Watch out iPhone. Here comes the Garmin nuvifone. Let the games begin. On Wednesday, GPS maker Garmin announced its first mobile phone, and it looks to be a beaut. For the frequent traveler, this new tech toy offers something no other mobile phone can boast: the power of a Garmin GPS personal navigation device. Google local search capabilities allow users to find specific destinations or destination categories (coffeeshops, hospitals, gas stations) in relation to their current location on Google maps and tag photos taken with the built-in camera to certain locations. The touchscreen smartphone also features iPhone-esque web browsing, video camera, email, SMS, etc.

The device is slated for release in Q3 2008. No word on pricing or carrier yet, but Gizmodo suspects AT&T will be the likely choice for the latter.

Garmin® nüvifone™ Takes Personal Navigation and Communication to the Next Level

Expected to debut sometime in spring or early summer, the Motorola EQ5 Portable Wireless Speaker is already on my travel wish list. The palm-sized speaker connects to Bluetooth-enabled devices, including phones, and features echo-cancellation and noise-reduction technology for high-quality sound. Looks like a great little device for on-the-go travelers who want to take their music with them everywhere. You can also use it as a phone speaker for conference calls. Connects to non-Bluetooth players via the 3.5mm jack.

Flight 001, one of my all-time favorite travel stores, has the long-awaited solution for cooties: The No Cooties 4Pack. A simple spray. Who would have thought? I would suggest bringing one of these little guys out right as the plane takes off and spritzing every half-hour or so while casting sidelong glances at the person next to you. Advanced cootie combatants may want to up the ante by spritzing backwards between the seats. Make sure to follow this up by peering at the people behind you. For effect, when you attempt the post-spritz peering backwards move, make sure just one eye is visible through the crack in between the seats. People will love this.

Who hasn’t wished they had something like this when their bags decided to take a trip of their own? The Arrival Survival Kit takes the sting out of the lost luggage experience with essentials to pull you through. Each kit comes packed in a clear zippered bag with:

• A t-shirt

• A pair of undies

• Cotton swabs, cotton balls and a nail file

• A disposable razor

• Travel-sized deodorant

• Travel toothbrush and mini-toothpaste

• Packet of pain reliever

Clearly, this is one for the ladies. But guys can benefit from it, too. You know what they say, hell hath no fury like a woman with lost luggage. Cost: $40

Many travelers and tech geeks alike have waited with baited breath for the unveiling of Apple’s latest laptop, the MacBook Air, which Apple’s Steve Jobs showed off at the Macworld Expo this week in San Francisco. While plenty of people are oohing and ahhing about this new, ultra portable notebook (said to fit neatly into a manila envelope, though we aren’t sure why anyone would ever need to do that), Slate’s Paul Boutin (MacBook Err) is disappointed:

As I watched Steve Jobs demo his new products onstage at San Francisco’s Moscone Center, I was struck by all the things you can’t do with the MacBook Air. That’s because the balance of power at Apple, and in the tech world generally, has tipped. In many ways, phones are now more powerful than laptops.

Boutin goes on to compare the MacBook Air with the iPhone, a device he deems more functional and practical for people who need to get things done anywhere, anytime:

I’m a sucker for products that look good, but there need to be some guts beneath the shiny skin. I don’t care about having the world’s skinniest laptop. Rather, I need to be able to blog breaking news when I’m not near a Wi-Fi hotspot. I look forward to fawning over my friends’ new MacBooks. But when they desperately need to e-mail the boss, I’ll just savor the triumph of whipping out my phone.

I tend to agree. And since I’ve owned an iPhone, I’ve become almost addicted to the reliable connection it gives me to email and the web. Not sure I could go back. That said, Apple-using business travelers looking for the world’s thinnest laptop will no doubt be wooed by the MacBook Air’s sleek design and unbeatable portability.

I recently became one of the gazillion travelers to fall in love with the iPhone. It. Just. Rocks.

Since acquiring my iPhone, I’ve been having some fun exploring all the applications and widgets that make this little device even cooler than it is on its own. To be sure, there are a slew of add-on applications, widgets and programs available for download out there. But which ones are the best for travelers? Here is my list of the Best iPhone Applications and Widgets for Travelers:

New York on Tap

Use this well-designed application to find bars in New York, as well as subway stops and directions.

Hotel Widgets

A simple, but easy-to-use search tool for finding flights, hotels, car rentals and cruises using your iPhone.

Earthcomber

With its iPhone-optimized interface, Earthcomber helps you find what you’re looking for (restaurants, wi-fi, banks, gas stations, ice cream – you name it) and locates it on Google Maps. You can also get driving directions, read reviews and see the location of friends who also use the app.

Sudoku for iPhone

For those addicted to this travel-friendly game, we like the simple interface of this iPhone-based Sudoku widget. There are several similar widgets out there, but this one has a cleaner appearance and also offers players a choice of simple, easy, intermediate and expert game levels. Too bad you can’t play on the plane (yet).

iEventful

This application lets you search for events by city. If you find yourself in a new town with an evening to kill, this simple search will return plenty of options in categories ranging from Food-Wine-Cuisine to Performing Arts.

SoonR

Need access to computer files, photos and programs like Skype from your iPhone? SoonR allows you to do just that. The downloadable program loads the SoonR Desktop Agent onto your home computer and allows you to search, find and share files with any mobile phone – even when your computer is turned off.

iPhone Miles

A simple tool that allows business travelers to track auto mileage with their iPhones. We especially like the way this application allows users to specify driver, purpose and distance and then exports the information to Excel for easy record-keeping.

IM+ for Skype

ddicted to Skype? You can use your account to call or instant message contacts via your iPhone with this application. The only bummer: it’ll cost you $25 to download the service.

Cool Gorilla Phrase Books

Much like traditional translators, this iPhone-friendly application offers phrases in five languages (French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish). But unlike many electronic handheld language gadgets, this application will actually pronounce the phrases for you using Quicktime.

Flight Stats

Search for flight status, departure and arrival times, airport and airline information, security wait times and current airport delays all from your iPhone.

JiWire Wi-Fi Finder

Find wi-fi hotspots in cities around the world. Allows you to browse by country, city, address, wireless provider and even connection type. An added bonus? You can search exclusively for free wi-fi hotspots.

iPhone Tipper

While many tipping applications exist for the iPhone, we like this one because it allows you to split the check among up to 10 people and offers an easy interface for viewing 15, 20 and 25 percent tip amounts alongside the bill total .

Travel writer Lorraine Sanders has been editing the TravelPost.com Insider blog since 2005. You can reach her at news (at) lorrainesanders (dot) com.

That, my friends, is what you’ll be saying when this bag pops onto the conveyor at baggage claim. But the California retro skater punk aesthetic is hardly the only reason to snag the Burton Wheelie Double Deck Rolling Duffel 30′’ Limited Edition in Mojave Plaid. This wheelie bag comes with stretchy “zones” around the zippers to accommodate those of us who, uh, having ongoing packing problems (like shopping). Other perks? The separate shoe storage compartment, attachment strap for another piece of luggage - like your backpack or carry on bag - and enough room to take pretty much everything you’d need for a week’s adventure (or more). And because it’s limited edition, you won’t see this puppy everywhere you turn. Cost: $199.95

Travelers the world over rely on the old school, charmingly low-tech moleskin notebook for capturing thoughts, ideas, sketches and tidbits from their travels. Among backpackers and adventure travelers, these little black books have a cult following. There’s just something addictive about documenting your travels in one of these smooth, pocket-sized volumes. And while many no doubt prefer the basic black, my eyes lit up when I saw this laser-engraved version being sold on etsy. It’s the hardbound original with blank pages, but spruced up a bit by this pop design. Cost: $20

Outdoor retailer Peter Glenn is having an online post-holiday sale that could help you feel, perhaps, just slightly less guilty about buying winter sports gear midseason. So if you’re heading to the mountains in ‘08, you can grab brands like Spyder, Sport Obermeyer, Nils, Bogner and Orage for 30 to 50 percent off. Shipping is free for orders over $99. One of my favorite sale items: the Orage Kai Pinstripe Insulated Ski Jacket, pictured here. It features a highly functional waterproof hardshell with cool details like the offset zipper, windflap closures in a cheeky, faux-formal pattern. Regularly $370, the jacket is on sale for $299.

We’re digging these Freight Box Storage Containers from travel accessories and luggage company Lug and wishing we had the entire set. Guys and girls both can benefit from these candy-colored packing aids. Each zip top, collapsible storage box has a mesh window on the lid and PVC lining and can be used for storing everything from CDs to toiletries, flip flops to the bevy of cords and chargers you can’t help toting on every trip. Cost: $14