Gadgetell | Tech News, Reviews, and Interesting Things

After three unsuccessful flights, the fourth finally worked.  SpaceX has managed to get their Falcon 1 space craft into space.  Taking off from Kwajalein Atoll, an island in the South Pacific the Falcon 1 was able to fly into space, soaring above the International Space Station at a speed of 5200 meters per second.  The flight of the Falcon 1 makes it the first ever private space craft to actually get into space.

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TripAdvisor, one of the biggest travel guide websites on the world wide web, has come up with an interesting idea to give back to the community.  It will come in a shape of a big donation and will be given to a worthy cause.

The best part is that you can vote where the money goes to.  There are 5 options: Conservation International, Doctors Without Borders, National Geographic Society, The Nature Conservancy, and Save the Children. You’ve got until the 12th of November to vote on the organization that should receive $1M.

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Microsoft, apparently taking a break from the comedic stylings of Gates and Seinfeld, introduced the latest edition of Microsoft Streets & Trips.  As you have probably seen on the nightly news, the release had eager buyers in line early and even camping out to purchase their very own copy of Microsoft Streets & Trips 2009. 

Alright, that second part didn’t happen, but Microsoft did refresh the software.  Microsoft is positioning the software a something for the budget conscious pointing out Streets & Trips helps your wallet. In some respects this is true; the software will cost $39.95 and $74.95 if you want that software with a GPS device.  If you already own a laptop, this is definitely a cheaper option than picking up most good stand-alone GPS devices.

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With all the latest changes to weight restrictions on baggage by practically all of the airlines, more and more travelers find themselves trying to figure out if their stuffed suitcase is going to make that new 50-pound limit or be slapped with a whopping $125 (or more!) surcharge.

Well, you could try to stand on your scale and weigh yourself with and without bag and hope your scale is on. (Although this method is rather cumbersome trying to lean around the bag attempting to see the display, and can also be a problem once you are on the return flight and jammed in all those goodies from your trip to Kalamazoo). Or, you could purchase a $25 Balanzaa. Absolutely brainless to operate; the Balanzaa weighs your bag in seconds. It runs on 2 AAA batteries, and itself weighs in at a mere half-pound, so you can even throw it in your suitcase without much worry of tipping those scales too much. The model pictured here is their latest available.

All you have to do is slip the Balanzaa’s strap through the handle of your luggage, pick up your bag and wait for the beep. The LED will quickly show just how much your bag weighs in at...and if you have to remove a couple trinkets or that pair of extra Docs to hit the new airport weight limit. The Balanzaa can measure up to 100 pounds, so if you are carrying something over that, well, I suggest you bring your Visa for that surcharge.

Read [Balanzaa]

The world of computer/network security and encryption owes a lot to Bruce Schneier. Not only was he a pioneer in designing some of the early algorithms for protecting data, he has also helped to shine a light on the arcane world of cryptography for a mainstream audience through his writings, media appearances and overall advocacy, which has included Congressional testimony.

So anyone who travels with a laptop would do well to heed the advice he offers in an op-ed piece in the Guardian. Schneier writes about a recent federal court ruling that allows customs agents to search all electronic devices, including laptops, when traveling to the U.S. Other countries like the UK are already doing this, so Schneier offers up some tips for locking off sections of your hard drive through extra encryption. (Encrypting the entire hard drive won’t work, he says, because you’re likely to be asked to type in your password during the search.) There are also reminders to delete, wipe out history trails and use other, easier approaches to protecting privacy.

Schneier acknowledges all this will take a lot more work than business travelers might be used to, but with more advanced devices and technologies for scanning data on hard drives on the way, he believes it will be worth it.

Read [Guardian]

Leaves have taken color, trees filled with luster and shape again. There’s a smell to spring that is unmistakable, and a hunger to venture out beyond our own borders that cannot be ignored. For those explorers who answer the call, the road sings. A car, the company of good friends, and a destination that has yet to be determined, the iconic American journey. The road trip is an entity that hasn’t evolved, hasn’t been exploited or stripped of its romance yet. Even now as we tie ourselves to cell phones, MP3 players, GPS, laptops, and PDA’s the road trip remains unvarnished, and true.

It remains that way now through our dedication to its principles, rejecting our newly instilled primal urge to be connected to every inch of this world. In it’s embrace we must run away from the comforts technology has provided us. That means using a radio, being guided by a paper map, and hiding from email, text messages and the like for a short breath of untethered freedom. An exercise more in rediscovering something organic and true, then a Thoreau like abandonment of controlled civilization.

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Asus has just released a new travel mouse that in design is similar to a large tube of lipstick or a block from the game Jenga, with it’s miniature design and compact buttons the MS71 still allows for the basic functions of every mouse with two buttons and a scroll wheel. If you look closer you’ll find the the back portion of this little guy pops off and plugs into your computer which acts as the wireless transmitter for the mouse, and also at the same time acts as a thumb drive. The storage capacity of this device is unclear at this point but with the increasing storage in micro devices these days I would not be surprised to see a few gigs in there. Personally I’m wondering how practical this travel mouse really is, I could see maybe for very light use and for people with smaller hands and such but for someone like me with larger hands I don’t see this playing into my life any time soon. 

Via [New Launches]

A hotel concierge can be a wonderful thing, pointing you to the best restaurant, finding the freshest deli, helping you get theater tickets and even locating the closest internet access point. Those fancily named guys may soon be out of a job if the Seaportal project catches on.

The Seaport Hotel and Seaport World Trade Center Boston in Boston, MA., plans to eventually provide complimentary touch screen computers with web access in all of its rooms. The computer and installed services, called Seaportal, will consist of a freestanding, flat-panel computer monitor, wireless mouse and keyboard (exact specs not provided). There are already 25 Seaportal computers installed and seaport plans to have 100 rooms outfitted by the end of the year.

The computers will allow unrestricted interment access, essentially eliminating the need to lug a laptop when staying seaside. Seaportal will also promote the hotel’s amenities, include direct calls to hotel services (including housekeeping and, surprisingly enough, the hotel concierge), offer free VoIP calls by BlueNote Networks SessionSuite and provide information about local attractions, and entertainment.

This is another step closer to the Star Trekian, computer-packed society we’ve seen on TV. Let’s hope it is also one step closer to flying cars.

Site [Seaport Boston]

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