What I learned about tech and the web while on the road
I spent the last week in New York visiting friends and family. While I was far more “unplugged” than usual, I still managed to stow away a few observations about tech and the web from the road.
* The mobile web is an amazing resource while traveling
The best example I can offer for this began when I lost my flight information for my return trip. I had it on a piece of paper, and the night before we were to fly home I realized with dread that I had likely thrown it out by accident.
I thought about calling the airline and explaining my predicament, but knew that it would be difficult given how little information I had to offer. I then realized that I had the confirmation e-mail buried somewhere in my Gmail archives. A quick search on my blackberry turned up all of the information immediately.
I relaxed, and didn’t even bother to write the information down. When we arrived at the airport, I simply pulled up the information once again.
* The Amazon Kindle is a traveler’s friend
Amongst the marvelous features that the Kindle offers is the ability to read a book and turn pages while using only one hand. This is a terrific help while standing in line while holding bags, luggage, food, drinks, camera, and so on with the other arm. Also, it’s light enough to make it worthwhile to tote around with you to sneak in a little reading during any idle in between moments.
Between the blackberry and Kindle, I felt like I had an enormous array of information and entertainment options at my disposal.
* Wolf Blitzer makes some interesting claims
Two days of cross country travel meant that I watched a lot more DVR-free television than usual. Wolf Blitzer of CNN, in promoting CNN.com’s Political Ticker blog, claimed that it was the most popular political blog on the Internet. That would be something to herald and promote, I suppose… but I have no idea how they determined the feat.
Blitzer and the CNN crew are also well known for repeatedly intoning that CNN has the best political team on television. Think they used similar criteria as the Political Ticker claim?
* It’s nice to step away from the interwebs every now and then
Though I peaked at news headlines and e-mail on my blackberry every once in a while, it was refreshing to get away from the daily webby grind for a little bit. Coming back, I hope that the time away will give me a fresh perspective.
Here’s to diving back in. 
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