Ellen Barone

Once upon a time my basic needs were simple: food, water, travel… Now, I can’t live without my Verizon BlackBerry? What the heck happened?

24/7 wireless e-mail connectivity, worldwide voice and data coverage, GPS navigation − THAT’S what happened.  They don’t call it CrackBerry for nothing.

I used to snicker at the corporate drones tethered by their techy-umbilical cords to bosses and work, while I, the foot-loose freelancer, jetted off to some remote destination with a flippant “catch-you-when-I-get-back” e-mail auto-response and phone message.

That was pre-BlackBerry. Today, you’ll find me right there with the corporate schmucks, checking e-mail and thumbing back responses before the plane has even pulled up to the jetway. I hardly recognize myself.

But just when I’m ready to go cold turkey, I’ll need to Google a hotel phone number, e-mail the airport shuttle with delayed flight details, find my way to an important meeting with audible turn-by-turn directions, or score a dream assignment from the beach in Rio just because I was able to dash off a quick “I’ll do it!” on the BlackBerry, and I’m hooked all over again.

Sound familiar? To keep the scales tipped to technical god-send rather than compulsive addiction, follow these simple Rules to Blackberry By at Forbes.com.

Do you think satellite phones are only for bullet-dodging troops in Afghanistan, remote scientific expeditions in Antarctica, or thrill seeking mountaineers calling in from atop Everest?  I did. But times are changing fast.

As 250,000 subscribers have already discovered, today, you can dial up outerspace and phone home, text message and even check e-mail from anywhere on the planet at international rates less than the cost of some cell phone services.

At nearly a pound, the 6.2 inches by 2.4 inches by 2.2 inches sat phone may look like a clunky 1980s-era handset, but as I recently discovered, its services are most definitely cutting-edge 21st century: satellite paging, text messaging (SMS), emergency 911 service and Internet access from almost anywhere on the surface of the Earth (including oceans, airways and polar regions). It also includes a menu of travel friendly features that business travelers will especially appreciate, such as caller ID, voice mail, data transmission and digital facsimile.

Feeling übercool and gadget-giddy, I travel-tested Iridium’s 9505A portable satellite phone during a yacht cruise in Mexico’s remote Sea of Cortez. Using the phone was as simple as using a conventional cellular phone, with one exception – the device can only be used outdoors. It must be “see” a satellite in order to connect. Multitasking with a margarita in one hand and the sat phone in the other reclined in a comfy lounge chair, was hardly an inconvenience. But, had I been in the arctic deep freeze, you can bet I’d have kept the calls short.

• The Good: Beyond the novelty of calling my parents and overseas friends from the middle of nowhere, having the satellite phone aboard ship enabled one passenger to learn of a life-saving new medical procedure - turning a ‘final voyage’ into a celebration of hope. Perfect for cruising.
  
• The Bad: Outdoor-only capability might be a bit of a nuisance in cold or rainy climates where an international mobile might be a better alternative.
  
• The Bottom Line: Small, light and water resistant and designed to travel, the 9505A is the ideal communications option for people who work in or travel to remote locations. Take it with you on your next trip.

Telestial Satellite Phone Service

Telestial satellite phone rental and purchase solutions offer service from industry leading satellite phone providers including Iridium and Globalstar.

For a brief introductory section on each satellite phone describing the highlights: coverage area, rates and popular features visit Telestial: Wireless Solutions for Travelers to find the satellite phone that best suits your needs.

Technical Specifications:
•    Water, shock & dust resistant for rugged environments
•    Data Capable (use your satellite phone to transmit and receive data with an optional adapter)
•    Global SMS
•    Headset/Hands-free capability
•    Simple GSM style dialing
•    Up to 30 hours of standby time/3.2 hours of talk time
•    Dimensions: 158L x 62W x 59D mm
•    Volume: Under 375cc (22.9 ci)
•    Weight:Under 375g (13.2 ounces)
•    3.2 hours Talk Time
•    30 hours Standby Time
•    Operating range: -10 to +55 ºC

The other day my house cleaner panicked when her cell phone accidentally fell off her belt clip and into the Cloroxed bubbling abyss of our toilet. Another friend returned from Key West with a ruined, salt-encrusted mobile after he put it in the drink sea kayaking. Then, I drenched mine in coffee.

Too bad we didn’t have Verizon’s submersible, travel-tough G’zOne cell phone. Drop it, scratch it, shake it, bake it, the indomitable 5.3-ounce phone can handle just about anything you throw its way. Tougher than you are, the military-tested mobile is built to withstand exposure to temperatures in excess of 140ºF, extreme vibration, solar radiation, conditions set to simulate storm conditions of two inches of rainfall per hour with high winds and submersion in one meter of water.

You don’t need a 007-lifestyle, however, to want this phone. Thanks to industrial-grade seals and enhanced shock resistance with the G’zOne you can snap underwater pictures, talk in the shower and run over it with your shopping cart and we’ll still be able to hear you now.

To learn more, click HERE. 

• Push to Talk Capable with other Verizon Wireless Push to Talk Capable Phones
• Polyphonic ringer and sound capability
• Speakerphone
• Voice Activated Dialing

• Bluetooth® Capable for the following profiles: Headset (HSP), Hands–free (HFP), Serial Port (SPP) and Dial–Up Networking (DUN); it does not support Bluetooth Object Transfer OBEX Profiles
• Dual Mode (800/1900 MHz CDMA) 1XRTT
• Dimensions: 3.8” (H) x 2.0” (W) x 1.1” (D)
• 8 Lines of Text
• Weight: 5.1 ounces
• Main Display: 1.8” 65K Color TFT (176 x 220)
• Sub Display: 1.3” Black & White STN (96 x 96)
• Hearing Aid Compatibility = M4
• TTY Compatible
• SAR: Head –1.07 / Body –0.413
• Battery: 1050 mAh Li–Ion
• Usage Time: Up to 203 Minutes OR
• Standby Time: Up to 170 Hours
• Handset Insurance is Available

With 10.1 megapixel image resolution,  a 12x optical zoom that reaches 420 mm, built-in image stabilization and top class optics, it’s no wonder Leica’s V-Lux 1 caught my eye when I went looking for a high-quality, all-in-one SLR alternative.

No, it’s not pocket-sized, but those compacts don’t boast a sophisticated  35 - 420mm zoom that can handle everything from delicate macro shots, to wide-angle views and super telephoto nature shots. Better yet, you can compose  through a full-sized viewfinder and use the swivelling LCD display for unusual or awkward perspectives.

Throw in the convenience of a pop-up flash, 16 custom functions for special shooting situations including video recording,  a choice of automatic and manual focus, exposure and white balance settings and its easy to understand its popularity. Add to that, the ability to record RAW images, as well as the usual JPEGs, and I couldn’t resist travel-testing one on a recent adventure yacht cruise.

The Good:

True to its name, the Leica delivered everything it promised - superior image quality, optimal sensitivity in low light conditions, the built-in convenience of a sharp  f/2.8 to f/3.7 image-stabilized zoom, accurate exposures, saturated colors, and well-balanced flash lighting.

The Bad:

In continuous-shooting mode, capturing JPEGs in bright light was reasonably quick, but in low light, or when set to RAW, the time between shots was slow enough to frustrate.

The Bottom Line:

This is a great all-round alternative for photographers who want to combine top-class optics, a powerful zoom and high resolution image quality with a convenient intelligent design. But, if you want faster raw performance, you’ll have to step up to an SLR.

 
Thinking of buying one? Don’t just take my word for it, be sure to read the user reviews posted  at www.bhphotovideo.com. Already have one? Use the Post-a-Comment link below to tell me what you think!