Photos: Gadgets pass road test

This little device, Verizon Wireless' V740 EV-DO card, which allowed me to get Internet connectivity via the cell phone network, was a lifesaver. It didn't always produce a good signal, but it did far more often than the Wi-Fi networks I found. Often, I used this in my hotel rather than the place's Wi-Fi service because it was simply faster and better. This was truly the star gadget of the trip.