Q. One of my big problems with all these cords? There aren’t enough outlets to plug in everything when I’m on the road. How do you handle this?

A. Well, I have to start by saying that the MoGo mouse does, of course, charge in the PC card slot.

Have you thought of converting to using a powered USB hub instead of power cords? Obviously, you always have to carry the adapter along with your laptop. But if you buy a portable USB hub, you can use it to recharge your cell phone, your PDA, your iPod, external hard drive or storage… frankly, most every business gadget I can think of.

It’s a little slower than plugging directly into a power outlet, but the cables are much more manageable.

And converting to using USB can be a lifesaver if you are traveling by car a lot and for on-sites where outlets are at a premium.

Just remember that the USB hub you buy should be the kind that needs an outlet. (Yes, a cord.) The non-powered ones aren’t usually strong enough to charge things. And you will want to test it before your next trip.

Good luck.

Q. I want to use my Bluetooth headset on a plane to listen to movies on my laptop. One airline says I can’t, a flight attendant on another said it was fine once in flight. Is it?

A. That’s a great question. The answer is not clearcut. In fact, what devices are legal on commercial flights has been topic of heated debate for years. (Phones, PDA’s, iPod’s, etc.)

My simple response has always been - do what the Flight Attendants tell you.

But if you’re truly curious about the law, then here’s the more complicated response.

The use of electronic devices on planes is actually governed by several organizations, chief among them the FAA (Federal Avaiation Administraion) and the FCC (Federal Communications Commission).

The FAA says, basically, “no portable electronic devices during take-off and landing and at the pilot’s discretion otherwise.”

The FCC restricts what bands can be used (such as those used by Bluetooth ). Unless the FCC has applied restrictions to the band, the decision is back in the hands of the pilot and flight crew.

Bluetooth’s official website doesn’t speak to the issue.

Most people, like the fictional Toby on the West Wing pilot episode, can get pretty frustrated by the seeming inconsistency of the rules and application. “We’re flying in a Lockheed eagle series L-1011. It came off the line 20 months ago and carries a Sim-5 Transponder tracking system. Are you telling me I can still flummox this thing with something I bought at Radio Shack?!”

If you feel that way, too, may I recommend a little light reading? Or: FAA rules regarding electronic devices

Elizabeth is a professional writer & geek with most of the last decade spent in senior management at a leading global IT provider. Thousands have attended her seminars in the US & Canada on subjects ranging from basic TCP/IP networking to high-end data storage solutions.

Got a question? Ask Elizabeth.

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Q. The #1 Matt said on his 18 June Post; “WiFi is pretty much a given these days, I want to see a website about which airports have the best power outlets.”

OK, That wasn’t really a question, but it’s reminiscent of one I’ve been asked many, many times. Because its not enough to know the airport has WiFi if your laptop battery is going to be dead an hour before you board.

A. First of all, let me just say: someone has, Matt. The Air Power Wiki is a little thin right now, but it’s growing.

My answer? Will have to incorporate more than just power outlet bounty. For me to feel good about an airport, I like a steaming side order of free WiFi and a sensibility tuned to the wired traveler - with public workstations, for example.

And the unexpected discovery here is that I rarely find that in a large airport. For example, LaGuardia, JFK, Chicago, Atlanta, heck - practically ALL Wisconsin airports, have fee-based WiFi, are riddled with non-working outlets and working havens are rarely found outside the premium lounges. Boston actually fought against freeWiFi providers in their airport.

Truly, it’s the smaller airports that seem to ‘get’ the wired traveler.

Without further ado, here are the best of those I’ve traveled:
East Coast - #1 Pittsburgh, PA (PIT): Free WiFi, strong signal, lots of outlets - even in the gate areas near the seats. #2 West Palm Beach, FL (PBI). Free WiFi (which is true in most Florida airports, bless them). I also found powered outlets in each gate area. #3 Manchester, NH (MHT) This Boston-area Southwest Airlines favorite has Free WiFi with fairly strong signal at most gates. Power outlets at most gate areas, too. Honorable Mentions; Blue Grass Airport (LEX) in Lexington, KY has free WiFi in the terminal, in the parking lots within 300 feet of the terminal and on the tarmac (if you and your plane should be parked there). No wireless card? You can borrow a patch cable from the airport information desk and use one of the wall sockets that convert wireless to a high-speed plug-in connection.

Middle US - #1 Grand Rapids, MI (GRR): Free WiFi and power outlets at most gate areas, plus two centrally-located complimentary public business centers with work surfaces, electrical outlets, and LAN connections. #2 Kansas City, MO (MCI):: Free WiFi, good coverage. A goodly number of open outlets, and the way gates are set up there is usually a fairly quiet place to type or surf. #3 Quad Cities (Moline), IL (MLI): Chicago-area’s 3rd busiest airport is the only one with free WiFi and dependable outlets, which are available in each gate area as well as in the food court. Honorable Mentions; Lubbock, TX (LBB) is one of the few Texas airports with free WiFi and available outlets. It’s about a 6-hour drive (4, if you rent something more powerful than a Geo) from Dallas. Many of the smaller resort-area Colorado airports (like Colorado Springs, COS) have free WiFi and powered workstations.

West Coast - #1 Las Vegas, NV (McCarran, LAS): The largest airport in the US to offer free, public WiFi. They are in the process of installing more power outlets and workstations - in the meantime, if you’re desperate, they usually have one in the restroom. #2 Portland, OR (PDX): Free WiFi that covers most of the airport - they even have coverage maps at customer service. Plus newer workstations with power outlets. #3 Sacramento, CA (SMF): I happily found an outlet at my gate and free WiFi, as advertised by the airport. But in the interest of disclosure, I read recently that there is a pay-for-the-day WiFi provider in some spots, and that some travelers find a lot of the outlets are dead.

A couple of wired-travel tips? Tuck a small power strip in your laptop bag because if you do find power, it’s always good to share. And if you find one that someone is already using, then you can get them to share.

Also - JetBlue gives its customers free WiFi so if you head to their area of an airport terminal, you can usually get signal. USA Today did an article with more great tips here.

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On Fridays, MoGo Mobility’s Elizabeth will seek to answer your MoGo (and non-MoGo) technical questions.

Elizabeth is a professional writer & geek with most of the last decade spent in senior management at a leading global IT provider. Thousands have attended her seminars in the US & Canada on subjects ranging from basic TCP/IP networking to high-end data storage solutions.

Got a question? Ask Elizabeth.

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