The Silent I Speaks

Callpod FuelTank

Before our Solar Eclipse Trip, I was offered a cool new travel gadget called a Callpod FuelTank to try out.  Unfortunately, it didn't arrive before the trip, so I used it last weekend on my trip to Pittsburgh for Netroots Nation.  I have to say, I wish I'd had it for the solar eclipse trip, because it really came in handy.

Our family is, like many families, a little gadget-crazy.  We have cellphones and portable gameplayers galore, and when we take them on the road with us, the inevitable always occurs: we lose power at the most inopportune times.  This can be particularly frustrating on a 12 hour flight, when the Nintendo DSi battery decides to fail just as your kid is about to achieve global Pokemon domination. Enter: the Callpod FuelTank, part back-up battery, part sanity-saver.

The Callpod FuelTank is a lightweight, portable back-up battery recharger specifically made for cellphones and portable gaming systems.  It can simultaneously charge two small electronic devices at a time, so you don't have to carry around two different back-up batteries. You need to purchase adaptors for each of your devices, but it comes with one.  I received adaptors for the G1, Sony PSP, Nintendo DS, and Treo. Sorry, but it won't help your laptop (hey, Callpod, when is THAT coming?).  It comes with a carrying case and it's lightweight so it easily fits in your purse.  When your battery runs out in the middle of a flight or a meeting or some other place you don't have access to an outlet, you plug in your device and recharge.

I have a Google G1 Smartphone, and as much as I love the functionality of the phone, the battery life sucks. The phone battery died in the middle of dinner one evening in Pittsburgh, so I whipped out the FuelTank, plugged it in, and was set for the rest of the night, until I could get back to the hotel and recharge both.  It came in handy for a compulsive Twitter addict like myself.

Overall, I thought this product was a winner, and I recommend it.

Disclosure: I received a Callpod FuelTank and several adaptors to try out at no charge. I did not receive any additional compensation or incentive for this review.

Disney Comes to the SV

When we went to Los Angeles in January, we didn't have time to stop at Disneyland.  We didn't tell Alex that we were close to the Land of Mouse, otherwise we would have never heard the end of it.  In our travels, we've been to six Disney parks (Disneyland, California Adventure, Disney World, Epcot, Tokyo Disney and Disney Sea), and each one was a memorable experience. 

I think my favorite has to be Disney Sea, the companion park to Tokyo Disney, with it's around-the-world sea coast theme.  It's a truly amazing place, even though Alex threw the mother of all meltdowns at the turn-of-the-century Cape Cod attraction.  Still, it's a place I'd recommend to anyone visiting Tokyo.  I'd love to go back now that he's older and less prone to throwing popcorn out of a stroller at unsuspecting Japanese children.

We were fortunate to be invited to a Disney party this weekend, thrown by the wonderful women of the Silicon Valley Moms Blog and Disney.  When I told Frank about it, he said, "What exactly does one do at a Disney party?"

I had to admit, I had no idea.

Want to Go to Martinique?

I'm entered in a travel story contest over at France Guide.com. The winner gets a 7 day all-expenses paid trip to the sunny island of Martinique.  If you vote, you are entered into a drawing to win a similar trip for yourself.  So, click on over here and vote for me.  My story is called "Stuck Outside Narsaq with the Qarqortoq Blues Again" and you might have to hunt for it. Maybe I'll see you on the beach in Martinique!

Cross-posted at The Silent I.

Travel the World with Geobeats

Planning a trip abroad and want to get a little of the local flavor before you go?  Want to know where the best places to eat in Rio de Janeiro are?  Have kids who are studying different countries in school? Want to see the world without leaving home or spending a dime? 

If so, check out GeoBeats, a fun video travel guide.  You can select from hundreds of short videos from popular travel destinations all over the world.  The short films are very well-made and include an "insiders" look at diverse destinations, from Cairo to Buenos Aires to Copenhagen.  Made by filmmakers all over the world, with local hosts taking you through some of the off-the-beaten path sights of some of the world's great cities.

I really love this site for the quality of the videos and the in-depth look at various places.  You don't have to commit a full hour of watching a foreigner show you the popular tourist destinations, like most of the TV travel shows.  You can pick and choose what you are interested in and how much time you want to spend. 

Have fun and enjoy the trip!