Go ahead, trade in those goofy lighted slippers from Aunt Sally for the gizmo you really wanted, PlanOn’s new mobile Printstik. I won’t tell. Promise. After all, what self-respecting gadget geek wouldn’t want to add a Printstik to their portable arsenal? It’s Bluetooth enabled, lightweight, fits in your pocket and syncs with your PC laptop, PDA, and mobile phone, and prints “on the spot” wirelessly. From $199.00; www.planon.com
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Don’t let its plain-Jane looks fool you. My quest for the perfect computer case ended when a fellow road warrior turned me onto this winner. The glazed look in my friends eyes as I rhapsodized about the distinguishing qualities of the bag pegged me as the hopeless gadget geek I am. I can’t help myself. I’m prone to extolling the bag’s virtues – superior padded protection, rugged ballistic nylon construction, convenient compartments for files and data media storage, front loading access to AC adaptor cables and cords, a multi-pocketed easy-access organizer panel for cell phone, iPod, GPS unit and other accessories, felt-lined quick-access pocket for sunglasses or tickets, and wheelie strap for attaching to wheeled luggage – with the zeal of a religious convert. Oh, and did I mention that it’s ‘carbon balanced’? All purchases on Brenthaven.com will be offset with carbon credits. Hey, quit rolling your eyes! $99.95; www.brenthaven.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.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Lugging a bulky, rigid tripod has never been a practical alternative for the type of on-the-go shooting that traveling photographers like me encounter. Thanks to the cleverly designed pocket-sized Joby Gorillapod, I’ll never have to choose between sharp shots or carrying a tripod again. The cleverly designed pocket-sized gorillapod - a bendable tripod that secures to any surface, has legs that bend and rotate 360 degrees, and rubber feet for extra gripping power – is all I pack these days. Slip it into a pocket, purse or day pack and capture those artsy low-light shots of Paris at night, dimly lit tango clubs in Buenos Aires or the final glory of a tropical sunset and impress em’ at home with your postcard-perfect vacation snaps. Available in 4 sizes; www.joby.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.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Here’s a great last-minute holiday gift for traveling shutterbugs.
Hold on Gadget Girls, this is a fun one! eStarling (www.eStarling.com ) has just released their newest WiFi digital picture frame, the eStarling ImpactV, and, get this, the new model supports video clips. Now you can send photos and videos of your experiences, from anywhere in the world, to a photo frame sitting in a home or office anywhere else in the world. I love it!
Every ImpactV has a unique email address and can be connected to a home of office WiFi network to receive photos and video clips wirelessly.
Here’s how it works. Let’s say you are traveling to someplace exotic and fun for the holidays, but away from your family at home. You can take a photo or video with your mobile phone or digital camera and then send that video to your ImpactV frame back at the house. (With an iPhone camera the sending is automatic. With other camera-enabled phones that have emails, you can take the picture or then email it using the phones email camera. If you are using a digitial video camera or camera, you might make a quick stop at an Internet cafe to email the photos directly to your eStarling ImpactV frame at the house.) Cool, eh? I told you.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Pure fun, that’s what these pretty-in-pink ear buds from OTTO are. Your boss might think otherwise, but phooey on her. Pop these noise-cancelling, music-rocking buds into your ears and it’s goodbye cubicle, hello nirvana. Perfect for cranking iTunes from your laptop, bebopping to Mama Mia enroute to Greece, or simply tuning out CNN at the gym. $69.95; www.hearotto.com
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
You won’t have to click your ruby slippers three times to add this stylish Iomega eGo hard drive to your travel plans. Offering 500GB of portable storage the pretty little workhorse features super durable DropGuard® protection to handle the rigors of the road. You’ll love that it goes where you go, storing your vacation videos, photos and every important document you need while you’re away. Better yet, it’s USB (or firewire) powered, which means one less power cord to carry. Wahoo! From $80.74; 160 GB; http://store.iomega.com
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
When buying a new car: no Bluetooth, no Nav system, no satellite radio = no way.- Your kitchen boasts every cooking gizmo available, and you don’t cook.
- You program smart phone alerts to remind you to relax.
- You carry a power strip in your purse.
- A diamond might be a girls best friend, but in your book, nothing says “I love you” like a new iPhone.
- Your backpack boasts solar panels.
- You sync everything - garage door opener, BlackBerry, laptop, coffee maker, frequent flyer miles.
- When you go on vacation, you pack gadgets first, then whatever else there’s room for.
- Your cookbook is online.
- You’re the only one in camp whose Swiss Army Knife has a USB thumb drive.
- On the train, you used to read 3 newspapers, now you Twitter (thanks Wendy Perrin!)
- Your bedside alarm clock is a Chumby.
- You’re the go-to girl for any techie question.
- You track your pets with GPS.
- Your little black dress is wired for tech.
- All you want for Christmas is a virtual assistant.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".