Enviromental Tablets – Apple Makes Being Green a Top Priority With Eco-Friendly iPads

The eco-friendly iPad has many assets that make it a great tablet for the environment. First of all, it will undoubtedly save quite a few trees from being chopped down because of its e-reader feature.

Another green attribute of the iPad is that it is highly recyclable according to Steve Jobs. He states that the iPad is arsenic-free, BFR-free, mercury-free and PVC-free, so it can follow Greenpeace’s Guide to Recycling Electronics. One more awesome aspect is that the battery life is 10 hours so the device doesn’t need to be hooked up to an outlet for a good period of time. The iPad’s 30-day standby battery life means that it hardly needs to be charged at night! My phone cannot even claim that and it does a whole lot less than the iPad.  Via: Luisa Amanda Gomes

References: apple, inhabitat

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You Can Still Find Hotel Rooms for the Super Bowl For Under $300

The Whitelaw Hotel, Miami Beach

As you can imagine, most hotels in Miami and Fort Lauderdale are sold out for Super Bowl weekend—or have ridonkulous rates around $1,000 a night. But there are still rooms available for less. Hard to believe, we know, but look what happened yesterday: the Jets beat the Chargers! Anything can happen!

There are a few catches, of course, the first being that you’ll have to stay at least four nights to secure a room in most places. Generally, this means from Thursday, February 4 to Monday, February 8.

Here are two rates in Miami and one in Fort Lauderdale that were still available for those dates when we checked via Quikbook earlier today:

· Acqua Hotel: This boutique hotel in South Beach had rooms for $203 a night.
· Whitelaw Hotel Rooms are still available for $281 a night at this member of the South Beach Hotel Group.
· Hampton Inn & Suites, Fort Lauderdale Airport: Standard rooms and king suites are both $199 a night.

In other Super Bowl hotel news, we learned via the New York Times that the NFL booked Fort Lauderdale’s Harbor Beach Marriott Resort and Spa for the A.F.C. champion team, while the N.F.C. team will get to live it up at the Intercontinental in downtown Miami. That doesn’t seem fair now, does it?

Jets and Colts fans, however, take note: You can still book a room at the Harbor Beach Marriott, from $729 a night. Which is a small price to pay to sleep with greatness, no?  Via: MsRebecca – HotelChatter

[Photo: Nutch Bicer/CC BY-ND 2.0]

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More Places to Log On Without Paying Up – CES, Vegas 2010

We hope you brought your wireless card with you.

If you’re headed to Vegas this weekend for CES or the Adult Entertainment Expo, chances are you’re gonna need a WiFi connection for all your uploading, downloading, Twittering, Facebooking, blogging, and other, ahem, recreational activities.

The bad news is that in the privacy of your hotel room, expect to pay at least $10 a day to sign on. Sadly, there really no hotels where in-room WiFi is free. There are, however, plenty of public options. You just have to know where to look.

Our big sis HotelChatter has culled together a list of tried and true WiFi hotspots on the strip based on our own experiences as well as the knowledge of Vegas expert @24K aka Chris Rauschnot, who is constantly up and down the Strip reporting on the scene–all from his cellphone.

So the next time you find yourself in Vegas for a conference or just some good old debauchery, here’s where you can get connected.

Are you reading this from a free WiFi spot in Vegas right now? Tell us where you’re at.

Where to Find Free Hotel WiFi in Las Vegas

Wynn and Encore
· Pizza Place at Wynn (formerly Sugar and Ice)
· Terrace Point Cafe

Palazzo and Venetian
· Coffee Bean in the Venetian’s food court (signal may be weak the further out you are from Coffee Bean.)
· Cafe Presse in The Shoppes at Palazzo
· Dal Toro restaurant

Vdara
· In-rooms: WiFi is included in the $15 resort fee. It’s blazing fast and the $15 also gets you two water bottles in your room, a newspaper, access to the fitness center and valet parking.

Aria
· Possibly upstairs (We say “Possibly” because during a media day we were Twittering away from our laptops at the Sirio restaurant on the second floor. However, the rest of Aria was murder on our iPhone 3Gs.)

New York, New York
· ESPN Zone

Planet Hollywood
· Hawaiian Tropic Zone in the Miracle Mile Shops
· Coffee Bean in the Miracle Mile Shops

The Palms
· Near the High Limit area
· Coffee Bean in the food court (signal may be weak the further out you are from Coffee Bean.)

Marriott Residence Inn (Paradise Road)
· Everywhere in the hotel

M Resort (Off Strip)
· In the lobby

Element Las Vegas (Off Strip)
· Everywhere in the hotel.

Mirage
· In-room. WiFi is included in the $15 (plus tax) resort fee.

Elsewhere in Vegas
· Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf shops: Not only a sweet Starbucks alternative but has free WiFi at all of their LV locations.
· Whole Foods at Town Square: A few miles out but still on Las Vegas Boulevard. We like the booths by the entrance and the quinoa sandwiches of course.
· McDonalds: Making your happy meal even happier.
· Apple Stores: The closest one is across the street from Wynn at Fashion Show Mall but it gets very crowded and there’s not much space.
· McCarran Airport: Totally free and fast.
· Drai’s Afterhours club: In the north seating area. Yes a nightclub. Just don’t pull out your laptop. That might not be so sexy.

More Resources:
· Las Vegas Advisor’s list of free WiFi spots all over Las Vegas. Interestingly, pools on the Strip have free WiFi.

Via:  Julianna – VegasChatter

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Lost Phone Trackers – Use iHound Software to Find Your Misplaced or Stolen Phone

Losing a phone or having it stolen can be a nightmare to some (okay, to most). In order to find that lost or stolen lifeline, all you need is the iHound Software. It is an application that uses GPS and WIFI signals built in your phone to track its location.

How does the iHound Software work? Keep the iHound Software application running on your iPhone or iPod Touch, and if you misplace it just visit the iHound tracking website to find the approximate location of your phone. It also offers an alarm system that you can use to alert others that your phone has been lost or stolen.  Via: Katherine Vong – Trendhunter

References: ihoundsoftware, thesofthelp

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New Year’s in Amsterdam Can Be Way More Civilized Than You Thought

The view at midnight from the Blauwbrug

Looking to say goodbye to the craptastic year that was 2009 and still in need of a hotel room somewhere? We’ve already told you where to book in Miami, New York and the important timezones but we’ll be hitting up more cities today for New Year’s Eve. Did we miss a city? Want a better deal? Let us know and we’ll help you out.

Amsterdam’s so famously louche that spending Thursday there would be a New Year’s to end all New Year’s, right?

Kind of. You can get stoned as you like, obvs, but the Dutch actually make it a rather civilised do, with fireworks going off left right and centre. If you want fireworks and impromptu street parties, you need one of the main squares – like Nieuwmarkt or Dam Square – or stand on any of the central canals.

But if you want a full-on partay, try Jimmy Woo – reputation has this place down as the best club in the city, and Caspar the owner is a riot (we met him the other week). Expect a classy affair – Moet and caviar are doing the rounds – running from 11pm to 5am. Presale tickets cost €55 from here.

As for where to stay: there’s swank, but it doesn’t come cheap. Caspar’s favourite hotel is the Dylan, and it has some superluxe suites free… but they’re going for a whopping €950 (garden view) or €1050 for a canal view.  Via: juliab – HotelChatter

[Photo: Jan van der Woning]

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Choose Your Own New Year’s Eve Shindig at the Ivy Hotel

Oh hai in the pink mini-dress. We totally see you making out.

New Year’s Eve is almost here, but you have last-minute options other than watching Ryan Seacrest in Times Square. San Diego’s Ivy Hotel will usher in 2010 with a Masquerade bash with mini-celebrations throughout the hotel.

Pick your own NYE celebration based on your partying preference, whether you want to dance all night or just have some good grub.

· Hardcore Party People
The action will go down in Envy Nightclub, where revelers will grind in the New Year to the sounds of a whole slate of DJs. Admission is $95 and doors open at 8pm. If you want to party hard, opt for a bottle service package—eight people costs $2,000, six is $1,600 and four is $1,100. Bottle service packages include VIP admission to the bash, premium liquor with mixers, bubbly and party favors.

· Dinner Party People
The food festivities take place in Quarter Kitchen with a three-course prix fixe meal. It’ll kick off with a chef’s-choice amuse bouche and a first course with choices like shrimp cocktail and foie gras terrine. The entree selections will include braised prime shortribs, duck two ways and lobster pot pie. You’ll finish with sweets like Meyer lemon semifreddo or an apple frangipane tart. Dinner costs $99 before 7:30 p.m. and $129 afterward. To give it an NYE vibe, a DJ will spin and there’ll be a Champagne toast.

· Sleepy Party People
For those who want to do a little celebrating and then a lot of sleeping, the Ivy offers an NYE Room Package, priced from $559. It’ll get you VIP entry to Ivy’s bash, party favors and a Champagne toast at midnight. Then you can make a quick getaway to your room for the evening and leave the all-nighter to the clubbers.  Via: Jennifer Kester – HotelChatter

[Photo: Envy’s Facebook]

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Nicole and Joel Will Take Over Lavo for New Year’s Eve

All the stars are coming out for the New Years Eve soirees in Sin City this year. We’re kinda surprised that Paris, LaLohan and Brit Brit haven’t staked claim on hosting any parties – yet. There’s still time and we know these three never pass up an opportunity to kick up their Louboutins in Vegas. Here are three more options to add to your NYE party consideration list:

The Spectacular Spectacular NYE featuring Paul Oakenfold at Rain at Palms. General admission tickets cost $75 (not completely outrageous). Jump to $225 for a host bar from 9 p.m. – 1 a.m. with Ketel One Vodka and Perrier Jouet. $375 will buy you a VIP All Access wristband and express admission to Rain Nightclub, Playboy Club, Moon Nightclub, & Ghostbar. And for an additional Benjamin, you get all of the above, plus the vodka/bubbles hosted bar at all venues from 10 p.m. – 1 a.m., except for Moon Nightclub. Buy your tickets here.

If you want to ring in the New Year with the Playmate Playmates, you may want to think about The Spectacular Spectacular NYE: Maroon 5 After Party at the Playboy Club (also at Palms). Tickets are a bit spendier than the Oakenfold gig – $125 for general admission, but the ticket pricing structure is basically the same as above for host bar and VIP All Access wristband. Buy your tickets here.

Wasn’t Nicole Richie recently placed on bed rest for pneumonia? Anyway, the rehabbed party queen (and mother of two) and her tattooed hubby will be on hand at LAVO at The Venetian for their NYE festivities. While Nicole plays host, hubs Joel Madden will DJ a special set. Tickets run $160 per person and includes entry to LAVO, open bar and passed hors d’oeuvres from 9pm to 11pm, and a champagne toast at midnight. After midnight, flash your LAVO New Year’s Eve ticket stub at TAO Nightclub in The Venetian (where Christina Aguilera is hosting NYE) for complimentary admission. Get your tickets here.  Via: globetrotting gourmet – VegasChatter

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Turkey Dinners at Both L.A. Standard Hotels

Here’s a Thanksgiving conundrum we face every year: after starving ourselves all day, we finally get to chow down on a huge family feast at about 4pm, finish at 7 (or 8 if you help clean up), and then…nothing. What are you to do for the rest of the evening?

Sure, there’s a little apathy-inducing tryptophan coma to overcome, but after all that food, sometimes you just want to get out and move around. Or hang out with some people you’re not related to (or married into). Only there’s nowhere to go and no one to go with—unless you end up calling people you used to hate in high school in the hopes that they too have been dragged home for the holidays.

So you end up stuck watching reruns with your family as everyone starts snoring around the TV. Until now.

Both locations of the Standard Hotel in Los Angeles are offering Thanksgiving activities so you can eat as much as you want and stay out as late as you want. They’ll even cook you dinner if you’ve left plans to the last minute, and both are charging a remarkably reasonable rate for their prix-fixe menus.

At the Standard Downtown LA there will be a rooftop party starting at 9:00pm with Oliver Chico (aka DJ Twist) headlining the musical entertainment. You can catch up with all the other hipsters and loft-dwellers who didn’t make it home for Turkey Day this year thanks to soaring airfares…or family dysfunction. That doesn’t mean you have to miss your turkey dinner, though. You can get a traditional Thanksgiving meal with all the fixings and a pumpkin pie dessert for $40 per person before heading to the roof to party. Planning to make an entire evening out of it? Stay over at the hotel with rates starting at $120.

The Standard Hollywood is also getting in on the turkey love with a three-course dinner going for a bargain $25…and they’ll even be serving it out by the pool. How L.A. Unfortunately, we haven’t heard about a similar party taking place here, but you can throw one back in your room later that night. Rates at this location start at $160. Via: EricRosen – HotelChatter

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Work Has Begun on The Encore Beach Club

Ok, so there’s this big thing opening soon in Vegas that rhymes with DittyDenter but if you’re Steve Wynnwhat are you really focusing on these days? Tearing down the front of your less-than-a-year-old hotel, Encore, and building an $80 million beach club.

The Encore Beach Club is set to open this summer and VegasCabbie snapped a pic of the construction that’s currently going on from the outside. Meanwhile, Two Way Hard Three has a pic of the inside. The tentative name of the club will be the Switch Beach Club because of its proximity to the Switch restaurant. But since Switch is a name that alludes to the culinary dinner theater that happens inside the restaurant, we don’t think that name will stick.

It’s also hard for us to even think about summer with the holidays on the horizon but if Wynn is building it, then we will come. If we don’t, there’s always CityCenter. (Burn.)  Via:  Julianna – VegasChatter

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The Top Five Twitter Travel Lists Out There Now

Twitter has made it a billion times easier for fans to stalk their favorite celebs, for airlines and brands to track their customers, and now, with the new Twitter Lists feature, it’s super simple to follow frequent travelers around the globe. For those of you not yet on Twitter, we advise you not to tune out yet, because one day you will probably have to know about it for one reason or another.

Back to Lists—introduced during these first few days of November, the function is the first big update on Twitter in a long time. It allowed members to gather those they follow into neat and tidy lists based on any identifying characteristic, like mommy bloggers, celebrities, personal friends and—yes—travelers. In the course of these first few days of List generation, we’ve found ourselves included in over 100 lists and counting, keeping company with some of Twitter’s best travel authorities and most frequent flying.

To help you on your List discovery, we’ve gathered up a few of our favorite travel-centric ones. Lo and behold, our Five Favorite Twitter Travel Lists RIght Now…

· @EverywhereTrip/Travel
Compiled by Gary Arndt, otherwise known as “EverywhereTrip” on Twitter owing to the fact that he’s perpetually traveling around the world, this list is also one of the top-ranked on Twitter right now. It’s not a massively large list as it follows only 279, but that just means that it’s well-curated and an easy jumping-off point for getting into travel lists.

· @travelpod/list
This is a 500-er, meaning that Travelpod has chosen to feature 500 of the top Twitter travelers in their sizable list, giving you a taste of everyone that’s out there in the world of virtual vagabonding.

· @eurapart/travel-500
Here’s yet another 500-er that we’ve found to have quite a good cross section of travel twitters. From MSN Travel to folks chewing the fat over Amazing Race, it’s a good variety. Of course you’ll find us all warm and snug in there as well.

· @jessicadebra/travel-tweets
Okay, the last 500 list, we promise. This one comes from a regular old traveler, not a travel website or other media outlet. We love lists like these because the intel comes from those on the ground, actually out there hopping on trains and grabbing the planes.

· @IngridaLM/travelers
At 388-strong, this travel list sure doubles up on some folks from the previous lists we’ve mentioned, but when it comes to reading updates from the road and travel tips, our theory is the more the merrier.  by JetSetCD – Jaunted

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