GeekSugar

Stay Organized With TripIt For Android and BlackBerry

GeekSugar — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 01:47:20 PST

Following the success of their popular iPhone app, travel site TripIt has released apps for both BlackBerry and Android phones. The apps are free, but require you to sign up for a free account on TripIt.com. The applications are an easy way to access your travel plans on the go (say, when you're in a cab from the airport and can't seem to remember the name of your hotel). The app also provides one-click access to call your airline, hotel, or other location directly from your itinerary if you have questions or problems.

I'm a huge fan of TripIt and the organization it provides. Recently, a friend's flight was delayed due to a huge snowstorm, and she received her TripIt flight delay notification (via the app) nearly a half hour before she received a notification from the airline. She was able to quickly rebook a different flight before other passengers attempted to do the same thing, and the rest of her travel plans were unaffected. Both apps are available for download from TripIt's site.

10 Travel Apps You Need Right Now

GeekSugar — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:25:51 PDT

I've given you some good suggestions on which apps you should load up on your iPhone when you're traveling with kids, but these 10 apps are great for trips of any kind. Traveling abroad, or just a few hours away to a new city you've never been to, add these apps to your arsenal.

10 Websites to Visit Before You Take Flight

GeekSugar — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 15:00:51 PDT

So you've already scoured your favorite discount travel site in search of the perfect vacation package and started thinking about your packing list, what else do you need to consider before you take to the friendly skies? I've put together a lineup of my favorite websites and web services to make it easy for you.

Website of the Day: TripIt

GeekSugar — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 13:02:58 PDT

This is one of those websites that will amaze you with its talents. TripIt is the latest and greatest travel organizer, which I like to think of as my personal travel agent.

Last weekend my boyfriend and I planned a little road trip to Santa Barbara and after getting frustrated trying to organize our hotel confirmations, maps, and tour bookings, we decided to give TripIt a try.

All we had to do was send TripIt all our confirmation emails in no particular order, and instantly our entire trip was organized in one easy to read itinerary.

And not only that, TripIt provided us with driving directions, useful maps and the weather! Needless to say, we were even more excited about our trip after discovering TripIt! TripIt hasn't "officially" launched, but you can sign-up from the main site to learn about updates and other news.

To learn how to post your favorite sites to the Website of the Day group, just

read more I know that this long list looks scary, but trust me, once you get the hang of it, it'll be a snap the second time around.

First of all, join the Website of the Day group
Click "Create and Share!" on the left hand side
Choose "Blog"
Give your photo a Title
Leave the category as "general"
Change the channel to "technology and gadgets"
Add keyword(s) (for example mine for this photo was "Website of the Day")
Click on the "Add Image" link below the "body" box
A popup window will happen - click on "Browse" to find your image on your computer
Once you have the image chosen, click "Submit"
The popup will show you your image, choose size: "normal" - if you want, you can give it a title (which will show up as a caption)
Click "Insert" and the popup will go away
Your "body" box will now have some text in it. Leave it as is. If you want to add some text before the picture telling me why you love the website, do it before the code that has appeared.
Click Submit

So join the Website of the Day group and share information about all of your favorite sites! Yours just might end up on the geeksugar homepage!

Download of the Day: TripIt Travel Planning

Kelly Schwarze — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 12:30:54 PDT

Rather than printing hotel directions and frantically searching for a confirmation number at check-in, simplify travel planning and sign up for a TripIt account. This website and mobile app pulls all travel plans into one easy-to-use itinerary. Forward the confirmation emails from any travel website to your TripIt account, and the service will automatically create one trip itinerary to access on the website or mobile device.

Each master itinerary includes maps, directions, and destination weather and provides the option to book restaurant reservations or other activities directly from the itinerary. No more wasted time searching for local hot spots and directions on your own.

The basic TripIt service is free with added features like automatic mobile alerts available for premium and business subscriptions priced at $50 per year and $30 per month, respectively. The mobile app is available for iOS, Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone devices.

Travel Tips For the Upcoming Holiday Weekend

Kristy Korcz — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:45:22 PST

Traveling this holiday? Christmas Eve falls on a Saturday this year, which makes one big mess at the airport. If you can't take a car or a train, be sure to check out these packing and travel tips to make your life easier while booking flights, getting through security checkpoints, and beyond.

Booking Flights

TripIt - Once signed up for the free service, forward travel confirmation emails to TripIt, which will automatically create a master itinerary of an upcoming trip accessible through the web or a mobile device. The itineraries even include the tidbits we seem to forget like weather updates, local maps, and directions.
Google Flight Search - Book that plane ticket before prices rise any further! Google's flight search engine incorporates travel basics like price point, maximum number of connections, and preferred airline with an easy-to-use interface.
Hotel Tonight - If there are too many relatives in one house, scan the last-minute hotel deals at Hotel Tonight for a chic getaway at a discounted price. Every day three hotels in a city reveal their discounted rates starting at noon, and you then have until 2 a.m. to book the deal and take advantage of a peaceful room.
My TSA - Can homemade fruit cakes go through security? How early should you show up to the airport for a flight on the eve of Thanksgiving? Answer the pressing travel questions that could otherwise cause delays or stress by adding the TSA's free iOS app to your device. The app's airport security line estimator may become the most crucial feature on your phone when planning your airport arrival.
HearPlanet ($3) - Take the time to discover the cultural side of your holiday destination. This interactive app highlights attractions in over 300,000 locations and uses geolocation features so that you don't miss any of the nearby fun, plus it's a great excuse to get out of the house and move around in fresh air.
GasBuddy - Hitting the open road instead of the air? Use the free GasBuddy app to locate the cheapest fuel on the interstate. Show your fellow travelers some love and share the low-price gas station you discover within the app.

Gadget Essentials

iPad or Tablet - If you have the luxury of spending upwards of $500 on a tablet, it's probably the only gadget you'll need to tote during travel season since it can hold your ebooks, surf the Internet, and keep you connected.
eReader - If you're sans tablet, pack up your favorite ereader. Whether it's the latest Kindle or the new Nook Simple Touch, you can read the entire Game of Thrones series without all the paper weight.
Compact laptop - Though the MacBook Air is arguably the most popular lightweight laptop out there, there's plenty of compact PCs and ultrabooks to choose from as well.
Chargers - If you're toting all these gadgets, you're going to (obviously) need some chargers to keep things juiced. Thankfully, many airlines are offering charging stations in the terminal and even seat-side outlets on board, so you can stay 100 percent charged throughout your trip.
Headphones - Keep the roar of 35,000 feet at bay with some nice sound-isolating headphones. If you're going over-the-ear, consider Skullcandy Aviators ($149), which offer great sound and deep bass and are even comfy for those geeks who wear glasses.

Get more tips on how to pack your bag and save some dough after the break.

6 Websites and Apps For Painless Holiday Travels

Kelly Schwarze — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 05:42:40 PST

If preparing for holiday travel season makes your heart race just at the thought of busy terminals and crowded roadways, take comfort in bits of tech salvation by bookmarking these sites and apps to help prepare for the coming craziness while preserving your sanity.

TripIt - Once signed up for the free service, forward travel confirmation emails to TripIt, which will automatically create a master itinerary of an upcoming trip accessible through the web or a mobile device. The itineraries even include the tidbits we seem to forget like weather updates, local maps, and directions.
Google Flight Search - Book that plane ticket before prices rise any further! Google's flight search engine incorporates travel basics like price point, maximum number of connections, and preferred airline with an easy-to-use interface.
Hotel Tonight - If there are too many relatives in one house, scan the last-minute hotel deals in Hotel Tonight for a chic getaway at a discounted price. Every day three hotels in a city reveal their discounted rates starting at noon, and you then have until 2 a.m. to book the deal and take advantage of a peaceful room.

Check out three more apps your phone must include for this traveling season.

Memolane Turns Your Social Activity Online Into a Time Line

Kristen Hawley — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 03:17:29 PST

Tumblr, Twitter, Flickr, Instagram, repeat! Our online social lives are so full and busy, it's sometimes difficult to keep track of everything that's going on. A new service is aiming to streamline the process, combining social activity into one easy-to-navigate time line. Memolane is a start-up based in Denmark and San Francisco, which displays your online activity as a series of individual memos, arranged by time in scrapbook-like fashion.

Interested? Find out more after the break.

1 More Reason to Beef Up Online Profiles: LinkedIn's New Way to Apply For Jobs

Emily Co — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 14:25:25 PDT

LinkedIn just rolled out a new feature that will let users apply for jobs using their profiles as résumés. The tool is called Apply with LinkedIn, and you'll start seeing the button on company websites and job boards. It seems to have an edge over the traditional method of applying for jobs. For starters, it shortens the time of crafting a new résumé, and you can easily reach out to recommendors through your LinkedIn network. Here's how to use it:

Look for the button: If you're looking around on job boards at a certain company and you spot the "Apply With LinkedIn" button, you need to click on it.
Edit your profile: After you click on the button, a new screen will pop up and you'll get the chance to make edits to your profile before submitting it.
Tap into your network: When you're done submitting your profile, you'll get a confirmation screen that will show people in your network who are affiliated with the company you just applied for. If you're not directly connected to an employee, LinkedIn will suggest people in your network who can make an introduction. Then, you can choose to send the contact a message to connect with him or her or request a referral, which will help improve your chances of scoring an interview.

LinkedIn says thousands of companies are already using the Apply with LinkedIn plugin, which includes hot firms like Netflix, TripIt, and Photobucket. I think the best part of this new development is it will make applying for jobs less tedious and time-consuming. Before you try out this new service, be sure to educate yourself on the best ways to network online and learn what major LinkedIn don'ts you should avoid.