Lightweight OS for netbooks...from Google

Netbookers rejoice, or a least look forward with hope:

Google Chrome OS is an open source, lightweight operating system that will initially be targeted at netbooks. Later this year we will open-source its code, and netbooks running Google Chrome OS will be available for consumers in the second half of 2010. Because we’re already talking to partners about the project, and we’ll soon be working with the open source community, we wanted to share our vision now so everyone understands what we are trying to achieve.

Speed, simplicity and security are the key aspects of Google Chrome OS. We’re designing the OS to be fast and lightweight, to start up and get you onto the web in a few seconds. The user interface is minimal to stay out of your way, and most of the user experience takes place on the web. And as we did for the Google Chrome browser, we are going back to the basics and completely redesigning the underlying security architecture of the OS so that users don’t have to deal with viruses, malware and security updates. It should just work. - official Google blog

If you could dual-boot and open up either XP or Google OS I’d be all over it. It would be perfect when all you needed to do was get online. PC World has five questions about the Google OS. And Bloomberg sees the OS as a threat to Microsoft, an idea at which the PC World writer scoffs.

99-cent netbook

Best Buy has a deal for a Compaq netbook with embedded broadband capability for as little as .99 (after rebates, with contract I’m sure - and probably depends on which of the three providers you choose). The offer is in-store only.

Standing on planes, blood clots

Maybe these stories go together, as in what’s described in one might reduce what’s described in the other…

From jolly old Ryanair: The London Daily Mail reports that the Ireland-based Sam’s Club of the Skies will offer the equivalent of standing/bar stool-type seats if regulatory agencies will allow them. Seems they got this brilliant idea from a Chinese airline. Yikes. I do enjoy standing on long flights though. When I first saw the headline I feared that Ryan, who have floated the idea of pay-to-pee on their planes, was going to make all the toilets standing only.

And…standing might reduce this nasty bit of bad news: Reuters reports that people who spend a lot of time traveling - by car or plane - have the triple the risk of sustaining dangerous blood clots with the risk rising significantly for every two hours the traveler is constrained. This makes Ryanair’s scheme look better already. My small bladder insures that my legs get lots of stretching on those long flights. See, it is important to drink lots of fluids on the plane.

An Aussie finds the ultralight Holy Grail

A journo from Down Under finds light travel bliss and pens one of the best articles on the subject I’ve ever seen:

Is it possible to travel for six weeks with 7 kilograms of luggage in one small bag? I’m a person who takes a bootload of gear for a weekend away but on a recent 40-day trip to nine European countries I achieved the light traveller’s Holy Grail.

It took lots of planning but it was worth it. I was smugly self-congratulatory as my bag measuring 45cm x 30cm x 18cm and I fitted unobtrusively into crowded trains and buses; as I effortlessly tossed it onto luggage racks; as I bypassed taxi queues to stride easily through city streets; as I unpacked and repacked in five minutes flat. Not once did I wish I had brought more stuff…

Travelling light makes you feel independent, liberated and, well, superior. But it takes a stern approach and a willingness to accept strict limitations in your attire. Here are 10 steps to success. - read more, includes packing list

Most interesting bags you've never heard of

Today we’re thinking outside the nylon box, er, bag. Many of these bags are heavy, most are leather, and some are tactical. Several are American-made, some are cheap, and some are ridiculously expensive. Still, they’re the most interesting bags you might never have heard of:

DULUTH TRADING AWOL BAG

SADDLEBACK BRIEF & SUITCASE

FILSON WOOL FIELD BAG

BARBOUR TARRAS IN LEATHER

BAILEY WHALEMOUTH

THE “RED STATE AERONAUT”

MAXPEDITION FLIEGERDUFFEL

BAD DUFFEL #3

OCCIDENTAL

ENGLISH RESERVE FROM CHAPMAN

Traditionalists will definitely want to check out the Chapman site (video tour here). The quirky division of product lines (ranges in the Queen’s English) is typical for the UK but  the determined surfer will be rewarded with some interesting finds. I started one-bagging many years ago with an English-made bag very similar to the one pictured above. It was sold through the old Banana Republic - when it was an off-the-wall catalog and not a mall store.

Update on July 3, 2009 by Frank@OBOW

And here’s a nice deal from an interesting merchant on the waxed cotton Barbour Tarras, might make a nice personal item bag.

The lightly news

No news in this story — if you’ve been reading OBOW that is:

A combination of consumer demand, design modifications and innovative materials has allowed manufacturers to switch gears to produce smaller, lighter and ergonomically friendly products, says Alan Krantzler, vice president of Tumi luggage brand’s product management.

“The No. 1 trend in the industry right now is about lightweight,” he says. “It’s always been a consumer demand, but it has become increasingly important.” - read more

The story points out European preferences for sleek hard-sided luggage and also makes this very good point:

“People want a carryon that could be a weekend bag, a gym bag and be able to put a computer in it,” says Krantzler, who also oversees merchandising. “People are looking to spend money smartly. They don’t want to give up quality but want value.”

No doubt, the trend is toward lighter and smaller.

Reason to go light #678

A couple of weekend injuries remind me once again why I travel lightly. First, I pulled some back muscles in a whitewater accident on a North Carolina river. Then, within two hours of arriving at home, I slipped and fell on our stairs in a pair of slick socks. The result is lots of pain and temporary disability. I worked today for only a couple of hours and stopped at a cafe to book some flights. If the lightweight Tom Bihn bag on my shoulder had carried anything more than my sub 3-pound netbook I would have suffered even more. Had I actually been traveling I would have been in major trouble. If your back’s not great, cut the weight! As I get better the posts will increase.

Skooba's new iPod cases from the UK

Press release from Skooba -

Rochester, NY, June 29, 2009—Skooba Design, long known for its own brand of laptop bags and tech/travel accessories, has announced an exclusive partnership with UK-based Proporta®, makers of a wide variety of cases and accessories for iPods and other handheld devices. Skooba is now the sole sales and marketing agent for Proporta in the United States, initially making the products available exclusively on the company’s website, www.skoobadesign.com. This limited launch is intended to give Skooba the opportunity to establish the products here and fine-tune the best assortment for domestic consumers from among the thousands of products currently available from Proporta. After the initial rollout period, the company plans to add many more products and make them widely available through retail outlets nationwide.

Proporta designs and manufactures cases for all current and recent iPod models, including the 4th generation nano, 2nd generation touch and 3rd generation iPhones, including Apple’s recently-announced iPhone 3GS. The company is best-known for its exclusive aluminum-lined leather cases (above), which offer the screen protection of a hard case without giving up the slim, space-saving profile—and style—of a fine leather cover. Proporta’s offering also includes faux-leather cases, silicone skins, clear polycarbonate hard shells, pouches and more. The company’s new “Wallaby” (below left) is a slim leather wallet, uniquely custom designed to hold a 4g iPod nano in addition to cash, credit cards and even flash memory.

“We’ve been in contact with Proporta for years ” says Skooba CEO Michael Hess, “and have been huge fans of everything from their product designs and meticulous craftsmanship to their ingenious packaging. We’ve also been impressed that they do so much—at such an exceptional level of detail—at prices that represent a great value to the customer.” Hess says that this is the first time Skooba has ever sold anything other than its own branded products, so it wasn’t a small decision. “But we saw their incredible success overseas, as well as the great product fit and chemistry between the companies, and we knew the time was right to bring Proporta ‘across the pond.’” Skooba Design, now in its tenth year of business, has been the recipient of numerous industry and press awards for its products. For more information, visit www.skoobadesign.com.

Another way

From Implicit Simplicity: Pack like a carry-on traveler (tight and light) but check for ease and retain the carry-on option…

My solution is to have a small carryon-sized bag small enough to bring on the plane if that would be the best choice and sturdy enough to be checked in. This means I can effectively trust my bag to the airline instead of carrying it through the airport and worry about it at every turn. I know some people won’t agree with me here, but strangely enough, I find that I am more at peace when I don’t have to be responsible for my bag. Besides, I never pack anything in there that cannot be replaced. That would be stupid. If my bag should be misrouted or stolen or whatever I can use the BIT method of travel as described by Tim Ferriss.

Note that the key to my method is to have a choice, not to haul a lot of stuff. My bag need to be sturdy enough to survive the not so gentle treatment of airline personel

Here’s his followup post with lessons learned. And don’t miss the “crap-factor” post. 

Update on July 3, 2009 by Frank@OBOW

More on the Diablo method.

And one for the boys...

Chris at The Art of Nonconformity strictly conforms to the light travel philosophy:

The overriding philosophy of my packing list is to keep it as simple as possible. That’s basic, I know, but very important. At least for me, travel stress is directly proportionate to the amount of stuff I carry around. I don’t own a backpack and haven’t willingly checked a bag on one of my extended adventures.

Extended adventures indeed. He’s working on visiting every country in the world and he’s moe than halfway there at 111 out of 197. Vist his lovely site to read this excellent piece on light travel philosophy.

One woman, one bag

“I have one 22-inch piece of luggage that goes with me as a carry-on, and I can travel for a month on that. I can travel for a year on that.” - from an excellent Q&A at NYT online’s Frugal Traveler

Esther's list

OBOWer Esther is headed for a multi-country Euro trip and her sub-20 pound packing list is impressive (from her OBOW forum post:

On the plane:
plane ticket
passport
short sleeved shirt
light jacket
fleece vest
underwear
bra
socks
tilley pants
shoes
hat
lip balm spf 20
cash-€40 (in hidden pocket)

Purse:
Shout wipes
kleenex
baby wipes
business cards

Money belt:
copies of passport, CC, DL, eyeglass prescription
money (euros and pounds)
numbers for CC companies
credit cards

Luggage:
Trip calendar page (hotel list and all necessary details from itinerary)
ibuprofen
rail/bus tickets
hotel/hostel infomation
Lara bars
vitamins-multi
famotidine
power strip
3-2 prong adapter
outlet adapters
digital camera
rechargeable batteries and charger
SD card reader
camera case
Rachel’s book and toy, cards for graduation and wedding
sleepwear (quick dry shirt and shorts)
Packtowl original
Packtowl personal
vegan passport
pocket doctor
long sleeved shirt
travel pants
underwear (2)
bra
socks (2)
Ida’s Ultra soles (shower shoes)
Kiva bag
eyeglass repair kit
eye mask
nylon wash cloth
ear plugs
gmail maps
inflatable pillow
List of embassies
duct tape

Toiletries:
soap/shampoo
conditioner
deodorant
solid perfume
menstrual cup
pads
tooth powder
travel toothbrush
floss
facial cleaner
comb
shower cap
massage bar/moisturizer
pantiliners
sink stopper
travel clothesline
bandages
sunscreen

Liquid bag:
hand sanitizer
anti-itch spray
febreeze anti-microbial

Her level of preparedness puts me to shame!

From her Flickr page:

18 days (including travel)
London, England
Edinburgh, Scotland
Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Den Haag, Netherlands
Paris, France

Talk about his list on the OBOW Forum.

Ryanair going carry-on only

Does flying without checked baggage save time and money? One European airline thinks so. Low-cost Irish carrier Ryanair is moving ahead with plans to allow only carry-on luggage on its flights. Ryan’s think-outside-the-cabin approach also includes abolishing airport check-in (transitioning to online check-in only) and maybe charging for toilet use (this idea has been raised again, it was first called a publicity stunt/hoax).

More on the baggage issue: It sounds more like glorified gate checking:

O’Leary told reporters that Ryanair plans to proceed early next year with a ban on all passenger check-in luggage while offering unlimited carry-on baggage for free, subject to airport regulations. He said the move will lower airport costs, speed up baggage processing times and allow Ryanair to offer lower fares.

O’Leary envisages a system that allows passengers to carry their baggage through the airport, check it into the cargo hold at the steps of the aircraft and collect it as they disembark at their destination. - read the entire story from the Wall Street Journal

Update on June 25, 2009 by Frank@OBOW

Mr O’Leary (Ryanair exec) said: ‘I do believe we will start charging for toilet access.

‘We are flying aircraft on an average flight time of one hour around Europe. What the hell do we need three toilets for?

‘If you get rid of two [toilets] you can get six more seats on a 737. They will all be scurrying to the toilet before the departure gate.’ - Daily Mail

Update on June 25, 2009 by Frank@OBOW

(Ryanair) yesterday revealed they were scrapping luggage check-in desks.

And passengers will take their own bags through security, departure lounges and across the runway to their plane.

They will then be able to carry on one piece of hand luggage but leave any other bags beside the aircraft to be loaded into the hold - and picked up the same way on arrival.

Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary said: “What it means is no more waiting at the carousel, no more losing your bags, no more wasting your life in overpriced airport terminals.

“Sometime in the spring we will go to 100 percent carry-on bags. You can bring unlimited bags as long as you can get them through security.” - Scottish Daily Record

Note the caveat. Baggage allowances will be subject to airport rules. Some gullible travelers will be disappointed when they have to re-check bags for connecting flights, maybe with hefty charges.

Love from Fodor's

Fodor’s editor Doug Stallings has done a nice piece for newbie carry-on travelers and gives OBOW a little credit in the process:

There are two “bibles” of carry-on travel which I consult regularly.

• Onebag is all about “the art and science of traveling light.”
• One Bag, One World currently features an interesting account of how Brad Isbell just went to Europe for 13 days with only a 13-pound carry-on bag, which included his netbook.

Thanks Doug! Any credit to OBOW is really credit to the readers and guest contributors who make it what it is.

Update on June 25, 2009 by Frank@OBOW

From Fodor’s: “Your first trip to Europe”

Nice new netbook

Toshiba usually means quality. Now it also means affordable netbook;

I’m impressed and a little envious. It weighs just barely under three pounds, so is a little heavier than my Samsung and appreciably heavier than the lightest netbooks. But nine hours of battery life is nothing to sneeze at.

Worldwide weather

Packing light means packing right. Here’s a nifty world weather site so you’ll know what’s right - clothing-wise -  for any time of year at nearly any destination. You can find average temperatures, rainfall totals, and number of rainy days for most travel destinations.

Little luggage, lower rates

Carrying less can help you pay less for your next hotel room. Check the online rates, then compare them against the walk-up rates in, say, London for non-peak seasons. You may pay less by walking in early in the day - provided you’re unhurried and not obviously desperate - and asking for their best rate. If you stumble in, bedraggled, pulling a wagon train of luggage and weary traveling companions, expect to pay more. The rates are often variable, they are market-driven, they are based on supply and demand. It needs to appear that you need them less than they need you. A light shoulder bag conveys ease and sends the message that you’ll gladly walk on down the street in search of a better deal - one more reason to go light. Of course there is an element of risk. What if all the rooms in a given area are full? This is rarely the case, but if it is the light traveler can hop off to another area. Understand the risk, but expect to reap the reward.

Quick hits

Value-subtracted: USA Today on a la carte airline fees

Engadget on new Asus 1005HA netbook: Info and Amazon pre-order pricing.

Thanks to Practical Hacks for pointing out this clearinghouse of airline luggage info (downloadable PDF).

Also from USA Today’s Harriet Baskas, Penn & Teller go Borat on the TSA:

Once it’s established that the metal detector is working, the always-innocent-looking Teller walks through it and sets off no alarms. But then, from somewhere inside his coat pocket, he pulls out a metal pan that’s on fire. Next, he produces a fire extinguisher and, after that, a full-size shovel. “The point we’re making,” says Jillette, “is that if two goofball magicians can slip this stuff by with full lights shining on them and the full attention of the audience, then what could a really bad person do?”

It’s definitely something to think about next time you’re waiting on line at the security-checkpoint, isn’t it?

Genius

The visuals aren’t much but the audio is moderately funny.

New iPhone changes "changes everything"

Video, says Tripso, changes everything:

The specs are nothing to rave about — 640 by 480 pixels, which is not exactly HD — but the implications are far-reaching for each and every one of us. At the touch of a button, travelers can now publish an edited video to YouTube. Not coincidentally, YouTube just last weekadded a featurethat allows you to directly share clips to Facebook, Twitter, and Google Reader.

Why does any of this matter to travelers?

Because it marks a fundamental shift that could alter the way we get our information about travel and the way we share our travel experiences. - TRIPSO

Maybe so, but I think there might already be enough boring video on YouTube.