Must-Have Gadgets for Frequent Fliers

As the summer travel season continues, many airline passengers will take to the sky dreading the hours they must spend on the plane between destinations. Seasoned business travelers may also find themselves frustrated with time spent in the air, because they see those hours as wasted chances for productivity. With today's technology, however, pleasure and business travelers alike can make the most of their flight time by investing in some of today's most convenient, and entertaining, gadgets.

Block Out the Noise: Airline passengers' biggest complaints often revolve around the constant chatter and noise from other passengers. Perhaps you find yourself seated next to an excited first-time flier who wants to exclaim amazement at every new experience; or maybe a toddler two rows ahead is showing the effects of a missed nap. Whatever the distraction, BOSE QuietComfort Acoustic Noise Canceling headphones can block it out. These headphones were specifically designed for airline travel, and their audio quality is unmatched by competitors. They fold flat into their convenient carrying case, and can be used with any media equipment. You may enjoy these headphones so much that you use them everywhere, not just on an airplane.

Go Ahead-Jump on the Bandwagon: By now, you have heard the hype surrounding Apple's I-Phone, and perhaps you are reluctant to jump on the latest technology bandwagon. In this case, however, you would be justified in doing just that. The I-Phone has unique capabilities that you will not find elsewhere, not to mention the convenience of having all of those capabilities in one place. After it has synced all of your contacts from your MAC or PC, you can make a call with a touch on the screen, and can even organize and place conference calls. Once you finally touch down from your flight, you can scroll through your received voicemails and open them by preference, just like with email. Answering emails and texting is also more efficient with the included SMS application, which prevents and corrects typing mistakes. The ease of traveling with all of your technology in one place is worth the frustration of finally giving in to the I-Phone hype.

Sometimes Smaller is Better: If you are a business traveler and need more capability than an I-Phone or SmartPhone can provide, you may want to invest in a Trimble Redon Handheld Computer. This amazing little device is extremely rugged, even meeting military specifications for drops, vitrations, and temperature operation, so it is sure to withstand the abuse of even the most harried airline passenger. Different models can provide various specifications and functions, and you can pick and choose which options are right for you. The Recon Handheld Computer is so comfortable to use that you can continue to work, no matter how long your flight.

Keep Your Cool: If you are planning on using your laptop while on your flight, you will definitely enjoy having a portable laptop cooling pad. Laptops perform better when they are not overheated, which often happens with extended use. Using a laptop cooling pad will keep your laptop function at peak performance. This device plugs easily into the USB Port, also retracts for portability, so it is easy to take wherever you are traveling. Not having to put a hot computer on your lap for the entire flight is also an added bonus of this gadget.

Stay Organized, Stay Calm: A flight is a wonderful time to finally get all of your business information organized, which is why it is a great idea to invest in a PDA. While in the air or on the ground, you can work with Microsoft Word, Excel, or PDF files, and you can also surf the web and check email with broadband speed. Using a PDA is definitely a way to impress your boss with your business travel productivity. However, all work and no play can make you boring, so it is good to know that a Palm OS PDA also has a challenging game available to make your airport delays more enjoyable. Take breaks from your in-flight work and relax by playing the NoMess (or PalmGear)-it's a great stress reliever.

Get Yourself Connected: All of these gadgets are great, but none of them will help you if they run out of power. Be sure to have a Targus Universal Power Adaptor as part of your technology staples. The kits come with 8 tips, but you will have to contact your particular airline to find out which power seat system is compatible with which tip. Because this adaptor system will work in planes, offices, trains, and cars, it is all that you will need for any travel situation.

Are You Not Entertained?: Sometimes all you want to have on a long flight is a good movie-and you don't mean the dated, kid-friendly movie that the airline has provided. The Philips DCP850 Portable DVD Player provides you the option to enjoy the movie of your choice, and the swivel screen lets you share that movie with family or friends who might be traveling with you (or maybe just with the bored, wistful passenger across the next aisle). The memory card lets you play DivX movies that you have stored, or just peruse through your saved pictures-another plus if you are on your way to visit family members who would love to see your latest family pictures. When all you want in the air is the entertainment of a movie, this portable DVD player is exactly what you need.

Satisfy Your Inner-Child:For younger passengers, or for older passengers who are not ashamed to admit that they enjoy a good video game, the PSP (Playstation Portable) system is the perfect companion on an airplane. While the system is, in fact, a complete entertainment portal--it has internet capabilities, and can play movies and music, among other features--its key feature is gaming. With hundreds of games available, the PSP system is sure to occupy the most attention-deficit airline passenger, from adolescents to adults. A New Spin on an Old Favorite: If your gaming tastes run slightly more academic, then you will enjoy taking the 20Q electronic game along with you for your in-flight entertainment. This "Most Innovative Toy of the Year" winner is meant for ages 8 and up, and is sure to hold the attention of any player. The object of the game is to pick a random word, then answer the game-generated 20 questions. By the twentieth question, the game will have figured out your word, and you will be wondering exactly how it happened. 20Q is a great way to engage passengers around you (if you want that), or to just test your individual vocabulary skill. Either way, your flight or your airport delay will be over before you realize it.

Feed Your Brain: Many airline passengers like to spend their in-flight time reading a good book, and the Sony Portable Reader lets you do just that, with a modern twist. This digital reader has the newest screen technology that rivals the experience of reading text on paper. The reader can store up to 80 electronic books in its internal memory, and you can add a memory stick or card if you want to take additional titles. Other than e-books, you can also transfer PDF, or other text files, to the Reader. The Sony Reader weighs less than 9 ounces, so it is smaller than many paperbacks. It is a convenient way to take many titles with you without the bulk of books. If you happen to be on your way to a vacation spot, the Sony Reader is a great way to take along the latest summer read. If you are simply on another business flight, the Reader can definitely make your travel time more enjoyable.

Airline travel has certainly changed over the years, and modern gadgets have provided a way for passengers to work or play no matter what their altitude. Some passengers need to find ways to continue working while on the plane; while others are desperately looking for ways to entertain their family members during the flight. While you certainly will not find all of this technology tempting, or feasible, for any given flight, you will find that taking one or two of these suggestions along with you will make your next flight more comfortable, productive, and entertaining.