Traveling is awesome. Unless you’re my sister-in-law, Laura, and then
it is a “torture that surpasses all tortures” and requires massive
amounts of sedatives before any vacation. Although maybe the sedatives
are taken in order to deal with my brother… it’s entirely possible. I
should know. I’ve dealt with him for 23 years. Good luck Laura.
At
any rate, traveling is always fun but if you hit traffic in a place you
don’t know, it can put a damper on it. Avis and Budget rental cars to
the rescue! To help ensure travelers reach their destinations on time,
Avis Budget Group, Inc., announced that Where2, the only GPS navigation
system with real-time traffic alerts, is now available at Avis and
Budget locations nationwide. Whoohoo!
Where2 GPS navigation notifies drivers of upcoming traffic snarls,
construction tie-ups, and automatically suggests alternative routes –
kinda like my AWESOME Pioneer AVIC (I only get my commission if I
mention them in all caps – I kid!). In addition, where available,
information on weather delays is also provided. Traffic information is
provided by Clear Channel’s Total Traffic Network for nearly 50 cities.
The unit is based on Garmin’s new StreetPilot c550 and also offers
features such as Bluetooth hands-free calling, MP3 playback capability,
multiple languages with spoken directions, three-dimensional maps, and
more. It is fully portable and can be rented at Avis or Budget with any
vehicle starting at $9.95 per day or $49.75 per week. For additional
information on Where2 navigator or to make a reservation, travelers
should visit www.avis.com/where2 or www.budget.com.
And
in case you thought I was done, let me show you what’s behind Door
Number Two! In case you are stranded at a boring old hotel room and
need to check the Ask Patty blog, you can do it with the new Wi-Fi
service Avis is offering! They will begin offering Avis Connect, a new
service that effectively transforms the rental car into a Wi-Fi hotspot
and can be carried from the car to meetings and hotels.
The new
service, developed by Autonet Mobile, provides Avis renters with
portable wireless Internet access so they can stay connected wherever
they go. Beginning early next month, the first units will be available
for rent from San Francisco airport. Avis will continue the roll-out
to airport locations in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami,
New York, Newark, San Diego, San Jose, and Seattle. The cost of the new
service is $10.95 per day.
And that’s not all folks! Avis
customers that utilize the Autonet Mobile Service do not need cellular
data cards or special software loads to connect to wireless Internet
devices: Simply turn on, log on and surf. Autonet Mobile Service is
compatible with all Wi-Fi enabled devices, including laptops, MacBooks,
Ultra-Mobile PC handhelds, and PDAs.
Yowzer! Remind me to book
with Avis or Budget the next time I drag along my sister-in-law on a
vacation! She can just plug in her MP3 player and chill out for the
whole drive.
