Rafting the Grand Canyon

OK, this isn’t for little kids, but if your kids are a little older and more adventerous, there is no better way to see the Grand Canyon than to raft down the middle of it. When you’re deep inside the Canyon, you experience it differently. You get to watch the colors change on the walls throughout the day, you get to explore its cracks and crevicies and you ride on the river that created it. It’s truly a once in a lifetime experience.

I went on a trip with my mother run by Moki-Mac. They offer a full 14-day trip that runs the length of the Grand Canyon. In addition, you can split up the trip into two-pieces if you can’t do the full run. My mother did the full trip, but I actually joined up with the group about half-way through, hiking down from the South Rim to meet them at Phantom Ranch.

Intel Pushes Whitebook Standards

Intel believes that standards are the key to breaking open the whitebook market, making it easier for systems integrators and white-box builders to compete against OEMs and expand their businesses.

Standards will reduce complexity and inventory challenges that dampen whitebooks, according to the chipmaker. If all whitebooks use the same power supplies, screens and optics, it will make parts more available and affordable.

By definition, though, whitebooks are custom, purpose-built machines that meet the requirements of their buyers. Even with the reduced components cost, standards-based whitebooks won't be able to compete in price with commoditized, low-end machines by Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo and Acer.

But in Intel's view of the whitebook world, price isn't an issue. Value that systems integrators and whitebook builders bring to the equation is where money is to be made, the company said at its annual Intel Solutions Summit in Scottsdale, Ariz., yesterday.

Macarena Concept has folding glass roof

French automotive industry manufacturer Heuliez is showing a unique concept vehicle on its stand at the Geneva International Motor. The Macarena Concept Car has a glass roof with a difference. The three glass panels automatically fold and compactly store themselves away into the trunk in order to offer plenty of luggage space.

The Macarena name came from the likeness to the way the two roof arches fold like the arms of the dancers in the famous Macarena dance. The roof can have a substantial span and is hence particularly suitable for turning larger four door cars with four comfortable seats into an elegant and sporty coupe-cabriolet. Though the Macarena is based on the Peugeot 407, Heuliez is hoping to license the system to auto manufacturers around the world

Bali for Kids

You’ll read under Where to Stay about the different areas to consider when choosing a place to base yourselves on Bali, so I’ll talk more broadly here.

• We learned that raising a family is very much the center of most adult Balinese peoples’ lives, and so it seemed quite natural that our kids were around. Wherever we bumped into local folks, we would soon be explaining our kids’ ages and learning something about our interlocutor’s family
• Most restaurants had something that even picky eaters would tolerate. Many places near hotels had a mix of Western food, such as sandwcihes or steak, as well as local foods of the seafood persuasion. When all else failed EVERYWHERE had nasi goreng, basically fried rice. In many of the smaller places it would be very hard to be certain that a dish did not include some shellfish, or peanut oil, or egg, so if you or your kids have allergies you may need to stick to the more expensive places where dishes can more easily be tailored to your needs.

New Bluetooth Headsets

Sony Ericsson today announced three new Bluetooth™ Headsets: HBH-IV835, HBH-GV435 and HBH-PV705. Excelling in many different ways, they all deliver outstanding sound performance worthy of Sony Ericsson’s Bluetooth™ headset pedigree. Like all Sony Ericsson wireless headsets they have been developed in co-ordination with Sony Ericsson mobile phones but are compatible with Bluetooth™-equipped handsets, computers and PDAs from other manufacturers also.

“These three excellent wireless headsets really allow our users to get more from their busy lives,” says Ulf Persson, Corporate Vice President Accessories, Sony Ericsson. “Anyone can hear the remarkable sound quality and see the attractive design for themselves. The new wearing solutions we are introducing to the range are extremely comfortable, enabling people to use the headset all day long. We expect these new headsets will inspire people to a wireless headset solution through Sony Ericsson’s perfect match of design and functionality.”