travel

Want to know why Netbooks are dead? Because you can buy a full-size, full-featured laptop for the same price. Witness today's deal from TigerDirect: the Acer Aspire AS5250-BZ853 15.6-inch laptop for $279.99, plus $8.77 for ground shipping.

The caveat: that's the after-rebate price. You'll pay $329.99 to get out the door, then get a $50 rebate (PDF) by mail. As is common these days, it'll come in the form of a prepaid debit card.

I know not everybody likes rebates, but when you look at the endgame price, this is nothing short … Read more

Let's say you need to pick up an old friend from the airport--or that you're holed up in an airport lounge yourself, guarding the perfect Wi-Fi spot while you wait for your plane. You know you can do better than constant Web refreshes to get the info you need, right? If you've got an Android device, check out FlightAware. It's free, it's fast, and it's simple. Here's how to use it: 

Hey, want to meet me in person? (I know, it's been a lifelong dream.) I'll be appearing tonight at 7 p.m. at the Ypsilanti District Library (in Ypsilanti, Mich.) for a free presentation on--you guessed it--cheap tech. Specifically, how to save boatloads of money on gadgets, gear, software, and more. I'll be demoing a few products, too. Hope you can make it!

Now, on to business. I'm a longtime fan of the Novatel Wireless MiFi card, a portable Wi-Fi hot spot that serves up 3G Internet to as many as five nearby devices. Just one … Read more

Let's do some math, shall we? You could pay a couple thousand dollars for an in-dash navigation system in your next car--or you could buy a portable GPS for $30. Decisions, decisions.

Today only, and while supplies last (which may not be long), Woot has the refurbished TomTom Ease 3.5-inch GPS for $29.99, plus $5 for shipping. That's one of the lowest prices I've ever seen on a top-brand GPS.

Update: Aaaaaand...sold out. If you're still interested, Technomotive has the Ease for $44.09 shipped. That's only about nine bucks higher than … Read more

Much as I like some of the nav apps available on smartphones, I'm not really a fan of using my phone as a GPS. You have to buy a special windshield or dashboard mount for it, and it's harder to use for things like phone calls and Pandora when it's pulling navigation duty. Not impossible, mind you, just less convenient.

That's why I remain a fan of the standalone GPS--especially one like this: TigerDirect has the TomTom XL 325S 4.3-inch GPS for $99.99. A $50 mail-in rebate (PDF) brings the price down to $49.… Read more

Does your spawn need a new laptop for college, high school, or even middle school? Heck, do you need a new laptop for everyday life? Either way, I've got just the system.

While supplies last (and they may not last long), Frys.com has the Acer Aspire AS5552-7819 15.6-inch laptop for $299.99, plus sales tax in a handful of states. If you live near a Fry's Electronics store, you can pick up the Acer for free; otherwise, plan on about $10 for shipping.

Update: As I predicted, the Aspire is now sold out--at least online. You … Read more

In the latest twist in the Airbnb saga, the San Francisco woman whose apartment was ransacked and robbed by a guest says the travel marketplace should have had protection measures in place from the very beginning, and her life continues to be an "utter hell."

Airbnb matches people looking for a place to stay with others renting out their own homes or apartments. The victim had said the company did little when she reported the damage to her apartment.

Responding to CEO Brian Chesky's apology over the incident and announcement of revamped policies to protect hosts, the … Read more

Travel marketplace Airbnb is making changes to its policies following a recent incident in which a member's apartment was ransacked by a guest.

The company plays matchmaker to people looking for a place to stay on vacation and those renting out their own homes or apartments. Airbnb has grown in popularity, but a recent vandalism and theft highlighted the pitfalls of using such a service.

A woman known only as "EJ" rented out her San Francisco apartment to a guest through Airbnb in June. After her guest left, EJ discovered that her home had been vandalized and … Read more

Prepare to blast your way through numerous starscapes with Lightspeed Screen Saver, a 3D screen saver that flies you through a virtual universe loaded with up to 32,000 stars.

This free software's interface is minimal, to say the least. However, anything more complicated would be extraneous. A handful of buttons let us change the screen saver modules, adjust global settings, and create our own module, as well as get help. As for creating modules, the interface is overly complicated and even a bit overwhelming. But since Lightspeed Screen Saver offers a large number of modules to choose from, … Read more