Fighting the elements

By Lylah M. Alphonse, Globe Staff, 09/29/02

		Destinations  Where they went  Travel gear  Student travel  Sensible traveler

Warm to the idea of therapy

Sunbeam's new "Health at Home" division offers heat therapy that's convenient for people on the go. The heating pads are air-activated -- no cords or batteries -- and are greaseless and odorless. The iron-powder-filled heating pads slip into a reusable belt (for the back) or sleeve (for the arms and legs) and, once they warm up, deliver up to eight hours of 110-degree heat to relieve pain and relax tense muscles. The cost is about $7.50 for a pack of four back pads or three arm/leg pads; they are available at CVS, Kmart, Target, Walgreens, and Wal-Mart stores. For more information, log on to www.sunbeam.com, pull down the "Sunbeam Brands" menu, and choose "Sunbeam Health."

To remember watery worlds with

Going for a couple more days on the Cape, or a last-minute trip to the beach? Already planning a winter vacation in a warmer, wetter climate? The Kodak Max Water and Sport One-Time-Use disposable camera has a polycarbonate case that is stronger than the plastic other cameras are made of, and the shutter release won't be harmed by water pressure (it's waterproof to depths of 35 feet). It does not have a flash, but who wants to hang out at the beach on a cloudy day anyway? It comes pre-loaded with 27 exposures of Kodak Max 800 film. The one-time-use camera costs $13 to $16 and is available at www.amazon.com and shop.store.yahoo.com/jandr/kod-maxwater.html.

Card-carrying hard driver

Pocketec's Pokey-DataStor is a USB 2.0 hard drive with 20, 30, or 40 gigabytes of space, so you can back up your hard drive and take it with you on your next business trip. The whole unit is about the size of an index card (3-by-5-by- 1/2 inch) and much easier to carry through security than your laptop. You can link several of them together to create a gigantic library of files, or use just one to store MP3s, photos, video clips, and e-mails as well as copies of your most important programs and data. They cost $199 (20GB), $249 (30GB), or $349 (40GB) and are available directly from the manufacturer by calling 818-717-9556 or ordering at www.pocketec.net.

Lylah M. Alphonse's e-mail address is lalphonse@globe.com.