Last weekend’s New York Times Travel Show was nothing short of amazing connections: travel seminars with distinguished personalities such as Pauline and Arthur Frommer, actor/travel writer Andrew McCarthy, travel personality Julia Dimon, brand guru Johnny Jet, and the list could go on and on. I enjoyed each and everyone’s panels, as I fervently took notes.
However, at a travel show and more so this year – at its 10th year anniversary – I was intrigued to learn more about the latest travel technologies. After several hours of bouncing from one seminar to another, meeting with some of the travel experts I admire most and playing with the adorable South American penguins, I made it a goal to spend some time by Booth 511. For those of you that didn’t, it was the Connected Traveler Technology Showcase territory. Here are the 7 products that made the cut this year:
1/7 LIBON
The France-based app is the latest to directly compete with the likes of Skype, WhatsApp and Viber. I asked them how they differ from their obvious competitors (I already use all three of the above), and apart from being an evolved app offering custom voicemail and message transcription, the carrier is also offering a premium version of the app, which removes ads and includes 60 minutes of free calls to non-IP-based phones. Not a bad deal; however, bear in mind Libon – available in 90 countries – does charge for calls to landlines and mobiles.
2/7 VOLTAIC SYSTEMS
Voltaic Systems makes products that produce and store their own power to run your electronics anywhere. That includes solar chargers that power smartphones, tablets, laptops, cameras and lights. They are based in New York City and ship directly to customers and their partners worldwide from warehouses in New Jersey and the Netherlands.
3/7 LOOXCIE
Share life as you live it is Looxcie’s motto, the first hands free mobile-connected video camera. The free mobile app turns the Looxcie HD video into a personal video device, by going live with real-time personal streaming. Gone are the days when you’re missing what’s happening because you’re stuck with holding the camera. Its hands free design allows for a wide range of mounting options. With 1080p recording and built in Wi-Fi, you can instantly share razor-sharp images.
4/7 CONDITION ONE
Condition One’s video player gives you the ability to control what you see when watching a video. You can control your view up to a 180 degrees range of vision by simply dragging your mouse or moving your mobile device. Videos can be shot using any cameras and lenses, edited with standard video editing software, live-streamed with existing HD encoders and content-delivery networks, to be ultimately presented on the Condition One Video Player. It works best with brands, media companies and agencies wanting to produce and share immersive stories with their audiences.
5/7 TRUPHONE
The world’s first global mobile network, Truphone caters to a much-needed demand for lower roaming charges. With an activated Tru SIM card (on a previously unlocked phone), you simply dial the 808 short code for free and start making calls. You’ll just pay the local call and data rates in all the countries Truphone operates. Whoever stopped at their booth at the NY Times Travel Show received a complimentary SIM card. Can’t wait to use mine!
6/7 SPRING DESIGN
With the ScreenShare Browser app, Android customers can now use the larger screen of their Android tablet while on the road. This allows for easy viewing of email, video and browsing even if your tablet doesn’t have a cellular connection,
Any respectable travel show couldn’t go without showcasing some of the best guidebooks that go into details about the travel industry. An introductory tool into explaining the travel business as a career, the Learn Travel & Tourism book is used in schools, universities and is available as an e-book. I haven’t read the book, but my take on it would be that by immersing yourself into a life of travel is the best way to learn.
Which one would you use? My personal favorites are Truphone and Looxcie.
