Tag: Travel Tech

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Yet Another Moronic Study on Cell Phones and Airplanes

May 20, 2013 at 3:57 PM | by | Comments (0)

Last time we went over this nonsense we included the line "yes of course this is idiotic," before stepping back and promising to watch our language because "this is a family blog." But now those same moronic 2011 anecdotes are being recycled as proof that cell phones and tablets can interfere with the navigation systems of gigantic airliners? And now Bloomberg is declaring that "more than a decade of pilot reports and scientific studies" imply that it's true? Fuck. That.

Listen. If you believe that something you bought off the shelf at an Apple Store has the ability to interfere with a Boeing 747... well, we're not going to do the stand-up comedian thing where we tell you to kill yourself. But at a minimum, as a public service, consider chemical castration. "A decade of pilot reports and scientific studies"? Holy. Shit.

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WHOA. Alitalia's Flagship Lounge Now Includes a Flight Simulator

Where: Rome, Italy
May 17, 2013 at 3:00 PM | by | Comments (0)

Just when you thought ever-bankrupt Italian airline Alitalia was a last-choice option for crossing the Atlantic, they go and do something cool like debut a renovated lounge with all new bells and whistles.

The "Dolce Vita" lounge, located within Terminal 1 at Rome's Fiumicino Airport welcomes those flying Alitalia in Magnifica class, Business, Ottima or Comfort, plus those holding elite SkyTeam status. Alitalia has a total of 15 lounges, but this is the largest and thus, the flagship. Believe it or not, it only took them two months to complete the renovation, to reopen in early March.

So, let's get down to the good stuff! The Dolce Vita lounge now boasts a bunch of "Made in Italy" features, like furniture from B&B Italia, coffee by Illy, catering by Eataly, a wall mosaic by Bisazza, and Prandina lighting. "The Pilot Bar" serves up the aforementioned Illy and Eataly yummies, and the areas for work and relaxation will delight those with eyes for design. Still, we can't help but be most psyched for a massive new toy installed in the lounge: a Boeing 737 flight simulator!

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In-Flight WiFi Will Be Just One More Fee on Ryanair

May 17, 2013 at 11:12 AM | by | Comments (0)

One of the world’s best airlines (when comes to ancillary revenue) is getting ready to add another option for you to tack onto your flight total. Fair warning that this is still very much speculation, but Ryanair just might be flipping the switch on in-flight WiFi sooner rather than later.

There’s no decision yet, and they’re still working behind the scenes to determine what company would even provide the in-flight magic. It does sound like LiveTV is just one of the groups in the running for the contract. Apparently, Ryanair isn't exactly sold on the idea as they don’t know if the installation costs will be totally worth it in the long run.

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The Kiosks are Coming! US Customs Set to Trial Paperless Immigration Procedure

May 14, 2013 at 9:27 AM | by | Comments (2)

When it comes to international travel the most stressful part—at least to us—is trying to locate a stupid pen to fill out the arrival paperwork. Usually a fellow passenger or flight attendant has pity on us and loans us a Bic; however, the need for pen and paper might soon be a thing of the past.

Uncle Sam—through the United State Border Control—is rolling out some new technology in hopes of speeding up the border control process. Kiosks will soon be available to welcome passengers to—and back to—the United States, as paper forms are filed away forever. The first airports testing out the new procedures will be Vancouver International Airport and Chicago-O’Hare, so things won’t change overnight.

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Google Glass Will Not Be a Must-Have Travel Accessory

May 7, 2013 at 4:45 PM | by | Comments (0)


Sergey Brin wearing the glasses

Google Glass Google Glass Google Glass. It's everywhere and yet it's nowhere. The wearable computing glasses are only beginning a trial on actual consumers, and already businesses are eager to ban them.

The NY Times is all over the controversy this week, explaining that the "glasseslike device allows Internet access, as well as the shooting of photos and video, raising concerns about privacy and distraction." Beating them to the punch is Saturday Night Live, whose hilarious anti-Glass sketch with Fred Armisen sums up the public sentiment.

So, where won't you be able to wear Google Glass? Our sister site VegasChatter reported in mid-April that Las Vegas strip clubs are banning them, and casinos are considering a ban. In addition, SFist relays that a Seattle dive bar has banned them, and groups are rising up with petitions against the gadget.

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Drop Everything and Search for Flights on Routehappy, Right Now

May 1, 2013 at 4:53 PM | by | Comment (1)

Routehappy explained in 90 seconds from Routehappy on Vimeo.

"I'm thinking of flying First Class for my big vacation trip!" - Friend

"Not on [redacted airline] you shouldn't! It just won't be the First Class experience you're imagining. Try [different airline] instead; at least it's lie-flat seats." - Us

"Ooh, okay. What else would I get?" - Friend

Cue a two-hour phone conversation that only ended in exasperation on both ends, after googling and browsing airline websites 'til we were blue in the thumbs. If only Routehappy.com had existed last week.

Routehappy actually went live last Friday, which may have been too late for our first timer friend in First Class, but it's right on time for a traveling public increasingly paying attention to the availability of perks on planes. At its heart, Routehappy is a flight search and booking website built and powered by self-proclaimed #avgeeks. At its full potential, it's an educational tool to make you the most informed traveler on the entire plane route.

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Who'll Be Flying from Google's Private Airport Terminal?

April 17, 2013 at 12:50 PM | by | Comments (0)

It's happening. A Google airline terminal is happening.

Two months ago we hinted that Google was looking to drop some dough on some tarmac to call their very own. And, according to Airport World, that plan for a Google Terminal at San Jose International is moving full speed ahead after the San José City Council gave the green light for Signature Flight Support to sign a 50-year lease for land at the airport.

It's on that 29-acre piece of land that Signature (a fixed-base operator, or FBO) plans to put $82 million into the construction of 270,000 square feet of LEED Gold facilities (inclusive of the 17,000 square foot terminal) exclusively for "private jets belonging to Google chiefs and other Silicon Valley businesses." So, in other words, not your average travelers or even the highest tier frequent flyers will be welcome.

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QR Codes on Your Luggage Tags, Why Not?

April 17, 2013 at 7:11 AM | by | Comments (0)

At this point you probably have a favorite luggage tag. It might be the one that came with your suitcase, or maybe it’s a snazzy one that you scored in your travels. For quite some time ours was a just free paper one—thanks Delta—that was hanging on by a thread; however, we’ve thankfully upgraded and moved on from that one. If you’re still in the market for a piece of suitcase flair, head over to GoCodes and they will get you set up.

GoCodes take a unique spin on the traditional luggage tag, as in addition to pictures of flags, flowers, or kitties there’s also one of those QR codes on the back. The code is linked to your account, so if your bag every goes on vacation without you it’ll be able to find its way back home—at least in theory.

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How to Hack an Airplane? There's an (Android) App for That

April 12, 2013 at 3:06 PM | by | Comments (0)

We were going to use this post to turn today's US Airways meltdown at PHL—luggage left in the rain, flights boarding at random times, etc—into a Teachable Moment about travel social media. Telling people to work with your on-the-ground reps is pretty much the definition of using Twitter wrong. But we're so blindingly furious at the airline right now that it's probably better for everyone to count to 10.

Maybe next week, after our blood pressure has returned to sub-heart attack levels, we'll have a group discussion about why telling people that they should know better than to wait in your airline's airline lounge isn't a great idea.

Anyway, this story—about how Android phones might be able to hack airplanes—is, first, real news, and second, interesting. So we're going to put aside our theory that US Airways reps are sadistic travel trolls determined to ruin our lives. Instead, how about how an Android app may or may not be able to "modify approximately everything related to the navigation of the plane"? Added the hacker who wrote the software: "that includes a lot of nasty things."

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The $39 Accessory Every Traveler with an iPhone or MacBook Needs

April 4, 2013 at 2:20 PM | by | Comments (0)

Note: This story pertains to users of Apple MacBooks, iPads and iPhones.

You know the distinctive white MacBook power cord? It has a name. It's called the "MagSafe Adapter" and that white block portion does more than plug into the wall to charge your laptop; it also works with different voltages to allow travelers to safely plug their MacBooks into the 110-volt electricity of the US, or the 220-240 volts of almost everywhere else (without need for a clunky power converter).

That said, the plug shape still needs to change to fit foreign power outlets, and that's where our new favorite thing comes into play.

It's the Apple World Travel Adapter Kit, it's $39, and it's saved our work life during three months of heavy international travel. We've only had it since Christmas (a gift from a family member) and already we can't imagine living/traveling without it.

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Four Tiny Things Making a Huge Difference at London's Smallest Airport

April 3, 2013 at 10:21 AM | by | Comments (0)

How many of London's airports can you name? There's Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, uhhh Luton and....City! It's that last one that's often forgotten because it's the smallest of the bunch and nearest to downtown, though the most innovative (and not just because they offer free WiFi).

We just flew through London-City for the first time and came out of the experience a little more hopeful for the future of air travel. It's true they have some freedom to experiment because the airport is tiny, the passengers are mostly frequent flying professionals, and the flights are mostly limited to Europe, but that's all the more reason to detour away from the mega airports to try City's particularly civilized "boutique" airport experience.

Here's what LCY has got going on that makes it so...so fly:

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North Korea Shuts Down 3G Internet Access for Tourists, but the Instagrams Remain

March 27, 2013 at 11:30 AM | by | Comments (0)

After little less than a month of 3G internet access for foreigners visiting North Korea, Wired UK reports that the signal has been shut down as the hermit kingdom once again retreats into its usual campaign of warmongering.

Still, for that brief period, a few journalists were able to post tweets and Instagrams live from within the borders and, ever so briefly, skyrocket international cultural interest in a country that's usually only making headlines for their politics. Perhaps the 3G access was cut because of this, these images of a "softer side" of North Korea that's contrary to the propaganda officially proliferated by Pyongyang? We can only wonder as, of course, the last thing we can expect is clarification of any actions taken by North Korea.

If you missed the stream of social media during the brief 3G period, it thankfully all lives on in the internet. Here's where to find it:

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