We’ve all been there. The flight attendant kindly asks everyone to turn off their electronic devices, but one person is just to cool for school and continues to text and tweet away. One woman did exactly this, but she obviously took it a little too far and wound up going to the big house for a couple hours.

It all started on a Southwest Airlines flight in Nashville last summer. The passenger was returning from Florida and wanted to let her kids know that she was safe and on her way home. Apparently a flight attendant asked her to turn off the phone, but then returned several times to reinforce his message, including two visits as the plane headed toward the runway. Maybe if it was the rapping flight attendant, she would have paid attention. ]]> kjb 2009-05-19T09:01:57-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/3/2/222126/4620

We try our very best to let you know how you’ll be able to access the web on your next flight, but we haven’t stumbled across a solution for your pesky cell phone—until now.

SpinVox has that solution somewhat figured out. The company has developed some fancy software to get your voicemail messages delivered right to your inbox. They take that extended two-minute message from your grandma boss, convert it to text, and shoot it right to your email.

Sounds pretty slick, right? Well, we’re thinking that it’s not the must-have application of the year. Not only will you have to download the program and pony up a usage fee, but currently it’s only available to users of Alltel, Bell, and Vonage--so your iPhone ain’t going to cut it. Additionally, if you’re traveling about and need to get in touch with people, won’t they just email you directly anyway?

Regardless, we’re happy to hear about anything that can harness the mighty power of in-flight WiFi. If you were able to score a long-haul flight with WiFi, this service could definitely come in handy. So what do you think? Is this worth it, do you really need to check your voicemail in flight? Let us know in the comments.

Related Stories:
·SpinVox [Official Site]
·Alaska Air Starts WiFi Trials, Gives It Away For Free [Jaunted]
·WiFi coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: nechbi] ]]> kjb 2009-03-03T10:41:14-05:00 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.

We never thought we'd see the day when all you physically needed to board a flight is your ID and your cell phone, especially since making calls on flights is still very much a no-no. But according to the Austin American-Statesman, US airlines like Delta, Continental and American are experimenting with checking in passengers via QR code, or those curious black-and-white nouveau barcodes.

Popular overseas but lagging in the States, the QR, or "Quick Reponse" code, is a digital mark which, once captured by a cell phone's camera, will redirect to a specific website. Reinterpreted for airline check-in, passengers will display the QR code on their cell phones, which will be scanned at security. No more paper, hallelujah! ]]> JetSetCD 2009-01-30T16:01:46-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/1/19/10615/2608

The only thing more frustrating than trying to meet up with friends in a sea of a half-million people is trying to meet up with friends in a sea of a half-million people...without cell phone service.

That was the logistical nightmare that those attending yesterday's free inaugural kick-off concert for Barack Obama faced. And since spectator numbers are expected to quadruple for tomorrow's swearing-in, it's likely the situation will only get worse.

Wireless networks say that they have spent millions trying to increase capacity for the event, but you should still make your plans without factoring your cellphone into the equation.

Establish concrete meetup points for before and after the swearing-in as well as a gameplan for where to rendezvous in case of an emergency. The Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association is also encouraging people to forego sending videos, pictures, and making calls, and to instead use text messages.

Of course, the pressing issue on our minds right now is will there be enough cell reception for the American public to send their SMS updates to Twitter? And will the networks be able to handle it? We know Twitter won't.

Although profits in its theme parks have been down, Disney is still working hard on new tricks and technologies for your next visit. Now, the company has buddied up with Verizon Wireless to offer a new service to make visits to the park easier--and to squeeze out a few more dollars from your pockets.

Upon entering the park, you’ll be able to use your phone to figure out how long the lines are at major attractions or where you can snag a picture with Mickey Mouse. After a quick download, your phone will be set up with a program to map your way through the park.

But the new service will also allow Disney to track where you are and what you’re doing. Luckily, the cell phone app is optional. So far Disney promises to only use the service for good, but there’s an awful lot of temptation to sell people stuff when they’re near a gift shop!

Related Stories:
· Disney, Verizon To Turn The Cellphone Into A Theme-Park Visitor's Tool [LAT]
· Theme Parks coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo of a long line at Epcot: Joe Shlabotnik]]]> kjb 2008-11-19T16:15:16-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/10/27/13311/328

Firefighters in France cut a passenger out of a train bathroom after his arm got stuck in the toilet. Yes, really.

The traumatized traveler was apparently fiddling with his cell phone when it fell into the toilet bowl. When he tried to fish it out, his arm got sucked into the plumbing, causing a two-hour delay for the TGV making its way to La Rochelle from Paris. Said a witness:

He came out on a stretcher, with his hand still jammed in the toilet bowl, which they had to saw clean off.

A spokesman for SNCF, which operates the TGV, called it "an unlikely accident," though unlikely makes it sound like it's happened before. Considering the state of most train bathrooms we've seen over the years, we'd gladly sacrifice a phone before sticking our arm in the plumbing.

Related Stories:
· Frenchman Delays Train After Getting Arm Stuck [Telegraph]
· Man's Arm Trapped in Toilet [BBC]

[Photo: FaceMePLS]]]> pbb 2008-10-27T13:34:21-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/