wireless everywhere SMC Networks (www.smc.com) has a new product designed to let road warriors use their wireless-equipped laptops where only wired access points exist. Called the EZ Connect 802.11g Wireless Traveler Kit, the $99 product includes a USB cable, Cat5 Ethernet cable, power cord and an all-in-one networking device that can operate in five modes: access point, Ethernet bridge, repeater, point-to-point bridge or point-to-multipoint bridge. The kit has "everything a traveler needs to convert a wired hotel broadband or visiting office connection for wireless connection, in a convenient, easy-to-carry case," SMC said.
signal seeker Ever have trouble finding the perfect place to access a Wi-Fi hotspot? You can tell how well it's working when your computer's on, but a new device lets you seek out a strong signal before you boot up. Called WiFi Seeker (www.wifiseeker.com), the $29.99 device is small enough to attach to a keychain. The user simply holds down a button and the small series of red lights on the device lets him know when he's locked onto an 802.11b/g Wi-Fi beam; by prowling around, the user can find the location with the strongest signal strength. It finds anything within 300 feet.
more advice TripAdvisor (www.tripadvisor.com), the popular travel research site, has expanded its reach. The site uses a search engine to find loads of relevant travel articles and personal Web postings about specific destinations. Its latest expansion has brought the site's searchable inventory up to a total of more than 200 countries worldwide with the addition of destinations in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, as well as Russia, Turkey and new places in South and Central America. "We've added new cities and countries each month based on feedback from our users," a spokesman said.
seat finder Orbitz (www.orbitz.com), the big online travel site, has added a new feature for users who are finicky about their airline seating arrangements. The site now lets browsers compare flight options by seat availability. "Until now, users had to select a flight or purchase a ticket before they could pick a seat," said Orbitz' John Samuel. "Our new seat map feature makes finding the perfect seat a snap." The enhancement displays all available first class, economy and premium economy seats. Users simply click on the "view seats" link shown on the first results page of a flight search.
private parking lots for major airports