Photo by Lola Akinmade

Jason Policastro introduces us to the 10 Ugliest Cars Being Made Right Now such as the futuristic, Jetsons-style Smart ForTwo and the Mini Clubman, a stretched-out version of the Mini Cooper.

So happy to see the hippopotamus-shaped Chrysler PT Cruiser make the list.

In a fantastic photo essay that spotlights the 20 Freakiest Bikes on the Road, Hal Amen rounds up some unique looking choppers, cargo bikes, art bikes, clown bikes, and much more.

Maybe you’d rather stick to tried and true methods of getting around?

Check out Tom Gates’ Guide to Traveling via Eurail, and Carlo Alcos’ tips on taking sidetrips while doing the legendary Trans Siberian Railway.

For more wacky transportation, check out these books.

Photo by James Cridland

We love lightweight, practical travel gadgets here at Goods, and the slick new Sansa slotRadio player joins the ranks.

This revolutionary mp3 player holds up to 1,000 songs on a tiny memory card. Its built-in FM radio allows you to tune into local stations while traveling in foreign countries as well as NPR so you’ve got instant access to the latest news. At just 1.3 oz in weight, it is super portable and barely takes up any space.

It has an integrated clip on its back that allows you to attach it to belt straps and clothing so you can take it jogging/walking.

How It Works

1,000 songs organized into various genres are preloaded onto a small chip that gets inserted into the player. I was a bit skeptical about the playlist because when it comes to music, tastes severely differ, but the slotRadio card boasts an impressive mix.

From contemporary artists such as Coldplay, Maroon 5, and No Doubt, Hip-hop artists like Akon and T-Pain, as well as Alternative and Emo Rockers such as Kaiser Chiefs and Hinder, there are at least a couple hundred songs that will satisfy your musical preferences.

Other genres include Rock, Country, and a mix of Workout and Chillout tunes. And with up to 13 hours of battery life between charges, you’re sure to be rocking out uninterrupted.

To start up the player, all you have to do is insert the slotRadio card that comes with the player and switch to PLAY.

It’s that simple.

Photo courtesy of Crunch Gear

Swapping Out Playlists

The very first question that came to mind (besides wondering if U2 made the cut) was how I would change out my playlists.

What if I got tired of continuously playing the same old…oh…1,000 songs? Additional song mix cards can be purchased online.

You can also order genre-specific music cards such as all rock tunes, if country music isn’t your style.

What’s Included

I’m a sucker for clean, attractive packaging and the slotRadio Player’s square-shaped, compartmentalized media case includes Sansa ear buds, a USB cable for connecting the player to its AC Adapter (included!), as well as a protective silicone case, a user’s guide, a 1,000 song mix card, and the player itself.

It retails for $99.99, and additional music cards can be purchased for $39.99 each from the slotRadio store. The slotRadio will also be available at Radio Shack stores, but the best part is….

We’re giving one away for free! That’s right.

From now until Friday, June 5th PST, all you need to do is tell us (in 50 words or less) about one of your favorite travel songs that reminds you of a place or reason to travel in the comments field below. We will randomly pick a winner to receive a slotRadio player after the deadline.

We will also be publishing select readers’ entries in a feature piece on Matador Nights.

Photo by phooky

The goPostal app, a free download from the iPhone App Store, allows you to select a photo from your library or snap one on the spot, write a personal message, choose a recipient, and send.

That’s it!

The 4x 6 postcard, which includes a UV protective coating, is delivered to your U.S. resident of choice via the U.S. Postal Service.

The cost is $1.29 per postcard, which includes postage: both convenient and thrifty for travelers that want to send a customized souvenir to friends and family.

goPostal also allows for more creativity than the generic postcard.

Why send your mom the standard Ipanema Beach shot when she could have a picture of her name spelled out with shells on the sand to stick up on the refrigerator?

Everyone’s seen a photo of the Eiffel Tower, but they haven’t seen you sliding down the banister of its staircase with Paris sprawled out behind you.

The goPostal app also offers businesses a new, unique way to keep in touch with their customers.

Postcards with goPostal can be sent to anyplace in the U.S. from anyplace in the world. For more information, including testimonials, check out their website at www.printyourlife.com.

Photo by Lola Akinmade

All satellite handhelds offered by Satworx weigh less than a pound and need only a direct connection with the big, blue sky to be at their A-game.

Deep in the rainforest of Brazil? No sweat.

Navigating through the heart of darkness? Not a thing.

Satworx phones and service ensure that you can be anywhere, doing anything, in any climate and still get a connection. Of course, such incredible convenience comes at a heftier price than your standard international cell phone plan.

“The most popular handset is the 9505a at a retail cost of $1495, though on particular service plans it can be had for $1295,” says Satworx President Ken Grunski. “Airtime calls are generally $1.29/minute from anywhere on the planet to anywhere on the planet.”

With 24/7 technical support as well as an additional layer of local, customized support, Satworx is the ultimate convergence of personal service and online convenience.

“Satworx subscribers can manage their account profile, pay invoices, view call records online, and manage phone inventory,” adds Ken. “The last feature is most useful to larger organizations that wish to track or assign phone responsibility. Nobody wants to leave a $1500 handset lying around.”

And the company offers an amazing range of services, such as tracking airplanes in real-time or outfitting a humvee or small navy ship with a wifi mobile office, in addition to the mobile phone. Did we just blow your mind?

For those interested in the mobile office service, Satworx offers customers this service at a competitive rate.

“For personal broadband devices, the Explorer 110 and Sabre Wideye are best,” says Ken. “While these units are very light at 1kg, they must be stationary to use. They provide voice or internet access just south of Alaska and north of Patagonia. They cost about $1600. Voice calls are $1/min and data is is approx $7/MB though you can purchase bundled data at a discount.”

So flashpacker, come check out these digi-digs and join the apex of technological advancement for travelers.

For more information, visit Satworx’s website.

After browsing through our readers’ vacation tips and their top family getaway spots submitted as part of our latest giveaway, Carol S’s comment below was randomly selected.

Our family’s favorite destination so far has been Washington DC-all the sights and history is incredible and it is so green!…..Carol S

She wins the slick new book from National Geographic – The 10 Best of Everything Families – full of valuable information for planning her family’s next adventure.

Carol S’s submission in addition to a couple favorites are featured in a spectacular photo essay on Matador Trips.

Thanks for all your tips and suggestions!

Matador Member – MarquiseBrack

Photos by MarquiseBrack

I’m just a girl. I like to travel minimally, with fewer people, possessions, and plans.

Be sure to check out MarquiseBrack’s Matador profile.

Favorite books: Anything by Hunter S. Thompson and Jack Kerouac.

Feature Photo by Melody.loves.you | Photo above by Editor B

Head over to Matador Trips to read about the Annual Mooning of Amtrak and other head-scratching traditions and competitions from around the world compiled by Ruth Stokes.

Why not swap your grilled chicken dinner for savory goat brain curry? Tom Gates shares this delectable recipe plus four others over at Matador Life.

Auctioning off one’s virginity is odd enough, but paying taxes on your earnings? The Romanian Government definitely wants in on the action as Christine Garvin discusses over at Brave New Traveler.

As a nation of extremes, if we aren’t supersizing cars and meals, we’re making mini-me versions of everything else. You never know when you’ll need that snack sized cigarette or white zinfandel harvati cheese. So head over to Matador Goods to grab your mini duct tape and other surprising travel sized items.

Still looking for love? If you’ve exhausted all your Craigslist.org and Match.com options, why not hop aboard an Air New Zealand flight? As Kate Sedgwick points out over at Matador Nights, the airline will now offer matchmaking flights to “help single Americans find New Zealand dates with a themed flight headed toward a dual hemisphere singles party.” Ouch.

Looking for more bizarre stories? Check out these compilations.

Photo courtesy of Coroflot

The Roll Charger, created by product designer Jiang Qian, is a battery charger based on traditional Chinese rolling balls, also known as Baoding Balls. Rotating two Baoding Balls in one hand is believed to stimulate acupuncture points and finger nerves, as well as loosening bones and muscles.

This in turn invigorates the cerebrum and central nervous system. The result leaves the user feeling refreshed and relaxed.

Baoding Balls have been used for centuries as health and fitness toys in China. Now Jiang Qian has found a way for them to benefit the environment as well.

As a battery charger, each Roll Charger ball holds a single AA or AAA battery. Because two balls should be used to utilize the full health benefits, two batteries are charged at once. The mechanical energy created by rotating the Roll Chargers in the palm is captured, and the device converts that motion into electricity.

Each ball features an LED, which confirms that the charger is functioning and alerts the user when charging is complete.

Price: Contact Jiang Qian

Feature Photo by klyphord. Photo above by morrissey

Here are ten items that some people can’t seem to live without on the open road.

Slumber Pet Travel Futon Mats

For the dog that still thinks he is in college and just hasn’t gotten around to buying a real couch.

Rub My Duckie Personal Massager

Described as perfect to tuck away for anything from “a rave with friends to an intimate Jacuzzi with your special someone.”

Aside from other uses, this is ideal for the traveler with a duck fetish.

Snack Sized Cigarettes

Phillip Morris is reportedly developing 2.8 inch cigarettes, for those of you who need to sneak a quick-y. But remember not to smoke in the airplane’s bathroom, because lavatories are equipped with smoke detectors and tampering with, disabling, or destroying one is prohibited.

Mini Roll Duct Tape

Unplanned murder: It can happen during anyone’s holiday. Luckily, mini duct tape makes it possible to secure the body in a rug and drop the remains in the Seine.

White Zinfandel Havarti Cheese

This cheese spread is just one example of how particular people are about their tiny food. Peruse the astounding Minimus site for travel sized portions of A1 Steak Sauce, chocolate syrup and grapefruit jelly.

Aquabells Water Filled Dumbbells

Pumped full of ‘roids and fidgety on the flight to Australia? Not a problem. When filled, these suckers provide 32 pounds of weight training resistance.

As the Amazon description is keen to point out, Aquabells are great because “carrying your weights through airports is impractical.”

Inflatable Foot Rest

For those of you who insist on trying to make Jetblue flight into more than it is (a bus in the air).

Hungry Hungry Hippos

Relive your childhood by playing the smaller version of the game that also breaks in five seconds.

Mini Hair Straightener

Little emo boys everywhere are rejoicing because they now have a product that allows them to straighten their hair during the marching band’s trip to Disneyworld!

Radius Condom Case

Dude, you know that the one in your wallet is kind of janky.

Why not upgrade to a case that could easily be mistaken for something that holds your retainer?

100% recyclable and available in three colors.

Feature Photo by roland.slakis | Photo above by Mike_el Madrileño

Ever wish those Listen and Learn Spanish CD’s included some pick-up lines for a night out in Barcelona? With the Saucy Phrasebook, now your iPhone can say it for you!

Most guidebooks won’t get you much further than “Where is the restroom?”. But with the Saucy Phrasebook, you’ll be prepared for those true emergencies with a variety of phrases.

When you suspect a rickshaw driver of ripping you off, have your iPhone call out “Help! I just got swindled” in Hindi.

Too many sakes at that bar in Tokyo? Warn the bartender (and your fellow customers) with “I drank too much and I’m going to puke!”, spoken in perfect Japanese.

This app provides useful phrases and more, from the flirty pickup lines to more important ones. Best of all, each phrase is recorded by a native speaker so you’re sure to be understood.

The Saucy Phrasebook is available in six languages: Mandarin, French, Hindi, Japanese, Spanish, and Russian.

Brought to you by SoSauce.com, the Saucy Phrasebook is compatible with the iPhone and iPod touch, and requires the iPhone 2.2.1 software update.

Price: FREE | More Information