As corny as this probably sounds, I can’t imagine traveling without my new 11.1″ MacBook Air.  It is the perfect combination of weight, size, and functionality for travel.  So far, I’ve passed through 5 TSA checkpoints with it, and not once have I had to remove it from my bag.  Add a rapid startup, and superior construction to its many other attributes, and I just can’t think of any reason to part with it…..ever.  Frankly, I’m beginning to think that I may not purchase an iPad afterall.  I’ll stop gushing now.

I just can’t say enough good things about this little laptop.  Incredibly thin, very light, and surprisingly good performance for such a small machine.  Among the many things I like about this computer are the speed of boot up due to the flash drive, it’s great screen clarity, and incredibly good speakers given its size.  If I could change one thing about it, I would love to have a backlit keyboard.  But given its size and performance, I think the lack of that is an acceptable tradeoff.  I’ve only cleared security twice with it, but so far, I’ve been successful in leaving it in my bag.  I have a pretty healthy chunk of trips coming up, so I’ll report my experiences traveling with the MacBook Air.

The bottom line…..I love the MacBook Air!  Wish I’d bought one sooner!

I thought it would be a harder decision.  Really, I did.  I dutifully waded through the onslaught of wannabe iPad2 owners to find an unoccupied device to toy with at the Apple Store.  The iPad2 is everything I thought it would be.  Elegant, lightweight (but not exactly featherweight), and just about awesome in every way.  I could’ve had one of the last in the store.  But then…out of the corner of my eye….  looking unloved in all the iPad2 hysteria, I caught a glimpse of something even more beautiful.

We’ve only been together for a day or so, but to say that I really do love the 11.1″ MacBook Air would be a mass understatement!  It’s thinner and lighter than I would’ve imagined.  Frankly, with the lid closed, it doesn’t “look” all that much thicker than an iPad.  In many ways, it’s the ideal solution.  I wanted the iPad to carry with me when traveling for work with my boat-anchor Dell.  It would easily slip into a folder pocket in my briefcase.  Guess what, so will the 11″ MacBook Air!  Better yet, it has a keyboard which will allow me to do some heavier-duty blogging from the road.  Frankly, I’m pretty pleased with the choice, and can’t wait to travel with it.  Reportedly, TSA doesn’t even require the 11″ version of the MacBook Air to be removed from your bag.  Although, as Fish reports, your mileage may vary on that.  I’ll let you know how my foray into Macworld goes.  And oh yeah…never fear….I’ll own an iPad one of these days too!

I know I am.  Definitely an “evolutionary” rather than “revolutionary” product, but since I don’t own an iPad 1, I’m overjoyed at the prospect of owning an iPad2 come March 11!  With lots of trips planned this Spring, I look forward to experimenting with the new iPad on the road and passing along my experiences.

Of all the big legacy airlines, I believe Delta is the most forward-thinking in terms of social media.  Their great @DeltaAssist desk on Twitter is phenomenal.  Today, Delta announced that they are making Delta Assist available on Facebook.  Delta Assist on Facebook isn’t for situations where you need immediate help.  According to Delta’s blog post announcing the new Facebook option, they expect to reply to questions through Facebook in 24 to 72 hours.

Delta Assist on Facebook is not the only social networking innovation by Delta.  You can also purchase tickets via Delta’s Facebook page.  Stay tuned for a future review of the purchase experience using Delta’s Facebook page.

I know some other airlines (Southwest, I’m certain) are pretty good about providing power at the gate.  But I can’t think of any “legacy” airline that does…at least not off the top of my head.  Comment to the blog if you are aware of any.  I love the fact that Delta is now placing power (both 110 and USB) at gate areas in select airports.  Here’s a picture of what I’m talking about.  And yes, I got brave and took a picture in an airport! 

You know what else I heart about Delta?  The fact that I’m posting this from 27,000 feet.

Just curious.  Any readers have a Verizon iPhone yet?  If so, what do you think?  That is all. 

Therefore, no Verizon iPhone for me.  The details are finally out, and the iPhone is coming to Verizon next month.  I think this is a good thing for everyone, but I for one, will not be switching.  Sorry, but I want a phone that works  just about everywhere, and Verizon’s CDMA phones, including the iPhone, just won’t cut it.  When the Verizon iPhone graduates to 4G LTE, then maybe I’ll reconsider.

Now, if a functional phone outside the USA isn’t all that important to you, then I think you have a great option.  Verizon’s network is most definitely more robust than AT&T’s in my experience.  That said, I’ve never experienced any of the big difficulties with my iPhone connectivity on AT&T’s network that frequently gets reported in the paper.  In fact, if some AT&T customers make the move to Verizon, perhaps it will improve AT&T’s network performance?  Who knows?  All I know is that I will be sticking with AT&T for now.

If the white-hot rumors are to be believed, on Tuesday, iPhone fanatics (such as myself ) will have another network option in the USA.  The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Verizon has scheduled a big shin-dig in New York on Tuesday, January 12th, to announce that it will introduce the Apple iPhone to its network.  This is a pretty big deal.  The conventional wisdom is that Verizon has a much more robust network than AT&T, and that current captives will flock to Verizon the second they offer an iPhone.  No doubt many current AT&T customers will make the switch, but I’m not convinced it will be a flood.

I’ll wait and see what happens on Tuesday, but if the Verizon iPhone is not dual-band and will only work on the Verizon CDMA network, I for one, will not be switching.  As entertaining as the thought of having full data access on my iPhone during my morning and evening DC Metro commutes is, that doesn’t make up for having a phone that will not work outside the country.  Most of the world is on the GSM cellular standard, like AT&T.  Ever tried to use your Verizon cell phone in Europe?  Unless you were prescient enough to buy a dual-band phone, you were out of luck.  Frankly, I like the fact that I can walk off a plane in London, turn on my iPhone, and watch it work just like home.  I’ll be watching with interest to see what Verizon announces on Tuesday.  I hope it’s a dual-band phone.  If it is, they might just nab me.

Delta Air Lines announced Monday that it is adding Gogo Inflight Wi-Fi to its entire fleet of 2-class regional jets, totaling 223 aircraft.  This is the latest announcement in Delta’s effort to align its regional jet fleet with its mainline product offering.  Delta expects to begin installation on its regional fleet in January and complete the project by the end of 2011.

Given the speculation that “take rates” on inflight Wi-Fi aren’t living up to expectations, I was a little surprised by this announcement.  Then again, I buy at least PDA access on every flight I’ve flown where its available, and I can’t imagine that I’m the only one that likes having the option of Wi-Fi in flight and uses it pretty religiously.

Inflight Wi-Fi may become an advertiser sponsored medium, or it may really become a money-maker, I can’t pretend to know.  What I do know is that this is a notable differentiator for the Delta product.  If their stated efforts to address some of the shortcomings of the SkyMiles program come to fruition, this could be a big feather in Delta’s cap, and one that enables them to attract an even greater share of corporate traffic.  Time will tell.  But right now, Delta is doing a lot of things right.  I like this move.