Use Award Wallet To Keep Track Of All Your Frequent Flyer Miles

Save yourself the time of remembering all of your frequent flyer program numbers, expiration dates, and accumulated miles and points by using Award Wallet. This free website lets you create an account to store all of your miles and awards program information in one place.

How It Works

You begin by creating a simple login name and password with Award Wallet. You’ll be able to choose from most of airline frequent flyer, hotel, car rental, and credit card reward programs. Award Wallet interfaces with each reward program and by entering in your program username and password will update all of your information automatically.

• Award Wallet gives you the option of saving your passwords with them or locally on your computer. I recommend keeping your passwords locally if it’s your computer only.

You’ll also be able to enter other information like email notifications when you reach a certain point or mile goal you’ve set and will be emailed 90 days in advance of when your miles for a particular program are about to expire. (The free version of Award Wallet only supports 3 expiration notices however.)

Award Wallet Interface

There isn’t anything fancy about the interface, it’s simple to navigate and lists the programs as well as points and miles you’ve racked up. You can also redeem your points through Award Wallet which will pull helpful information like how many more miles you’ll need to take the trip to Argentina. There is also a forum where members can list deals they’ve come across and ‘connections’ so you can share some of your information with friends.

• There are two versions of Award Wallet; the free one and then Award Wallet Plus. Aside from getting an unlimited number of expiration notices (instead of just 3 for the free version) Award Wallet Plus lets you record and pull more information from each reward program. (You get to set the price for an Award Wallet Plus subscription.) For most travelers though, the free version of Award Wallet will suit the basic purpose.

A Useful Web Tool

I wasn’t paid to write about Award Wallet, I just thought it was a useful website that will make life a bit easier for travelers. One big mistake most travelers make is not using mile or awards programs at all, or neglecting to include their information when booking a flight or hotel. The more programs you sign up with the hard it becomes to keep track of each one. I’m always fumbling to find specific reward program numbers myself. Award Wallet is free to use and is an excellent tool to use in conjunction with the Frequent Flyer Master eBook.

Part 2 Of My Interview With Roger Middleton About RoomAtlas

On Monday I posted the first part of my interview with Roger Middleton who helped create the very useful Google Maps mashup RoomAtlas. I was lucky enough to get geeky with Roger about RoomAtlas over on the Tech Guide Of Travel (one of my other travel blogs) which is reserved for those type of things. It’s a slightly technical discussion but if you’re wondering how some of these nifty travel tech tools work, or are considering developing your own, you’ll find it a fun read.

Some Other Tech Guide For Travel Posts You May Find Interesting

• Comparing The Traveling eBook Readers: Amazon’s Kindle vs. Barnes & Noble’s Nook
• Luggage Limits Lets You Find Out Just That For Over 55 Airlines
• A Traveler’s Guide To Hacking Wireless Networks [Part 1 of 2]

I’ve written quite a few tech posts and interviews here on foXnoMad as well, including with Ben Kazez about the free iPhone app HotelPal and with Ray Carcoana about TravelHolic Confessions.

[photo by: visual.dichotomy]

A Chat With Roger Middleton About RoomAtlas, Hotel Booking Google Maps Mashup

Roger Middleton is one of the brains behind RoomAtlas, a very neat Google Maps mashup I think many of you will find useful. Roger was kind enough to set aside some time to answer some questions about how and why RoomAtlas might be part of your next hotel booking plans.

What is RoomAtlas?

RoomAtlas is the easiest way to find and book the right hotel, in the right location.

We plot 53,000 hotels on Google Maps, with color-coded markers showing live room prices and availability. To make the traveller’s life easier, we’ve built in everything needed to make the right choice – TripAdvisor reviews, Wikipedia landmarks, Google Street View, and more.

All the information you need to find the right hotel, all in one place.

How is RoomAtlas different than other online hotel locators?

We’re all about location: our interactive map shows hotels on the beach, near the shops or by the airport. We don’t force you to complete a form before seeing hotels, and we bring all the extra information (reviews, landmarks, photos) you might need under one roof.

Our interactive map is great for leisure travelers, and even better for business travelers – since they can enter the street address they’re visiting and view all nearby hotels. No more discovering the hotel you’ve booked is the other end of town from your office or conference.

Where did the idea for RoomAtlas come from?

We felt the standard, linear hotel booking process (completing a series of drop downs, leading to a list of hotels) could be improved.

There’s a huge amount of rich information out there, but until now it’s been scattered across the web. One might start with Expedia, then check location on Google Maps, TripAdvisor for reviews, Wikipedia for information about the area, Street View for a walk down the street… choosing the right hotel can be a time-consuming business!

We wanted our site to make it quicker and easier, by bringing all those information sources together. Instead of pages of results, we show the full range on Google Maps – and instead of our users consulting multiple other sites, we’ve built them in to RoomAtlas.

Where does RoomAtlas pull its data from?

We have over 53,000 hotels on our map, drawn from Expedia and Hotels.com. They provide us with live prices and availability, and handle bookings for peace of mind. There’s no premium for booking via RoomAtlas.

What’s your favorite single feature of RoomAtlas?

Hard to choose, but we think our color-coded hotel markers are pretty cool. They show live prices, right in the marker, and only appear on the map if the hotel is available for the user’s chosen dates. We have pins for low, medium and high priced hotels (with thresholds set by the area), and an orange pin for special offers.

When we saw them scattered across the map for the right time, we knew we had something our users would find useful.

Do you have any other upcoming projects or updates to RoomAtlas in the works?

We’re always working on new additions to RoomAtlas and have a ton of exciting projects under way, including a mobile app – watch our blog for new announcements!

We’ve actually just launched a new feature to allow users to create their own custom hotel maps, for events like conferences, sports events and weddings. They can then send these out to attendees, with a pin at the location of the event – and all available surrounding hotels shown on the map (e.g. http://www.roomatlas.com/e3expo). We’re pretty excited to see what our users do with that.

You can check out RoomAtlas for free. I’m  also excited to tell you that Roger will be getting geeky with me tomorrow and answering some questions as to how RoomAtlas works over on the Tech Guide For Travel.

What Gadgets Can You Not Travel Without? [RESPONSES]

It seems as though many of you are traveling with at least 2-3 travel gadgets that you just can’t hit the road without. As for me I probably travel more ‘digitally heavy’ than most but then again, based on these 14 responses to what gadgets can you not travel without, I’m not so sure.

• Voltage adapters: 2
• Rechargable batteries: 2
• Laptop: 8
• Camera: 9
• Mobile phone: 3
• Music speakers: 1
• External drives: 4
• iPod: 2

• RennyBA’s Terella: “I just need my laptop and mobile phone – then (with WiFi), I’m always on, are able to do my work, connect with people and take pics.”

• ATravelAroundTheWorld: “I am a full time traveler, for me is essential to always have with me an international plug adapter, 4 spare rechargeable batteries (you never know), of course laptop, photo camera, mobile phone,my fishing rod and some clothes.”

• AirTreks Nico: “I also like to travel with a set of mini-speakers. Gotta have some tunes to wake up to!”

• Stephanie: “If I don’t see things through my camera lens I feel like I haven’t seen them at all.”

• Dan: “I take my netbook (Samsung NC10), camera and spare batteries everywhere.”

• Mark H: “For me, it is only a camera but most trips are accompanied with a laptop as well.”

• Gourmantic: “Rather than hog your comment box with the list, here’s the link to my essential travel gadgets. I’d also add the iPhone to the list now that I’ve got one.”

• Priyank: “Camera and ASUS EEE, thats it!”

• Nomadic Pinoy: “I don’t bring much gadgets as I try to travel light but my trip won’t be complete without my camera and Ipod.”

• Sherry Ott: “I use an old ipod (no one wants to steal it) that is 80G – so I also use it as backup storage for my laptop. Plus – I keep my ‘best’ photography uploaded on it so that when someone wants to see it – I can easily whip out and show them my portfolio of work!”

• Shannon: “I travel with a travel-sized power strip that folds up easy and gives me a few extra outlets in a hotel room.”

• Nisha: “My digicam, universal plug adapter, 4 spare rechargeable batteries, my mobile phone, Pen drive.”

Personally I always carry a laptop, voltage adapters, iPod touch, and a host of USB, ethernet, and other cables. Since my office travels with me I bring as much of it as I can because it’s so hard to predict what will be available at the next destination. I bring these items because I work from the road (yes, and I love technology) but what are some of the reasons you travel with gadgets?

[photos by: MacDavid Pro, Flashpacking Life]

What Gadgets Can You Not Travel Without?

There is some tech gear I never travel without. A laptop, digital camera, a long range USB antenna and a number of various cables and wires to make my life easier and keep me connected.

I’m curious, what technology and electronics can you simply not do without when you travel and why?

Generally I bring things that help me to stay connected to the Internet, get work done, and keep on top of emails (and of course Twitter). I’m looking forward to hearing your must-travel tech gear for an upcoming post I’m working on and your feedback would be wonderful.

[photo by: nouQraz]

9 Expensive Travel Gadgets Worth Buying As Gifts

There are many wonderful traveler gifts for under $20 but what if you’re looking to splurge a bit on your loved ones or yourself? Use your money efficiently by considering some of these expensive (over $100) travel gadgets that are both useful and fun.

1. iPod Touch ($199 refurbished 8GB) – This versatile tool does more than just play music, it’s has a feature set similar to the iPhone, except the phone part. You can download many more great free apps by jailbreaking your iPod touch and save 10-20% by buying Apple-certified refurbished.
2. Victorinox Swiss Army CyberTool 41 (On Sale ~$75) – This Swiss army knife has a special tool set specifically for computers. A very handy Swiss army knife to have when you need to clean some dust out of your laptop or want to install a new hard drive on the road. It also has all the other common features like a knife (obviously), corkscrew, and pliers.
3. Flip Video Camera ($150) – Record up to 120 minutes of digital video with this small camera about the size of a regular digital point and shoot. It records in high definition onto a 8GB built in memory and is rechargeable by USB. A great way to try and win one is to donate $10 to Passports with a Purpose.
4. A Long Range USB Antenna ($50) – There are two versions of these antenna that plug in to a USB slot on a laptop and can extend your wireless range 3-5 times. Snagging more wireless networks is important for travelers and digital nomads who often struggle to find good wi-fi. One added bonus with these antennas is that they can be used to hack wireless networks, another useful trick to know on the road.
5. An eBook Reader ($259) – Load up countless books and take them all over the world with you in a 10 ounce package. Both the Kindle and Nook make great gifts for travelers. If you’re having trouble deciding between them, here’s a comparison of the traveling eBook readers, the Kindle and Nook.
6. Digital Camera (~$100) – We often assume that everyone already has a digital camera and forget to consider them as gifts, especially for travelers. I strongly recommend the Casio Exilim series for their reliability and great feature set for a small point and shoot. I’m offering one as a prize for Passports with a Purpose which you can enter to win with a $10 donation.
7. Garmin Nuvi GPS Unit (~$130) – Not all who wander are lost but plenty of people get lost wandering. The price of these devices has really come down in the last 18 months. The Garmin Nuvi (like most others) lets you load North American, European, Asian and other maps, upload pictures, and talk on your mobile over Bluetooth. You can also make your GPS talk like Darth Vader although he might lead you to the Dark Side.
8. A Good Webcam (~$80) – The difference between a $30 and $100 webcam is very noticeable in both the video and audio quality. Unless a person happens to be traveling around with a Macbook, a good webcam is a useful asset for most digital nomads. Heavy Skype users will appreciate the Logitech Webcam Pro 9000.
9. The Dell Mini Laptop ($299-349) – These laptops are only 2.5lbs, 10 inches wide and an inch thick, and are well manufactured and reliable. One of the neat things is that the hardware is compatible with Mac’s Leopard OS X (aka. Hackintosh). So, with a few minor tweeks you can have your Mac Leopard laptop for about $800 less than buying an Apple.

Some Cheap Geek Accessories

Some of the items below are very useful, simple, and don’t cost much. They’re the opposite of expensive or glamorous, the cheaper digital nomad gifts that are much more useful than their price indicates.

• USB Flex Light ($10)- Great for reading or seeing your keyboard when it’s dark.
• Stereo Cable ($3) – Lets you plug in your iPod (or other audio device) into many stereos, rental cars, and TVs. It’s the one cable most travelers only think about when they don’t have one on them.
• USB Double AA Rechargable Batteries ($20) – Pop the cap off, plug in to your USB port to charge, and now you’ve got some double AA batteries.
• USB squid ($12) – Turns one USB port into 4.
• All-In-One Power Adapter ($5) – Coverts between a variety of outlet styles, including US, European, Indian, and several others.

This makes a pretty nice wish list for many travelers who can’t get enough of their technology and gadgets. These are the most useful gadgets for travelers in this price range in case you’re having trouble figuring out what to get for the holidays or that upcoming birthday.

[photos by: nathangibbs, mstephens7, Ho0n]

Hotspot Shield Alternatives To Watching Hulu and Other US Sites Abroad

Hotspot Shield is the popular method for getting access to US-only websites but is ad-heavy, and since Hulu and other providers are on to it, isn’t as reliable as it once was. Those of you outside of the US can still access Hulu, Netflix instant streaming, and other US-only websites using these good alternatives.

In addition to watching TV, using these proxies can be a good way to get lower airfare if you’re in Europe by booking on Kayak, or some other site that thinks you’re in the US.

(Be careful what information you send across a proxy you didn’t set up yourself. It’s best to use a one-time credit card if your bank offers it.)

Free Programs

Reader Andrew sent me a great list of alternative programs, all of which I’ve downloaded and tested (on Windows, Mac, and Linux). These are the easiest alternatives to use because they don’t require you to set much up and are free.

• FreeVPN (Windows only) – Out of all the virtual private network (VPN) software I tested, FreeVPN was the easiest to use, set up, and the least intrusive. Once you download and install the program, it sits in your taskbar and does it’s magic as you turn it on or off.
• UltraVPN (Windows, Mac) – Similar in setup to FreeVPN and available for Mac, except that UltraVPN requires you to set up a username and password. Make sure to use a password you don’t use for your email or any other accounts.
• FoxyProxy (Windows, Mac, Linux) – FoxyProxy is an application that you install but requires you to change some settings on your browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox) to get the proxy to work. It’s not much work and is a one time setup. A good proxy that also works on Ubuntu Linux.

There are some paid alternatives out there which I didn’t try. They run anywhere from $30-100 annually and the quality and service varies. The free methods listed above should be enough to meet your needs in most cases.

Set Up Your Own VPN

There are two ways to set up your own VPN. One is to have a computer that running somewhere in the US (i.e. in your parent’s house) and the other is to purchase some cheap hosting or use an existing Web server you may have. Basically the computer just needs to be in the US, running, and connected to the Internet.

• Setting Up Your Own VPN on Windows
• Configuring a VPN on Mac
• Setting Up a VPN on Ubuntu Linux

Other Alternatives

• Hamachi (Windows, Mac, Linux) – Makers of the popular remote desktop solution LogMeIn also have a free VPN service you can sign up for called Hamachi.

For many of you watching your favorite sitcoms abroad makes VPN software like these essential tools for digital nomads. Remember though that all the data you send through a VPN that you didn’t set up yourself might not be absolutely private. Avoid sending across passwords, credit card numbers, and anything else you wouldn’t want someone else to read.

[photos by: thms.nl, colmmacc]

Why You Should Never Use Internet Kiosks At Airports

Most digital nomads have stumbled across Internet kiosks at airports but generally don’t notice them since they’re usually equipped with laptops. In my travels I’ve noticed many people using Internet kiosks like the one pictured below yet there are a host of reasons you should never use them.

Internet kiosks can put your credit card, online, and corporate information at risk even with the basic purchase of $5 for 10 minutes.

Hidden Dangers

From a security stand point an Internet kiosk is a nightmare. These machines are left alone around the clock and are easy targets for people who want to manipulate them. It’s even possible for someone to install a basic credit card skimmer over top the one built into the kiosk. Though that’s less likely there are some very real threats to be aware of.

• Old Systems – Many of these machines are running older versions of Windows which are more vulnerable to viruses and various hacks.
• Not Patched – These machines are rarely updated so whenever there’s a new virus or vulnerability in the wild these computers aren’t protected against them until many months later.
• Installed Applications – Because these systems are often unpatched or running older software it’s much easier for someone to install a virus or Trojan horse on the kiosk computer.

What Does This Mean?

Anytime you use an Internet kiosk like these you’re potentially giving away your online account information, email accounts, and anything you have stored on your USB drives that you plug in.

• Don’t Login To Important Accounts – Refrain from typing anything, like passwords, that you wouldn’t want a stranger to read. Although I strongly recommend against logging into any accounts from an Internet kiosk, if you absolutely must use Neo Safekeys.
• Not The Place For Work – This particular kiosk in Dallas had Microsoft’s Office Suite installed so users could open documents and spreadsheets. When you plug in a USB drive into an unfamiliar machine you don’t know what you’ll be leaving behind…or taking with you. Many viruses can download your data, corrupt it, or hitch a ride to infect you computer at home.

Not Worth The Price

Internet kiosks like this one typically charge $5 for 10 minutes of Web access which is a pretty bad deal especially considering an entire day’s worth of airport wireless is about $8-12. (You can also try getting free airport wireless using the traveler’s guide to hacking wireless networks.)

Of course if you don’t travel with a laptop you may find yourself walking up to on for a little online time wasting. Protect yourself and your personal information by following the precautions above and following the same advice for keeping your online accounts safe at Internet cafes.

The Advantages Of Traveling Without An iPhone

I always travel with a laptop and I’m a big believer that technology makes a traveler’s life easier, including the iPhone, but if you don’t have one there are a few advantages you can take away. There are a number of great iPhone apps for travelers it’s true, but some things a beat up old Nokia can do that an iPhone can’t.

Doesn’t Take Hits Well

The iPhone is a well designed piece of hardware that Apple has done its best to make compact and durable. While the stainless steel back well suited to a fall the sensitive touchscreen on the front is easily damaged or destroyed. You’ll have to protect the screen (Invisible Shield is a good option) and likely put it in a protective hard cover for the rest of the iPhone. An basic Nokia might not be able to do much in terms of booking a hotel room like HotelPal, or quickly finding a place to potty like SitOrSquat, but it can be dropped, take a knock, and keep on going.

Expensive Data Plans

Almost every traveler I know who takes their iPhone with them ends up with a very expensive bill their first month or so. That’s because the data plans for the iPhone are costly and you’ll be charged a lot more for roaming. It’s better to turn off the iPhone’s data roaming option when you’re outside of your home area and use the iPhone’s built-in wireless. Use the iPhone version of NetStumbler to find hidden wireless networks (airports and bus stations are a good bet) and make your calls with Skype to avoid outrageous charges.

Attractive For Thieves

The iPhone is a sleek piece of equipment that Apple has done an excellent job marketing. It’s one of the most recognizable gadgets in the world which means that you’ll grab the attention of pickpockets along the way. If you don’t have an iPhone and carry around a basic Nokia or other common mobile phone you don’t have to worry that someone may target you specifically for your phone. (Try to uglify your iPhone to keep it undercover if you have one.)

Repairs and Replacements Are Costly

The iPhone lithium-ion battery will give you about 80% of it’s maximum charge after 400 recharge cycles. While Apple will replace a battery if it dies completely (under a 1 year manufacturer’s warranty) you’ll have to send the phone in – something that can be difficult if you’re traveling. iPhone batteries are not something you usually have to worry about for the first 3 years and extended batteries and third party replacement kits are available in case you need them.

Some Other Ways To Make Yourself Feel Better About Traveling Without an iPhone

• They Take Up Time. Having an iPhone means it’s much harder to disconnect, which can be a good thing or a bad thing at various times.
• You’ll Rely On The Built-In Camera. iPhone users tend to neglect their digital cameras in favor for a quick shot with the iPhone which has a decent camera but certainly not a replacement for the real thing.
• You Won’t Stop Fiddling With It. With your eyes peeled to your iPhone you’ll be missing out the scenery around you especially on buses, trains, or wherever else you can distract yourself.

There are some advantages of traveling without an iPhone but even more ways to reduce or eliminate the disadvantages. There are many free and useful iPhone apps for travelers and plenty of others you can install on a jailbroken iPhone (or iPod touch in most cases). For maximum flexibility though you can take both your old beater phone and your iPhone and use as needed.

[photos by: J.Baker, cdresz, Archie McPhee's Seattle]

Interview With Stephane Pingaud About New Service Cost4Travel

Stephane Pingaud recently got in touch with me about a new project called cost4travel. I was intrigued and wanted to learn more about this free service. Stephane shares some information about this new service which I think many travelers will find useful.

In a ‘tweet’ of characters or less, what is cost4travel?

cost4travel provides a way for travelers to record and reference their travel costs, so that other travelers can budget realistically for their future trips.

How did cost4travel come to be?

cost4travel is the result of a personal travel experience (a 2 month, country-wide, backpacking family trip in Thailand, back in summer 2007) during which we asked ourselves many times: are we being ripped off by this speed boat owner, scooter rental agency or dive shop, shall we search for cheaper accommodation? etc.

Upon my return to Europe, I felt the web would be an ideal platform to let travelers exchange and share between each other travel cost-specific information, to the benefit of the entire traveling community.

What differentiates cost4travel from other travel price comparison tools online (i.e. Kayak)?

Travel meta-search engines, while very useful in the travel booking process, do not offer a complete picture of the travel costs to be expected from upcoming trips. They rely on suppliers’ data gathered by spiders, and cover only the flight, accommodation and car rental components of travel, and do not offer qualitative reviews.

For these reasons, we saw an opportunity in developing what I’d call a ‘social’ travel search engine, where price information will come from the travelers themselves, not the suppliers. It would also cover an extensive range of travel-related products, from flights to accommodation, taxis, ferries as well as related services like restaurants, sports & activities, insurance, visa fees etc.

(The first version of www.cost4travel.com only covers flights, accommodation, car rental, ferry, train, bus & taxi and finally restaurants. We will add other services as we progress, starting with attractions.)

What stage is cost4travel now?

cost4travel is not yet a company; we’re still at project phase, managed entirely and exclusively by the two co-founders. If the adoption rate and data contribution are satisfactory, we hope to be able to secure a partnership with investors and establish the company.

We have a first (beta) version online, open to anyone, that shall help us define with the validity of the concept with the traveling community; it allows travelers to centralize and organize the costs of their trips in one place, and therefore be always up-to-date to what they’ve spent on their travel. With this information, we’re building cost4travel’s cost database which will in the future help travelers search for the lowest, highest and average prices for selected travel products, destinations and dates, by fellow travelers, and read associated comments.

However, the version currently online does include a very basic search module, which offers travelers the means to view specific trip and travel reports as data is initially inputted. It goes without saying the number of  trips from other travelers you can search is very limited due to the fact the number of travelers using the site to centralize and organize their own travel cost reports is still very low (we launched last week).

The site is only in ‘international’ English and targets any traveler worldwide who’s got a basic knowledge of that language; we’re planning to localize the site in many languages when we have secured financing and can therefore get more resources.

What do you hope or envision cost4travel to become in the coming months?

Our immediate goal is to get enough visibility with travelers in North America and western Europe in order to establish whether the concept of our web site can fly, i.e. leisure – and possibly un-managed business – travelers do want to better organize their travel costs and control their travel budget. If they do, we grow our cost database and therefore are in a position to provide relevant results to travelers that will use our future ‘social’ search engine.

If they do, it’ll also mean that:

1. Potential investors will be interested in cost4travel, leading to company creation and first round funding.
2. We will be able to speed up our development cycle, initiate the development of mobile applications, introduce a loyalty program for travelers, look at innovative product features etc.

I hope to be able to tell you in January that all these things are completed and/or their way.

Are there any cool features you’d like to share that you haven’t mentioned yet?

The truth is that the key features of our site is My Trips, which lets travelers create trips online, upload travel costs associated to these trips and then manage those as well as individual cost items as needed. For instance, you can check how much how much you paid in flights, hotels, car rental , restaurants etc for a specific year(s). This is the feature which will enable travelers to get a good grasp on their travel budget.

Now, regarding the feature that I have not mentioned yet, you’ve got My Alerts. All My Alerts does is to inform by email whenever someone has uploaded to cost4travel a travel cost for a service and a destination that you’re interested in, and obviously give you the details of that cost, and associated comments.

Thanks again Stephane, best of luck with cost4travel. I’d encourage any readers who check out the site to leave your feedback here in the comments to get your take on the site and thoughts on the idea itself.

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