travel

Few times have so many accessories come out so quickly for something so small. That's just one distinction that belongs to the iPod Shuffle, as evidenced by this Marware travel dock that plugs directly into a USB port, according to iLounge. But if you're really trying to save space--after all, isn't that what the Shuffle is all about?--you might want to consider the IncipioBud, which forgoes the need for a dock altogether.

It could be the 21st-century version of the Sunday drive: Blow up the hot-air blimp, take it for a spin, then fold it up and put it away.

Of course, that's assuming you've got $200,000 liquefying your Tiffany money clip.

The Personal Blimp from Skyacht Aircraft made its maiden voyage in late October, and although the company calls it a blimp, it's essentially a steerable hot-air balloon. It utilizes hot air in place of helium and is propelled by electric motors.

Though the cost may seem high for a leisure activity, consider that the average helium … Read more

So much of the electronics industry is defined by opposite extremes--the smallest of the small and the biggest of the big. Nowhere is that more evident than in TVs. On one hand, we lust after displays the size of a billboard; on the other, we covet things like this combo LCD TV and DVD player with a 7-inch screen.

There are other TVs and DVD players in this size and smaller, of course, but Hannspree has combined the two into one product that weighs less than 2 pounds. And unlike portable products made primarily for the car, as Popgadget points … Read more

It's not often that an attachment is nearly as big as the product it supports. But when the main device is the diminutive iPod Shuffle, size becomes something of a challenge.

The IncipioBud will still save some space, though, by allowing you to forego the iPod's docking station and plug it directly into any USB port in a Mac or a PC. As Ubergizmo points out, it would come in handy on the road--and, at $6, there's not much to lose.

This may not look like the most crushworthy item, but it's a classic case of form following functions--and many of them, at that. Depending on how you position it, the "multi-functional clock" from Japan-based Muji is a clock, a calendar, a thermometer or an alarm. Its utilitarian design lends itself for use in the kitchen or, as Ubergizmo suggests, as a space-saving travel device. And at $12, you won't fret too much about it when your luggage gets lost.

If you want to save some money on that overpriced taxi fare, check out Hitchsters, the new service that will match you up with another traveler so that you can split the cost of a taxi ride.

The service, in beta in New York right now, tells people with similar travel plans what each other's cell phone numbers are so that they can coordinate their rides. It's smart about its connections. For trips from the airport into town, for instance, it will match you only with people from your own flight (otherwise, flight delays would probably make it … Read more