomTom Go 700 Portable GPS Navigation System and Bluetooth Hands-Free Car Kit

Having used built-in GPS systems for several years, we were pleasantly surprised at the performance of this product. It has most of the features of the best systems and clearly stands ahead of some. Our latest built-in is in a BMW 5 series, and the TomTom beats it hands-down!

One of the biggest benefits is the ability to program it in your hand then snap it into place on it's holder. The screen is a bit small, so this enables the hard work to be done close at hand. But the screen is very bright with good detail, and the voice directions are excellent, so the small screen size is not a major drawback.

The Bluetooth connection to my Motorola 635 was simple, although the phone is not listed as one of those supported. The only glitch was in the downloading of the phone book - from all appearances it downloaded properly, but no entries were available in the GPS's address book. Still the hands-free operation is a real plus. The speaker is good, but it can become difficult to hear when traveling at high speeds or on rough roads.

We recently ordered some maps for Europe, and the upload process was simple. The included data base seems very complete, although we occasionally observe a glitch. The company's website asks for such comments, so one would hope that updates will be made available regularly.

Overall it is a very useful product and worth the purchase price. Rating: 4 (out of a possible 5)

The Savvy Traveler