Win a Lingo 16-Language Translator

For the next two weeks, I’ll be participating in the first Travel Blogger’s Caravan. I’d like to invite you to follow 15 top travel bloggers (including yours truly!) for a chance to win a motley array of prizes, perfect for celebrating the holiday season.

If you love exploring new destinations and revisiting old favorites, you won’t want to miss the Travel Bloggers’ Caravan & Giveaway! You just may discover a few new favorite travel blogs to bookmark. I know I have!

Win a Lingo 16-Language Translator

Help us kick off the Caravan right now! Follow @luxcruisebible on Twitter and then tweet about the Travel Bloggers’ Caravan between December 1 and 15. Include a link to this blog post and the #caravan hashtag and you’ll be entered to win the Lingo 16-Language Translator, courtesy of Magellan’s Travel Supplies.

Entrants must have a U.S. mailing address. Entries must be received between December 1–15, 2009. One winner will be randomly chosen from eligible entries on December 21, 2009. Winner will be notified via Twitter DM (direct message).

Just log onto Twitter and tweet something like this:

Check out the Travel Bloggers’ Caravan. 15 travel bloggers and tons of cool prizes to win. http://bit.ly/8TOkPC #caravan

10 Gifts for Traveling Dads

Give dad the travel toys he’ll love.

Available for purchase at The Travel Store at EllenBarone.com

Trip Tech: HD Camcorders

Hey gadget-girls, a slew of new high-definition camcorders are making it easier than ever to capture (and share) your favorite travel moments. Concierge.com puts the latest high-definition camcorders to the test to see which are best for creating your vacation memories.

Well worth a browse, especially if you’re busy making a list and checking it twice!

Hip Protection For Your Gadgets

Your laptop is one of the more expensive items you travel with, your ipod one of your favorites, and, if you’re one of the millions who won’t leave home without your smart phone, then why not protect your investment in style?

Gelaskins are a great new way to personalize and protect your gadgets without bulk. From the classics to graffiti style street art, Monet to Munch, Van Gogh to Vonnegut, you’ll be oh-so-cyber-cool with a Gelaskin protecting your gear. And, they not only protect the outside of your gadget of choice, but every Gelaskin comes with a GelaScreen protector to keep scratches at bay.

Another cool thing about Gelaskins is that they welcome design submissions from anyone. Simply send them some of your ideas, and if they like them, they will add them to their collection and put them into production. If you happen to have 50 friends who would want a Gelaskin designed by you, they will run your custom artwork for you (minimum order is 50).

Pretty darn cool!

For more information, click here.

Blackberry, Crackberry, I'm Hooked

Blackberry Tour 9630Once upon a time my basic needs were simple: food, water, travel… Now, I can’t live without my Verizon BlackBerry 9630? 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.

Update on 2008-09-17 15:11 by Ellen Barone

FOR TRAVELERS ON THE GO - BUY A NEW BLACKBERRY SMARTPHONE AND EARN 4,000 AADVANTAGE MILES FROM AMERICAN AIRLINES.

If you can’t do without your BlackBerry(R) smartphone and just have to have those American Airlines AAdvantage(R) miles, then now you can have the best of both worlds. Now, you can earn AAdvantage miles when you purchase and activate a BlackBerry smartphone on any of the nation’s major service providers.

Earn 4,000 AAdvantage miles with activation of a new wireless rate plan.

Earn 4,000 AAdvantage miles when you upgrade your existing rate plan, and upgrade to a new device.

Contact Information:
To earn AAdvantage miles, your BlackBerry smartphone must be purchased through this link www.blackberry.com/aa* or by calling 1-877-337-0136.

Pelican 1510 Carry-on Case with Lid Organizer

In the pre-9/11 pre-digital photography days, I could carry my photography equipment in a Lowepro shoulder bag that fit under the seat in front of me. I’d sling it over a carry-on sized roll aboard packed with clothing and I was good to go.

Not any more.

Today, I could find myself forced to check all baggage without warning due to a terrorist threat. No way would I put thousands of dollars worth of camera equipment in a canvas bag through checked baggage. Nor can my kit fit into a shoulder bag any longer, thanks mainly to the power cords, electronic adapters, battery chargers, cables, back-up hard drives and laptop computer, and the various other accessories digital photography requires.

Enter the Pelican 1510, a hard-sided, fully padded, waterproof case that could (and has) survived checked baggage when  security personnel leave me no other choice. In addition, when push comes to shove, I can even fit my laptop (snuggly protected in its Built cargo sleeve) in the Pelican for extra protection. It’s the perfect travel solution for transporting and protecting my equipment when flying commercially.

And, so that the case doesn’t catch the eye of an unscrupulous baggage attendant who might recognize it as something valuable, I shove it into an ordinary looking large Eagle Creek duffle bag I carry for just such an occasion (or overflow shopping) and hope its mistaken for the luggage of any shoestring traveler.

Happy trails,

Ellen 

Never Be At A Loss For Words Again: Talking Language Translators

Fortunately, for the techy traveler there’s no shortage of geek-chic gadgets sure to make communication easier and a whole lot cooler. Bring along one of these snazzy talking translators and never be at a loss for words again.

 
Lingo Navigator, is a sleek, affordable pocket-sized talking translator that translates and speaks thousands of words and phrases in 12 different languages - English, German, French, Italian, Dutch, Turkish, Chinese, Arabic, Portuguese, Japanese, Spanish and Russian. Other convenient features include currency and metric conversions, games, world time clock with alarm and sightseeing information. $79.95 www.acornonline.com

iParrot Phrase for iPod/ iPhone
For those who’d never leave home without their iPod, iParrot Phrase offers instant multi-language translation software. Designed exclusively for the iPod/iPhone/Apple TV, it’s stocked with over 20 kinds of perfectly pronounced oral language for instant use.  Organized into categories such as: Greetings, Transportation, Shopping, and Asking for helping etc., it is easy  to find the sentences you need. Organized for instant access and ease, it’s an essential travel tool for the high-tech traveler. Virtual fluency available in Chinese, English, Japanese, Russian, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Korean, Portuguese, Arabic, Thai and Vietnamese. Available for download at www.apple.com

Franklin’s Speaking Global Translator contains over 450,000 words and 12,000 phrases, and speaks 115,000 words in recorded human voice. Ideal for communicating on almost any continent with 12 languages and translations to and from Chinese (Mandarin), Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. Enter a word in your native language and the translator will speak and show the translation in the language you seek. A voice recording feature allows you to record custom words and phrases appropriate to travel or business needs. Also included, MP3 player, earbuds, games. $229.00 www.franklin.com

 

About Ellen Barone: Consumer travel expert Ellen Barone is the founder and publisher of EllenBarone.com and YourLifeIsATrip.com. Learn more here and connect on Twitter at,Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn.

Update on 2008-05-07 17:46 by Ellen Barone

Learn the Lingo on your iPod - Join the locals and have fun with Lonely Planet’s World Nomads  free language guides that contain around 30 basic phrases that you can download onto your iPod.

Small, Light and Water Resistant, a Satellite Phone Designed to Travel

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 “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

Dropped Your Cell Phone in the Drink? No Worries. With Verizon's Waterproof Phone, We Can Hear You Now

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. 

MIL–SPECS
Certified to MIL–Standard 810F For:

• Water Resistance, Humidity
• Shock
• Dust

Camera/Video

• Built–In 300K CMOS Camera with Flash & Digital Zoom
• Camcorder

Services

• Mobile Web 2.0 Capable
• Email, Mobile IM, & Chat Capable
• VZ Navigator^sm Capable
• Chaperone^sm Parent/Child
• Get It Now® Capable
• Picture & Video Messaging
• Text Messaging
• Voice Mail

Tools

• Address book with up to 500 Contacts & Picture Caller ID
• Calendar, Alarm Clock, World Clock
• Calculator, Notepad
• Countdown Timer, Stopwatch
• Speed Dialing

Voice and Audio

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

General

• 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

Leica V-Lux 1: A Quality All-Round SLR Alternative

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!

Update on 2008-08-23 01:07 by Ellen Barone

Looking for something smaller? Leica has that covered too! Check back soon for my product review on the compact Leica D-Lux 3, The Little Leica that Can…