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Your ultimate Universal Remote Control--use this device to turn off gate area background TV's....

Tired of trying to be productive while waiting for your plane in the gate area or other public places--only to be affronted by a TV playing nearby---out of your control? There was nothing you could do short of wishing for a power outage--until now. The TV-B-Gone™ is essentially a one-trick remote control that turns off virtually any TV--clearing the air, protecting your rights......some might even say provide a public service as well.

If you believe that having a TV on or off should be a a choice, this silence creating TV-Zapper is for you. As the product packaging says: 'Side effects may include decreased anxiety, increased social skills, increased cognitive ability (and an) increased sense of well-being......

Considering a Smartphone?

If you are contemplating one of the so-called 'smartphones' to replace the cellphone and PDA you currently lug around......check out this Buyers Guide from Popular Science magazine. It will guide you through the capabilities and trade-off's of these devices--and help you decide which phone is best for you, depending on the carrier, operating system and messaging capabilities that fit your needs.

"Light" reading: pile those newspapers and magazines into your ipod

I consider my iPod to be one of my most valuable productivity tools (particularly when flying.) Thanks to programs that can convert text files into spoken audio (and automatically implant these audio files into iTunes), I can get through tons of reading during normal "dead times". Imagine "reading" the Wall Street Journal as you wait in line to check in, or listening to the Economist as you haul your luggage to the cab/bus/car. Long emails, Word docs, and blog entries can be consumed as you drive to the airport.

Other advantages include the ability to save the weight of all that paper in your carry-on (and save the forests!), and not to have to deal with newspaper page-folding navigation hassles in a cramped seat. My new ipod shuffle (about the size of a pack of gum) can hold hundreds of pages of written text as audio files.

A good audio conversion program for the Mac is iSpeakit. For Windows, ReadPlease.

You might also want to investigate the great business books available at the iTunes Music Store. Many of the better known books and authors are there...

Lexar flash drive requires fingerprint for security

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.

New Treo bluetooth headset

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.
 

New Universal Solar Powered charger

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.

Blogging Connexions

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.

palmOne™ announces the new Universal Wireless Keyboard

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

Night Writer Pen makes writing in a darkened plane cabin easy

Ever wanted to write on a night flight, but didn't want to turn on the overhead spot lighting and bother the people sitting next to you? For about $20.00 the Night Writer Pen has a built-in blue LED light that illuminates the page for easy writing without disturbing others. Perfect for those evenings when you want to stay up and write postcards, or add to your travel journal. Takes three watch batteries (included), and comes with three additional batteries and two black ink refills. (5-1/2 x 3/4"; 1 oz)

You can order one from Magellan's here.