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 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 . . .