We thought it would be more difficult — resisting new Apple technology. After all, Steve Jobs is the biggest tech-no-crack dealer in the world and we would do what ever he says.

But now, we’re starting to think that not having another $200 to shell out and sign a new two year contract with AT&T might turn out to be a good thing. Apparently, the reports are rolling in and the iPhone 4 pretty much sucks. Naturally, we actually haven’t touched one, but we’ve seen it on TV and read everything we could about it — and formed our opinion about the iPhone 4. It is the following.

The battery sucks.

The stupid antenna sucks.

The screen sucks.

The multi apps function sucks.

Apple sucks for trying to sell us a $29 rubber band to try and stop the antenna from sucking so much.

OK, not every part of it sucks. Gizmodo.com, that tech savvy website, selectively chooses a few tweets from readers to try and make the iPhone 4 not sound sucky. This may be because Gizmodo was also that site that got its hands on an iPhone 4 prototype and published photos of it before anyone else and now it looks like its trying to make up to Apple.

But despite the iPhone 4 sucking so much, deep down, we still really, really want one.

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Helpful Hipster hints on surviving your first dude ranch trip.

• Invest in your own pair of boots before you go, even if you’ve never ridden before and may not plan on riding again. Most of the ranches will loan out boots, but usually they don’t fit properly and I got that “not-so-fresh” bowling shoe feeling when I wore them. Boots canrange in price from $40 to hundreds of dollars.
• Bring oversized, comfortable, worn-in jeans for riding. Mounting and dismounting a horse requires flexibility, so leave the matchstick jeans at home.
• Dude ranches are used to hosting first-time riders. You will not be singled out or ridiculed, nor will you be their first. If anything, dude ranches are the most ideal place to learn because you are immersed in riding instruction and hands-on experience from skilled wranglers. I actually received more attention and guidance because I was a new rider.
• Pack more cotton socks (tall enough to reach mid-shin level) and light-colored shirts that wick sweat than you think you’ll need. Some ranches have laundry facilities but most don’t, and by the end of a long day of riding, the last thing you want to do is laundry.
• Load pocket-sized snacks like PowerBars or granola bars in your suitcase for in-between meals. The ranches will feed you well for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but I found myself hungry later at night and during longer rides.
• If you’re visiting a ranch at altitude (mine was at 9,000 feet), it will take a day or two to acclimate. Expect to feel dizzy and winded, even after walking up stairs. Drink more water than you can possibly stand and take Advil even if you don’t think you need it. Some people took Bonine, an anti-nausea travel tablet that doesn’t make you as drowsy as Benadryl.
• About to fall off your horse? As much as possible, roll with the fall. Easier said than done, but I witnessed a guy get thrown from his horse and as he was falling, he kept his body limp instead of locked. He dusted himself off and got back on.
• Invest in a durable, packable rain jacket with hood (Patagonia, The North Face).
• Ladies, leave the open-toed sandals at home. When you’re not wearing your boots, you’ll be walking around in dirt, dust and mud. Wear something with a tread: sneakers, or toe-covered sandals like Keen or Tevas.
• If you’re riding nose-to-tail on a trail, you will see an up-close-and-personal view of a horse’s ass and what comes out of it. Consider yourself warned.
• If you prefer caviar, pool-side drinks with mini umbrellas, and don’t want your manicure ruined, skip the dude ranch experience. You get dirty and sore and there’s no such thing as room service.
• Bring a bathing suit. Most ranches have pools and hot tubs.

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If your phone doesn’t work, it’s you, not your iPhone, according to Steve Jobs.

See, Apple tried to mix style and function together and ended up creating an antenna that can short itself out and block any signal. The stainless steel casing, which also serves as the antenna, can be blocked if your hand is on the bottom of the phone.

The folks at Apple could have fixed this problem, but instead decided just to lecture people on how hold the phone instead.  (If you hold the phone with your left hand and your palm touches the left corner, which is kind of what it does naturally) you could lose your signal, drop your call or just generally get annoyed.

Droids don’t have this problem.

Check out this video launch of the iPhone 4 earlier this month. For some reason, Steveo, who is especially thin, doesn’t mention this glitch while talking about the ingenuity behind the antenna.

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It may look small, but it holds a lot of stuff and will quickly become an essential travel needs.

The outdoor gear enthusiasts at Mountainsmith likes to call its handy little piece of luggage a Messenger Bag. But that would be the equivalent of calling it a Man’s European Shoulder Bag with a strap.

For two months, I’ve been testing the Messenger Bag and now find myself addicted to it. I can live with the cat calls and teasing – hey, a messenger bag by any other name is still, well, a purse.

Sure, hipsters around the world have a little too much Metrosexual in them for our liking, but even men can find a little space for this handy bag made from recycled bottles (making it a green bag in any color) without compromising their masculinity.

It can free up your jacket and pants that typically can get loaded down keys, cameras, note pads and all of those other little bobbles you find yourself needlessly hauling around, especially when you’re on the go in another city. For traveler’s its an ideal bag for touring – cramming a tour book in the outside pocket, a few dollars in the zipped outside pocket, then camera, batteries and other bits inside.

When the $45 bag first arrived, I thought it was too small – I couldn’t fit my MacBook in it – but you can fit smaller netbooks inside of it. However, I have computer bag and wondered if the addition of another bag would be too much. How many bags does one man need?

Apparently two: As the days went by, the messenger bag began to become my new best friend, moving from trip bag to daily companion. Now, with more than 10,000 miles on this bag (one trip to NYC, a trip to San Diego, LA and Phoenix) it is only getting better.

On a recent trip to New York City it really proved its worth 10 times over. It was freezing cold and the bag held all of the essentials, neatly organized for quick access to lip balm, gloves, hat, scarf and business cards and Starbucks gift card. The longer I used the bag, the bigger it felt. There are nicely placed inside storage slots and pockets but the bulk of the bag is good open space.

Typically, I carry a notepad and pen for collecting thoughts and those fit nicely into the bag, as well as my phone, keys, map and bulky camera (as well as all those wires and chargers that can clog up the bottom of a computer bag).

The big problem with carrying a bag is actually carrying it. I prefer over the head shoulder bag. It frees up your hands.

With the bag strapped over my shoulder, the bag rests nicely on my hip (it has a very long adjustable strap) and the big floppy top keeps everything safely inside. While there are two velcro spots on the bag to hold the flap in place, you can also clasp down the flap and lock it in place (hey, no one likes a pick pocket – though I preferred to rely on the velcro mostly).

With its outside netting to hold a water bottle (the other side has a nicely lined pocket for holding a iPod or phone, though it’s tough to pull out a ringing phone in time to answer it), I used the messenger bag to carry lunch to work, as well as other things. I also used it to slog around tools (you can fit a hammer in it) and a few other mission specific purposes.

It only took a week of daily use that you found yourself relying on the bag. Now, I was no longer limited to carrying things in the pockets of my jacket. I could store all of those daily doo-dads and things in one central location. Papers from work, tickets for flights, all could be neatly stuffed into the bag – though I was surprised how whatever you’re looking for always seemed to be at the very bottom.

Of course, if you’re a purse carrying woman, you already know everything I’m saying and this bag works just as well for people with two X’s in their chromosomes — and means you don’t have to call it purse.

HTG Final Take:

Mountainsmith Messenger Bag

Should you buy it? Yes — if you carry lots of stuff around and you travel.

Cost: $45

Pros: Great to use daily. Awesome on trips to provide quick access to all those things you may need. Can be used for a number of things on a daily basis.

Cons: People will still call it a purse, murse or something else stupid. But if they do, reach into your purse, pull out a club and whap them.

Check out HipsterTravelGuide.com every day this week as we show you what you can actually pack in this bag.

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The series of stories for National Geographic “Bus2Antarctica” have been entertaining, insightful and full of those special travel moments everyone enjoys. And Andrew shows his travel savvy by following our first rule to long journeys: Have someone else pay for it.

But all this time, the one question we’ve had is, what is this guy packing?

Andrew finally answered us — though I doubt he heard us asking. In his most recent post, Andrew revealed every thing in his 37 pound pack –which he notes is not something he really has to carry, as much as he has to stuff under a seat.

Here’s the full list (and Andrew noted that he mailed all of his cold weather gear to his departure point when he sets sail across the ocean to hit the Antarctica):

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To make it a bit easier, we’ve come up with some unique travel gift ideas to make shopping for your Valentine a little less painful—and you just might get her something she’ll actually like and use.

The She-mergency Survival Kit is perfect for the woman on the go. The portable silver mesh carrying case fits in any purse, glove box or carry-on and is filled with 24 compact emergency “must-have” aides including hair spray, lip balm, a sewing kit, shoe shine wipes, facial tissues, bandages, deodorant wipes, double-sided tape, clear nail polish and dental floss. Available at thehappywomanstore.com.

Baggage worth looking at

Long days on the go can leave those dark patches even under the prettiest eyes, and the only bags any woman wants to carry should have shoulder straps or little wheels — so treat her to a luxurious, lavender-filled silk eye pillow. Lavender’s known for its soothing, relaxing properties and the eye pillow is great for home or travel. Available at www.janeincproducts.com.

Astronomical douche

Maybe you can’t get her the moon, you can buy her a star. The Name a Star system uses the Smithsonian astrophysical catalog when assigning names to stars, and you can choose your own constellation. We recommend being very careful if choosing this gift as some loved ones (or even really liked ones) may not appreciate the time and effort you took to go online, type in their name and punch in a credit card number. Various packages are available. Check out www.nameastar.com.

Pack up your love

Even if it’s too cold out to picnic in the park, you can have one right in your living room. The Picnic Backpack is fully insulated and comes with a detachable wine carrier, bottle opener, two plates, wine glasses, napkins, and a set of knives, forks and spoons. The set also includes a cheese knife, a wood cutting board, and salt and pepper shakers. Check out giftbee.com or Amazon.com.

Travel with an agent

The Travel Agent gift set by Philosophy has everything needed for a night away or a short weekend trip. The set comes in a clear travel pouch filled with samples of facial cleanser, moisturizer, firming body emulsion, a shampoo/bath/shower gel combo, and hair conditioner. Available at www.sephora.com.

Things to skip

A word to the wise – avoid the long-stemmed, red roses—it’s a bit overdone and not that creative, unless you scatter the rose petals atop 600-thread count Egyptian linens on the bed at that cute B&B you booked for the night or float them in a pre-drawn, hot bath surrounded by white votive candles and a bottle of champagne. And for the love of Cupid, no gas station roses.

They’re tacky, and yes, we know when they’re not from a real florist. Hold off on the chocolates and lingerie, too, unless the chocolate is an ingredient in the dinner you are making for us or the lingerie is something comfortable enough to actually wear. (Opt for a PajamaGram instead: www.pajamagram.com.)

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The panties in question, called Briefly (genius brand name), are made from 100% cotton (organic and regular) and are available in the standard brief model (white or pastels) or the more cougar-friendly thong.

Perhaps it’s me, but I think the whole “organic” movement has gone a little too far. Unless you’re going to ingest them, I don’t think it’s necessary to make trashable drawers organic. Call me an environment-hating cynic. Each panty is disposable; however, if you can’t bear to trash ‘em after just one use, you can rinse and re-use them several times. I did not opt for the latter option. When something is labeled “disposable,” I generally don’t want to keep said item around for my grandkids to cherish.

The panties were actually quite comfy, lightweight and semi-attractive, in the “Hanes for Her” sort of way. They are breathable, so if someone’s face happens to get stuck in or near your crotch, at least they won’t suffocate. Brieflys also promote “good hygiene” so next time you go for your annual teeth cleaning, tell your dentist you’ve kept your pearly whites squeaky clean by flossing with disposable undies, albeit briefly.

These panty-lones will not win you a fashion award, and if they do, please let me know the address of the rock you’re living under. But they will save you space in your backpack or bag, are conveniently packaged, and you can toss ‘em after the fun is done. Or, experiment and leave the panties unattended in your backyard or your neighbor’s and time-lapse photograph them to see how long it takes them to disintegrate (company claims “a speedy decomposition” process, perhaps the time it takes for a small gourd or pumpkin to wither away.)

The “decomp challenge” would be a great way to spend quality family time with the kids, or make it a one-of-a-kind science project for Junior which will undoubtedly earn him a coveted “Honorable Mention” award.

For more information on the Briefly, check out their site.

www.wearbriefly.com

Read Gayle McCarthy’s first review of disposable briefs here.

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We like them too. And eventually, we’ll name some of our own. However, here’s one you shouldn’t overlook. The Time/CNN top 25 travel gadgets.

Other than the mainstream media being blatant shills for Mac (there’s the iPhone, iPhone extended battery, Mac Air and Mac Airport), the potential gift guide looks like the reporters walked around a Sharper Image store and took some notes. However, we like Sharper Image, so the list turned out pretty good.

Of course, our favorite is No. 25 — the SteriPen Ultraviolet Bacteria and Pathogen Killing Water Wand. This magical little device can remove the douchiness taste out of any glass of water. And that’s just too cool for school.

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Affixed to one of the napkin holders at American Coney Island on Lafayette Boulevard, was a “HipsterTravelGuide.com was here” sticker.

To whomever put it there, we thank you and we’re glad to see someone else has as good of taste in pork and pork products as us.

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Well, ladies, those angst-ridden, leg-trembling days are over.

Say hello to your newest little friend, the GoGirl. This female urination device, or FUD—no, not Elmer— is made by FemMed, Inc. based in Minnetonka, Minn., and looks like an outdated form of female contraception, or a pink rubber silly snout worn by a Monty Python character.

Made from medical-grade silicon, the device is funnel-shaped and is reusable, depending on whether or not you want to put the FUD in your pocket after you’ve peed in it. (Men put their urinary device — aka MUD — back in their pocket after they’ve used it.)

It is dishwasher-safe, which is kind of gross. Call me picky, but I don’t want to eat a salad later that has an extra tangy taste when I’ve used Ranch dressing — plus putting my urinary device with my forks and knives is just not that palatable.

If you can’t wash it off, say if you’re camping or hiking, you can place the pee-soaked FUD in the handy plastic bag it comes with so you can carry it with you in your backpack. Not as gross, but you’re still carrying wee in your bag.

The GoGirl comes in a lovely shade of pink, whose color always says, “I care, I’m feminine and I can stand on my own two feet!” I suppose the whole coloring thing was a strategic operational decision: if it were blue, women users would think “penis” and become blind with confusion, or perhaps giddy with excitement.

The GoGirl tag line reads, “Don’t Take Life Sitting Down,” but should read “The Next Best Thing to a Wang.” I think it has more selling power.

It takes a bit of getting used to, the whole peeing-whilst-standing-and-holding-a-FUD, so be patient with yourselves, ladies and try it at home before you need to use it for real. Call me Pavlov, but I am so trained to only go when sitting that I had a bit of shy bladder when I first used my GoGirl — and I was all alone.

Quite common, I am told; no need to seek a therapist right away. But do seek medical attention if urination persists for more than four hours.

One thing that left me perplexed, though: How do you discreetly cleanse this thing after emerging from the dirty bathroom stall, surrounded by your fellow femmes at the sink? (“Someone left this pink funnel near the toilet, and I’ve needed one in my kitchen for ages! What luck!”)

I guess that’s where the baggie comes in handy. No doubt, your trusted FUD will make your visit to a dirty roadside stall or a Port-a-John that much cleaner and faster, and no one wants to be trapped in either of those torture chambers for more than 10 seconds. Just in-and-out, thanks…and yes, that’s what she said.

Logistically, the port-a-pee is a bit bulky to fit in a smaller-sized purse or bag, so make sure if you do carry it in a larger purse that you don’t accidentally whip this thing out instead of a pen during a board meeting. Your colleagues will gasp, and you will be fired on the spot immediately for Overt Sexual Deviance, a nefarious title that will remain on your permanent record for years, just like a bad case of the clap.

The GoGirl is definitely not for the squeamish or faint of heart. But darn if it isn’t convenient, and I’m sure it’s just the thing that the radical feminists had in mind during the late 60’s while taking their grievances to the streets, pink pee funnels raised high above their heads in wielded fists of glory: What do we want? URINAL FREEDOM! When do we want it? NOW! You go, girl.

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