Not since the iPhone launch has a phone generated as much across-the-board hype as Verizon's new Droid handset. The full-keyboard 6oz. handset has seen a flood of glowing reviews from the geek community. Gizmodo: "it’s this simple: if you don’t buy an iPhone, buy a Droid." LA Times: "best Google phone on the market....best phone on Verizon." Boy Genius Report: "perfect storm between awesome hardware, great software, and a great network." Fair enough. But how does the Droid rate as travel gear?

Turns out, pretty well. Very well actually. There are even arguments to be made that a couple of the Droid's most prominent features are both targeted at travelers, whether they're taking road trips or traveling internationally, and are better than what any competitor can offer. Even that phone with the little apple on it.]]> Omri 2009-11-13T15:25:15-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/11/12/1790/0061

Usually we take a pass on these kinds of cookie-cutter holiday-themed Top 5 lists, if only because they get in the way of our much more nuanced iPhone Top 5 lists. But we felt inspired after seeing this season's billionth travel gear list with a moleskine journal or a foldable alarm clock.

On the very slim chance that you're shopping for a traveler who isn't a hipster but does have a cell phone that doubles as an alarm clock, herein are some reasonably cheap stocking stuffers and one unreasonably expensive one. Because it's already the post-Halloween shopping season. You're already behind, aren't you?

The Top 5 Travel Gear Stocking Stuffers, after the jump.]]> Omri 2009-11-13T09:29:26-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/7/20/02734/7310

It's late in the day and you've been anxiously twittering or emailing with friends about plans for evening when, horror of horrors, your enter key splits right in half. You call up the Genius Bar at your local Apple store to make an appointment, and while the Mac Genius is busy laughing at your misfortune, you stand back and look at the gleaming retail environment around you. It could be an awesome minimalist art studio without the gadgets, but with them it's a technology fantasyland.

Apple stores, magical places which can make your paycheck disappear with the tap of a touchscreen, place just as much stock in the design of their shop interiors as in the look of their laptops. Even their many mall stores attract because of the focus on simple, clean and classic design— an anomaly in your typical mall.

Speaking of anomalies, several of Apple's 250+ international stores stand out as true innovators, whether due to their architectural details or interior features, and we'll show you which and why in our Five Must-See Apple Stores Map.

Five Must-See Apple Stores In The World]]> JetSetCD 2009-07-21T12:25:12-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/7/16/114458/295

We know, we know; no one needs more mobile tech crap to have to lug around with them on a trip, but we have to admit to being dazzled by gadgets that will in any way add to our travel photography while still being pocket-sized. Enter the Polaroid PoGo Mobile Printer, which debuted last year but still seems to be hanging on as far as blatantly unnecessary accessories go.

That's right, we said "blatantly unnecessary." Sorry Polaroid, but let's face the fact that you are good at one thing only: artsy, white-framed instant snapshots, and you don't even produce that film anymore! With the PoGo, which is happily about the size of an iPhone, a bluetooth device such as a smartphone with nice camera capabilities can wirelessly send its shots to be printed as 3x2-inch stickers from this dohicky. ]]> JetSetCD 2009-07-16T12:24:19-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/6/29/2734/30520

Recharging peripherals on the road is easily the bane of our traveling life. An mp3 player or cell phone without batteries can turn an already hectic travel day into an excruciating death march filled with screaming children on airplanes and missed connections on the ground, but carrying different chargers for each peripheral is just outright inconvenient.

One solution is to carry around a rechargeable li-on battery, and preferably one that's not too heavy. We've reviewed several such options in the past.

The latest travel battery vying for your attention and your plugs is the Callpod Fueltank. The battery can charge two different USB devices at the same time and has an indicator light in the center showing overall capacity. Even so, the entire thing still weighs less than 8 ounces.]]> Omri 2009-07-01T09:07:19-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/6/9/2141/27979

We can't help but chortle whenever we're on a bus, train or plane and see a fellow passenger pull out a full-size keyboard to supplement their laptop. Secretly though, we're always a little jealous. Difficult as they are to make space for, portable keyboards sure are easier to use than tiny netbook keys.

So we're drooling a little over the new Goldtouch Go! Travel Keyboard, which looks like it just might perfectly bridge that divide. The 14-inch keyboard has keys the size of a large laptop, but is compact enough to fit over a netbook's keyboard. How, you ask? It's separated into two halves that can be snapped apart and mounted just above your netbook, and the back is made of rubber that they claim will rest slip-free on top of your netbook keyboard, giving you a good deal more typing space.

Plus, the whole thing only weighs one pound. We're not chortling at that!

Related Stories:
· Goldtouch Go! Travel Keyboard [Official Site]
· Travel tech coverage [Jaunted]
· Laptop travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Goldtouch] ]]> BS 2009-06-10T08:47:08-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/3/2/165552/7742 We aren't sure where exactly "managing multiple bulky chargers" goes on the Things That Make Vacations Suck list. But it has be fairly high, right? That goes double and triple if you're traveling with a partner or a family, where every person needs to carry and plug in a different phone charger.

Eventually there will be ubiquitous wireless charging mats in every hotel room, and the world will be at peace. In the meantime this should make things a little easier:

With every new mobile phone purchased, another old, incompatible phone charger gets tossed out. On Tuesday, the GSM Association, which represents the mobile communications industry, promised to make that wasteful practice a thing of the past. The group said 17 mobile phone operators and device makers had agreed to standardize chargers by 2012 for most mobile phones. That means no matter what brand of phone you buy, the chargers should be interchangeable, making it possible to charge a phone from any available charger even if you leave yours at home. And you could use the same charger even when you get a new phone.