Posts Tagged iPod
5 things I always pack: Amy Whitley
Amy Whitley is the newest reviewer here at Practical Travel Gear. She’s a freelance travel writer and founding editor of Pit Stops for Kids, a site for traveling families (and parents who have heard ‘Are we there yet?!’ one too many times). A partner of Best Family Travel Experts, Amy’s articles have appeared in print newspapers, online travel sites, and Redbook. She makes her home in rural Oregon, and travels extensively with her husband and three children. So Amy, what do you always pack?
1. iPad or iPod Touch
As extensive road-trippers, we’re believers in technology on the road. But even more so, we’re believers in streamlining the amount of gadgets, chargers, and books and movies we need to pack. Our iPad 2 tablet is the ultimate multi-tasker: we use it for in-car entertainment, mapping, storing our itinerary, communicating with people at home, and maybe, if I get a spare moment, working. Downloading movies and TV programs onto our iPad allows us to skip the big tote bag of DVDs we used to lug along on every trip, and eReader and audio apps allows us to bring books without the bulk (for car-sick apt kids, I recommend a Tales2Go audio subscription). An unexpected perk: my kids have taken to creating their own movies while in the backseat of our van, creating video travel journals and interviewing one another on the attractions we see. My son’s pocket-sized iPod Touch is not only a source of entertainment while en route, but serves as a camera and video camera while touring sights.
2. Tuffo Family Car Organizer
There are a lot of car storage solutions out there, but I’ve found that most take up more space than the things they’re intended to store! What I love about the Tuffo car organizer is its sturdy, square shape (it won’t get stuffed under a seat and forgotten), its many pockets and dividers (so toys and games don’t get buried), and the way it can be secured with a seat belt. It’s snap-on and off lid doubles as a tray or writing surface, and there are side pockets for water bottles. If you have two kids sharing a back row, the Tuffo provides the perfect barrier to promote personal space while keeping everyone’s stuff on-hand.
3. Airborne Immune Defense
Does it work? Does it not? It depends upon who you ask, but we’ve found that bringing immune defense supplements such as Airborne on the road can stop some minor sniffles and coughs before they take hold (and ruin a vacation). And who couldn’t use a little extra Vitamin C while traveling?
4. Mesh laundry bags
Even if you only use these mesh and nylon bags bags for their intended purpose (storing dirty laundry), they’re a godsend on the road. But we take a whole handful with us when we go (they wad up to almost nothing while empty) as a means to store extra shoes, coats, or rain and snow gear, allowing us easy access to our outerwear when we make a fun pit stop at a beach or snow-park. (No one wants to dig through their suitcase for their boots after pulling up to an impromptu sledding stop! Packing all the shoes and coats in laundry bags also saves precious space in individual bags and duffles.
5. Collapsible water bottles
These bladder-style water bottles are made for travel! (Our favorite is made by Platypus and Tim just reviewed one from Vapur.) Not only do the collapse flat for easy storage (we empty them before going through airport security, slide them into carry-on pockets, then refill them on the other side), but they’re light enough (even while full) for kids to easily carry their own while hiking, city touring, and the like. Most include carabiners to clip onto backpacks or belt loops, and most importantly, they’re just plain fun. Oh, and did you know Platypus makes a wine storage version as well? Good to note!
Read more reviews by Amy Whitley here at Practical Travel Gear each week, and follow her on Twitter @pitstopsforkids or on the Pit Stops for Kids Facebook Page.
Posted by Amy in General Gear, Kids and Family, Travel Light on January 3rd, 2012
Urbanears Bagis Earbud Headphones
These sleek new Bagis earbuds from the Swedish company Urbanears will certainly turn heads. This compact device is designed to provide the most direct sound to the ear while creating efficient noise reduction simultaneously. Its most striking feature, however, are the 18 different color choices available setting them apart from any other headphone out there.
Unlike other headphones that can get their cords easily twisted whether in use or in storage, this pair features a fabric cord that reduces distortions from friction that can alter the sound quality. Others also can disappear into your jacket when running with them on, but this pair snaps together so they are always easy to find.
The stereo plug hooks up with most music players, iPhones, iPods, Blackberries, or even airplane jacks making them ideal for travel instead of using the cheap airline versions that cost a few dollars each.
The sound quality is crisp and constant, and the lightweight nature of the earbuds is not uncomfortable in the ear they way some headphones can be. It fits snugly in your ear canal with a feather-like snugness. The affordability of these headphones makes them perfect for frequent travel as they are both durable and easy to replace if lost.
Another great feature is that the cable has a microphone built into it so that it can be used for voice calls when plugged into a smart phone. The 3.5mm headphone plug and an inline remote also allow you to control tracks on your iPhone or other smart phone. It is the perfect way to make hands-free calls while driving on the highway or walking through an airport terminal.
There are even three different sleeve lengths so you can find the perfect one that meets your needs whether you need a long cord to reach your phone sitting in the passenger seat or just a short one to keep tucked into your jacket pocket while jogging.
Urbanears makes some great products, and these stylish headphones are no different. It seems the whole world is filled with zombies walking through the airport these days with headphones in their ears or talking on a hands-free call. Add some pizzazz with these fun colors and stand out from the pack!
Get the Urbanears Bagis earbuds at Amazon.
See other earbuds reviews on Practical Travel Gear.
Posted by Ramsey in Business Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on June 27th, 2011
PodFlexPro for Watching Video on Small Screens
Want to watch video on your small media player in multiple places and positions?
Sure, there are already all kinds of accessories out there that will hold your iPod, iPhone, or Touch on a little stand, but this new PodFlexPro holder is a different animal. The “flex” part has a double meaning here: the case itself is flexible, plus the way you can use it is quite flexible.
Basically this is a holder at the top with a plastic cover, then a snaking covered skeleton that can be bent and shaped to fit the place where you’re resting it. So you can set it on a table by forming an S shape or a V. You can hang it on an airplane seat back by making a hook at the top. You can use it on a machine at the gym by wrapping it over the top of the control panel.
The covering is a stretchy synthetic membrane and it’s a bit of a tight squeeze getting your device in there the first time—if you’ve attached a hard case or extra battery pack it’s a no-go. Plus your ability to pinch and spread your fingers for controlling it is limited through the clear plastic. The best way to use this is to get the video going, hit pause, insert it, plug in the headphones, and then watch your video or movie. You also have to play with the PodFlexPro a bit to figure out the physics. With a bit of time it gets easier. 
I’m not normally the type to watch a whole movie on a tiny screen, but for the sake of research on my last flight I watched an episode of Ren & Stimpy I’d downloaded for my daughter. (What can I say, she has a warped sense of humor already.) It was nice not to have to sit there holding the thing in my hand and I could act like it was my own seat-back entertainment system, just smaller.
And hey, it’s not just for the Apple crowd: 8 different Android phones will fit in it as well.
This accessory lists for $25, which is not too painful, plus it stores flat, easily jammed into any kind of bag between layers of clothing or in a laptop case. Retail distribution is just rolling out right now, but you can get it immediately at the company website or at AccessoryGeeks.com.
Posted by Tim L. in General Gear, Kids and Family on November 24th, 2010
IPod Touch Great For Travel (Except for One Thing)
This past spring I gifted myself a 32GB iPod Touch. For the most part, I’ve been quite happy with it and think it’s a good tool for travelers. It’s great fun to play games on, I can surf the web or check e-mail at a Wi-Fi hotspot, and I can make Skype calls with it using the earbuds with a mic that came with it. It’s also been great carrying around a currency converter, several Spanish language learning programs, various dictionaries, and a weather report all in one little device.
The Touch is basically a thinner, sleeker iPhone—but without a phone. That means once you buy it, you’re done. AT&T won’t be reaching in your pocket every month asking for more. When you are traveling around the world, you don’t have to worry about roaming charges, SIM cards, or being addicted to checking your messages every five minutes. You just need to find a Wi-Fi hotspot to do most of the things people do while being connected with an iPhone. To make a call, you need to use Skype. (Get a subscription and you can call home a lot for just a few bucks a month from anywhere.)
No phone means this device is a little less convenient, but I don’t consider the lack of a regular phone an issue. Phones come with monthly bills and demand your constant attention. I haven’t been bothered by the lack of a camera either. I can take better photos with a real camera anyway. (The 4th generation one out now adds a camera.) There are some other little annoyances that are caused by issues related to software and not the device: you can’t use a lot of services like Pandora and Netflix outside the U.S. The keyboard is harder to use than one on a Crackberry, but these days most travelers are carrying a laptop or netbook for real typing anyway.
So what’s that one thing that’s a big problem?
The battery life SUCKS! I don’t just mean it’s kind of bad. I mean it sucks like a [insert your favorite p%rn, bad TV, or airline reference here]. The power disappears faster than your moocher friend when the bar tab arrives. The battery runs down faster than an office worker after four double espressos have worn off.
If you carry an iPod Touch with you when you travel, be prepared to add one chore to your list that will need to be performed daily, probably even twice daily: looking for an outlet for recharging your battery. This being Apple, there’s no way to carry a spare. When the battery starts deteriorating, you can’t just buy a new one at a phone shop either. You must find an Apple store. Good luck with that outside of the U.S. and Europe.
In all fairness, the new 4th generation version has a battery with 15% more capacity. They say that handles 7 hours of video, but since I’ve never managed more than 4 hours with mine, even right out of the box, I doubt it. When I or my daughter is playing games, the battery life is akin to my laptop’s—about three hours. Put it this way: I still carry my regular iPod along with my iPod Touch because I still want to be able to listen to music at the tail end of a full day of planes and buses. I know with my Touch the batter will be dead halfway through a long flight, even with wireless turned off.
I’m currently living in a Mexican apartment with the same plugs and current as in the U.S., so I’m pretty happy with my Touch. If I were backpacking around the world though, I’d probably get tired of being an outlet slave. My Kindle will go for weeks, so I guess it would be fewer apps, more reading. Not necessarily a bad thing…
You’ll pay up for the upgrades in the 4th generation model. The newest iPod Touch 64GB model is selling between $400 and $500 (the price of a full-featured netbook with all the bells and whistles) and the 32GB Touch is around $300.
There are a bazillion reviews out there telling you what’s better about the new model, but here are the basics: the resolution is crisper, you get a camera on the front and back and can shoot video, and there’s now a mic. That mic may not be a good thing if you use Skype a lot though—you’ll be holding the device up to your mouth or using speaker phone instead of using the 3rd generation earbuds with a mic, which is much more natural for conversations.
If you don’t mind last year’s model and won’t use the camera much, you can get the older 64 MB model for about $70 less at Amazon and the price should drop more soon, based on Apple’s sale patterns. It’s still expensive, but there’s nothing else out there that’s like it.
Posted by Tim L. in Business Gear, General Gear, Kids and Family on September 30th, 2010
Here’s the Latest: Travel Gear Rewind
One thing about technology is it keeps changing, and here are some updates on previous reviews on Practical Travel Gear.
FlightView for Android
One of the most popular travel apps for the iPhone, FlightView, has just been released for Android phones. I reviewed the iPhone/iPod Touch version of this app earlier and like the live flight tracking. You can not only track your own flights, but the flights of friends and colleagues you might be meeting on vacations or business trips. FlightView also does an excellent job of showing those dreaded airport delays.
The interface is sleek and easy to navigate. The Droid version sells for 99 cents, or a free version with advertising is also available. FlightView also runs on Blackberry and Palm phones.
Updated iPod Touch
My colleague, Tim Leffel, and I don’t go far without our iPod Touches. If you have a second- or third-generation Touch, and haven’t downloaded the free iOS 4 update, what are you waiting for? The updated operating system includes some features like multitasking and the organization of apps into folders. You know, the kind of things the iPod should have been able to do years ago.
Of course, multitasking only works with newer models—like the third-generation Touch line that rolled out late last year. I’m always amazed how they get away with it—selling devices that are years behind on some essential features. Then, when they finally arrive, Apple acts like they invented them. Go figure.
And how about that iPhone 4 antenna fiasco?
In-Car Internet
At 2010 CES, I had a chance to see some in-car computer systems that are being developed. And now a new survey shows most drivers—at least those under 35—want Internet access in their cars, despite the possibility of being distracted.
The Autobytel survey found nearly 70 percent of drivers under the age of 35 rated in-car Internet as “very important” or “nice to have.”
The biggest surprise in the survey—only 8% of those drivers wanted voice-controlled devices, which presumably would be safer by letting drivers concentrate more on the road.
Are you concerned about distracted drivers?
Safe travels!
Posted by JohnG in Business Gear, General Gear on July 27th, 2010
