Recorded in the TravelCommons studios outside of Chicago, we talk through some of the problems that have made United Airlines‘ skies less friendly than their ads would like you to believe. This has definitely been the winter of United fliers’ discontent. I also follow up on last episode’s travel technology upgrade topic. I’ve now found a use for the 3G technology in my new Samsung phone, though not sure that Cingular would completely agree with it. A group of listeners have good things to say about Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport; another listener ponders the impact if the 2001 shoe bomber had tried to ignite some other piece of his wardrobe. Here’s a direct link to the podcast file.
Here are the show notes from TravelCommons podcast #52:
- Intro music — Warmth by Makkina
- Recorded in the TravelCommons studios
- Been running between the coasts for the past couple of weeks — San Francisco to Orlando, and then San Francisco to New York
- Was able to get out of a 4-day up-&-back to Hong Kong and am pretty happy about it
- Bridge Music — Give You Up by Yongen
- Drew Leifheit of the Budacast podcast started a thread of commentary on Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport
- Thanks to Drew for the link from his interview with the Hungarian newspaper Napszabadsag. TravelCommons is the example for (travel) podcasts
- Bridge Music — Going on a River by Anamar
- According to Wikipedia, Fado is “s a music genre … characterized by mournful tunes and lyrics, often about the sea or the life of the poor.”
- This has been the winter of United Airlines’ fliers’ discontent
- A front page USAToday story tells how United abandoned two planes of passengers in Cheyenne, Wyoming
- A Chicago Tribune story gives the time line of a United ORD-SFO flight that sat on the runway for 8 hours before finally being cancelled
- Leo Vegoda talks about a United passport snafu
- JetBlue’s CEO blogs a complete mea culpa after their service meltdown; United’s CEO is no where to be found
- Bridge Music — Look Around by Very Large Array
- In T/C #51, I talked about how I upgraded most of my travel technology kit — my laptop, my iPod, and my mobile phone
- I hadn’t found a use for my new phone’s big selling point from Cingular — fast data access on their new 3G network
- A couple of weeks ago, I was at a financial services client with a completely locked-down computer network and cobbled together a 3G data connection using a copy of Samsung’s PC Studio and an old Bluetooth USB dongle
- This McGyver rig gave me 328 kbps down and 234 kbps up according to the Speakeasy test — faster than some hotel WiFi spots I tested
- What about using something like this to replace the ubiquitous $10/night Internet charge at Marriotts and Sheratons?
- Closing music — iTunes link to Pictures of You by Evangeline
- Bridge music from Magnatune
- Feedback at comments[at]travelcommons.com, the comment board on podcastalley.com, or right here in the comments section below
- Direct link to the show
6 comments on “Podcast #52 – Flying Friendless Skies; Latest Speed for the Road”
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Regarding laptop connectivity:
The real trick is to get a Bluetooth phone that can relay data to your laptop without cables. I’ve seen this done, but my carrier (Verizon) purposely disables bluetooth phones from making data connections to laptops. They would prefer that I use my phone to send 40 cent photos to all of my high school buddies and watch cool movies, rather than send email.
Like you, I currently tether my cell phone via USB cable to my laptop. I suppose a dedicated broadband card would be faster, but like you, I’m generally only interested in email. Many Verizon markets are beginning to get EVDO Rev A, which has about 500k uplink and better latency. I think that’s only a dedicated card service. If I could get a phone with EVDO and unlimited bluetooth data connectivity, I’d be hooked.
Bob –
I use Cingular, which doesn’t disable Bluetooth data connections. So I use Bluetooth between my PC and my Samsung A707. It’s nice not to hassle with yet another cord… and I’m a bit too cheap to buy the special data cord the A707 requires since Samsung chose to use a proprietary port instead of the standard mini-USB that almost everyone else uses (including Samsung on their Blackjack — go figure!)
I’m at the Adams Mark Hotel in downtown Denver for a conference this week. I just ran the speakeasy test from my hotel room. Granted, I am hooked straight in (this isn’t wireless), but I got 4796 kbps down and 4154 kbps up. That’s an amazing upload speed in my book — much better than my DSL at home! And the best part is that it’s actually free.
Wow, that is smoking! Compare that with the numbers I just got from the T-Mobile WiFi service United Airline’s Red Carpet Club in O’Hare’s Terminal C — 1278 kbps down, 848 kbps up. And it’s not free…
Hi Mark,
my iTunes feed started to feel left out, so I checked here – again, no new episode.
I hope, you didn’t give up on traveling… 😉
All the best,
Marc
Finally opted for Verizon EVDO service. Currently at Pinehurst NC where I’m getting a not-so-smoking 120 kbps. Well hey, its faster than tethering my cell phone to my USB port.
Of course a day after I buy this, a guy shows me he how he attaches his EVDO blackberry to his PC, but that ain’t Rev A so I’m still the uber-geek for today…