2011 Holiday Travel Infographic

Road Trips Made Merry

New zForce In-Vehicle Cell Phone Signal Booster Adds Miles of Cheer 

Not only are the holidays the most wonderful time of the year, they are also the busiest! With end-of-year deadlines at work, shopping, holiday parties and travel plans, the holidays keep people constantly on the move. To reduce dropped or missed calls and data interruption during travel, Wi-Ex (www.Wi-Ex.com), a leading provider of consumer and commercial cell phone signal boosters, has launched zBoost zForce in-vehicle cell phone signal booster.

Americans spend a lot of time in their cars and even more over the holidays.  The Allstate 2011 Good Hands Roadside Assistance Survey shows that almost half (45 percent) of American drivers say they plan on taking a road trip of two or more hours during the upcoming holiday season.

With the amount of time spent in the car over the holidays, it is important that drivers and passengers stay connected. Because most long-distance holiday travel, about 91 percent, according to Bureau of Transportation Statistics, is by personal vehicle, cellphones and smartphones are a travel necessity.

Whether you’re using GPS to get to your next holiday party, distracting your children during a road trip, catching up on email or staying up-to-date on news and social media, wireless gadgets are travel lifelines.   The Bureau of Transportation Statistics also reported that the average long-distance trip length is 275 miles over the December holidays.

Now shipping, the zForce works with 800 MHz and 1900MHz phones which covers most carriers (except Nextel/iDEN, 4G or 2100MHz).  The zForce is easy to install and includes a bi-directional amplifier unit housed in a sturdy, lightweight cradle for hands-free operation, 12V cigarette power adaptor, external magnetic mount antenna with 15 ft cable and optional gooseneck cigarette lighter adapter.

The zBoost line allows consumers to take full advantage of data, voice and Internet services on their iPhones™, iPads™, connected devices and smartphones.

This holiday season help family, friends and co-workers stay connected during their holiday travel and all year long with the zBoost zForce.

What to Get the Geek Who Has Everything

By Kacey Patterson

If you’re like me, you are trying to shop for someone who just can’t seem to wait for holiday gift giving before buying the latest gadget. Last week, Thursday, December 1 to be exact, I got a phone call from my boyfriend from his newly upgraded phone, the Samsung SII Epic.  What’s wrong with that? That’s what I was planning on getting him for Christmas!

For myself and for anyone else whose early adopter trumped their gift giving ideas, I’ve compiled a list of gadget friendly and geek worthy gifts:

• HUBMAN USB PORT: $29.99

 

With four USB ports, the Hubman USB Port streamlines your digital life.

Hubman features:

-4 USB 2.0 hi-speed ports

-Connects to a USB port on your computer

-Compatible with all USB devices

-LED indicator shows port status

Available at: UncommonGoods.com

•  iCADE – iPad Arcade Cabinet: $69.99

How cool would it be to slide your iPad into a desktop-sized arcade cabinet and rock it old school with some Battlezone or Tempest?

Enter the iCADE iPad Arcade Cabinet! To use the iCade, gently slide the iPad into the cradle. The iCADE uses Bluetooth to connect to the iPad so there’s nothing else you need to do. You’re ready to “insert coin” and game on!

 

–          Beautifully retro-styled tabletop arcade cabinet for your otherwise useless iPad

–          iPad connects to the iCADE controls via Bluetooth

–          “Atari Greatest Hits” iPad App ready to go with the iCADE, including support for over 100 classic Atari games.

Available at: ThinkGeek.com

• Roll Up Travel Charger– $49

Portable charger minimizes cable clutter and maximizes style by placing multiple charging outlets on a single bar that rolls up into a slip-proof, polyurethane mat.

–   Compatible with iPhone® 3G, iPhone® 4, iPad® 1, iPad® 2, 1st to 5th generation iPods®, iPod nano®, iPod touch®

–  4 different connectors for various mobile devices (iPhone®, Mini USB, Micro USB, Samsung)

–  Can recharge all 4 devices simultaneously

Available At:  RestorationHardware.com

• Belkin Wireless Dual-Band Travel Router: $40

The Belkin Wireless Dual-Band Travel Router gives you a high speed WiFi connection that is perfect for hotel rooms and airports. So you don’t have to rely on wired Ethernet connections or slow bandwidth.

Available At: Belkin.com

 

 

• UP by Jawbone: $99.99

The new Jawbone UP tracks your physical activity, your sleep patterns and what you’ve been eating. It’s the perfect gift for someone who aspires to live a healthy lifestyle.

Available At: Jawbone.com

Wishing You a Connected Holiday Season

Technology Necessities Bring Your Tablets, Smartphones and Cell Phones to Life

Whether you’re using your GPS to get to Grandma’s house, taking cell phone pictures of festive lights and decorations or calling and texting friends to wish them Happy Holidays, staying connected is a holiday must.

This holiday season help family, friends and co-workers stay connected at home, in the office or on the go by connecting your wish list with the technology necessity of the holiday season.

• Phone Suit- Smartphone Case and Battery Extender

Smartphone aren’t only changing the way people communicate and stay connected, they are also changing the way people shop. According to Deloitte 2011 Annual Holiday Survey, 27% of smartphone owners will use their devices for holiday shopping this year.

PhoneSuit, www.PhoneSuit.com , develops protection accessories for Apple, Blackberry, Android smartphones & tablets that also charges your gadgets battery. PhoneSuit’s battery cases can provide a full, complete, 100% charge to smartphones or tablets to insure users have the tools they need find store locations, use coupon apps and make mobile purchases.

• Belkin iPad 2 Fridge Mount

The kitchen is the social hub during the holidays. Whether you are spending hours preparing seasonal treats or gathered around the table for a holiday meal, the kitchen is the central gathering place for most families.

The Fridge Mount lets you conveniently position your iPad 2 to a fridge, cabinet or wall. The minimalist design stylishly keeps the iPad 2 safe and secure, while you read recipes, watch your favorite holiday program while baking cookies or play music during a meal. The iPad 2 Fridge Mount can be found at www.Belkin.com

• Wi-Ex zBoost Suite of Cell Phone Signal Boosters

The hottest gadgets this holiday season are sure to include iPhone 4S, the latest Droids and tablets, such as, iPad 2 and the Kindle Fire. Despite preference or brand loyalty, these gadgets all require one thing to ensure maximum performance, strong signal!

According to the annual zBoost State of the Signal Survey commissioned by Wi-Ex and conducted online by Harris Interactive in April 2011, 65 percent of online cell phone/smartphone owners experience problems with their cell phone or smartphone service including dropped calls or data, poor reception or dead zones in their home or poor signal reception or dead zones at work.

The zBoost suite of cell phone signal boosters, manufactured by www.Wi-Ex.com , reduces dropped and missed calls while increasing signal for voice, text and data. With signal boosters for your home, office and car, zBoost keeps tech enthusiast connected, not just during the holiday but year round.

zBoost-SOHO Dual Band – MSRP $399

— Coverage you need: Boost both 800MHz and 1900MHz simultaneously including aircards, EDGE and 3G Technology

— Home or office: Coverage up to 2,500 sq ft;

zBoost zForce- Shipping in December in time for the holidays!

— Travel: Extends signal in vehicle for full advantage of data, voice and internet services

— Easy set-up: Includes a bi-directional amplifier unit housed in a sturdy, lightweight cradle for hands-free operation, 12V cigarette power adaptor, external magnetic mount antenna with 15 ft cable and optional gooseneck

— Hands-Free: zBoost zForce cradles your phone so you can drive safely while staying connected