Gadgets for Your Commute

Just board a train or bus or look in the cars next to you during rush hour, and you’ll undoubtedly witness commuters’ addiction to gadgets of every type. “I certainly fill my dead commuter time more efficiently than I used to,” says Katie Lee, editor-in-chief of online gadget guide Shiny Shiny. “I've got a tiny laptop, a smartphone and a music player so I can catch up on work, check my emails and listen to gadget podcasts, which are all things I'd have to wait to do if I didn’t have all those gadgets.” Companies continue to fuel our gadget fix with commuter-friendly wizardry. “A lot of time is wasted in traffic and on the road, and people are very busy,” says Kevin Massy, associate editor of CNET Car Tech. “There is a great deal of willingness on the part of the business world to turn that traffic time into productive time.” One group of investors says it will spend $5 million for a car computer with a keyboard in the steering wheel and a windshield that doubles as a screen, Massy notes.

Seven Hot Commuter Gadgets
If you’re looking for the hottest commuter-friendly gadgets, you’ve come to the right place. Consider these picks:

Treo 700p Smartphone: Wireless email, a Web browser and even the ability to work on Excel spreadsheets or PDF documents -- the latest Treo smartphone includes it all. With its EvDO connectivity, you’ll connect with broadband-like speed. “You can download large attachments and surf the Web with almost laptop-like performance,” says Mia Kim, editor-in-chief of personal technology hub Popgadget.

iPod 80 GB Portable Media Device: “Get yourself a music player, such as an iPod, download some podcasts, and while away your commuting time listening to some quality chat,” suggests Lee. With companies as diverse as Monster, IBM, Purina and Whirlpool offering podcasts, you will likely be able to catch up on industry news and views. The latest iPod has video capabilities that will prepare you for the next trend -- video podcasts -- and has enough room for your music library and maybe a few movies.

Olympus WS-310M Digital Voice Recorder: “If you worry about losing your million-dollar idea -- and how many of those have you really had? -- buy yourself a very high-quality, but very portable, digital voice recorder,” says Merlin Mann, editor of 43 Folders, who uses the WS-310M, which can record up to 138 hours of audio. “Just grab enough information to remind yourself of the thought later on, then stop.”

Parrot 3400 LS-GPS Bluetooth Car Kit: Need access to your phone’s features in your car? Then think about a full-featured Bluetooth car kit, like the Parrot 3400 LS-GPS, to connect to your Bluetooth-capable phone without endangering yourself. With its LCD color screen, voice recognition and address book synchronization, you’ll be able to keep your eye on the road even as you talk to your colleagues.

Sony Vaio G1 Notebook Computer: The Vaio G1 (also recommended by Kim), breaks the two-pound barrier for PCs. Weighing just 1.97 pounds, this computer won’t weigh down your backpack -- or give you back problems. Dual Wi-Fi antennas will help you get top-notch wireless reception when you need to pop into a cafe to check your email.

Bose QuietComfort 3 Noise-Canceling Headphones: Now you can hear podcasts, phone conversations -- and, yes, your tunes -- whether you’re in a noisy jet or a crowded bus. Tune out your fellow commuters, and tune into your work.

BlackBerry 7303e Handheld Device: If you want the uber-commuting device, consider a BlackBerry. The device automatically adjusts LCD and keyboard lighting levels, letting you use it whether you’re walking down the street in the sunlight or sitting in a dark limo.

A Final Word on Gadgets
Today’s gadgetry presents plenty of choices. “Try getting by with as little technology as you can tolerate, then slowly add tools only as you really need them -- and only as you have mastered the previous tool,” advises Mann, who favors a Fisher Space Pen and index cards. “Everybody respects a guy with a pad of paper.”



by Allan Hoffman
Source: Monster.com