Tech Tuesday :: The Six-Week Rule

[trip style = any]

{Editor’s Note: Enter to win a travel set from Shaffali Skincare, inspired by Ayurvedic herbs aromatherapeutic essences including French lavender, Croatian sage, Italian orange blossom, and Egyptian geranium! Contest ends TOMORROW. Enter today!}

Today's Tech Tuesday is not so much about new tech, but how to use existing travel tech to show airline tickets who's boss!

It's true, we've written about the best time to buy airline tickets before, but we thought we'd resurrect the topic in light of new data released by Airlines Reporting Corp., a US company that handles ticketing transactions between airlines and travel agents.

The findings are not mind-bending, but serve as a solid reminder of when to ask the flight you're eyeing out on a date.

After crunching almost 144-billion flight ticketing transactions over in 2011, the study found that passengers pay the lowest price, nearly 6% below the average fare, if they buy six weeks before their flight. Other findings include: ticket prices soaring a week before departure, and up to a 40% ticket price hike for day-of tickets.

Note to self, don't buy a same-day flight ticket to Rome like Omar did on Sunday's epidode of Pan Am! He's a Prince, he can handle 40% more.

Next time you're searching for the best flight and fare, consider the above findings, plus a few other commandments we've compiled: - Six Ways To Save On Airfare :: to help you score the lowest airfare for your next trip - How To Book The Best Flight :: without hours of research - The Airfare Dance :: key findings from Kayak.com's Chief Scientist

PS - After a 14-year stint, Priceline's Negotiator has been killed off. Here's the final hurrah: {If you're having trouble seeing video, click here}

[photo by @tristyler taken in Australia at the Gladstone airport]

Tech Tuesday :: Liftopia

[trip style = active & adventure] Head for the hills!

Liftopia, the largest e-retailer of ski lift tickets, has introduced a free app for that.

If you dream of snow and carving figure eights in "pow", browse a smorgasbord of ski hills in all the major alpine resort areas worldwide: BC, Colorado, Chile, Switzerland, Austria, etc....

Tap it {or go online} to find mountains near you, and deals and details about each resort, for example: number of green, blue, black and double-black diamond runs, amenities, stats, conditions or hours. For select resorts, you can even buy your lift ticket {and score a deal} enroute.

No, Liftopia doesn't post steals for e-v-e-r-y mountain, but it does offer advanced lift ticket purchasing from 10% - 41% off at 150 resorts+ in North America. Think of it as your digital ski bunny without the fur-lined hood and boots.

More Tech Tuesday White Noise Dashboard To Wall Travelzoo App Urban Dig City Guide Hotel Tonight

[photo via itunes]

Tech Tuesday :: White Noise

[trip style = any] At this time of year the perfect quietness of snow covering evergreen treetops in an open country field is something that should be packaged and sold under the tree. If only. No doubt it would the gift of the year.

Now there's a way to live part of this dream in the midst of holiday madness---and the rest of life---that's recommended by the NY Times, Washington Post, Health Magazine and the iTunes staff. The White Noise App offers solace from life and travel challenges with soundscapes ranging from 'beach waves crashing' and 'tropical rain pouring' to 'oscillating fan.'

Whether you're holiday shopping and need to 'take a moment,' on a full plane with loud talkers or your urban hotel is beside a busy street, zen out and tune into your happy place: a warm beach with swaying palms, getting a massage at the spa or first tracks at Whistler.

Though "snow falling on a quiet country field" is not one of the soundscapes, you can create it yourself by mixing ambient sounds together through the app, or better yet, find a quiet country feild with snow falling and record the sound yourself!

Details - White Noise Lite {10 soundscapes} is free, White Noise {40 soundscapes} is $1.99 - Works with iPhone, iPad, Android, Blackberry, Mac App Store

More Tech Tuesday Dashboard To Wall Travelzoo App Fotopedia Hipmunk Gets Organized Urban Dig City Guide Travelstormer {Group Travel Planning} Hotel Tonight

[photo via itunes]

Tech Tuesday :: Dashboard to Wall

[trip style = any]

{Editor’s Note: Have you entered to win a $200 credit to zozi, an online hub for local experiences in 63 cities in Canada and the US? Perfect as a Christmas gift for the person who has everything. Contest Ends Thursday!}

Today's tech tuesday is a double-whammy; a) a pretty cool December gift-giving idea, and b) an excellent way to convert travel memories into art.

The Prelude Earlier this year we wrote about Instagram, a iPhone photo editing and sharing tool that had one million downloads in three months {back in February} and has continued to explode in the ranks of Twitter and Facebook.

Yes, it's great to have thousands upon thousands of photos digitally, but in the words of Olivia Newton John and Pat Benatar "let's get physical" and "hit {the wall} with your best shot".

The Real Deal Now you can convert all your Instagram photos {or other digi shots} to wall art by going to canvaspop {a Canadian company!} and selecting the print from instagram link. In a few weeks, a personalized canvas in a 12" x 12" or 20" x 20" size featuring your stylized and insta-filtered photo{s} arrives at your doorstep {$30 - $60}.

If Instagram'ing isn't your thing, but capturing memories on canvas is, upload everything from digi cam pics to Facebook shots to canvaspop for small-to-big and single-to-triptyc photo artwork.

More Tech Tuesday Travelzoo App Fotopedia Hipmunk Gets Organized Urban Dig City Guide Travelstormer {Group Travel Planning} Virtual Shopping Get A Callback Google Flight Search Hotel Tonight Getting There Direct

[images via canvaspop]

Tech Tuesday :: Travelzoo

[trip style = budget conscious] I'm sure you get the emails. Travelzoo sends their Top 20 travel and entertainment deals email every Wednesday to 24 million people worldwide. Obviously they're doing something right. And now there's an app for that.

The app is easy to navigate and less cluttered than the website. In fact, I'd rather use the app. In it, find the week's Top 20, local deals, deals in other cities and additional categories like sun vacations, last minute, Europe, hotels, entertainment and more.

If you're more into visuals than lists, check out the deal map and photo mosaic to find your next destination and trip style.

Once you've chosen the right trip fit, purchase the deal from the comfort of your own phone!

{Trip Styler Side Note :: I'm going to NYC this weekend with my sister/Trip Styler's Fashion Friday contributor. Thanks to a fateful Top 20 this summer, we booked the Ace Hotel NYC for US Thanksgiving weekend at a ridiculously low rate of $99/night. Most hotels of this caliber are $300+/night.}

PS - Like the Groupon or LivingSocial apps, you can sign-in to view and use your Travelzoo local deals. Budget conscious travelers should also consult Travelzoo's app or website to find 'local' destination deals for restaurants, lounges, experiences or spas!

More Tech Tuesday Fotopedia Hipmunk Gets Organized Urban Dig City Guide Travelstormer {Group Travel Planning} Virtual Shopping Get A Callback Google Flight Search Hotel Tonight Getting There Direct

[image via itunes]