Dennis Schaal

Google is all grown up now and won't take chances on integrating Waze's reports about police speed traps into Google Maps. That takes some of the life and authenticity out of the Waze community.

Technology aside, will travelers care about Hopper if they ever see a product after six years of development? If you have patience in excess, then stay tuned.

Theme parks may be able to increase revenue by hiking admission and entertainment costs once visitors are inside the parks, but the theme parks will be losers in the end if they don't find a way to win back their core youth audience.

Priceline Hotels Pro may become the next version of, or a twist on, Express Deals. Priceline shows the price up-front and identifies the handful of the hotels in the mix to give travelers additional confidence in where they might stay. But, there is enough wiggle room for the hotels to participate behind a Pro app without diminishing their brands.

Federal government jobs have great benefits, including the ability to travel for work at mind-boggling airfare discounts.

With the American and US Airways merger hitting some turbulence, JetBlue becomes an even more attractive takeover target. But, although the new American must deal with a regulatory brushback pitch, the prospects for its merger are far from dead.

Private company Sabre must be taking a financial beating behind the scenes as CEO Gilliland's exit was carried out in a very clumsy manner. Is there trouble in IPO land with owners TPG and Silver Lake getting very impatient about their own exits?

eLong is putting its money, specifically $100 million of it, precisely where the company believes its future is, in mobile hotel technology. This initiative has certain parallels with what Concur is doing in using its own, larger investment fund, to encourage the development of travel startups doing interesting things.

The Justice Department lawsuit against American Airlines and US Airways, and their marriage vows, would make more sense if it was part of a more comprehensive drive to correct the negative impacts of previously approved mergers.

The merger would clearly benefit American Airlines and US Airways, and the best argument that can be made for it is that it could lead to a more stable airline industry. But, the airlines defy belief when they argue that it would lead to lower fares and more connecting flights.