With the advent of the iPad, mobile Internet devices are shaping up to be the the hottest tech story of the year. Frankly, I’m over the hype, so I wanted to know what the everyday reality is for tech-savvy folks around the office. What devices are worth their weight? What do they have, and what do they want?

I quizzed a few tech-forward CMDers to find out what’s in their bags and on their minds, especially when it comes to tech trends. The results yielded some popular apps and devices you might want to bag for yourself.

Dean McBeth, power user

It has to be good to go on two wheels in order to make it into Dean’s Chrome bike bag. Here’s the tale of the tech tape for this digital strategist. Watch out Sun Tzu.

ASUS Eee PC netbook (We hear Dean’s been doing a lot of cloud computing lately.)
HP Elite laptop
Sony camera
Microsoft wireless mouse
iPhone
Clear WiMAX dongle
Moleskine (“The original PDA”)
Iron Maiden Blu-ray Flight 666 DVD (on loan from Patrick Anderson)

If you were trapped on a desert island, what could you not live without?
A solar-powered laptop

What was the biggest trend in mobile Internet devices in 2009?
One word – DROID

What is your prediction for the mobile technology space in 2010?
It’s all about the iPad this year.

What do you wish you had in your bag?
I can’t tell you my first answer on the company blog, so how about a solar charger.

Whose bag would you like to peek in and why?
Lance Armstrong’s – he always has the latest cycling gadget.

What feature should all the folks out there be sure to get in their next mobile device purchase?
4G

What is the best app you’ve downloaded in the last 30 days?
Foursquare

Erik Sebellin-Ross, multimedia maestro

Erik’s flair for online trendspotting comes across in his social media consulting, and his Timbuk2 commuter bag holds multiple options for staying connected and storing media.

HTC TouchPro2 Windows phone
iPod Touch
Nintendo DS Lite with ScribbleNauts and Gunstar Superheroes
Microsoft Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000
Monster Cable Beats by Dr. Dre (translation: expensive earbuds)
SD card adapter
Moleskine
Stabilo left-handed pen
Handfuls of USB drives and game cartridges

If you were trapped on a desert island, what could you not live without?
My iPod touch

What was the biggest trend in mobile Internet devices in 2009?
Proliferation of social networking apps

What is your prediction for the mobile technology space in 2010?
Bigger screens and longer battery life – the iPad will set a new standard for interactivity on the go.

What do you wish you had in your bag?
No surprises there – an iPad

Whose bag would you like to peek in and why?
George Clooney’s – “Up in the Air” got me thinking about what people like him carry around.

What feature should all the folks out there be sure to get in their next mobile device purchase this year?
The ability to install apps – feature phones are so 1990s.

What is the best app you’ve downloaded in the last 30 days?
Eucalyptus, the e-book reader that connects to the Project Gutenberg database

Tracy Johnson, the minimalist

Associate Creative Director Tracy makes it a three-fer for Moleskine journals – the only common element that runs through all three bags in our straw poll. Count on Tracy to have insightful recommendations up her sleeve, if not in her teeny Overland bag.

iPhone
Earbuds
USB drive
Moleskine and colored pens

If you were trapped on a desert island, what could you not live without?
My iPhone

What was the biggest trend in mobile Internet devices in 2009?
More apps than ever before

What is your prediction for the mobile technology space in 2010?
More quality, less quantity – we’re past the stage of gimmicks and the next cool thing. We’re all waiting for the devices that actually make our lives easier.

What do you wish you had in your bag?
Unlimited battery supply – I have every gizmo I could want and I upgrade eagerly, but when it comes to battery life, I have to plan my use. I hate that.

Whose bag would you like to peek in and why?
The guy who writes the Museum of Modern Betas blog – he’s searching the globe for new apps, so I want to know if he actually embraces them.

What feature should all the folks out there be sure to get in their next mobile device purchase this year?
Touch-screen capability

What is the best app you’ve downloaded in the last 30 days?
Momento – it aggregates your social media posts into a daily journal you can add content to.

So, what’s in your bag?

At a time when companies are tightening their belts, when it comes to corporate travel, we are all on the hunt for alternatives to one of the biggest expenses of them all – the trade show. As a result, virtual trade shows, webinars and other events designed specifically for remote participation are popping up with increasing frequency. There are tangible advantages, such as saving on high travel costs, shipping and other expenses, but are there real gains to be had when doing business in a virtual environment?

With some planning and a hefty dose of teamwork, we believe the answer is yes. I’d like to share insights from a recent virtual trade show appearance that our team helped to plan on behalf of a technology client. The result was a successful promotion that drove hundreds of registrations at our destination website during a two-day period – our single biggest signup event.

Based on this experience, here are our top tips for making your virtual trade show more than a glorified website:

1. Schedule and train your staff. Even though the location may look more like Second Life than McCormick Place, don’t fall down on training and scheduling your booth staff. Make sure their laptops are ready, and they know when and how to log in and are online during their assigned booth times – even if they’re at home kicking back in their pajamas!

2. Generate content … at every step of the way. One of our most successful strategies was to invite bloggers and spokespeople within our network to stop by our virtual booth and chat about a hot topic of interest to everyone at the show. By just talking amongst ourselves, we generated content that can be used as expert Q&As on our blog, in our newsletter and other outlets.

3. Design a meaningful promotion. Sound marketing principles work just as well online as they do in person. Make sure your virtual trade show promotion is as compelling as it can be, with a strong call to action and a great reward for participation. Needless to say, after the show, offer your leads something of value and repeat the call to action from your promotion.

4. Leverage existing social media channels. Dust off those hashtags and at-replies on Twitter. One of the best ways we were able to communicate our membership promotion and group chats was via the association’s own Twitter account. The association and even the attendees themselves repeatedly retweeted our content before, during and after the event.

5. Throw your own party. If you think you’ve got these skills down and you have compelling, educational content to deliver, consider co-hosting a virtual tradeshow with your industry association. This is an emerging trend that we’re seeing in technology companies who are thought leaders in their sectors.

Next time you receive an email inviting you to a virtual trade show, check it out. Notice what draws your attention and what turns you off. I believe we’ll be seeing many more of these events as the format evolves.