by Michelle Lentz

For me, 2009 was the Year of the Suitcase. I traveled more, for both business and pleasure, than I ever have before. That trend looks like it will continue into 2010, which is pretty exciting. In fact, my 2010 kicks off next week with a trip to Las Vegas for CES 2010, where I’ll probably find new gadgets to lust after. Until then, however, I’m thrilled with several of the gadgets that have gotten me through the last year of travel. Some of them aren’t as new as they possibly could be, and some of them are pretty basic, but they all serve their purpose.

Amazon Kindle 2: I pre-ordered this last February. It was my first big gadget purchase of the year and I don’t regret it for a second. Sure, I occasionally lose a lot of patience with Amazon, considering that it won’t read the ePub format. I am a big proponent of ereaders, Kindle or otherwise, and evangelize them to everyone. See me in an airport and want to play with my Kindle? No problem. It has made traveling a lot easier (I used to pack tons of books and now I just pack the Kindle) and I still end up reading myself to sleep by the light of a booklight attached to the Kindle cover.

Sennheiser PXC 250 Noise Canceling Headphones: There are probably better options out there, but these Sennheisers fold up rather small and slip into my purse or briefcase. They block out just about everything, which makes flying so much easier. They’re also a whole lot cheaper now than when I purchased them, currently coming in at $62.66.

Luggage Scale: Without fail, I tend to both overpack for a trip and shop once I arrive. This means I’m always checking one bag, despite the ridiculous fees. To keep myself on the safe side of 50 pounds, I rely 100% on a portable digital luggage scale. These things retail for around $13 and have routinely saved me on excess fees and helped control my overpacking and shopping urges.

Wine Diapers / Wine Skins: Being a wine blogger, I can’t seem to travel anywhere without a bottle of wine, and I also tend to buy wine where ever I end up. This means that I not only need to pack the 750 ml of liquid in my checked luggage, but I need to keep it from breaking and turning a white designer sweater pink en route. I’ve been testing out the Wine Diaper, which works well and has the benefit of being reusable, but I rather prefer the Wine Skin.

Dell Mini: I ordered the Dell Mini 10v rather cheap (<$200) from the Dell Outlet. Not only that, I was able to score a pink one, which I quickly outfitted with a pink mouse and pink USB stick. I purposely bought a lower-end Mini, the 10v, which has the VGA port. Why? Because when I present at conferences, I need it to be as easy as possible with a low-barrier for whomever is setting me up / letting me use the equipment. The Mini 10 (no V) includes fancy items such as GPS and an internal TV tuner. I loaded up the Mini 10v with Windows 7, Word and Powerpoint, Thunderbird, Acrobat, and Firefox. With just that amount, it’s perfect for presentations, email, and surfing. However, a few weeks ago I had to write an RFP while traveling. Don’t buy a 10-inch netbook for your primary machine if you need to write anything more intensive than a basic blog post. At that point, the 10-inch screen is a hindrance. But for travel and presentations, the machine is a dream.

Virgin Mobile Broadband2Go: To complement the Mini 10V, I also picked up the Virgin Mobile Broadband2Go stick. After doing some price comparisons, it seemed the best option. Most of the places I go actually have wireless. However, occasionally the broadband or wireless in a hotel will be ridiculously expensive or just a poor connection. Sometimes I even find myself at conferences where I don’t have wireless available in the sessions rooms. Remarkable, but true. To combat this sometimes-but-not-always problem, I went with the pay-as-you-go option. I tried it out for the first time last week in Key West and it worked beautifully. I was able to do everything from surf the Web to uploading files. I bought a $20 card, which got me 250 MB (the equivalent of 2 hrs browsing, 1 hour web video, or 25,000 emails).  It was a leisure trip, so I wasn’t online much, but I still have about 150 MB left. The catch is that your data allowance expires anywhere from 10-30 days after purchase, depending on how much you buy. But if you buy strategically (in my case, before every trip), it shouldn’t be an issue. The initial hardware purchase will set you back $99 and there is a lot of freedom in being able to get online anywhere, anytime.

Motorola Droid: I realize I just got my hands on this in November, but it’s quickly become a huge part of my life. Now that I have service everywhere I go (unlike my last two years with AT&T), I am constantly tweeting, texting and emailing. I realize that might not be a good thing, but my ability to be connected has greatly increased. The keyboard makes everything easy for me and I have no problem finding free apps I like and need from the Android Marketplace. I can’t say that the Droid has changed the way I communicate. But it enhances my communications and allows me to communicate in ways I couldn’t with my iPhone.

__

Cheers!
Tweet Michelle @writetechnology, send her technology news at michelle[at]writetech[dot]net, visit her wine blog when you’re thirsty, and drop by her day job.

Dell is releasing the new Adamo XPS today and I was given an exclusive opportunity to shoot it prior to the official launch.

It is a work of style and elegance.

I’ll let the pictures tell the rest of the story…

To see additional photos of the Dell Adamo XPS see my Flickr album.

Connect with Brian Solis on:
Twitter, FriendFeed, LinkedIn, Tumblr, Plaxo, Posterous, or Facebook
—
Click the image below to buy:

The Register is reporting today that Michael Dell doesn’t think you’ll like your little netbook.

“If you take a user who’s used to a 14- or 15-inch notebook and you say ‘Here’s a 10-inch netbook,’ they’re gonna say ‘Hey, this is so fantastic. It’s so cute. It’s so light. I love it,’” Dell told Silicon Valley’s tech-obsessed Churchill Club during an appearance Tuesday night. “But about 36 hours later, they’re saying ‘The screen’s gonna have to go. Give me my 15-inch screen back.’”

Right. I’ve had my netbook for exactly a week, which is longer than 36 hours, and I beg to differ. The only thing I dislike about my Dell Mini 10v is the trackpad, and that’s easily fixed with a tiny wireless mouse.

First off, I can’t imagine marketing these little machines as primary machines. If that’s been Dell’s strategy, then they’re nuts. These are not good primary machines unless you a) need very little computing power and b) intend to hook it up to an external monitor, mouse, and keyboard.

Now, Michael Dell does mention that these are good as secondary machines, and that is indeed how they should be marketed. If I know I’ve got an hour between appointments, I’ll make sure to grab my Mini on the way out the door to spend working wherever I can find some Wi-Fi. When I travel (and it does seem to be my Year of the Suitcase), I intend to take only the Mini. It’s a huge weight difference from my 15-inch Macbook Pro and much, much easier for me to deal with in my carry-on. I chose the 10v over the 10 because the “low-end” 10v has a VGA port, making it my primary machine for the countless PowerPoint presentations I give. It’s just easy to deal with on so many levels.

Is it my primary machine? Of course not. The trackpad is a pain and it’s got a 10-inch screen. I’m not crazy. But while I was killing time in the salon while my hair color baked onto my head, I was able to get a little work done on the Mini I pulled out of my purse. When I’m in my family room watching a movie and I need a quick answer from IMDB, the Mini is a lot easier to deal with than my large Mac.

So, Michael Dell, I respectfully disagree with you. I love my Mini, but I love it for all the reasons it should be used, and not the reasons it shouldn’t.

__

Cheers!
Tweet Michelle @writetechnology, send her technology news at michelle[at]writetech[dot]net, visit her wine blog when you’re thirsty, and drop by her day job.

by Brian Solis

While at SXSW I was granted a unique, exclusive opportunity to photograph the new Dell Adamo “in the wild” shortly before its official launch. The pictures on flickr and the tweet that pointed to them caused a flurry of excitement.

The Gadget Guy Dave Mathews and Gregarious Greg Narain stopped by my hotel somewhere around 5 a.m. to shoot impromptu video following a long night of SXSW festivities.

Enjoy!

Here’s the full specs/link to the original story on bub.blicio.us, “Thinner Than Air.”

For additional pictures of the new Dell Adamo, please see my album on flickr.

Update: The Austin Statesman runs a video interview of me discussing the Dell Adamo at the TechSet Microsoft Windows Mobile Blogger Lounge at SXSW.

Connect with me on:
Twitter, FriendFeed, LinkedIn, Tumblr, Plaxo, Plurk, Identi.ca, BackType, or Facebook

by Brian Solis

Dell is putting the sexy back in Windows, or maybe finally introducing it, with its new Adamo series of ultra-thin, style-conscious notebooks.

I’m in Austin, hosting the Techset + Windows Mobile Blogger Lounge at #SXSW and I was given a unique opportunity to test drive the brand new Adamo that previewed during CES 2009.

Adamo is Latin for “To fall in love.”

The new Adamo is extremely beautiful, rivaling the innovation and design revolution that fueled the newer generations of Macbooks and iMacs.

It features some truly stunning design features, starting with the “cloud like” floating packaging, that are indicative of the company’s commitment to innovation inside and out. They’re strikingly beautiful, subtly bold, stylish, elegant, and they’re definitely make a statement. And, the Adamo is thinner than the Macbook Air.

“Dell is currently endeavoring on a journey of design, and the Dell Adamo is the pinnacle that sets the stage for this experience and our next generation of products,” Dell’s John Pope exclaimed in the blog lounge at SXSW.

Product Specifications:

- Intel® Core 2 Duo processors with Intel® Centrino ® technology

- 1.2 Ghz, Core 2 Duo

- 120GB HDD

- DDR3 system memory

- 13.4-inch 16:9 HD display

- Draft-Wireless N

- High-performance solid state drives standard

- Bluetooth 2.1

- Mobile Broadband* option

- Up to 5+ hours of battery life (preliminary)

- 2 USB ports, 1 USB/eSATA combo port, Display Port, RJ-45 port

- Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition SP1, 64-bit

Product Details:

- External storage option with 250GB*** or 500GB*** external hard drive.

- External DVD+/-RW or Blu-ray disc drive.

- 8GB*** USB drive.

- Connectors and cables including DisplayPort to HDMI, DVI, and VGA.

- A chassis milled from a single piece of aluminum featuring precision detailing and a scalloped backlit keyboard

- Striking high definition edge-to-edge glass display

- Fully connected with WiFi, Bluetooth™ and optional integrated mobile broadband** and full complement of connectivity ports with no compromises

- Solid state drive

- Available in Onyx and Pearl colors with a broad range of complementary accessories

- Price starting at $1999

I’ll let the pictures tell the rest of the story…

For additional pictures of the new Dell Adamo, please see my album on flickr.

Connect with me on:
Twitter, FriendFeed, LinkedIn, Tumblr, Plaxo, Plurk, Identi.ca, BackType, or Facebook

by Michelle Lentz

A slew of Twitter news hit today, both big and small.

Funding

The biggest news, of course, is the new round of funding. According to a blog post from Biz Stone, they’re still chugging away on their last round, but weren’t going to turn away another offer either (and why should they?).

TechCrunch is reporting that the newest dollar amount is in excess of $35 million – a combination of funds from Benchmark and Institutional Venture Partners.  Apparently Twitter is now worth about $230 million. It’s good to be Twitter right now.

Looks like they can relax a little while longer before coming up with that business plan.

Style Guide

As an English major, I still hold tight to my worn and beat-up copy of Strunk & White. But I’m not really sure how I feel about a Twitter style guide. After all, Twitter is often about individuality. The New York Times did a brief piece today on Dom Sagolla and Adam Jackson’s new project: 140 Characters, A Style Guide for the Short Form. According to the article, the project will

..will revolve around eight key lessons from the Twitter universe, such as the importance of simplicity, honesty and humor. The project will also highlight notable figures worth following on Twitter, anecdotes from the community and even examples of the few occasions Twitterers have gone overboard: For example, Mr. Sagolla points to “bathroom tweets,” or messages about bodily functions, as falling into the category of things not to post to Twitter.

Could be interesting, but I’m not sure how well the Twitterverse will respond to a style guide. How many people read the countless Twitter Etiquette posts people always write when they get angry at their tweeple?

Who’s really behind that tweet?

Newsweek also ran a Twitter story. Real celebrities do tweet (Shaquille O’Neal, Stephen Fry, etc), but other accounts are written by publicists. The article has a nice interview with Bob Pearson, vice president of communities and conversations at Dell, who makes sure his staff is trained to use Twitter. But perhaps most interesting is the part about new company Twit4Hire. Yes, companies and personalities are looking for, um, professional twitterers. Heck, maybe I should apply.

__

Contact Michelle with news, stories, events, and more.
Email: michelle[at]writetech[dot]net, Twitter: @writetechnology, Friendfeed: michellel, Blogs: Write Technology, Wine-Girl.net

Nominee for City Beat’s Best of the City: Vote for My Wine Education under Public Eye > Blog:
http://www.bestofcincinnati.com/

by Brian Solis, sourced from PR 2.0

Having contributed to the standard of listening and responding to users and pundits on Twitter, Dell is no stranger to the power, value, insight, relationships, and education that result from meaningful and genuine participation.

Today, Dell introduced exclusive deals for Twitter followers today through its @DellOutet account. By following @DellOutlet, you’re opting in to receive promotional updates. It’s advertising directly in your stream and Twitter isn’t necessarily seeing a dime of it. However, Dell is also setting the standard for how to create excitement around deals and promotions without overwhelming followers or reducing them to mere eyeballs. As Dell does so well across the board, they’re engaging real people in real dialog through micro, two-way interaction.

Stefanie Nelson who heads up the Twitter efforts for Del Outlet explains:

Connect with me on:
Twitter, FriendFeed, LinkedIn, Tumblr, Pownce, Plaxo, Plurk, Identi.ca, BackType, Jaiku or Facebook

by Brian Solis

Immediately following the impromptu, exclusive photo shoot for Dell’s upcoming Adamo notebook series, I was also introduced to graffiti artist, illustrator and toy designer Tristan Eaton. Dell is featuring Tristan’s unique artistry on several notebook lines and they scream individuality and style without broaching trendiness.

Dell set up a studio to showcase the notebooks as well as Tristan’s creativity. Very cool.

I’ll let the pictures tell the rest of the story…

For more pictures, please visit my album on Flickr.

Connect with me on:
Twitter, FriendFeed, LinkedIn, Tumblr, Pownce, Plaxo, Plurk, Identi.ca, BackType, Jaiku or Facebook