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!

I've written about some unsettling circumstances surrounding the upcoming CES, of particular interest to exhibitorshttp://bit.ly/5AqRbu

CES 2010 Press-only Events Mismanagement

I am not usually one to complain outwardly in venues such as this, to spend my time ranting or writing negatively about anything. Time is short and I'd rather my time be spent showing followers the way toward useful, beneficial things. However, this is an exception I must share with everyone who may think the life of someone doing as I do is so charmed.

There are two high-profile events for the press at CES time (the annual January event, the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas). These events are not part of CES and the CEA, the organization responsible for CES. They are taking advantage of the fact that worldwide press attends the trade show, so why not capitalize on having them in town and hosting events that will attract their attendance! It's just smart to do so.

Two major events, called ShowStoppers - www.showstoppers.com - and Digital Experience (also known as Pepcom) http://www.pepcom.com/pephome/pephome.html-, invite working press and other relevant parties to an off-site affair held in a large and upscale hotel ballroom. Both hosting organizations are paid by the exhibitors for the privilege of having a small display along the four walls and in rows within the venue.

Why?

The ShowStoppers and Pepcom folks attract these paid exhibitors because they also invite the press and others the exhibitors want to see and be seen by so we, that is, members of the media, can have some short quality time with the exhibitors in hopes that we will report on, favorably it is hoped, these exhibitors' wares. They are there for coverage, primarily. In addition, exhibitors are there to see other invited guests who may be in a position to benefit the exhibitors, perhaps with investment dollars or other business opportunities.

These manageable mini-events are the best way to see the most in the least amount of time and, at the end, our feet don't hurt!

It's a really smart way to, in the span of a few hours, do the most good toward promoting products and services in order to accomplish the goals above. For attendees such as I, it's one-stop shopping. In that short span of time, we get to concentrate our efforts within a small, manageable space, and see numerous exhibitors. At the same time, the hosts ply us with food and drink, and the exhibitors provide occasional swag in the form of products and "tschotsckes" so many of us like to receive. We meet new people, see old friends and new products and make plans for future product review and other coverage. It's all pretty obvious and of obvious advantage to both sides of the equation.

Another benefit of these events is that companies, perhaps new to the industry or on a really tight budget can participate in either or both of these events without actually, officially exhibiting at CES itself, which is a quite costly outing. Besides, at CES, there are many more attendees than we relatively few media types. The expense in manpower and a high-profile booth can be astronomical, not to mention all the politicking that can be tremendous stressors. So, these alternate events are just perfect to accomplish the primary objectives at the least possible cost. That they are so manageable whereas seeing all of CES is impossible even over four days is another advantage.

It should be an easy path for a legitimate media person to gain access to either or both events, and that is why I am writing and ranting here. Yes, it SHOULD be simple - either one is qualified or one is not. After all, freeloaders, ne'er do wells and those who simply cannot, do not benefit the exhibitors should rightfully be banned from any such event. It is inappropriate to allow in someone who merely says he or she should be allowed in. Guests must be properly vetted.

Without this screening process, event hosts could deliver to exhibitors those who would waste their time during the events and worse, those who would steal product, demand to be provided with products that never get reviewed, behave irrationally and unprofessionally, receive products that are unprofessionally reviewed and much worse. I get it. We all get that. Allow in only appropriate attendees.

As regards my own work and qualifications, though I am one who prefers a low-key posture, I am proud to have been around and doing as I do for more than 25 years, having attended many, many, many, in fact, most Consumer Electronics Shows and other related events and tradeshows over those years. I am privileged to be The One and Only Mr. Gadget, owning that "Mr. Gadget" moniker which is MY registered service mark with the US Patent and Trademark office. There is but ONE Mr. Gadget, and I am that one. I am known by my too-numerous-to-count appearances throughout each year on top TV shows in the major media markets all across the US. I review in a high-grade manner a wide range of products and technologies I believe are of interest or should be of interest to a wide, general audience. And so on. I've been around a long, long time and I enjoy a reputation for doing good work, helpful to my audience and to the companies whose products I review and present on TV because I will only say or write what I believe to be the truth. Period. No exceptions. And I don't make waves or cause problems for others. And I am fiercely independent.

When it comes to ShowStoppers events and management, they are a class act, always nice and always professional. When I register for their events, I need only fill in the usual form for myself and, perhaps, a qualified associate, such as a producer or camera person, and we're in. No fanfare and no hassles.

It is the exact opposite when it comes to Pepcom events and to dealing with their management. They know me as well as and for as long as do the hosts at ShowStoppers, but it never fails that filling in their simple form is just not quite good enough. It just is not. This year's CES Pepcom event has been no exception. I registered myself as well as a producer/camera person. The Pepcom form insists on seeing a byline or some other qualifying information. Now, again, the Pepcom folks know me and have known me for many, many years. Yet, despite this, it is an excruciating experience registering my producer. It is not a spouse, friend or freeloader. He would be there to enhance my attendance for the benefit of their paid exhibitors. Of this there is nothing that can be disputed.

In fact, I wrote them that my producer works for ME and that there is no byline for such a position. He helps me by being another pair of useful and appropriate eyes, hands and ears all around these trade shows and other events we attend together. At this CES, he is my camera operator allowing me to produce short "Mr. Gadget® Minute" segments that will be posted on my exclusive Mr. Gadget YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/mrgadget). In addition, I am, WE are there prospecting, looking for products and technologies for hands-on editorial review throughout the year, just as are the bulk of the other media attendees. Clearly, I, WE, meet the letter and spirit of the requirements for entry to this and similar events.

Uniquely, Pepcom throws roadblocks in our way, so many that is is just a waste of my time. I have been told that they must answer to their paying exhibitors in justifying the invitees. I get that. Certainly my attendance and that of my producer/camera person are exactly, precisely the invited guests those exhibitors are there to see and to be seen by. Yet, Pepcom, apparently, think otherwise.

In my application for my producer, I was crystal clear that this other person works for ME and does not, will not ever have a by-line or credited work. That is not the nature of what I do as an independent contractor. So, email from Pepcom told me the situation was well understood and that his business card, which I supply, would be sufficient. The requested info and PDF of the business card were sent off in email.

The next email was not to be believed. The person who I've dealt with on the several back-and-forth emails in this project replied again after seeing the email with the info requested to say no, that though she had committed to admitting my producer/camera person with the supplied info, she now had to decline the invitation, to rescind it, in fact, to renege on her commitment. So, despite the obvious benefit to all of having me there with my producer/camera person, he is disallowed. With him, I cannot, will not be able to produce on-the-spot segments to cover their exhibitors. It would not be productive time spent for me to attend without him. They know that, and still do not move from this arcane, nonsensical stance. This is sheer lunacy! I will not attend the Pepcom event at next week's CES. I WILL be at ShowStoppers and every one of the other press-only events to which I was invited and to which I indicated I would attend, welcomed along WITH my producer/camera person, and without any hassle whatsoever.

Sadly, I know I am not alone in receiving undeserved short shrift from Pepcom. There are others, some that may not be credible in their scorn, but over the years, I know of others deserving of entrance who were unjustly denied. The issue has been mentioned on a popular national tech-related talk radio show and is the topic of non-public discussion with regularity. Pepcom's events are not held in high esteem by many among the working press. However, few make vocal waves because it is felt that Pepcom events are a necessary evil. I am just so tired of the runaround and the time it takes just to try and almost beg them to allow in a legitimate entrant. So, this is my choice, to get all of this off my chest in hopes that what is happening, unique to Pepcom, will guide both attendees and would-be exhibitors. We all are in possession of free will and free choice. Maybe if we speak honestly, appropriately and openly about the trouble made for us by Pepcom some things can change for the better. I have asked, begged them to stop this harassment, to act professionally and to get their act together. Clearly, they do not care or they would have made these changes by now. As for me, I'm just finished with their nonsense and will not attend nor support them in other ways, that is, unless and until things change. That's my stand.

And so, to those who would wish to exhibit at an off-site event designed to attract press coverage at one of these tradeshows, I say think carefully. Be sure you are going to get your moneysworth. Be sure the event will be welcoming to not only you and your money, but also to qualified media persons and others who would want to cover your product and technology. Be sure the event promoters do not exclude those YOU would want to see and to be seen by.