100% Agreed. I've had a BlackBerry, I have an iPod Touch, and In Dec. '08 I purchased the Samsung Omnia i910. This was supposed to be Verizon's iPhone killer. I disliked it and Windows Mobile so much that I paid an early termination fee to rid myself of the phone and Verizon. I had never used an iPhone before, but when I left BestBuy and received my first call I was amazed at the simplicity of the device and how well the UI worked. I NEVER used my Omnia to browse the Web, it was just that bad. I didn't even like placing and receiving calls on it. Conversely I use my iPhone non-stop, because it does what I want, when I want, and without effort. It's like the perfect woman. This phone is the one thing for which I pay a monthly premium and actually feel that I get my money's worth.

Time zone differences combined with a multitude of events usually make some creative scheduling a necessary evil with every Olympiad. Last NBC will show bias towards events which traditionally draw more viewers as well as events where Americans are favored. Nothing wrong with this in my book. As far as advertising goes, it sucks, but its nothing new, that's how broadcast TV works. Tivo works the same during the Olympics as it does when you're watching Lost.

I have personally spent a couple of years traveling and the gadgets I most used were a 12 inch powerbook and a GSM mobile phone. The laptop was great and being the 12 inch was pretty light. Internet cafes can be uncomfortable, spyware infested dives. Having your own laptop means you can at least try and be secure. The phone is also good. Just buy a SIM card in each country you are traveling through and the price becomes pretty reasonable. They can be a godsend for booking places while you are on the moved and can save you time hiking from hostel to hostel.

Security can also be an issue but if you have your own room you can normally leave the laptop in there. Try and find a good hiding place for it. Also make sure you get a good daypack that has a laptop section in it but doesn't look like a laptop bag.

Oh and a camera. Take whatever you feel comfortable with. An SLR is great if you love taking photos but can be a hassle to carry. I personally have a great camera on my phone (Nokia N73) and by girfriend carries the SLR.