Ritz-Carlton Magazine - Spring 2012 - (Page 40)

TECH B Y S U N N Y B AT E S Philips goLITE BLU Energy Light To reset my circadian rhythms in different time zones. Verilux CleanWave Sanitizing Wand (Uh-oh, the oddball factor creeps in.) To disinfect the buttons on the video and armrest controls of an airplane. I disinfect the hotel’s TV remote, too. iPad For writing my novel and Skyping when on the road overseas — and, of course, also for email and lots of fooling around. Leather Journals None systemically organized for content, because I am not systematic — I am a ﬁction writer. ALL OVER TAN In her peripatetic life as a world-famous novelist, enthusiastic globetrotter and occasional rock musician, Amy Tan has assembled an impressive collection of mobile tech, at the core of which is her pet Yorkie, Bombo. “Two settings: with Amy. Not with Amy.” In the past year, she has traveled between her homes on the east and west coasts of America and throughout China, where she researched her new, digitally published story “Rules For Virgins,” a sensual tale about courtesans in Shanghai a century ago. (It is not, warns the author of “The Joy Luck Club,” a tender motherdaughter fable.) And then there are the demands of the Rock Bottom Remainders, a for-charity rock band in which Tan performs alongside such other literary heavyweights as Stephen King, Dave Barry and Matt Groening. The band’s CD is appropriately titled “Stranger Than Fiction.” Monster Clarity Bluetooth Speaker It has amazing acoustical quality for something that ﬁts in the palm of my hand. Old iPhone, Jailbroken Overseas, I put in a local SIM card to stay in touch with people locally. I’ve called while standing in a mountain cowshed in the most remote province in China. Collins French-English Dictionary I’ve tried many programs and this is the best for nuance and colloquial speech. I can understand French waiters who speak back to me in colloquial English. Brainwave - 25 Binaural Programs I wear my earphones in the morning to set my brain on “focused and alert,” and at night I use “sleep with vivid dreams” to conk out and have fun. It has one binaural brainwave called “euphoria.” I have too much of that as is. I need one that is set for “guilt, anxiety, get back to work.” Pages This is what I use to write my novel. I send my documents to iDisk. I also retrieve documents created on my desktop via iDisk. iBird Pro About 1,000 recorded bird calls and data. I have attracted masses of crows in Bhutan screaming to ﬁnd the American crow intruder. It was like Hitchcock’s “The Birds.” Eagles have ﬂown to me as well. iTunes I have custom playlists for writing (Alexandre Desplat soundtracks), skiing (salsa and soul), dancing (Lindy hop), and for just listening pleasure (Rachmaninoff Piano Concertos, Mahler Symphonies). iBook Free books from the turn of the century. I own the real antiquarian ones. My novels are there as well but only because I have been caught bookless too many times when asked to read something. I had to pay to download them. Also, academic research books, which tend to be heavy in non-digital form. Kindle Also for research books. And for long stories and essays from Byliner and Kindle Singles, read in the span of a ﬂight or a ﬂight delay. DianHua Dictionary A Chinese-English dictionary with audio that is simple to use and has comprehensive entries. I can tell my sister what I don’t mean. Find other high-tech gadgets perfect for travelers at . / 40 W W W. R I T Z C A R LT O N . C O M MICHAEL CHILDERS (TAN); ROMO LUSSA JOURNALS COURTESY OF CAVALLINI PAPERS TAN ’S FAVORIT E A P PS http://www.ritzcarlton.com/magazine http://www.ritzcarlton.com/magazine http://WWW.RITZCARLTON.COM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Ritz-Carlton Magazine - Spring 2012

Ritz-Carlton Magazine - Spring 2012
Contents
Contributors
Editor’s Letter
President’s Letter
Falling in Love With ... Tokyo
Technology
Design
On the Boulevards
Shopping
Jewelry
Watches
Family Travel
Wellness
Golf
Philadelphia
Culinary
Let Us Stay With You
Heritage

Ritz-Carlton Magazine - Spring 2012