ROAD TRIP! Installment 7

Back at home base, I can reflect on the trip and finish getting those comparative videos and stills organized and posted as promised.

Toward the end of my Houston visit, I watched with great interest the news about the storm brewing in the Gulf. As I watched, I thought about the differences between life in Houston and life as I am accustomed to it in Southern California with regard to one important characteristic - emergencies due to natural calamity.

Here, we have earthquakes. There, and in surrounding areas, the seasonal threat of hurricanes and tornadoes interrupts their lives. While my personal preference is for life in Southern California, we all need to be prepared for one similar occurrence - unexpected, extended darkness. Conventional, old fashioned and inefficient flashlights go though a set of batteries in just a few hours. Ditto most high-performance LED flashlights.

I have experienced SoCal earthquakes and their follow-on power outages since birth. I was present several years ago for a TV appearance in New York City at precisely the moment the city was plunged into total darkness from about 7pm until mid-morning the next day.

I believe in being prepared for sudden, extended power outages insofar as never being too long in darkness. I don't fear darkness. I respect it and know that it is only with light that I can get around when conventional lighting fails me.

I never leave home without a $9 LED Photon X-Light Micro Keychain Light from C. Crane Company in my pocket. The entire Gadget Family has this light at all times. Its amazingly powerful LED not only throws a mean beam, adjustable from full power to significant dimmable levels, it can also provide useful light for more than 12 hours. One of these belongs in a pocket or purse of everyone, in my view.

When on the road, I never leave home without a $29.95 CC Trek 4-LED Flashlight from C. Crane Company. This waterproof and ruggedly-built powerhouse provides enough light to live by at full power for over 40 hours, and then over 100 hours of useful light. I know of no other light with these useful benefits. Cook, bathe, walk about and live by the light from a CC Trek 4-LED Flashlight powered by a trio of standard off-the-shelf alkaline AA batteries (already installed in the flashlight).

In my own home, we have several of the 4-LED CC Trek flashlights, strategically placed on hooks at each door jamb. It is this kind of illumination security that helps me know that darkness will never be a problem in any emergency in our home. We have one of these lights in the glove box of each vehicle, as well.

Why mention all of this here? It is something old hat to me, but on my visit to Houston and watching the news of the gathering Gulf storm, it occurred to me that I had forgotten to handle this with my family and close friends in Houston. During my visit, I was reminded that only a few years ago Houstonians and others in the area were without power for 10 days due to hurricane activity. Equipped before an emergency is the way to go.

Yes, it's fun to have powerful LED flashlights to detail for you at www.MrGadget.com and the Fenix LD10 R4 that I took along for fun on my road trip (and described in recent blog entries). It is more practical and important to urge you to be prepared with both lights from C. Crane in pockets, purses, vehicle glove boxes and strategically placed in homes in any area where the electrical power is prone to unexpectedly evaporate for extended periods.

You're probably thinking about the batteries. How long will they last even if not used? Today's alkaline AA batteries bought today have a typical shelf life of at least five years and are so very inexpensive. Three of them power the CC Trek Flashlights. The Photon X-Light Micro Keychain Light is powered by and comes equipped with a pair of Lithium CR-2016 cells that I find for around $2 with careful Internet shopping. Their shelf life is a respectable 10 years!

I rely on these products from my friends at the C. Crane Company, have done so for years, and recommend them to you without reservation.

Until next time . . .

ROAD TRIP! Installment 6

June 27, 2010 - It has been a very busy few days since my last post.

Finished the Ikea runs, assembled the lateral file and TV stand.

Lights are all replaced with FEIT CFLs from Costco; for less energy consumption in general and less heat generated. Costco had all we needed, from the small diameter flood lights for track lights to the flame-type bulbs for the ceiling fans to the bathroom vanity globes. All told we went from a total possible 1220 watts needed for the conventional lighting that was here to about 196 watts at full on. Sis will definitely see this savings on her electric bill.

Cable TV and Internet installed. However, we are changing providers from a small, local cable company to AT&T U-verse. We were told that U-verse service bundles in this apartment complex had to include TV, Internet and phone, which sis did not want or need. She has Vonage, switching to better value, excellent quality and service from PhonePower. Hence, no phone from an Internet or TV service provider is needed. Despite what we were told, I looked online and then called AT&T to learn that she could bundle Internet and TV only, with better value, in my view, more channels, and faster Internet for only a little more than the little cable company's service. Ordered U-verse, to be installed 6-29, at which time the other service will be canceled. Fortunately, there is no contract with the first, which will refund that portion of unused paid-up-front first month. All's good! I will still be in town to get that set up and running. It's an all-new hardware venture. For the first provider, we were able to use her original cable modem and D-Link DIR-655 router. U-verse will come with their own custom combo modem and wireless router by 2WIRE, and excellent company. But it their box is not wireless N, I may opt to bypass the router portion of the device and to use the gigabit Ethernet-capable D-Link in its stead. We'll see how that plays out.

On the personal tech front, I've continued to use the EVO 4G with excellent results, though power management remains an issue, at least for this user. Unless 4G is disabled while on battery, as well as hot spot capability, the battery drains within a few hours and that thing gets quite warm. The rule must be that users enable only what is needed, when it is needed, while on internal battery power. I guess this is to be expected. Using other services, such as Sprint TV, are further drains on the battery. Users would be wise to take everywhere the USB cable and plug-in charger, perhaps keeping an inverter as referred to in Installment 5 in one's vehicle to accommodate all eventualities. I am NOT sure the same would be true for the new iPhone. I'm just speculating here. However, iPhone does not have 4G nor hot spot capability. So much for this little comparison.

I've also had lots more experience using the Kodak PlaySport, even underwater. I have yet to post all my still image comparisons among all the devices, nor the videos, but I am working on it. I can tell you all that the Kodak PlaySport has exceeded my expectations, and is likely the best value of its type on the market today. I spied them at Costco in Houston for about $130 a few days ago and see them now online, delivered from as low as $133. Add the pair of extra batteries previously recommended and at least a 16GB memory card, and the price is still under $200.

Just wait until you see the quality of the videos, with and without the Electronic Image Stabilizer engaged, in normal lighting, in low light and the pièce de résistance , the product's underwater capabilities. How could anyone want better in its size?

Connected the new Brother HL-2170W wireless black & white laser printer (it was only $80 delivered via the Brother online store - previously alerted you all to this at the time a couple of weeks ago via Twitter and my Facebook fan page). Connected her Brother wireless MFC-665CW color all-in-one. Now, she and visitors can print wirelessly to the printer of choice. Preferable, of course, will be the workhorse HL-2170W, as it costs less than a penny per copy and toner cartridges are so inexpensive. The 665CW, her only previous printer and expensive to use whether in color OR black, will see most use as a scanner and fax machine and occasionally used for printing ONLY when color is a necessity. It is also easy to scan from it to her Mac (or to a Windows PC) and then print multiple copies on the 2170W, a sort of roundabout, yet still easily accomplished way of doing copier functions.

We also picked up a few of the excellent 3M Command products. These are the best leave-no-trace hangers for lightweight photos, towels, kitchen gadgets, dustpans and the like ever devised. Moms and dads take note if you have a college dorm- or apartment-bound student. Get these products for your students to hang their necessities and not have to put nails or screws into walls. In the bathrooms, they will prove indispensable.

More tweaks and fix-its accomplished. I noticed that the central AC did not seem to be doing its job well, which is not something one would want in hot, sticky Houston. I was not prepared with my Raytek MiniTemp infrared digital thermometer on the trip. Instead, we visited an auto parts store and bought an under-$6 automotive AC thermometer, which I stuck in the main register and measured an output temp of just 60°. This was not acceptable, resulting in a service call. The unit was serviced and outlet temps measured at a more appropriate 48°. Now, with little effort the apartment can be maintained at a more tolerable (at least for me) 75° or less. Mission accomplished and now the apartment is, at least for me, tolerable, with the AC cycling on and off, saving money for Pam. Had it been left alone without servicing, the unit would have run constantly at great expense and with little cooling effect. This, combined with the energy savings from the CFLs detailed above will be very helpful, no doubt.

Our visits with my nephew and niece-in law, and that precious little great niece have been absolutely wonderful. I will miss her. The sad thing is that, at 13 months, she will likely forget all about me (or anyone else in a similar situation) in the months ahead. I hope to be able to visit again in the not too distant future. I'll have two more visits with her before leaving, however.

Also accomplished with more to go have been visits with our most favorite and dearest, special friends here in town.

Winding down my time here in Houston, there are just a few more projects to complete before heading back by air to home base in SoCal.

I will get my photos organized and linked for viewing on SmugMug just as soon as possible, providing context to all my comments on these topics. There will be more videos posted to my YouTube channel, as well.

Until next time . . .

ROAD TRIP! Installment 5

From 6-22-10. San Antonio is a nice town with friendly folks. We stayed at the Drury Inn and Suites spittin' distance from River Walk, one of our objectives here.

Up early again to head over to The Alamo. Well, that was fun, though a short visit was all we needed. Interesting. Now that I have been on the property and walked all around, I will go online to learn more of its history and put it all into perspective.

Then, a short walk to the River Walk to take the 35-minute barge tour and learn what this river really is (it really is the San Antonio River) and why there is such a thing running though town. That was fun, too.

Before noon, we were ready to leave hot and sticky San Antonio with eyes on the prize - hot and sticky Houston, Pam's new home.

We pulled in by late afternoon, went straight to meet my new great niece, sweet Lexi, 13 months, who was a bit cranky, but cute as a bug and full of personality. Hung out, helped with, what else, tech issues at my nephews'. Fixed Windows computer issues - needed updates and general once-over. One laptop's wireless was not working. Somehow, some way, wireless was disabled. Into Device Manager to the wireless adapter, click Enable, and that was that.

Set up their own FlipShare for their Flip Mino HD. The software allows auto sharing when that feature is enabled. Enter email of those with whom the user wishes to share the videos. When videos are added to a "channel" the user has set up, notification can be sent to all on the email distribution list. I set up a channel, uploaded videos to the Flip site, and with a click, notifications of those videos were sent to those on the list. The recipients then click on the video on their screen and streaming video ensues.

Previously, they had tried to send videos in email. Not smart! Those files can be HUGE! Ditto digital stills; sending full size digital stills in email is a no-no. Better to share other ways. If you want printable quality digital image files for those with whom you are sharing the photos, social media sites such as Facebook are NOT the way to go. I've got a suggestion for you all coming up.

Next tech job there for me is to get nephew and fam to use the Phanfare site I set up for photo and video sharing (and backup). In my view, the best family-oriented site of its type as all photos are saved and backed up in their native size, as well as HD videos that meet their specs for maximum file size. Head on over to Phanfare for more info.

Some of you may also wish to check in on SmugMug. I use and love their capability and will post comparative stills and videos there, linked for y'all to see.

4G is HERE! I watched for it to happen on the way into town. Speeds noticeably faster. HOWEVER, also noted on the drive from San Antonio was an EVO 4G battery power issue.

I knew that battery life could not be good with all those internal radios switched on - Wi-Fi, Hot Spot, searching for 4G constantly, 3G, running Nav apps. I noticed that, even plugged into the dual Zagg USB adapter, the battery was not able to keep up with demand, so it charged little and very slowly. The solution was to feed it AC power via a plug-in inverter. I prefer the Tripp-Lite products. It's as if plugged in at home or office. The EVO 4G's adapter/charger becomes warm to the touch and easily handles demand of all the radios and features when charging with AC and not auto DC.

Once inside the apartment that has not yet been tech equipped - cable company comes Friday, the EVO 4G is our shared Internet access. We were on 4G last night. I measured SpeedTest at about 3.5mbps down and almost 1mbps up. It felt "normal," with both of us sharing Internet fro disparate ends of the apartment as it we were set up with a "normal" wired-in provider connected to a wireless router. Sweeeeeet! It's not the strongest signal, but even with fair 4G, it flies. I also noticed occasionally that we lost 4G and reverted to 3G. Probably normal, all depending upon one's locale within the 4G footprint.

I was able to connect her CC Wi-Fi radio, too, and streamed audio as my bedside clock radio for hours and hours, through the night as if I was at home base on "real" Internet service. One forgets that the Internet is via EVO 4G, just as it should be.

It's been a long day and now it's early into the next morning.

More in my next installment.

ROAD TRIP! Installment 4

Up early today, a busy one as I eluded to in #3. Off to Carlsbad Caverns to see only a small portion of what this one-of-a-kind national park has to offer.

Several tours are available. We were told that to see all that are available to the general public it would be more than a day's trek. Passes are good for three days. There are ranger-guided tours as well as self-guided tours using playback devices resembling very long TV remote controls.

We opted for a self-guided tour that began and ended with an elevator ride to and from the main tourist cavern. Neither of us is the 750 feet of stairs down, then back type, and that's just to enter and exit! We walked the main cavern path seeing the stalagmites (those are the ones on the bottom) and stalactites (the ones up above) of incalculable variety and unimaginable majesty as well as those that look as dainty as a thin needle of material, ready to drop from the slightest interference. Some were more mound-like or larger still, evidence of their particular creation from longest ago. It's not as it one can watch these things as they grow!

As if the main cavern, the Big Room, as it is called, was not enough, there are within it other caves, one of which is said to be 100 miles in length, open only to experienced researchers. And there was more!

Among the guided tour options are those which "recommend" the visitor to wear long sleeve shirt and long pants. Required are gloves, knee pads and four NEW AA batteries. Crawling through relatively tight spaces is one of the described activities, though we observed Rangers beefier than we who commented on their own participation in those tours.

Above ground in the parking lot, the temp was just this side of Hades, but below, it was cool and moist, though all that walking heated me up.

Normally, of course, it would be darker than dark down there, but the Park Service, with their advisors, strategically lighted the place so as to enhance the visitors' scenic overview and to highlight the most striking features. Yet, the lighting was tasteful and muted to maintain the mood and proper ambience of such a place.

Our visit was a unique experience and one I shall carry with me forever. Readers are encouraged to visit this National Park and many others among this country's unique National Park System. Fascinating and enlightening, to be sure.

In addition, one of my most favorite of Ken Burns' for-PBS documentary series is all about The National Parks: America's Best Idea. This series is a MUST watch for students and anyone interested in some fascinating history of this wonderful country of ours. When originally broadcast in glorious High Def I recorded and watched each of the six parts. I cannot more highly recommend this program. Rent it on Blu-ray DVD, if you are so equipped or gift it to someone who may find it of interest. Viewers will not be disappointed. Our park system is unique in all the world and almost all are fabulous destinations.

And, of course, inside I brought my toys! As if you expected less. I geeked/nerded up with the super-cool Fenix flashlight (which proved to be the brightest torch we encountered during our inside visit.

Also along were the Flip Slide HD, the Kodak PlaySport and the EVO 4G that captured comparative visuals. Knowing that photos and videos would be iffy at best in that space and with that provided lighting,

I also took along my own "old faithful" still camera - an aging Kodak V705 camera that I love to this day for several reasons, despite its now-old technology. It is "only" a six megapixel camera that, truth be told, is really plenty good and of sufficient megapixels to render a fine 11 x 17 print, or even larger. The trusty V705 is a dual-lens model, of which there were two made by Kodak. One lens is a generous 24mm wide, a feature not lost on this snapshooter. The other takes it all the way out to mm with a x optical zoom. It also has settings for candlelit circumstances, which proved ideal for the mostly dimly lit cavern.

I snapped several photos down below with the V705, a conventional, if old, digital camera with and without flash. This allowed comparison of its output with the non-traditional still photo capabilities of the Kodak PlaySport's 5MP capability, sans flash, as well as the flash-equipped EVO 4G's 8MP ultra-modern (for a smartphone) camera. You'll see and you may draw your own conclusions.

The PlaySport features sparse adjustments in still mode, with brightness being one of these few. I set brightness to high. I also shot video or some of the intentionally lit areas, as well as some lit only by my Fenix, just because I could.

Other stills from the V705 in its by candlelit mode were also shot with light supplied by the Fenix light. That is SOME flashlight!! Geeks take note.

Finally, I snapped a few off with the EVO 4G, which is clearly out of its league in this kind of underground ambience, which I can excuse. After all, one cannot expect a smartphone, even one with Google inside to do everything perfectly well!

Leaving the Caverns and heading off for San Antonio and The Alamo tomorrow, I am once again riding shotgun and writing while wirelessly tethered to the EVO 4G hotspot. This can be addictive, I must admit.

I was also determined to try the Magellan RoadMate 3055's Bluetooth capability again. Here, I hit a roadblock as has occurred with other GPS units I've tried that have the "bonus" of built-in BT. Let us just say I tried to connect unsuccessfully several times, deleting the Sony Ericsson C902's presence on it and the Magellan's presence on the C902. It worked well just that once yesterday. So, for now, I have abandoned, just for now, this trial. I WILL try again using the EVO 4G and then, as needed, with Pam's Motorola Z9, but not today. I am stymied! How is it that I was connected, then not, then, at one point, the C902 showed it was connected to the RoadMate 3055, but this was a lie. It's baffling. Ah, enough for now.

We are nearing San Antonio and you know what that means . . . time to figure out our dining spot for this evening. I'll check out the three Man V. Food establishments I will look at and two DDD choices.

I know that the two DDD choices are no-go for us this Monday evening, either due to being closed altogether or not open late enough for our arrival into town. Of the three featured by Adam Richman, one is pizza and we'll pass. Of the other two, one is a burger joint and the other is a bakery and café. I'll call to check them out, now that we are 70 miles from our destination.

By default, the 24/7 open Lulu's Bakery & Café wins as the burger joint is closed. The meal was, well, eh. Burgers cooked more done than I like. Chicken fried steak was just OK. Fried Mushrooms were kind of tasty. Onion rings were decent. This really is a DIVE, but folks were nice, quite nice indeed. Homey, folksy, atmosphere, this is the epitome of a "greasy spoon" place. We saw but did not dare try one of their signature FOUR POUND cinnamon rolls.

Do not forge to head over to my blog on YouTube chronicle of the trip. Stills are coming soon, too, and I'll let you know where to go to see comparative still images. All stills were taken with the 8MP camera in the EVO 4G smartphone (Sprint), the 5MP still capability of the Kodak PlaySport and with my trusty ol' Kodak V705 dual lens wide angle point-and-shoot camera so you can see what a dedicated still camera, though aged, are like.

ROAD TRIP! Installment 3

Today we made it as far as outside Carlsbad, NM and tomorrow, we will visit the Carlsbad Caverns before heading off to San Antonio, TX. It will be a long and busy day.

On today's drive, a loooooong drive, we experienced areas of excellent service that allowed at home-like browsing via the EVO 4G hotspot on-the-go.

However, in a few areas where there was truly nothing at all for mile after mile, we noticed little to no signal on the Sprint phone for the first time. By contrast, and unexpected, we also noticed that there was NO AT&T service in many instances. Bravo Sprint!

Note: Even as good as is the Wilson Sleek, it cannot overcome NO signal. You just can't boost NO signal at all.

I also had the opportunity to pair the Bluetooth capability in the Magellan RoadMate 3055 to my personal phone - a Sony Ericsson C902. Pairing worked and the unit imported my contacts, a nice feature. It also supports voice dialing in my C902. There are some contacts I've set up with voice dialing by recording into the phone the word I speak that signals that number/person to be called.

I made a call to Mrs. Gadget back at Gadget Central at home base in SoCal. She let the call go to voice mail. No, she was not ignoring me (or was she?). In this way, on that PhonePower VoIP line, I get voice mail in email, allowing both of us to hear the quality of the call. The quality was surprisingly good! It sounded better than from some BT headsets. I'll try more along the way.

Also worthy of note is that when the EVO 4G hits good service, Internet speeds, even with 3G seem quite acceptable, whether directly from the handset or using hotspot capability via my PC or Pam's MacBook. Today, I did all the driving, so it was she on her MacBook. As one not "into" gadgets, she commented on how normal was the performance, reminded that we were on the road driving at a speed I will not mention.

On the eating-our-way-to-Texas subject, there was nothing remarkable on this stop, but we are looking forward to some interesting choices once we hit San Antonio - a few Man V Food recommendations that will be open late, when we expect to make it to that area. It's a long drive from Carlsbad to San Antonio!

My goal is to take more comparative videos with the Flip Slide HD and Kodak PlaySport tomorrow and to use the EVO 4G video and still capabilities to show more to you. Now that I have written about this, I'll have to come through!

I'll also try to remember to tell you about some of the apps for the EVO 4G I've found useful in my next installment.

More as time permits.

Thanks for reading.

ROAD TRIP! Installment 2

I'm riding shotgun today and using a laptop via the EVO 4G's outstanding hotspot capability, even though it's only 3G.

Just passed the Continental Divide en route to Albuquerque.

Forgot to mention other goodies along on the trip. I've taken the excellent Hydroflask 24-0z. Original model with the new sport flip top. It's double-wall insulated and made of 18/8 stainless steel. Even in this heat when we have been outdoors, such as on our visit through the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest, the water inside my Hydroflask was C-O-L-D, with ice. It can stay like that for up to 24 hours. You want one of these!

Another asset along the way has been and will continue to be the new $129 (list) Wilson Sleek from Wilson Electronics. This little gadget is a portable cell phone booster that clamps over your phone, sort of like a phone mount. The back of your phone contacts the front of the booster and is held in by a pair of clamps (it comes with three sets to fit just about any width and thickness of handset out there). Hit the link above to see it. Shop online for much better price! New, and first seen at CTIA in Las Vegas this past March. It has proven to boost weak signals out in the middle of nowhere, whether on my drive home to SoCal from CTIA or on this very long trip. I've monitored signal with and without the device. There is no doubt it works and works well, not where there is no signal, but where there is some, it's always better with the Wilson Sleek. For any road warrior, that is, a genuine, behind-the-wheel road warrior, even in rental cars, get Wilson Sleek for maximum cellular signal of whatever is available, all the time, from any mobile provider (in the US).

I've taken video with the EVO 4G and posted them on my YouTube channel.

I've also taken some video with the Kodak PlaySport camcorder ($150 list, but heavily discounted online, plus extra battery and 16GB memory card combined for a total extra of about $50) while in the car, with and without EIS (Electronic Image Stabilizer) switched on. See any difference? Read my review. KODAK PLAYSPORT Video Camera My video also at my YouTube Channel.

More videos also taken with the $280 (list price) Flip Slide HD (www.theflip.com) for comparison of not only stability but video quality and just overall differences between the two when taking the same shots. See these, too, at my YouTube Channel.

Finally, we are also using the brand new $259 (list) Magellan RoadMate 3055 (www.magellangps.com) for our nav job. I just saw it on Amazon.com for about $195 with FREE SHIPPING. The company has done a fantastic job with the new mount! Not only does the unit slide so easily onto the mount, but the power cable tip base can now be slid into a slot on the bottom of the mount. In this way the cable stays put in the mount while the user slides the PND onto and off of the base. Neat, really neat, that is, the cable is neatly positioned out the back of the bottom of the mount and the PND itself sits on a little landing as it bottoms onto its windshield mount's base.

As for the PND (Personal Navigation Device) itself, this new Magellan is quick to respond and sports a few new and worthwhile features. First, when tapping the lower left which defaults to trip ETA, a "tree" rises with altitude, speed, direction, distance and time remaining to destination. After about 10 seconds, the tree descends and disappears. Previous models resorted to tap and toggle through the info. This innovative new presentation is just plain smart.

I also like the included lifetime built-in traffic. Tapping the icon when it appears there is traffic ahead reveals a new split screen - on the left is the current status with delay and, if there is a better suggestion, it appears on the right, showing that something is possible and how much time would be saved with the detour. The user selects at the bottom of either column. If there is nothing better, nothing appears on the right of the split. Simple and intuitive, just as I have come to know and appreciate of Magellan, especially in the past few years.

This unit continues its helpful feature whereby it can take multiple destinations and save them for you in the order you choose OR click to optimize your route automatically. This has been particularly useful as we trek across the great expanse of interesting and unusual natural wonder toward Houston. For example, we enter the day's basic destination. Then, later on, when we figure out where we will stay the night, we enter more precise info and delete what was just a city center listing. Then, we figure out where we are going to have dinner, add that location in the order of our choice. hit the check mark in the lower right of the screen and continue on our way, without leaving the basic nav function or the directions already in progress. Of course, only the passenger is operating the PND while the vehicle is in motion!

Also essential has been the built-in AAA tourbook info on this and other Magellan PNDs. For example, when I looked up the Painted Desert as a point of interest in Arizona, it was most easily found, with other useful info by choosing the AAA info to search instead of the Magellan's nav database.

I like that the volume can be selected as speed sensitive, so at higher speed, it becomes louder as interior vehicle noise is naturally greater at higher speed. These little things add up to a lot of value from Magellan.

Oh, and as we drove from Arizona into New Mexico, I watched as the ETA added an hour as we entered the Mountain Time Zone.

Haven't tried the built-in Bluetooth yet.

Another strong point for this new Magellan and all others is their excellent spoken directions. Not only are they timed just right and in just the right amount, but Magellan, above all others I've tested, speaks in the best, most understandable, properly pronounced English. Very impressive. I'll have more to say on this later.

On line as we drove, I uploaded loads of photos, each at 2MB from the 8 megapixel camera on board the EVO 4G. The quality is quite nice!

And finally for this installment, as we drove and I was on the Internet and on my laptop via the EVO 4G hotspot capability, this time with strong 3G coverage as we neared Albuquerque. I was in my Gmail and saw that Mrs. Gadget had asked for a video chat. Well, I thought this would not be possible, so I suggested an audio chat - loud and clear. What the heck, I tried video chat and son-of-a-gun, it worked! There we were, streaking along at freeway speeds and I was doing credible, high quality video chat with no apparent lag or artifacts. I spun the laptop around to show her our forward view and all around the interior of our vehicle.

That was amazing! I just can't wait to be in a 4G market and use this capability.

As we rolled into Albuquerque tonight, our dining choice was another from the Food Network' Diners, Drive-ins and Dives show -Monte Carlo Liquors & Steak House. Another winner!

ROAD TRIP! Installment 1

Having just returned from my 10-city national Dads 'n Grads tour (info at the Dads 'n Grads link on www.MrGadget.com), it's time for a quick one-day turnaround to leave for my road trip.

Sister-in-law Pam is moving from Las Vegas to Houston to be near her son, daughter-in-law and year old adorable granddaughter Lexi. I, being the wonderful brother that I am (I DO try!) suggested that she not make the trip alone to shuttle her car there. So, we left from my home base in SoCal yesterday morning and drove to Flagstaff, AZ last night.

Our plan? What plan? We thought we'd wing it on the fly, with gadgets in tow, of course.

The centerpiece is the new HTC EVO 4G from Sprint - Thank you Sprint! I've tied it to my Google Voice number so it rings, along with the others set up to do so. I've taken my Zagg dual USB auto adapter/charger, Jawbone Icon Ace BT headset , Fenix LD10 R4 super flashlight and more I will be talking about another time.

The EVO 4G as you have likely read elsewhere, is the first 4G phone. No 4G yet in L.A. but it's coming. Houston has it and should be the first locale, though at the end of the trip, where I can try it.

The phone's wireless hotspot capability is what I am really looking forward to using. Experience in spotty coverage areas thus far has been disappointing, though NO fault of the EVO 4G! It's that signal to the phone in the middle of nowhere is, well, crappy. When it has worked, it has been really fun. Pam fired up her iPod touch and logged on to the EVO 4G as a signal provider and surfed, albeit slowly. Again, no reflection on Sprint.

3G is just so yesterday! Today, we'll try again.

Using 3G has been trying, again, due to signal when on-the-fly.

NOTE: We have decided to take advantage of suggestions from two foodie show hosts/shows - Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on the Food Network, with Guy Fieri, and Man V. Food with Adam Richman and drive a reasonable route that would allow us to visit some suggestions from each gastronome. Hey, we've got to eat!

So, last night we stopped in Flagstaff, with the idea to try one of Guy's faves for dinner - Brandy's. Oh, that was magnificent! Chef Sherman came from the back to visit with his guests, a nice touch. He's a character, too, and seems quite a nice guy. Bakery and fine dining in a coffee shop atmosphere. Great food, wonderful baked goods and reasonable prices. Different, what I would term inspired menu with choices one would not have expected in this atmosphere, with this ambience and in this town, off the main town area, too. It's in a strip mall with a Safeway market and your normal assortment of shops. If within reach of Flagstaff you MUST go there.

Time to go and head out for the road toward the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert.

Until next time.

Mr. Gadget® signing off . . .

Outrageous airline baggage fees - take that, Delta

I am beyond steamed, miffed and outraged at what can only be thought of as excessive bag fees I've encountered during current business travel on Delta. They are a quasi-monopoly, as the only reasonable air carrier with reasonable schedules to some destinations along my current Dads 'n Grads national media tour.

Yesterday, I flew into Tampa from Philadelphia. The night before, I logged in to get my boarding pass online. I indicated that I was traveling with four bags, unfortunate, but true, and, more unfortunately, a necessity. I clicked to show the four bags and was met with a fee to pay early, online, of the tidy sum of $380! WHAT? How do they sleep at night with such punitive charges? As a business traveler, I have no choice but to comply, or maybe walk to my destination.

Delta should be ashamed! But, they are not, I am sure. To whom do we complain? Is this a matter of unfair business practices governed by the FTC? I just don't know. And I don't want to waste my time bitching and moaning. I want to complain to just the correct entity.

As I see other Delta flights coming up, I am seeking alternatives, though none will be as convenient. Other airline schedules will result in taking more time or without direct flights. Still, it is unconscionable to think that this is in any way fair and reasonable. How can this be rationalized?

Charges on JetBlue were, as I recall, $180. On American, where I am Gold in their program, is $200. Oddly, when I upgrade for $50 on USAir flights, the net is $5 less with these four bags. Southwest is less, too, though I cannot recall how much less with their first two bags free system.

I will be looking into the best way to register my extreme displeasure with Delta Airlines over this punitive policy. I am not a radical, not a protester. I'm just an ordinary working person who feels abused by Delta Airlines in exchange for giving them my business and I have to take some action to let the most appropriate person know how I feel and to ask why, as well as to insist that this be changed. However, we are all in a bind in many instances in which Delta is the only reasonable game in town.

This does NOT make for a satisfied customer, Delta!