Nov 28th, 2011 at 8:00AM: Remember when buying a cell phone was easy? You simply walked into a store, found a device that was the right size and price to fit your needs, bought it, and walked out the door. You usually didn't have to buy another one until that phone died, and the thought of upgrading on an annual basis was nearly unheard of. The increase in demand for smartphones over the past few years, spurred on by the ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
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Gadling gear review: Samsung Focus Windows phone
Nov 28th, 2011 at 8:00AM: Remember when buying a cell phone was easy? You simply walked into a store, found a device that was the right size and price to fit your needs, bought it, and walked out the door. You usually didn't have to buy another one until that phone died, and the thought of upgrading on an annual basis was nearly unheard of. The increase in demand for smartphones over the past few years, spurred on by the ...Google's Hotel Finder to help you find the perfect hotel
Aug 1st, 2011 at 10:30AM: On Friday, Google introduced Hotel Finder, which promises to help users find the perfect hotel. Hotel Finder utilizes Google Maps as well as a Google Reader-type interface to display hotels according to photo, class, user rating, rate, and "compared to typical," a useful metric that displays a percentage of how much more or less the rate is off the typical price from the past year.
Google ...Google launches flight schedule search
May 30th, 2011 at 8:00AM: You knew it was only a matter of time before Google jumped into the travel game, especially after their acquisition of ITA Software was approved awhile back. But on Friday of last week, the Internet search giant launched its flight schedule search option, allowing travelers to get a list of flight options directly from the basic Google search box that we all know and love.
The new options was ...DayZipping launches Android app, brings fresh trips to fresh places
May 17th, 2011 at 9:00AM:
It wasn't quite a year ago that an Atlanta-based startup dubbed DayZipping set out to change the way people interacted with new places. But having a growing pool of day trips -- journeys that can be completed within one to eight hours by foot, bike, car or train -- only does a user so much good on the big screen. At last week's Google I/O conference, the company launched their first foray into ...Google to dominate online travel selling, we hope
Apr 12th, 2011 at 3:00PM:
Late last week, Google won government clearance on its $700 million bid for ITA Software in a deal that opens the door for the innovative Internet search powerhouse to dominate online travel selling.
ITA Software, who's latest innovations include include ITA PSS, a next-generation passenger services system, Needle, a smarter way to organize and publish data on the web, and OnTheFly, an ...Where are all the travel guide apps for Android?
Mar 25th, 2011 at 11:00AM: Nearly two years ago, I bought my first smartphone: the T-Mobile Android MyTouch*. I'm only occasionally jealous of my iPhone-carrying friends, as I find few travel guide apps for Android. Even after a move to Istanbul, I still use and rely upon it daily; Android's interface is fast and easy-to-use, and seamless use of Google applications like Gmail and Google Maps is part of the reason I bought ...Google Translate for the iPhone arrives in the App store
Feb 8th, 2011 at 6:00PM: Google Translate voor de iPhone is nu beschikbaar in the App Store! Android users have had access to Google Translate in an app for some time, but they now get to share the fun with iOS users.
Google Translate is by far one of the best translation apps available for any mobile device, and offers translations in 65 different languages, 24 of which come with speech recognition.
Translation ...Track Santa's progress tonight courtesy of Google and NORAD
Dec 24th, 2010 at 9:30AM: Once again this year, Google and NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) have teamed up to help eager girls and boys the world over track Santa's progress throughout the day. What is new this year is that you'll also be able to follow jolly St. Nick using Google Maps and Google Earth, as well as your mobile phone.
As you read this, Santa has already set off on his appointed rounds and ...Ordnance Survey maps: sometimes government CAN do a great job
Dec 22nd, 2010 at 3:30PM: The BBC recently interviewed a cartographer for the Ordnance Survey. This government department is in charge of mapping the United Kingdom, except for Northern Ireland, which has its own agency.
If you like maps or plan to hike in the UK, the Ordnance Survey maps are simply amazing. They've been measuring and drawing this green and pleasant land since the eighteenth century and produce the best ...Hotels and spas use corporate retreats for sweet financial revenge
Oct 21st, 2010 at 4:30PM: It's hard to tell who wants a business travel rebound: business travelers or the hospitality companies that cater to them. Routine road warrior jaunts suck, but there are executive retreats, training programs and other opportunities that do appeal even to the most jaded of the white collar folks.
So, the hotels are fighting to get business travelers back, according to Business Insider, and ...How to make free calls from a plane using Google Voice and Gmail
Aug 27th, 2010 at 5:30PM: Right now, I'm cruising at 35,000 feet on a Delta flight surfing the Web with Gogo's Inflight internet access. My flight has been delayed, and I want to tell my wife that she can pick me up later. And it occurred to me: I wonder if Google's new "Call from Gmail" feature would work while flying.
Sure enough, I opened Gmail's "Google Talk Plugin" interface, entered Gadling editor Grant Martin's ...Kindle tips for travelers
Jul 12th, 2010 at 3:30PM:
The iPad may be the current darling of techie travelers but some of us are waiting for the first generation kinks to be worked out and a decrease in price (or a sudden cash windfall) before taking the plunge. While still a "monotasker" compared to a tablet or laptop computer, Amazon's Kindle is still a great tool to carry books on the road with a lightweight design and almost limitless capacity ...So google is buying ITA Software. What does it mean for you, air traveler?
Jul 8th, 2010 at 10:30AM: First of all, what is ITA Software? Briefly, it's a technology company based in Cambridge, MA that provides the airfare search software behind such sites as Orbitz, Kayak and many airline web sites. Its claim to fame is that it digs deeper into airline reservation systems than some other technologies, and usually finds fares that are only available via the airlines' own websites. And it allows ...Google acquires ITA: the search for bargain airline deals is about to get even easier
Jul 2nd, 2010 at 11:30AM: You're an avid traveler, right? Sure, why else would you be reading this? Chances are that you've spent some quality time at either Kayak, Airfare Watchdog, Bing Travel or one of the many other niche ticketing sites in search of deals over the past few months. To that end, you've probably spent next to no time at Google searching for the same thing. But the obvious question is this: "why not?"
...Google Goggles helps you explore the world with your phone
May 7th, 2010 at 3:30PM: Ever needed a quick translation of a foreign menu? Wanted to identify an unknown landmark? A new app called Google Goggles offers mobile users highly useful way to decipher the world around us using the camera on your mobile phone. This new service for Android users makes it remarkably simple to find quick translations of foreign languages, identify landmarks or even pick a bottle of wine, all ...Google experiments with hotel prices on Google Maps
Mar 23rd, 2010 at 3:30PM: News from the Google camp is that engineers are testing out a new way to view hotels on Google Maps. The new feature will allow Google users to find and compare hotels and prices, based on a specific location.
According to Google's LatLong blog:
"With this feature, when you search for hotels on Google Maps you'll be able to enter the dates you plan to stay and see real prices on selected ...Google Maps adds biking directions
Mar 10th, 2010 at 2:00PM: We were pretty jazzed when Google Maps added public transit directions for various cities around the world. Some of us don't own cars (have you tried to park in Manhattan?) and we don't always bother renting one when we travel. So, you can imagine our joy now that Google Maps has also added biking directions.
The biking directions help riders stick to dedicated trails and bike lanes, which ...European Union puts the thumbscrews on Google Street View maps
Mar 1st, 2010 at 4:30PM:
Google Street View is probably one of the coolest mapping applications of the past decade (along with satellite images). I'll regularly pull up a Street View map before I head to a destination I've never been to, and in most cases, the images make it much easier for me to navigate. I've even used it on my Google powered phone as a way to get an idea where I'm heading.
Sadly, the European ...Gadling TV's Travel Talk 002: Google goes Trans-Siberian, BA Strike, Aircruises, S.F. in 24 hrs and more!
Feb 24th, 2010 at 9:22AM:
Gadling TV's Travel Talk, episode 2 – Click above to watch video after the jump
Travel Talk is Gadling's version of a travel show. In each episode, we'll discuss hot travel news; share fun, useful tips for both traveling and bringing your travel experiences back home; spotlight exciting travel destinations; and much more.
tweetmeme_url = ...Track Santa's Ride Tonight!
Dec 24th, 2009 at 8:00AM: Tonight's the night that every kid, big or small, has been waiting for since this time last year. It's the night that Santa takes to the skies and delivers toys to the world, and this being the 21st Century, it is now easier than ever to track the jolly man in the red suit. A host of high tech gadgets will be employed to make sure you know exactly when he'll be paying a visit to your neighborhood. ...
