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TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT FOR CHRISTMAS

You'll be lost in translation no longer with ECTACO's iTRAVL NTL-13AS Talking 2-way Multilingual Language Communicator and Electronic Dictionary. This hand-held device translates from English to 13 languages including Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Thai, Hindi and back. You can type in words, scroll through the hundreds of essential phrases - listed under headings such as police, hotels, food and drink - or just speak into the built-in microphone for a nearly instant translation, processed using a sophisticated system of speech recognition, human voice narration and speech synthesis. Added features include the Amazing Language Teacher system, a built-in Fodor's Travel Guide for 50 destinations, an MP3 player, games, calculator, metric converter and word clock.

For more information or to order, visit http://www.ectaco.ca. $649.95

FIRST-CLASS COMFORT IN ECONOMY

Create your own first-class seat with the 1st Class Sleeper. Invented by Bob Duncan, a 6-foot-1, 230-pound commercial airline pilot who was tired of spending his off-hours tossing and turning in economy, the inflatable "bed in the clouds" is endorsed by chiropractors and orthopedic surgeons because it keeps the neck and shoulders in perfect alignment. It's easy to set up: Just put in on the back of a plane, train or automobile seat, blow it up (it takes 10 to 12 quick breaths to inflate it fully), lie back and relax. If you're not in need of a snooze, you can fold the sleeper in half and use it as a lumbar pillow.

To order or for more information, visit http://www.1stclasssleeper.com. $29.95

OH PLEASE, CLOCKY, JUST A FEW MORE MINUTES

Play an early-morning game of tag with Clocky, the mobile alarm clock that goes where no wake-up call can. Set your snooze time for up to nine minutes. After that, the nifty timepiece jumps off the night table and wheels across the room, flashing and beeping until you're out from under the sheets to silence it. If you would rather it stay put, just disable the wheels. Clocky is compact and comes in four funky colours - almond, aqua, mint and mustard.

For a list of retailers or more information, visit http://www.nandahome.com. $50

LIKE AIRPLANE SEATS, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE INCLINE

According to Intel Corp., 92 per cent of business travellers use a laptop when they travel. And we think most of them will probably agree that an airplane is the least comfortable place to tap away at a keyboard. Between the flimsy tray table, the hard-to-manoeuvre seat and the nosy neighbour to your left, catching up on work mid-flight can be literally back-breaking. The Aviator Laptop Stand was specifically designed to go straight from briefcase to tray table. It raises the laptop screen and tilts the keyboard down so you can lean back and finish off those last-minute to-dos in a more ergonomically correct position.

For more information or to order, visit http://www.keynamics.com. $19.99

SO IF IT'S 10 P.M. IN TOKYO, IT MUST BE ...

We get it, we hate it and we don't know how to fight it. Jet lag is the price we pay for crossing time zones too quickly. So the next time you're on a red-eye to make an all-important meeting, consider taking along a pack of No-Jet-Lag. Developed by researchers in New Zealand, the chewable homeopathic tablets have no known side effects and contain such drowsiness-inducing natural ingredients as wild chamomile and arnica. Taking one tablet at takeoff, another every two hours in flight and one more after landing can help relieve the exhaustion and half-sick feeling that frequent fliers know all too well.

To order, visit http://www.nojetlag.com. $10 for 32 tablets

TALK ABOUT PACKING LIGHT

Does your toiletry bag usually get strip-searched at airport security? Make Ziploc bags and tiny bottles of shampoo a thing of the past with Travelon's travel sheets. The dry, instant toiletries - colourful, biodegradable, postage stamp-sized strips - come in various permutations including soap, body wash, shaving cream and laundry soap. Put a couple of sheets in your hand, add a few drops of water and lather up.

For a list of retailers or for more information, visit http://www.Travelonbags.com. $4.95 for a 50-strip pack

OH, ARE WE THERE ALREADY?

Block out the roar of the engines, the beeping "fasten your seatbelt" sign and the wailing infant in Seat 15C with Bose's QuietComfort 3 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones. Less bulky than the QuietComfort 2 model, the cushioned, on-ear design makes them comfortable to wear and easy to sleep with, reducing unwanted racket into the background. If you would prefer to be entertained while airborne, you can connect to the in-flight entertainment system, an MP3, DVD or CD player using a detachable audio cord. The headphones come with a rechargeable battery that lasts up to 20 consecutive hours, a small wall-socket charger and a sleek carrying case.

For a list of retailers or more information, visit http://www.bose.ca. $399