Have Fun While Traveling

Gadgets and services that let you watch movies, TV, and more.

James A. Martin

Feature: Video on the Go

Typing for hours on a computer while traveling by plane or train can certainly make you more productive. It can also make you tired and grumpy. And working on a notebook in a cramped airplane seat is practically an invitation to neck, hand, and/or wrist discomfort.

My recommendation: Do a little work in transit if you must. Then kick back and watch a movie or TV show. Here's a look at some of the current and upcoming ways you can be blissfully unproductive while traveling.

In-Flight Satellite TV

In 2000, JetBlue Airways became the first airline to offer live satellite TV, with screens in every seat back. The low-cost airline recently announced it was adding 12 more channels of its free DirecTV service, two pay-per-view channels showing classic and current 20th Century Fox films (at $3 per viewing), and 100-some channels of XM digital satellite radio (free).

JetBlue is trying to stay ahead of competitors. Last fall, Song, Delta Air Lines' rival low-cost carrier, began offering 24 channels of EchoStar's Dish satellite TV, interactive video games, and MP3 song files (with which passengers can create their own playlists). And United Airlines' new low-fare Ted airline offers Ted TV, with music videos, stand-up comedy shows, and sitcoms.

Bottom line: With these low-cost carriers, you can be entertained on a long plane ride without having to pack a single gadget, except maybe a pair of noise-canceling headphones. (See "Hands On: Plane Quiet Headphones" for more on that front.)

Portable Video Players

Several companies, among them Intel and Microsoft, are working on portable video/audio technologies, with devices expected to be available in the second half of this year. In essence, a portable video/audio player allows you to record video from a variety of sources, including VCRs and cable TV, then view the programs either on the device's small color display or on a large screen when the device is connected to a TV. These devices also let you play audio files, including MP3s.

A few such gadgets have already appeared from Archos and RCA. The Archos AV300 series of portable video/audio players are lightweight, come with a 3.8-inch color screen, and can record and play MPEG-4 video from a variety of sources. Currently, Archos offers three versions: the 20GB AV320 ($600), the 40GB AV340 ($700), and the 80GB AV380 ($900). RCA sells the Lyra Audio/Video Jukebox RD2780 ($449), a pocket-size device that the company says combines the functions of a video player, MP3 player, digital picture frame, and portable hard drive.

Bottom line: Portable video players are ideal for well-heeled gadget heads. The rest of us might want to postpone a purchase until later this year. More models are on the way--including a sleeker, smaller model from Archos that the company has been showing in prototype form. That means prices are likely to drop and the technology is bound to improve.

Portable DVD Players

Many notebooks today include optical drives that play DVDs. Some newer models sport wide-screen displays that are well-suited to viewing letterboxed DVD movies. So why would you want a portable DVD player?

First, a portable DVD player is much easier to travel with than a notebook. For instance, following the terrorist attacks of 9/11, notebooks must be removed from their bags and run separately through X-ray machines at airport security checkpoints. But I've never been asked to remove my portable DVD player during airport screenings.

Generally speaking, portable DVD players are smaller than most notebooks, too--though with the new Samsung DVD-L1200's 12-inch screen, those distinctions are beginning to blur.

Also, you may not need (or want) your notebook on every trip. One of my New Year's resolutions is to travel with a PDA in lieu of a notebook whenever possible. When I leave the notebook behind, I take my DVD player.

And portable DVD players typically have more sophisticated audio (such as Dolby Digital and DTS) and video (such as progressive scan) features than the average notebook. For instance, you can connect a portable DVD player and many notebooks to a TV for large-screen playback, but only DVD players come with remote controls as a rule.

Bottom line: If you're a movie buff and you don't always need your notebook on the road, a portable DVD player is a great option. They can be pricey, though: For instance, the 12-inch model from Samsung runs about $800 to $1000 from online retailers. But you can also find other players for $300 to $500. For the latest prices on portable DVD players, check the PC World Product Finder.

Entertainment Options for Your Notebook

Playing a DVD isn't the only way to watch movies and TV shows on your notebook.

For example, there's Movielink, a movie-industry-sanctioned download site for recent and classic feature films. Fees are $3 to $4 per title. You've got 30 days to start watching the movie you've downloaded. But once you start, you have only 24 hours to complete your viewing. (I reviewed Movielink in "Rent Movies for Your Notebook.")

TiVo recently announced a new service for notebooks called TiVoToGo. (See "News: TiVo on the Go" for details.)

Bottom line: If you're a video nut and you need your notebook when you travel, buying a portable DVD or video player would probably be overkill. However, if you're in the market for a new notebook anyway, you might consider a wide-screen model such as the Hewlett-Packard Nx7000, which has a 15.4-inch screen. The downside is that notebooks with screens this big are often heavy; the HP model, for example, weighs 7.6 pounds. For the latest prices, check our Product Finder.

Notebooks & Accessories

Hands On: Plane Quiet Headphones

In a recent newsletter, I quoted a reader's rave review of Plane Quiet, a noise-canceling headset from Outside the Box that costs $80. This is relatively inexpensive, as higher-end products can cost $300. Intrigued, I borrowed one of these headsets and was equally impressed. Plane Quiet does a fine job of blocking out background noise and enhancing audio clarity. The dual-purpose connector, which lets you connect to a standard headphone jack (on an MP3 player or other device) as well as to an airplane's in-flight entertainment system, is an innovative, practical design touch.

News: TiVo on the Go

TiVo, the digital video recorder hardware/service with a cult following, recently announced TiVoToGo. The service, to be available this fall, will enable owners of TiVo Series 2 devices with the $100 Home Media Option to transfer recordings of TV shows from their TiVo device to a computer. That means you can use your notebook to watch TiVo-recorded programs on the go. You can also burn programs onto disc, provided your machine has a DVD burner.

News: The Ultimate Car-Computer Comparison

Have you ever noticed how often writers use automobile imagery when describing computers? That's a sin of which I am guilty, I must confess. Well, Acer has put the pedal to the metal on the whole car-computer comparison thing with the Acer Ferrari 3000 notebook. This portable sports four coats of Ferrari's classic red paint and comes complete with a matching red mouse. It boasts a Mobile Advanced Micro Devices Athlon XP-M 2500+ processor under the hood (oops, there I go again). The system also features a DVD-R/RW drive, 802.11g wireless networking, and four USB 2.0 ports. Pricing begins at $1899 but does not include power windows (I can't help myself...).

PDAs & Gadgets

News: Apple's Mini IPods

Remember all those candy-colored IMacs a few years back? Well, Apple has dipped back into its color palette with its new batch of IPods. The new IPod Mini comes in five colors (silver, gold, pink, blue, and green) and is about the size of a business card, though thicker. The 4GB devices will hold about 1000 songs and retail for $249. But style comes at a bit of a premium: The new Minis are only $50 less than the regular-sized low-end IPod, which holds 15GB of music or data.

News: And Then There's Rio

Speaking of 4GB MP3 players, Rio Audio has announced that its tiny Rio Nitrus device now has 4GB of storage, enough for 132 hours of music. The Nitrus weighs less than 2 ounces and like the IPod Mini, costs $249.

News: GPS in 3D

The $349 TomTom Navigator promises 3D-like mapping information for PDAs that the company says is much easier to view than typical road maps. The Navigator can also use a PDA's speaker for voice-guided directions. The company's car kits for Pocket PC devices and the Palm Tungsten T3 include a Global Positioning System receiver and a mounting bracket. Read "GPS Tools Add Multiuser, 3D Support" for more details on the Navigator, and other GPS news.

Wireless

News: Verizon Expands Fast Data Service This Summer

Verizon Wireless, recently ranked the top U.S. wireless provider in a Consumer Reports survey, has said it will roll out a speedy cellular data service in many large U.S. cities this summer. The service, BroadbandAccess, should deliver data bandwidth speeds of 300 to 500 kilobits per second, according to Verizon. BroadbandAccess costs $80 per month with a one-year contract

Suggestion Box

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