Gadgets

So we're almost a 3 full days into our cross country adventure and thanks to our kick-ass assortment of gadgets, our trip couldn't be going any smoother. Here I'll break down our 21st century tools:

CELL PHONES:

Communication is a necessity in a 21st century world--no question about it. So obviously our first tool is our cell phones. We are employed with 4 brilliantly designed wireless communication devices. They are: HTC 8525 (Angel's), 3G iPhone (Brian's), Blackberry Curve (Patrick's), and Motorolla Razr (Steve's). They all have their strengths and weaknesses, but as a team, they are unstoppable like Voltron. In addition, we are equipped with 2 Motorolla walkie-talkies for instant communication. These however are only best in short-range distances.




Brian's iPhone is the beast of wireless team. The 3G technology is phenomenal. He can do a hotel search on Google, come up with a list of results in a selected area, get the addresses, and with a push of a button, instantly start calling the hotel. This has come very handy as we searched for hotels while driving and never having to stop. Bam, it's amazing.

GPS:

A device first used and developed for military use, has now become a staple consumer appliance all over the country. We are traveling in two vehicles each with its own GPS system.


Garmin Nuvi 260W (Angel's) is a solid piece of gadgetry. Easy to use, great calculations, and very fast. Something to look for in buying a GPS is whether or not it speaks street names. Some do, some don't. I also like the widescreen screen which gives me more space and doesn't feel congested. I highly recommend getting one that does. Buy at Best Buy.

TomTom (Patrick's, not pictured) does not speak street names, but is still a pretty solid model. I like how it gives an overview map of your point to point destination and your traveling stats on your main window.

COMPUTERS

3 out of 4 of us brought along laptops for the trip. We have 2 Macbooks (Patrick and Steve), and a my brand new Macbook Pro (pictured). It is a sexy beast.

All have built-in high speed Wi-Fi, which unfortunately tried its damndest to get at our Howard Johnson the first night. With these badboys, we have been blogging (duh), checking and responding to emails properly, and soon to be scouting for a place to live in L.A.