Monday, October 24, 2011

JetBlue to go Wireless

Wifi is pretty scarce in the skies right now.


There are only seven airlines that offer wifi in the U.S., and even then, it's not available on every flight.

We found an easy way to check if your flight offers wifi with a website called HasWifi. The site is simple to use. Just select your airline and flight number and HasWifi will let you know if wifi is available.

You can also help improve the site's results by voting yes or no if you had wifi on that particular flight. Eventually, an API will be open to developers, so expect to see smartphone apps soon.

We’ve been hot on the trail of JetBlue’s plans for fleetwide WiFi access in the coming years, and it looks like tray table connectivity has just gotten a step closer to actually happening.

Just don’t get too excited if you have a trip booked for later in 2011, as in-flight WiFi on JetBlue won’t be happening until 2012 at the earliest.

JetBlue has been working with ViaSat on all the satellite technology to get the newfangled connectivity options off the ground.

Now the airline has reached an agreement to use ViaSat-1, which is the world’s highest capacity Ka-band satellite. Hmm—sounds speedy. Seriously though, it should be rapid fast for passengers—although they’re not giving specifics—as well as having increased bandwidth for whenever passengers hit YouTube all at once.

The price tag for the technology is going to cost at least $30 million, as JetBlue is planning to utilize the new technology on both its Airbus A320 and Embraer E190 jets.

One of the next steps is certification through the Federal Aviation Administration to ensure that things work just as well up in the air as they do on paper. After that we’re thinking that it’s going to be a lot of late nights for those JetBlue employees working in the maintenance hangars.

Again, 2012 seems to be roundabout date you can expect to test things out for yourself, but we don’t know exactly which month—obviously we’re hoping for January. Once JetBlue, LiveTV, and ViaSat get all the kinks worked out with the new service, their attention will move over to Continental Airlines, as they’ll also be scoring some satellite technology within the next couple of years.

This post originally appeared in Jaunted

The 10 Most Downloaded Free iPad Apps Of All Time

iPads are the way to travel now. No longer do you have to pull the device out of your bag as you go through security in the airport and for portable or short-term use you just can’t beat their convenience. Add all those reasons in with the fact that you can still get more apps from apple than any other provider and why wouldn’t you use one for travel?



Apple recently released a list of the top ten free iPad apps downloaded from the App Store.


Just because you spent serious cash on an iPad doesn't mean you need to spend even more to take advantage of various games and utilities for it.


Have a look and see if anything suits your needs.




1. Solitaire is the definitive one-player card game. Play it anywhere you go.


2. The Bible app is exactly what you'd expect it to be. Choose different translations, search words and phrases, or just read from it.


3. iBooks is Apple's exclusive online bookstore and eBook reader. Start reading differently.


4. Use Remote to control your iTunes library over wifi. Adjust volume and change songs effortlessly.


5. With Fandango, you can read reviews and buy movie tickets before you ever get to the theater. Stop waiting in line!


6. Yelp finds establishments near you and provides you with user reviews. Make an informed decision for your next impromptu dinner date.


7. Use Google Earth to help you arrive at your destination, or simply browse interesting satellite photos of the entire surface of the world.


8. Movies by Flixster sets you up with trailers, showtimes, and critic reviews of new movies. Know what you're getting yourself into the next time you head to the theater.


9. Search Google by voice, check your email, access your calendar, and more with the Google Mobile app from everyone's favorite search engine.


10. Pandora builds a radio station customized to your liking and streams it to you for free.


Friday, October 21, 2011

On the Go Diet Tips

From fast food to room service, business travelers face a lot of unhealthy temptations on the road. That doesn't mean, however, that you have to abandon your diet when you're traveling for work. Learn how to make healthier choices with these easy tips.




1. Pack Your Own In-Flight Snacks

Unless you are in first class, you aren't getting anything to eat or drink without shelling out some moola. Not only that, but the snack boxes aren't exactly healthy (though we love pretzels and peanuts as much as the next person). Instead, stash a few healthy granola or protein bars in your carry-on, or pack some unsalted, heavy-on-the-fruit trail mix (hint: the ones with M&M's aren't the best pick here, sadly).



2. Eat Breakfast

Whether at home or in the hotel, try to make time for breakfast every day. You'll be less inclined to hit the office muffin cart or overeat at that lunch is you've started your day out with a healthy meal. If you are dining at the hotel, try to eat fruit and non-sugared cereal with a boiled egg. Carb-laden breakfast treats, while tasty, aren't your friend.



3. Do Your Own Cooking

If you are in an extended stay hotel, you'll most likely have a small cooktop and microwave. Avoid eating out and hit the local grocery store for some fresh fruit, oatmeal packets and healthy, microwaveable dinners (pay attention to the sodium levels!)



4. Drive-Through with Caution

It's hard to avoid the drive-thru on the road, but you can find healthy options amid the burgers and fried nuggets. Look for words like "grilled" and order all sandwiches without mayo, cheese or spcial sauces. Eliminating a bun can shave off extra calories, as well. Order salads with vinaigrette dressings on the side, and avoid fatty toppings like cheese, croutons and those tasty fried noodles. FitnessMagazine.com has compiled a handy cheat-sheet of the healthiest eats at fast food eateries and popular chain restaurants to make sticking to your diet even easier on the go.



5. Order Wisely

If you can choose where to eat, steer your dinner party toward Japanese over Chinese, Pizza instead of Mexican. Salads might seem like an obvious choice, but fad-laden dressings and toppings can pack on the calories, so be sure to choose light dressings (on the side!), grilled chicken or fish protein and filling ingredients like beans and avocado. Opt for the plainest chicken or fish dish on the menu, avoid buttery sauces, and ask for extra broccoli or veggie medley instead of fries or a potato.

Packing Tips

Knowing how to pack a suitcase is essential to being a good traveler. Ever wonder how to pack light and still stay in style, my suggestion is to pick a basic color that you enjoy wearing and then add two other accessory colors and when you do this it will look and feel like you have several different outfits, for the males it is easy just a different shirt or tie and they are set.



The first think you want to do is start making a list of all the different items you will need for your trip, mentally take a note of all the activities and places you will be visiting and what you will be doing there so that you can gather all the items you will need for them. Pack a couple of plastic coat hangers in your bag, it seems like they never have enough hangers in the hotel rooms, if you pack plastic ones they weight almost nothing and are very handy to have.


When packing liquids remember they can expand under pressure, so never fill to the top and/or take some out if it is a new container. Toiletries should be as small as possible, and packed in sealable plastic bags for protection against spillage.


Pack each outfit in its own large re-sealable plastic bag, the rolling method works well for this packing style. If you have bulky items like for skiing use space bags that suck out all the air, you can fit so much more in your suitcase. The only word of caution here is that you want your suitcase to be packed firm so the contents won't shift and also you want to keep in mind to pack so your clothes will unpack wrinkle free.


Guard against lost luggage woes by packing your plastic bag(s) of toiletries in your carry-on bag, along with your most valuable items, and one change of clothes. Put all of your camera and computer items together in one carry-on bag, it will be easier during inspection, and then easier to put it all back together again after inspection.


Be vigilant in removing metal and in packing your carry-on. You also need to be aware of metal and batteries etc in you checked luggage, as that sometimes sets off an inspection alarm and may delay your luggage, it is easier to carry these items in your carry on so they can inspect them during your personal check in, rather than delay your checked in luggage.


No matter what type of bag you are packing, you will want to avoid spilling any liquids on your clothes or equipment and when you arrive at your destination unpack your bags as soon as possible after you get into your hotel room.


Monday, October 10, 2011

Haunted Hotels

You don’t have to worry about stray ectoplasma in our hotel but if you go to some of these Haunted Hotels you may want to put the Ghost-Busters on speed dial!


Hotel Provincial's elegance evoke the charm of old New Orleans and it modern ' Haunted' appeal.

For a good case of haunted chills and a great touch Southern haunted hospitality, head to the Hotel Provincial in New Orleans. You will be haunted not only by Haunted New Orleans it's great beauty but by one of the many ghost that haunt this Haunted New Orleans hotel.

Many a haunted New Orleans Honeymoon couple have told of their ghostly occurrences in the Big Easy over the years. And others or rather skeptical. But more stories of this spook filled Haunted Hotel keep occurring.

A Couple from Haunted Washington State related to us their recent ghost filled tale Convention stay. Their room is said to be haunted by a soldier with a deep love and penchant for country music. This was told to them as they entered the room by a staff member. He said that once a hotel employee opened the door to show guest into their room and they say they saw a man dressed in a 1930's Khaki military uniform, Complete with hat and many medals, the Ghost looked them in the face then disappeared. The couple reported to us that the entire stay was filled with a feeling of being watched. And many a cold chill, they say that they captured his spirit on film.

The very haunted Hotel Coronado, located just outside haunted San Diego, has a ghostly tale of unrequited love. Employee's, workers and guests have been puzzled by odd noises, spirited breezes, strange faces and the ghostly figure of a young lady wearing a black lace dress.

Rising from water's edge on the quaint island of Coronado in San Diego , the Hotel del Coronado is considered one of America 's most beautiful beach resorts. A classic historic hotel, The Del was built in 1888 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977. Today, The Del offers travelers contemporary luxury in an enchanting Victorian atmosphere. Add to this, the resort's beachfront location, and it's no wonder USA Today calls The Del "one of the top ten resorts in the world."

The most well-known legend and ghost story told is that of it's ghost Kate Morgan, who checked into the hotel in 1892 to meet her estranged husband.

He never showed up, and days later she was found dead on the beach from a gunshot wound. Some believe her lost lonely spirit still haunts the hotel, and there have been ghostly cold spots, numerous reports of noises, odd breezes in closed rooms and sightings of more then one ghosts.



This haunted hotel inspired Steven King to write "The Shining" while he stayed in room 217, but it is room 418 that reports the most ghostly activity.

There is no "red rum" in the haunted Stanley Hotel and Conference Center in the Rockies, but it is the place where Stephen King wrote half of "The Shining". The made-for-TV version of the film was shot at the Stanley, and King fans should book Room 217, which is where he stayed. It seems that strange haunted paranormal things were happening at the Stanley long before King came.

The hotel, which opened in 1909, is supposedly haunted by Flora Stanley, the wife of the owner, who likes to play the piano late at night. Her ghost is said to be very visible and a high profile haunting.

People who have stayed in Room 408 reported hearing children playing and laughing loudly outside their door, when getting up to investigate there weren't any. They also say they have left the room for a few seconds only to return and find the entire room in a dismay. And hand prints of small children on the mirrors.



Often called by many locals "The Belle of New Orleans." The Le Pavilion hotel offers guest turn-of-the-century charm in the heart of downtown Haunted New Orleans.

Twenty foot Italian statues representing "Peace and Prosperity" greet you at the Poydras Street Lobby front door. Inside t his spectacular grand reportedly the most Haunted New Orleans hotel, you'll find crystal chandeliers, historic antiques and several lively ghost to haunt you.

This New Orleans hotel makes all guests feel right at home by providing homelike touches, like complimentary evening peanut butter finger sandwiches.

At one point a few years ago the hotel management was said to have hired several local well known paranormal investigator, who identified several ghosts in the hotel. One group found four and recorded EVP"s saying "Please, get out." and " Hold On I see You Now.", another Investigative team say they documented over 100 individual Ghost and haunted hotspots in the hotel. And still another Ghost group said it was actually a portal to the other side.

Strange noises in the night, vaporous apparitions of figures standing at the foot of your bed. Coverlets and bed sheets being tugged into the air, from early morning to after midnight. Anytime is the right time to find a ghost here in this Haunted Hotel.



An elegant masterpiece in the heart of downtown Portland Oregon, the Heathman Hotel is a timeless classic that has all the comforts of somewhere other than home.

This is the only famous haunted hotel is in Haunted Portland, Oregon. and related is one of the most haunted tales of any hotel to be told.

Guests staying in one of the column of rooms that end in "03" (presumably room 703) have reported odd events. Moving objects, rapping's and tapings and cold spots. Ghost photos in this room show a dark cloud over the entire room. And sometimes a distorted face peering at you from a dark corner. Odd shadows on videos and many EVP's.

One guest related to me, that they stayed in the room only an hour or two this tale was stated by the guest, and an Ex-front desk clerk. In late April of 2004, The front desk clerk got more then wall call that many the guest felt a presence in the bed with them. One particular guest related that he could hear heavy breathing and he felt the sheets wrap around him so tight that he could not move.

When in this point of panic The guest told, that he tried to get out of the bed, but was trapped and the breathing got louder and closer. By the hand of God he said, he managed to break loose of the ever tightening sheets and turned on the light to see both of his large heavy suitcase fly across the room towards him.

A dark image of a man then ran into the closet. When upon help was called to from the front desk, for he thought someone had broken into his room. Security arrived, and upon investigation of the closet, proved he was quite alone in the room.

I myself don’t believe in ghosts but if you have any good ghost stories please share!