Callpod Solution to Mobile Charger Hell

There's one group of bastards that's running about 20 years behind on the whole green initiative, enviro-friendly thing: the mobile electronics industry. Besides the fact that everything I buy is in wrapped in impenetrable plastic that's not even recyclable, every mobile phone and gadget I've ever bought in my life has needed a whole new charger kit.

A partial solution to this infuriating problem is the Callpod Chargepod, a device I've been drooling over since the first time I saw it in Wired. I got my hands on one and it performs just as advertised, reducing an unruly pile of bulky chargers down to one elegant octopus of connectors.

Here's how it works. You just plug the cord into one--yes one outlet on the wall and then attach your devices to the connectors coming out of the central hub. This hub is smaller and thinner than a hockey puck and is super-light. As you plug in each item, a blue LED comes on to tell you that your device is charging. You walk away and go about your business, coming back to a fully charged array of gadgets.

For my family's configuration, I can plug in my Sanyo mobile phone, my wife's Nokia, my iPod, her Shuffle, and a Sony PSP all at the same time. Since the Shuffle is plugged into a USB connector, figure anything else that charges that way could plug in there too. It will charge six devices at once. That's a lot of stuff, which is great news for travel: pack one little pod and the connectors in its handy carrying case and you're all set. You can even use the car adapter and charge on the go.

You have to get the right connectors for your own devices though, which brings us back to this industry of "We love proprietary stuff bound for the landfill." If you get the Chargepod Bundle Pack you should be covered for Apple/iPod, Motorola, Blackberry, Nokia, Palm Treo, and Sony PSP devices. I say should because even among one manufacturer they can't keep things simple: my wife's Nokia phone required a different Nokia adapter than the one in this pack, so $9.95 later, she's in business. I also had to buy one for my Sanyo phone, another $9.95. After you make this investment though, you're set--well until you get another device with yet another proprietary charger connection.

I'll stop ranting now because it's not Callpod's problem things are so difficult. They are making money by easing our pain and that sounds like a win-win to me.

The Callpod Chargepod lists for $50 alone or $100 in the Bundle Pack. A tad cheaper at these retailers:

Buy.com - Callpod CHPA-0002 Chargepod 6-Way Mobile Device Charging System Bundle


Callpod Chargepod Bundle from J&R

Wi-Fi Signal Extender, the Wi-Fire

I'll say it again that traveling with a laptop is a bad idea if you're on vacation, but if you have to lug one along on a work trip, you'll probably be tapping into wi-fi signals over and over. Many of those signals are weak, however, so you end up taking a an hour to check and send e-mail when it should take you half that long with a strong signal. Meanwhile, you're missing out on beach time and happy hour.

I've been trying out this Wi-Fire device from hField and have to say that it goes a long way toward solving this problem. It's a signal amplifier that you plug into your USB port. Suddenly that weak wi-fi signal that was only giving you one or two bars is now giving you four and sites are popping up pronto, even with annoying Flash on the page. Places where you weren't able to even get a signal before become surf-worthy again. (The manufacturer says it will triple your range.)

I tried this out on a desktop and a laptop. After installing the driver from the included CD, you just plug it in, choose the network, and you're off and running. It says you need to hook it to a USB 2.0 port, but I did find it worked with an older one. You need to have Windows XP or Vista or Mac OS 10.3 and up though. The only quirk I ran into was with my desktop, where there didn't seem to be any instructions on making this wi-fi device override the permanently installed one. So I was basically getting two signals fighting with each other. (On the laptop I was able to just flip a switch and turn off the other card, but not sure how you would do this with a factory built-in.)

The results were impressive. I was able to walk 50 yards into my yard with the laptop and still get a signal. When I plugged the Wi-Fire into my desktop on the second floor of my house, I could see the networks of 8 neighbors instead of two, some of them a block away. (Kind of a scary thought if this is in the wrong hands, but I don't want to think about that...)

The catch? Traveling with the Wi-Fire definitely requires some extra baggage space. Counting the handle/stand, it's a little smaller than a mass-market paperback, or about the footprint of three of your other electronic devices added together. Part of this bulk is for a good reason though: the appendage works as a stand or as something you hook to the top of your laptop. I also had some troubles with the retractable cord getting tangled, but I'll take that over a cord that's NOT retractable.

The hField Wi-Fire retails for $79, which is a money well spent if you're logging on from the road a lot.

Rugged Luggage From Land's End

Land's End stuff may not be flashy, but it's long-lasting and affordable, which is right up my alley for this particular travel gear blog. I'm a fan of their fleeces and other clothing, but most people don't realize that they make some fine luggage as well.

My wife has been around the globe three times with me as a backpacker and can pack light when she has to. When it's time to go visit her mom in Florida though, in go the six pairs of shoes, four exercise outfits, and enough other clothes to outfit a village. (Yes, my mother-in-law does have a washer and dryer. Grrrr...) This all goes in a huge suitcase that is a hernia threat each time I have to lift it, so next trip I'm using a somewhat lighter 27-inch version from Land's End. "Lighter" is a relative term when you've got something with big wheels and a swivel handle though and this one comes in at 13 pounds. Fine for domestic U.S. travel, but don't try flying into London with it and then boarding a budget airline.

As expected, this is a rugged, well-made suitcase that should last for a decade or more. I have no idea what "1682-denier ballistic nylon" is, but I assume it's pretty strong stuff and it's said to resist tears, abrasions, and moisture. The in-line skate wheels are smooth and go over bumpy curbs with ease, while the ergonomic swivel handle allows my other half to pull half her closet behind her with a minimum of crashes. This thing cries out for packing cubes though. While the huge compartment allows you to pack a lot, everything is tossed in together, with only two front pockets and an expansion area allowing some separation. (It does come with a laundry bag though.)

Land's End sells an array of luggage that's less stodgy than that big monster, of course. There's a nice duffel bag in 7 colors that maxes out at $70 for the largest size. They also sell a nice rugged rolling duffel bag, some indestructible hardside suitcases, and a piece I'm really lusting over: a $290 leather weekend bag. My closet is full though. Must...stop...collecting...travel bags.

See the whole range here: Land's End home and travel.

Sony PSP Slim for Travel Boredom

Back in December I received a loaner version of the new and improved Sony PSP 2000 to try out and evaluate for this travel gear blog. Now that I've spent about 30 hours of the last month playing with it, I think it's time I get around to actually writing a review. (And getting back to work.)

Overall, this is an impressive piece of technology. It falls short in a few areas (more on that later), but what it does well it does really well. If my travel hours in transit weren't spent catching up on writing and catching up on magazine reading, I could pack this and my music player and be a pretty happy traveler no matter how far I was going. For say, a 12-year-old kid you have to lug along on a plane trip, this Sony PSP would keep them from whining even once.

It does two things quite well: play games and play video. The catch is that both will cost you dearly: this device could accurately be called the Proprietary Sony Player because nothing you have bought or downloaded from somewhere else will work on it without a good bit of effort or expense. The device itself doesn't have its own storage, so everything resides on an ironically named "Universal Media Disc" (like a tiny CD-rom) or on their proprietary memory card called the Memory Stick. I won't go into the process of storing music or video on here, but be advised it's a pain and you'll need a lot of card storage capacity.

The wireless network features advertised should be ignored except for networked gaming with friends. Trying to browse a website or check e-mail is so annoying that you'll be tempted to throw the thing against a wall.

So let's look at its strengths. Video played on here from a UMD looks fantastic. As clear and vivid as a regular TV, with movies shown in widescreen format. Games on here are a true wonder. The graphics are as intense and detailed as many full console games, with great sound and responsive controls. Keep in mind that there are potentially 10 different buttons to use though, so younger children will probably be better off with the simpler Nintendo DS handheld. After trying out three games, I can say that some commands are far from intuitive, from the initial menu function to the games themselves. Expect a learning curve and some quality time with your manual.

There are other annoyances here and there, like no warning when your battery is about to fail in the middle of a game, and the fact that the optional AV cable kit allows you to watch video on TV, but not play games. Overall though, this PSP delivers as a console-level gaming device and video player packed into a tiny device fit for travel. It only weighs 6.2 ounces, yet it sports a 4.3-inch LCD screen with a 480 x 272-pixel resolution.

Would I take this along for my own kid when we go on vacation, if she were a bit older? Yes, but with clear ground rules about how long she can play with it each day and when. If a geezer like me can get addicted to playing Field Commander for days on end, you know kids with no job and family guilt to hold them back are going to be in trouble. There are bound to be arguments-a-plenty when it's time to put it down and go walk on the beach or have dinner together.

Consider what you get for the money, the device itself is a great value. You can buy the new Sony PSP 2000 straight up for about $170 to $180, or you can get something like the PSP Daxter Pack I received, with one game already included for $200. New games are $30 to $40 and movies are about the price of a regular DVD.

Search Sony PSP prices at Shopzilla

Packing Light Cosmetics Solution: Minimus Carry-on Caddy

This is my fourth review in a month of a solution for putting cosmetics in carry-on baggage, so it's safe to say that the market is finding a way to make this work. (See links to the other reviews below.) This one is from the folks who specialize in miniature sizes of everything: Minimus.

They have found a nice way to combine their inventory of travel-sized products with something to put it in: the Carry-on Caddy. You can order the caddy itself for $5, but what's cool about this though is you can order it all stocked up with 6 items for a male or a female ($14.25). Or if you're the type that buys cosmetics at Wild Oats, you can get it stocked with 9 organic items in citrus or lavender. (around $21).

My male version came with five useful name-brand items and one dud: Gillette shaving cream, Right Guard deodorant, Nivea lotion, Colgate toothpaste, Scope mouthwash, and...Tresemme hair spray. Hair spray? Maybe there needs to be a male, female, and tres femme metrosexual version.

It was all packed in a Ziploc bag and then put inside the heavy-duty black canvas bag with velcro. A carbiner fastener goes through a loop on the back, enabling you to just hook it to your carry-on for easy TSA inspection. After security, you can unhook it and put it inside your bag or just leave it hanging. (Don't worry, nobody can see that hair spray you're carrying inside.)

If this doesn't come with exactly what you want and the selection at your local Rite-aid is lacking, browse the 1,000 or so items at Minimus to pack the case with just what you need.

Other carry-on baggage cosmetic solution reviews:
Nivea travel kit
Travelon sheets
3-1-1 Bag

Get an Energy Boost on the Road

If you're an active traveler who is happier scaling rock faces and mountain biking than you are lying on a beach, you might want to take along a few packets of E-Boost. This is an effervescent energy drink in powder form (light and easy to pack) that juices you up with vitamins and nutrients.

The company is trying to appeal to the 24/7 business travelers who also love to party: "Between overworking, flying, drinking, doing too much and never sleeping enough, it’s a wonder we can make it through the day, let alone perform at an advantage." If it were aimed at backpackers, you'd have to remove the work part and adjust the need equation a bit. Leave the flying and drinking, but add crappy bus rides, street food, and noisy hostels.

Either way, this energy drink does more than get you hyped up on caffeine. You simply pour it in a glass, add water, and stir. The result is a pleasant orange fizzy drink that made me noticably more alert and awake, but without the shakes. Akin to the feeling you get with coca tea in the Andes, but more with 1,667 percent of your daily vitamin C requirement and enough B12 to meet an elephant's requirement. There's no sugar and only a gram of carbs.

I'm no nutritionist or sports doctor, but my personal trainer wife took these to her gym and they were more popular than Angelina Jolie at a tabloid publisher's convention. Since they weigh almost nothing and take up very little room, E-Boost packets or tablets would be a worthwhile packing addition if you're planning to do some volcano hikes or biking excursions on your next trip. They retail for about a buck apiece and you can buy them at the Boost site, at the W hotel chain, and at hotels in cities where people stay out late and don't sleep much---like Vegas and Miami.

More Airline Luggage Issues

A break from the gear reviews to note some boring but important news in the world of what you can and cannot carry onto an airplane in January of '08.

If you have a habit of carrying loose lithium batteries on the plane or in your luggage, stop it. In the U.S. anyway. You can have them in the device, in the original packaging, or in a Ziploc bag, but not loose. Most travelers probably don't know a lithium from an alkaline or a ni-cad, so this is not going to be pretty...

Southwest starts charging for a third checked bag. I personally don't think this is a big deal since almost nobody has an excuse for carrying that much on a plane anyway. Only 2 percent of passengers did and they were probably bearing gifts, but if you're in that 2 percent, learn to pack better.

Heathrow allows a second carry-on. Flying in or out of London has been a royal hassle for a while now, especially for those who carried say, a purse and a laptop. Only one carry-on was allowed. Cooler heads have taken over and Gatwick should follow.

Compact Travel Towel from Sea to Summit

One dilemma for the long-term backpacker is what to do about a towel. Sure, those traveling on one-week vacations probably never ponder this issue since their hotel is going to supply fluffy towels on a rack. When you're paying $10 a night for a place to flop, however, you're on your own. And what about when you're camping in the woods?

Packing the kind of big fat Turkish cotton towel you would find in the Ritz-Carlton just isn't going to cut it: that would take up half your backpack. So you either have to use a sarong, use a cotton hand towel, or find some kind of travel towel, like this tiny one from Sea to Summit. This version I tested packs into a little pouch about the size of a hacky-sack, small enough to go into the palm of your hand. It's quick and easy to wash it in the sink and it dries in a couple of hours (less in direct sunlight).

To squeeze into this small a space, it is make from 70 percent polyester and 30 percent nylon. If you're thinking to yourself that those are the same synthetic fibers used in a wicking performance shirt where the moisture doesn't stick around, you have probably guessed the tradeoff this entails. Apparently the company is trying to taunt us or they enjoy a little irony: the words "super absorbent" are on the packaging.

Um, no. This travel towel will wipe off the wet, but it's about as absorbent as you would expect a synthetic fiber Hawaiian shirt to be. It took double the time to dry off my body than I usually manage with the same size towel in cotton from my local gym. It failed to wipe up a counter water spill I tried as a test without repeated wringing, something my chamois-style travel towel did with flying colors.

Let's be real though, if you're hiking through the wilderness camping or are staying in crappy guesthouses in a third-world country, comfort and efficiency are probably not very high on your priority list anyway. If packing space and weight are the key factors instead, this travel towel will get the job done without getting in the way and you know it will dry fast so you're not carrying a wet towel when it's time to pack up and head out. It should last for years and with a handy pouch to stuff it into, this is a breeze to pack.

The Sea to Summit travel towel comes in two sizes. The small one is 16 by 32 inches and the large one is 2 feet by four feet. The small one is $15 and the large one is $23.

Check your local gear or camping store, or get yours at REI.com.

Cosmetic Carry-on Solution: Nivea Starter Set

Men, here is a way to keep your face feeling and looking good without going afoul of the TSA airplane carry on rules: The Nivea for Men 4 step starter set. The four items come already packed in a Ziploc bag and all are under 3 ounces. One purchase at the drug store and you're off.

It's got shaving gel, after shave balm, face wash, and SPF 4 moisturizer to keep those crow's feet eye lines to a minimum. Everything you need for your face except a razor and lip balm.

True, this won't cover the cosmetics gamut, but throw in a sample size deodorant and toothpaste and you're good to go for the journey. You don't have to be a metrosexual to know that cold winters and desert dry airplanes will make you look older than you are if you don't take care of your skin. This kit from Nivea for Men makes it dead easy.