I'll admit it: I'm sometimes smugly entertained by the older generation's reaction to the fads of the Web. "Facebook? Why on Earth would I want other people to know about my private life?" "Twitter? Who's got the time for that nonsense?"

In the olden days, you didn't need much to enjoy air travel: a pair of goggles, a trusty biplane and a song in your heart. These days, the equipment list is slightly longer: a roll-on bag, a neck pillow and an eye mask -- not to mention TSA-friendly slip-on shoes, a fold-out laptop case and an all-plastic watch.