Tuesday 10 October 2006 by Edward.

Have you ever used a map index at the back of an atlas, to locate a placename, a mountain, river or lake? Well, geoNames is probably the biggest map index. It is global. Click the name ‘London’ in the USA and you’ll get 2,535 places that contain ‘London’. I clicked London, Kentucky, and found out that it is a town of 7,844 people at 382m above sea level, located 37.129 N -84.083 W. Clicking links in the popup window sent me to interesting local information. Nearby is Cumberland Falls, one of two locations in the world that consistently have ‘moonbows’ (rainbows that show at night), the other being in Victoria Falls, Africa.

This is quite an intruiging tourist webtool and probably a useful bookmark.

Posted in Gadget/Idea/Webtool, Maps | No Comments »

Monday 9 October 2006 by Edward.

gChart is a travel-related mashup centred on GoogleMap. Click any location on planet earth and you will get a popup window showing placename, local time, date, telephone calling codes, clicks to local pictures, and to local blogs. I tested gChart by clicking on Halifax, Nova Scotia. Within the popup window was a button to many, many travel websites. It so happens the most useful ones were highly ranked (Halifax International Airport, Tourism Nova Scotia).

Posted in Gadget/Idea/Webtool | No Comments »

Saturday 7 October 2006 by Edward.

I recently reported that train e-tickets in India could be purchased in cash at iWay cybercafés. The Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is now working with banks and post offices to make eTicket purchases, by cash or charge card, as easy as withdrawing money or buying a postage stamp. This should make it even more convenient for tourists travelling the country.

Posted in Gadget/Idea/Webtool, DURING the visit | No Comments »

Friday 6 October 2006 by Edward.

Scandinavia Airlines is the world’s first airline to use biometric, fingerprint, recording at baggage check-in and boarding. While there exists concern for invasion of privacy, most passengers surveyed believe the security measure will increase airport safety and boarding efficiency.

Posted in Gadget/Idea/Webtool, DURING the visit | No Comments »

Wednesday 4 October 2006 by Edward.

London’s University of Westminster 499-seat Intermission pub has six touchscreen tables to allow patrons to order drinks directly from the bar. These RFID-enabled tables can also allow users to chat with those at other tables. Some users suggest going further — to have control over music selection, to send requests to the university radio station, to view webcams to see drinks being prepared, to play games, to stream sports videos to the tables, and to order taxis. These media-rich tables were built jointly by Compuware and Escapism Media using a Captive Audience Network system.

Posted in RFID, Gadget/Idea/Webtool, DURING the visit | No Comments »

Monday 2 October 2006 by Edward.

Business and Leisure trevellers can now print their own airline boarding passes for 18 major airlines from kiosks placed in all Embassy Suites Hotels, reports Travel Industry Wire.

I went online to the Embassy Suites Hotel Raleigh-Crabtree, North Carolina, to check out their kiosk link. Five options were presented: suite check-in, suite check-out, airline check-in, personalised messaging, and coupons for hotel service. The airline option allowed printout of your boarding pass and display of flight information.

Posted in Gadget/Idea/Webtool, BEFORE the visit | No Comments »

Saturday 30 September 2006 by Edward.

For US$70.00 you can buy a 3-megapixel camera/video unit that fits on your keychain. I see this as a useful tool for tourists.
Specs:
2560×2048 sill camera mode resolution
320×240 video frame for 100 sec
8Mb DRAM
SD card slot
USB port
powered by one AAA battery
size 1 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ x 3/4″
weight 1/2 oz

Posted in Gadget/Idea/Webtool, DURING the visit | No Comments »

Friday 29 September 2006 by Edward.

During a 5-week period in August-September, Disney’s imagineers tested how a cell-phone game, Kim Possible, might enhance the tourist theme park experience, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

Everyday about 100 visitors were randomly selected and handed the cell phone mystery game that centred about the UK pavillion. The idea was to solve clues in the game.

Imagineer’s R&D group are testing the concept of adding new technology (such as segways) to the park, but making sure these technologies do not detract from the essential theme park experience. They envisage the technology also being adopted elsewhere at other venues, destinations and activities.

Posted in Gadget/Idea/Webtool, mobile phone, DURING the visit | No Comments »

Thursday 28 September 2006 by Edward.

You need to locate your destination. A GPS system would really help but you don’t want to buy one. First, it’s expensive. Second, you only need it for a few days.

Boston’s Nav-A-Trip now rents units for US$9.95 per day ($US14.95 per day for travellers to Europe), reports the DailyNewsTranscript. Nav-A-Trip will send units to customers’ homes or hotels. Once done, customers can mail the units back in prepaid boxes.
The GPS units are portable and can be carried while walking around a strange new city — giving directions and pin-pointing features of interest.

Posted in Gadget/Idea/Webtool, GPS, DURING the visit | No Comments »

Sunday 24 September 2006 by Edward.

India’s 3,400 iWay cyber Cafés in 154 cities now offer internet, cash and credit card purchasing of rail tickets through Sify Ltd, reports CXOtoday.com

For both tourist and resident in India an eTicketing service in both cash and credit will meeth the needs of train  travellers.

Posted in Gadget/Idea/Webtool, DURING the visit | No Comments »