Last month I began a position at AOL/Huffington Post Media Group as an editor at Engadget. I’m covering the technology industry full time, writing about everything from new gadgets to patent infringement lawsuits. Unfortunately, that means I have much less time to post here, so please find my content at Engadget instead. I can also be reached at zach.honig [at] engadget [dot] com.

Thanks for reading! -Zach

Last year, American Express expanded its Platinum card benefits to include a $200 travel credit, which passengers can use to cover everything from baggage check fees to lounge day passes on the airline of their choice. This benefit did not come without some sacrifice, however — AMEX announced that Continental lounge access would be discontinued after September 2011, presumably related to the airline’s merger with United, which does not offer lounge access to AMEX cardholders.

Beginning today, Platinum cardholders who pay the card’s annual fee of $450 (laughable, unless you happen to travel a ton) can now apply for complimentary Priority Pass Select membership, which includes access to over 600 airport lounges, with the notable exception of Continental and United lounges (hence the “Select” branding). With the addition of Priority Pass membership, Platinum cardholders now have access to select KAL, Swiss, Air France, and Air Canada lounges, in addition to the US Airways, Delta, and American lounges that already welcome Platinum cardholders. AMEX also announced that Platinum cardholders would be exempt from standard 3% foreign transaction fees, and can also apply for entry into the US Customs and Boarder Protection Global Entry program, with AMEX picking up the $100 application fee. For frequent international travelers, these additional benefits almost make the card a bargain, especially with employers often picking up the $450 tab.

My friend and former roommate, Laia Prats (who also happens to be an incredible designer), is selling t-shirts featuring her Japanese-inspired original designs. They’re awesome, selling for $19.50, and all proceeds go to the Red Cross to benefit Japan. You can also use coupon code “SPRING2011” to save $10 off an order of $50 or more. Rumor has it other items are coming soon (possibly including an apron), so check back often after completing your first order!

Another equally talented friend, photojournalist Ikuru Kuwajima, has been on the ground in Tokyo for the last week, posting photos on his blog. Keep an eye out for updates, and check the photo captions in magazines and newspapers — you might just be staring at one of his photos. Good luck, Ikuru!

Tis the season of incredible airfares to Europe! I recently returned from a trip to Paris with 10 friends from New York City — we each paid $291 for our airfare, including taxes. Today’s deal to Berlin might have that beat, however, considering you have the option of traveling on an Air France A380. Flights start at $329 roundtrip (depending on dates), including taxes and fees. I decided to fly to Berlin this weekend, paying $381.73 to fly from New York’s JFK airport, with a connection in Paris (which ironically just earned a spot as #2 on my list of airports to avoid for connections in Europe). Low fares are still available for flights booked through April, so head to Air France’s website to book your trip!

I’ve had a busy week in New Orleans, so I’ll leave you with two of my favorite photos so far. Most krewe members (the generous folks who toss beads to the crowd while riding on floats) are masked, but CNN anchor Anderson Cooper made an unmasked appearance during tonight’s Krewe of Endymion parade in the Garden District.

And below, a pair of NOPD cruisers illuminate discarded bead packaging, as officers force the crowd to exit the street during a parade.

Two years ago, Apple launched its Find My iPhone service, which provided MobileMe subscribers with lost device location functionality. Apple expanded its Find My iPhone (and Find My iPad) service to all customers in November, including those who didn’t fork over $99 annually for MobileMe. Earlier today, Research in Motion (RIM) launched an open beta of BlackBerry Protect — a free service which duplicates some of Apple’s Find My iPhone and MobileMe sync functionality, providing BlackBerry users with remote backup and restore, lost device tracking and wipe, and the ability to remotely activate loud ringer mode, so you can annoy the hell out of your friends for hours after losing your BlackBerry in their couch. BlackBerry users can download Protect through App World.

This afternoon I arrived in New Orleans, and I’ll be here through early next week. I’m in town to see a good friend, but as my visit happens to coincide with Mardi Gras, I imagine there will be plenty of photos and stories to share over the next few days. I’ve only been in the city for eight hours, but I’ve already managed to eat crawfish and gumbo, and watch three parades. Though I haven’t seen many iPhones in the city, Apple still had a presence tonight — iMuse (photo above) was one of the final floats in the Krewe of Muses parade in the Garden District.

I’m not one to spend much time watching amateur videos on YouTube, but I stopped working to watch this video of Space Shuttle Discovery’s final launch — shot from a passenger aircraft flying near Kennedy Space Center — over and over for about 30 minutes. Don’t send me any complaints when you end up doing the same! I’ll let the video speak for itself.

Via geek.com.

Apple just announced a new line of MacBook Pro notebook computers, with three major improvements: incredibly fast processors, new graphics, and Intel’s brand-new Thunderbolt interface. What does that mean for you? Well, if you just bought a brand new MacBook Pro before today, you’re gonna want to jump in your car right now and return it to Apple.

Kept under wraps by Intel until just a few minutes ago, Thunderbolt technology enables you to connect a huge variety of devices — from high resolution displays to external hard drives — to a computer through a single port. Because up to six devices can be daisy-chained, one port is really all you need. Thunderbolt supports 10 Gbps of throughput, making it 20 times faster than USB 2.0, and twice as fast as USB 3.0 — a technology which has yet to become mainstream, and is less likely to now, after Thunderbolt’s release. According to Apple, “Thunderbolt allows you to access multiple streams of uncompressed HD video — from your notebook — at speeds that let you edit an HD feature film in real time.” That’s pretty incredible.

Like New York City, hotel nights in Paris can range from $250 to $500, and up, so if you’re headed to the city with a family or small group, renting an apartment is likely to be the only affordable option. I just returned from a 4-night stay at an incredible 3 bed/2 bath, 1200 square foot penthouse apartment in the French capital’s 4th arrondissement (an ideal location for tourists) — and the entire stay cost less than a single night in a comparable hotel suite. With five beds and an inflatable mattress borrowed from a French friend, the apartment was able to sleep eight New Yorkers very comfortably (at a cost of under $50 per person, per night).

I found the apartment on VRBO.com (Vacation Rental by Owner), which I’ve also used to successfully book apartment rentals in Hong Kong and Athens in the past. The unit was on the fifth and sixth floors of an elevator building (though the elevator is only large enough to accommodate three people without luggage), included a large, open kitchen, dining and living room on the second floor, along with a private furnished rooftop terrace, with views of the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame (just a 10 minute walk), and Sacre Coeur. Advertised rates range from €300-350 for four people, depending on the season, but from my experience, rates can be negotiated significantly lower during the low season (non summer/holiday months).

Click “read more” for more photos and information about this apartment.

The apartment offers a fully equipped kitchen, with stove, dishwasher, convection oven, two refrigerators, freezer, and electric grill.

The third bedroom is very large, and includes a twin trundle bed.

A somewhat-obstructed view from the rooftop terrace, which also offers (unobstructed, yet distant) views of the Eiffel Tower, Nortre Dame, and Sacre Coeur.

*All photos were taken from the apartment listing, but accurately represent the unit.