October 22, 2011
I’m in Kristiansand, Norway today. Tomorrow I fly to Aberdeen, Scotland. On Tuesday, I fly to Houston, arriving in the evening. At 8:00am on Wednesday I have a business presentation to make, a presentation that I am putting together in-between all of these flights.
How will I get my presentation all copied, bound and ready for this 8am meeting? Easy!
Before boarding my international flight to Houston, I’ll be online with my trusty printing assistant. My assistant has helped me many times before and has been 100% reliable, even across thousands of miles and numerous time zones.
Who’s my printing assistant? It’s one you know, though you may not be aware of all they do. FedEx Office is my secret tool for showing up prepared, organized and professional – even with so little time on the ground.
I can contact my assistant online, via phone or with my FedEx mobile phone app. Since my documents are all on my laptop and not on my phone, I can also use my mobile app called “Jump” to access any document on my laptop. I’ve even sent documents to FedEx from 35,000 feet while using in-flight internet.
Long gone are the days when I used to arrive late into a city and have to find a printing location that could help me in a hurry before an early morning meeting or seminar.
Now that I’ve shared my secret, it’s back to work on my presentation. Farvel from Norway!
Kristiansand Norway
To receive a free copy of our ebook, 70 Secrets to Safe Travel — Because Your Life Can Change in a Heartbeat, and for more travel savvy info to help you travel smarter, safer and with more enjoyment, visit SmartWomenTravelers.com and PearlsofTravelWisdom.com. Watch for my new book, Business Travel Success – How to Reduce Stress, Be More Productive and Travel with Confidence, being published by Morgan James in 2011.
Posted by Carol Margolis under Travel, Web/Tech |
August 30, 2011
Are you using a mobile navigation app? If so, which one? More importantly, does it work?
I have been using Navigon for my AT&T 3G iPhone for the past year, though a more correct statement is that I’ve been trying to use Navigon for the past year. It’s been hit or miss, with very few hits. Lately, all I get is the black screen of death saying “There is no GPS signal available” with reception never kicking in.
I really needed Navigon to work this weekend as I ventured into downtown Houston. With one-way streets and roads closed due to construction, I was going ’round and ’round trying to first find the Convention Center and then a nearby parking garage. This process repeated itself as I left the parking garage and had to find my way back to I-10. I made it, but with no help from Navigon.
Sure there can be issues with AT&T and my iPhone isn’t the latest model, but really – no GPS signal for 100 miles driven over 3 days?
Since I intend to upgrade my iPhone to the new model as soon as it’s out, what navigation app do you recommend (if any)?
Or are you going to tell me to turn into a guy so I don’t need to ask for directions!
To receive a free copy of our ebook, 70 Secrets to Safe Travel — Because Your Life Can Change in a Heartbeat, and for more travel savvy info to help you travel smarter, safer and with more enjoyment, visit SmartWomenTravelers.com and PearlsofTravelWisdom.com. Watch for my new book, Business Travel Success … How to Reduce Stress, Be More Productive and Travel with Confidence,being published by Morgan James in 2011.
Posted by Carol Margolis under Web/Tech |
June 28, 2011
If you’re like me and travel a lot, you could sometimes use a friendly reminder. Send out that report before 5 PM, get to the gym before dinner, join that conference call … all tasks that can easily get lost when on the road. The reminders on my phone can get lost in all of the other notifications I get throughout the day.
Wakerupper.com helps me get over these hurdles and keeps me on track, especially when I’m traveling. You can set up free phone call reminders for anything – so much more than just a wake-up call! You can even leave yourself a little note to be read back to you when the call comes in. My busy life just got a bit more manageable.
Read more of this article »
Posted by Carol Margolis under Hotel Living, Travel, Web/Tech |
June 9, 2011
For the past ten years, Airport security hasn’t changed that much. Sure, the restrictions have become more severe and the screening process more invasive, but really, it’s still the same system. You put your bags through the X-Ray machine, and you walk through the metal detector, maybe getting a more personal inspection from a TSA agent. Recently, the government agency has introduced their Advanced Imaging Technology scanners, but it’s just another step in the same old process.
What if we got rid of the current system all together? What if you didn’t have to take off your shoes, take out your laptop, or remove your jacket? And what if this system was not only faster than our current checkpoints, but also cheaper?!?!
Well the International Air Transport Association turned “What if?” into “Why not?” They just unveiled their concept for the Checkpoint of the future, using biometrics and advanced scanners to simplify and speed up the checkpoint process.
Check out the video below to see how it works (the video has no sound).
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Posted by Carol Margolis under Safety, Travel, Web/Tech |
March 18, 2011
Women are less likely than men to book travel from their mobile devices (21% vs. 29%), says an Adobe Mobile Experience Survey. I am in the other 79% of women because I have not yet booked any travel from my mobile phone.
Oh, I’ve tried. There are many weeks where I forget to book a car rental. Once the plane hits the ground, my phone is on and I’m clicking on Hertz’s site as fast as I can. Trouble is, I don’t know my login info so I don’t get too far. I need my own account so that I get the corporate rate that’s on my profile.
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Posted by Carol Margolis under Web/Tech |
February 15, 2011
Although the smartphone market has been taken over by Android-devices and iPhones, BlackBerry is still a favorite among business travelers. Research in Motion has just released BlackBerry Travel to help keep track of all of your travels. Features include:
- The automatic trip scanning feature will automatically recognize itineraries that are emailed to you and push them to your BlackBerry
- Identify gaps in your travel (like a night out of town without a hotel room) and recommend hotels which you can book through your phone
- Automatically notify you when your flight is delayed or your connection changes
- Currency converter, weather for your destinations, and more
The app is free, but is also in Beta so don’t be surprised if it’s a bit buggy. You can find BlackBerry Travel in BlackBerry App World.
Posted by Carol Margolis under Web/Tech |
January 11, 2011
The annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is always a great source for new cutting edge travel products. This year the 2011 show did not disappoint.
Wireless technology is only getting better. Much more communication is coming between computers and smartphones/cameras/tablets. Added this year is wireless connectivity between appliances and cellphones but really, do you want to know that your refrigerator door is open when you are a thousand miles away from home?
Very big news is the exciting 4G technology for cellphones. Verizon had an impressive demonstration of just how blazing fast it can be. Well, in optimal circumstances, of course. But even in general usage, 4G promises significantly improved reliability. Hands-on at the show, 4G will give us flawless access to websites. The demos for live TV were flicker-free and fresh.
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Posted by Carol Margolis under Current Affairs, Shopping!, Travel, Web/Tech |
September 30, 2010
Stop me if this sounds familiar: You’re waiting for that important email from the office, or maybe just a text message about where your kids are at. Your phone vibrates, and the natural reaction for a lot of us is to take our attention off the road, if only for a second. When you look back up, brake lights! You know you shouldn’t be on your phone while driving, but then again we were all taught to keep our hands at 10 and 2 at all times.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, almost 20% of 2008′s auto accidents were caused by distracted driving (distraction.gov). So what can you do to cut down on the distractions? Read more of this article »
Posted by Carol Margolis under Safety, Web/Tech |
February 10, 2010
I have traveled with laptops for years and still can’t find one that is perfect. But thanks to technology, it is getting closer.
First, the screen has to be a decent size. The 10” netbooks are cute but not large enough to open wide Excel spreadsheets or programs like Tweetdeck. Moreover, they are not loaded with enough power for full-time work.
At the other extreme, there are now 18” laptop screens. However, they are much too large – not to mention too heavy – for airline travel.
Weight is also an issue. Most laptops with 14” screens weigh over 6 lbs with some of the larger ones about 10 lbs. That’s fine for Read more of this article »
Posted by Carol Margolis under Web/Tech |
February 3, 2010
Travel and Twitter combine beautifully! I used Twitter this past weekend to ask my ‘tweeple’ about places to stay and romantic restaurants in Sedona, Arizona. My husband and I are heading there for Valentine’s Day weekend. I received great suggestions for both, made my selections and am ready for the weekend!
I could have first researched for these things on TripAdvisor or other travel review sites, but I decided to first start with Twitter. It only took a few seconds to send a couple of tweets on what I was looking for, and the suggestions started rolling in not only from the Scottsdale Visitor’s Bureau, but from many people who have previously trekked to Sedona. How cool is that? Once I received a few recommendations, I used TripAdvisor to confirm (or not) the suggestions. My research time was cut down to a 10th of the typical time I used to spend reading reviews. I saved time, hopefully selected some great places to stay and dine, and I met a few new friends on Twitter. A triple win!
If you’re looking to follow 50 great Travel Twitterers (I am very honored to be included in this list), head over to http://tweepml.org/50-Travel-Twitterers-You-Should-Follow/. With a ‘Select All’, you will easily be able to follow all 50 in a heartbeat.
Happy Tweeting!
Posted by Carol Margolis under Web/Tech |
February 2, 2010
Last week, Steve Jobs gave a keynote speech introducing Apple’s answer to the tablet computer – the iPad. Watching the announcement online, I was both pleased and disappointed with the new Apple iPad.
The size and weight are wonderful. It is quite easy to travel with a 10″ screen that weighs only about 1.5 lbs. The built-in keyboard and numeric pad seem easy to operate and the battery life of 10 hrs – one month on standby – is extraordinary. I also like the multi-touch, similar to the iPhone, as well as the bright color LED-backlit screen.
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Posted by Carol Margolis under Web/Tech |
