So, I've got 5 days to get my tech gadgets ready for my trip to Vegas. So much to do, so little time. My iPaq has gone dead, meaning everything saved to it, is lost, AGAIN. This happens every time I neglect it for a couple weeks, the batteries go completely dead, and your data goes "Poof!". I hate when I let it do that! So now I have to reinstall all the programs on it that I want to take with me. That's not so bad, but, I need to make new GPS maps for the Las Vegas area, as well as Minneapolis - St. Paul to use with my GPS receiver for it. Navigation of unfamiliar cities is much easier when you have a little map showing you exactly where you are. I used to know my way around Vegas quite well, but I fear much of the knowledge has been purged from my brain, so I have JD use my iPaq w/GPS to back me up, in case we get lost. I've also got to get my trusty Dell Latitude C640 ready to travel, and stockpile some DVDs for the plane rides ahead of me. That shouldn't be too bad, I need to make sure my AOL client is up to date too, there's nothing worse than getting away from your broadband connection, only to find that the last beta version of AOL that you loaded to your laptop is no longer able to connect to the service, so you have to find the closest Wal-Mart and scrounge up one of those ever-present CDs.

This will also be my first trip where I'll attempt to use my new wireless data connection via my SprintPCS cell phone. I've tested it with the laptop, and it works well, faster than dial-up even, but I've never gotten it to let me check my e-mail via the IMAP protocol, so it limits me to web-based e-mail. And, the few times I used it, it tended to kick me off after a few minutes.

I also need to check out the digital camera battery situation. Either one of my batteries, or one of my chargers has gone dead. Fortunately, I have two of each, for exactly this reason. You can never be too prepared. If I take the PCMCIA reader from my printer along with me, I can offload pictures on the laptop, without needing a larger USB flash card reader.

It's all about planning ahead, and hoping that airport security doesn't pick you out for the tedious spot check. I carry so many electronics in my laptop backpack that I'm sure it looks suspicious on the X-ray machines, and watching the security guards of dubious intelligence attempting to turn on all my devices gets old fast.