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Summer travel gadgets
A roundup of devices that help round out your life |
July 10, 2008 |
By Peter Wolchack
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Good tote, easier on the Earth
Targus EcoSmart Reflection Messenger Bag
We heard about Targus’ new EcoSmart line of bags just after our May/June focus issue on green technology, but better late than never.
Targus makes four cases using materials that are less toxic, have nickel-free metal and recyclable plastic hardware, and each can be returned to Targus for recycling. The pictured messenger bag holds laptops with widescreens of up to 15.4 inches, offers a bunch of pockets and compartments, and a slip resistant shoulder strap.
It sells for $69.99.
www.targus.com/ca
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Nav, with 3D maps
Navigon 7100
All GPS devices perform the same basic functions: supplying turn-by-turn directions and highlighting area restaurants, hotels, etc. So selecting your device comes down to deciding which extra features matter to you.
The Navigon 7100 offers a roomy 4.3-inch touchscreen; options for car, pedestrian, bicycle or motorcycle routes; and it can plot your route in different ways: fastest, optimum, short or scenic. It stands out by also offering a lane-assist function that recommends where to drive on a multi-lane road, and a 3D map view that delivers a fairly accurate picture of complicated intersections, including road signs. Of course, this last requires the driver look at the screen instead of the road. It retails for approximately $450.
www.navigon.com
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Cellphone, keys, GPS receiver
Freedom Keychain GPS 2000
The idea behind the Keychain GPS 2000 is simple: when people walk out the door they always take at least their keys and a cellphone or PDA. By attaching a small GPS receiver to the keychain, these people can also have a navigation system.
This scenario assumes you have a mobile device with both Bluetooth connectivity and mapping software, but once you’ve got that, an additional US$99 will also get you GPS navigation.
www.freedominput.com
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Multimedia player
Nokia N95 8GB
People buy phones to suit their priorities: some want the smallest handset, others a full keyboard. If multimedia is your thing, have a look at the N95 8GB.
It’s not cheap — the best price with a Rogers plan is currently $399 — and it’s not small, but the N95 packs in a huge list of features: 8GB of onboard memory, full GPS functionality, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, a two-way slider design (to access either the dial pad or the multimedia controls), office documents and PDF viewing capability, video recording and playback, and on and on.
And even better for multimedia enthusiasts, the N95 sports
a bright 2.6-inch screen and a 5-megapixel camera with flash.
www.nokia.ca
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Less clutter, better desk
Bluelounge SpaceStation
This is a very simple gadget that may make your laptop experience a little more enjoyable. The SpaceStation is a docking port for laptops that delivers a 4-port USB HUB (great if your laptop only comes with one or two), cable management and an ergonomic design that also keeps your laptop a little cooler by lifting it off the desk.
Offered in white or black, it retails for US$79.95.
www.bluelounge.com
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Parla italiano?
Lingo Voyager 4
If you’re heading out on vacation and you don’t speak the local language, consider picking up a Voyager 4. About the size of a large PDA, it’s a 14-language talking translator that handles English, German, Portuguese, Dutch, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Greek, Arabic and Hebrew. Overall, it handles more than 280,000 words and 32,200 useful phrases. It also packs in the New Oxford American Dictionary, a built-in voice recorder and eight games, including Sudoku.
The Voyager 4 retails for approximately US$200.
www.lingotravel.com
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Bring an e-book on vacation
Sony Reader
E-books have yet to take off in the mainstream; it seems people really like the old technology: paper. Enter Sony’s new Reader, which goes further towards duplicating the paper experience than has any other device.
First, the screen size approximates a large paperback, and the high-contrast display is easy to read even in sunlight, just like paper. And then there are advantages paper can’t deliver: text can be displayed in three sizes; the unit stores approximately 160 books, and more storage space can be added; and it can handle Adobe PDF, RTF and text documents, plus JPEG images. More than 40,000 books are currently available and the Reader sells for $299.
www.sonystyle.ca |
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Good around the world
Samsung Ace
As you’ll learn in Ian Harvey’s “Have cellphone, will travel” article in this issue, using a local carrier can really cut down on mobile voice and data charges when travelling, but your phone has to be compatible with the various worldwide networks.
The new Samsung Ace has you covered. In addition to the standard smartphone specs — Windows Mobile, full keyboard, a camera/camcorder and a speakerphone — the Ace operates on Bell’s CDMA-based mobile data network across North America and also on GSM/GPRS networks internationally, for voice roaming in more than 180 countries and data roaming in more than 100. The ACE is available from Bell for as little as $199.95 with a contract.
www.samsung.com/ca
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