Hasta La Gadget!

With a significant number of the world’s technology bloggers and journalists descending on Las Vegas this week for CES, losing luggage was a very real threat. It’s an occurrence that is never welcome, but just because the airline loses your baggage, it doesn’t mean you have to be left in the dark as to where it ended up. Trakdot is trying to take some of the stress out of losing track of your baggage by introducing its new Trakdot Luggage tracker this week at the show.

The idea behind it is pretty straightforward: stick the palm-sized tracker into your bag, and you’ll get city-specific information on where it is. If it ends up where you end up, then there’s nothing to worry about, but if it somehow gets shipped off to another city, then at least you’ll know where it is. This information will be updated in real-time as you try to reunite with your missing luggage.

You can take things a step further by registering your Trakdot tracker on the company’s website. In doing so, you’ll be able to track your luggage from your smartphone. Trakdot says that each tracker can be linked to multiple phones, and each phone can track multiple devices. Users will also be able to track their luggage from the company’s website, so there are a number of different ways to keep an eye on your missing luggage.

To make the deal even sweeter, Trakdot says its tracker will work globally with any phone or SMS-enabled device. The tracker is scheduled to launch in March 2013 and comes with a price tag of $49.95. To get started, you’ll have to plop down an $8.99 activation fee, and then you’ll have to pay an annual $12.99 service fee to keep things going. Be sure to check out our CES portal for much, much more from the show!

Trakdot baggage tracking lets you follow your luggage in real-time is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Losing your luggage sucks, but the worst part is when your airline tells you it has no idea where your luggage is. Trakdot is a little battery-powered gadget that you can throw in your bag. When you land, just check your phone and you’ll know whether or not your bag landed with you. And if not, at least you’ll know which airport it’s at. More »

If you’re familiar with Foursquare then you know all about the “badges” that the service awards its users for checking into specific types of places multiple times. This time around, though, NASA and Foursquare have teamed up and launched a Curiosity rover-themed badge that users can earn for checking into science-related places frequently.

To earn the new Curiosity Explorer badge, users must “like” NASA on Foursquare and check in at a NASA visitor center or other venue categorized as a science museum or planetarium. The launch of the badge follows the October check-in on Mars by NASA’s Curiosity rover, which marked the first check-in on another planet.

This isn’t the first time that NASA has been involved with Foursquare, though. NASA has been a member on Foursquare since 2010, thanks to a strategic partnership with the service. The partnership launched with astronaut Doug Wheelock’s first-ever check-in from the International Space Station, and it has allowed users to connect with NASA.

This also isn’t the first time that NASA has its own badge. The now-expired NASA Explorer badge encouraged users to explore NASA-related locations across the country, and it also included the launch of a NASA Foursquare page, where the organization continues to provide official tips and information about the space program.

Foursquare and NASA launch new Curiosity Explorer badge is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

The nation’s top wireless dog has told the Federal Aviation Administration’s head that it should “enable greater use of tablets, e-readers, and other portable devices” during flights, according to the Hill. That was the gist of a missive sent from Julius Genachowski, chairman of the FCC to the FAA’s chief, Michael Huerta yesterday. He went on to say that doing so would let individuals “stay informed and connected with friends and family,” while helping large and small businesses be more productive, which would “boost US competitiveness.” While it sounds like not doing so would be un-patriotic with a pitch like that, the FAA has already formed a committee to revisit its current portable electronics policies and hasn’t arrived at any decisions yet — safety first, after all.

Filed under: Cellphones, Laptops, Tablets, Transportation, Mobile

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Via: CNET

Source: The Hill

No matter how light you try to travel, the airlines will still find a way to tack on extra baggage fees. So stop trying to beat the system when you fly and just go all out. Bring a massive wardrobe, every gadget you own, and thanks to Pinel & Pinel, a complete and stylish sitting room that folds away into a rolling Boudoir trunk. More »