The Connected Traveler
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The Connected Traveler Technology Showcase

Our Connected Traveler Technology Showcase at the New York Times Travel Show. Look for us in 2013 at both the NY Times and Los Angeles Times Travel Shows. Take a look at some of the fascinating demo videos we shot on the spot.

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Written by Pat Meier-Johnson   
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TabletsAtAirport
Would a US airline have the guts to do this?
One look at the explosive growth of giant casinos juxtaposed with a well-preserved historic district and there is no doubt that Macau is a success. And judging by Macau's constant self-evaluation it may well continue to be. Young people armed with clipboards wander the wave-patterned plaza of Senado Square, and you just can't seem to resist talking to a nice fellow who approaches you at Macau International Airport. But what US airline would have the guts to do this? There was something about the tablet PC next to the gate agent at the EVA Airlines counter that was instantly gratifying.

This IS instant, not one of those evaluation forms that few people fill out, unless they are angry. The tablet is very touchable in a way that a computer screen and keyboard could never be. No keyboard. No wires. Nothing that looked tecchy, just an elegant screen with a series of questions about our satisfaction with EVA's service associated with smiley or frowney faces. So while we checked in, we tapped the screen. The gate agent smiled to himself. All positives, by the way.

Perhaps that's the nature of tablets. They're friendly. They're relatively light. They invite touching. And where almost half of the 500 women travelers in a recent Vision Critical survey use social media during their trips and half access it through their smartphones, we suspect tablets will take their place as the platform of choice over time. One in four people expect to replace their laptop with a tablet in the next year, according to a recent Zogby International survey. The simple elegance of an integrated device with a clear friendly screen probably increased my likelihood to interact with it. I'm sure there's a survey about that, too. And I somehow can't help feel that this kind of instant evaluation might go a long way in improving customer service.