Today in TechExpedition Impossible’s Dave Salmoni talks tech
Reality television fans rejoice, because this week ABC is kicking off a new summer series called Expedition Impossible, airing Thursday night at 9/8c. The show will follow 13 teams as they race across Morocco and, as you'd expect from reality TV, every week one team will be eliminated while the others trek onward. While we waited for this Indiana Jones-style adventure to air we caught up with the show's host, adventurer and wildlife expert Dave Salmoni, to talk about tech and travel.
When he's not roughing it, Salmoni — a self-proclaimed gadget-lover — is as tech-friendly as anyone and has a long list of gadgets as traveling companions. He says he can't leave home without his iPod or BlackBerry smartphone and likes to keep his PlayBook and Sony Reader with him when he's on the road.
The PlayBook for work and play
The PlayBook hasn't had a warm reception from all tech enthusiasts, but Salmoni has nothing but praise for his BlackBerry tablet. Though he tells us he tried the iPad, it felt more like an interesting toy than a useful device, while the PlayBook lets him mix work and play. Because he has a BlackBerry smartphone, he can take advantage of the PlayBook's ability to sync wirelessly (via Bluetooth) with a BlackBerry phone — something Apple has been slow to develop.
As for apps, he has a lot of games for playing when he's off the clock, finds weather apps to be handy, and, of course, uses the social networking app Twitter. But for the most part, Salmoni seems to use his tablet as a way to stay connected even when he's not in front of a computer. On the couch at home or at a hotel, he can be relaxing but still have easy access to everything the internet has to offer, from work-related emails to looking up sports stats on Google. "It helps me do a bit of work while I'm playing," Salmoni says.
E-reading on the go
Though ebook apps exist for every tablet on the market, if you're doing a lot of reading, a dedicated e-reader is the way to go. Salmoni carries a Sony Reader. "It was the smallest reader I could find," he notes, making it convenient to carry around as well as easy to read one-handed. The Pocket Edition Reader is as pocket-sized as its name implies, weighing just under 5 oz. with a 5" E Ink screen for easy reading in bright light.
Traveling with tech
When we're traveling with gadgets, the biggest problem is always keeping everything charged up and running. So how does Salmoni keep all of his tech ready for action? "I have no idea!" he tells us with a laugh. "There are cables everywhere. When I go into any hotel I plug in my iPod and my BlackBerry right away."
Expedition Impossible
If you want to see Dave Salmoni in his native habitat, you'll have to catch up with him on Expedition Impossible when it airs at 9/8c this Thursday, July 23, on ABC. If that seems a bit too long to wait, you can watch the first 15 minutes of the premiere online at ABC.com.
[Image credit: Edans]
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