I was getting some work done this morning on UA 517 from Atlanta to Chicago, and I had things organized on my tray table quite nicely. I had my 11" MacBook Air on the left, where I was working. On the right, I had my iPhone propped up against my Diet Coke can so I could watch some video podcasts while getting work done.

As I was working, the flight attendant came over to me, and he handed me an updside down coffee cup with a portion of the cup ...

We've mentioned a couple of solar-charging options for electronic handheld devices in passing, but couldn't resist the opportunity to talk about this latest approach: the solar bikini.

Solar Coterie is now taking orders for custom bikinis fitted with 1x4-inch photovoltaic film strips, connected via conductive thread and ending in a 5-volt regulator with a USB port. Plug in your iPod, iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry, or pretty much any device that charges with a USB port, and it should ...

I know this post will only apply to my fellow geeks out there in travel land, but I use it enough that it's worth sharing. iPhone jailbreaking is the process of hacking your iPhone so that you can run unofficial code on it, allowing you to load a multitude of unofficial applications, tweaks, and generally anything you can't get from the App Store. You can get more information about how to do it here. Yes, it's totally legal.

There's a ...

Few technology announcements have been as eagerly anticipated or breathlessly covered as this week's revelation from Verizon Wireless that they'll be offering a version of Apple's popular iPhone. Let's take a look at whether this phone is a good choice for travelers.

It may be your only choice. You may be tied to Verizon Wireless because it's the only carrier that works well in your area or areas you visit often, because you're on a family plan with VZW subscribers who don't want to ...

We've all had those short connections that don't allow even ten minutes to plug in an AC adapter, even if we could find a (working) electric outlet. We're too busy rushing from one end of the airport to another! Imagine if we could harness some of that kinetic energy as we race through the terminal, just like a Prius storing away a few joules as you coast down a hill.

Turns out someone with an engineering background imagined that, too, and has brought a product to market! Thanks to ...

Remember when getting online in airports and hotel rooms meant having a laptop with a built-in modem, paying for a nationwide dialup service, and finding a phone jack to plug into? There were a couple of pay phones with data jacks in many airports, and for a while the gem of the travel industry was the US Airways Shuttle lounge at LaGuardia, with plenty of power outlets and phone jacks galore. Once you made it to the hotel, you might have to crawl around a bit to find a data jack -- or unplug ...