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Members of the Starwood Preferred Guest program are a well-traveled bunch, so it makes sense that they should be able to access their SPG accounts on the go. Those with web-enabled mobile devices have long been able to log onto SPG Mobile to manage travel plans and capitalize on sudden bursts of travel inspiration, but now there's a special app for the iPhone and iPod Touch as well. Fans of Apple's mobile devices can now wirelessly browse and reserve stays at any of Starwood's 890+ hotels and resorts worldwide, as well as check Starpoints balances, view hotel information, confirm details about upcoming stays, download maps to hotels, interact with customer support, and even read a mobile version of thelobby.com. Just think, you could be lounging poolside at the Resort at Singer Island in Palm Beach while booking a stay at Le Méridien Vienna without ever putting down your piña colada. How sweet is that? So no matter what type of web-enabled mobile device you have, just log into SPG.com to start planning your next trip. With SPG Mobile, you can do it all.

The NCAA men's basketball playoffs are upon us, and since we can't all be out on the hardwood, a little friendly banter among fans of the different teams is the next best thing. This year, the rivalries just got a little bit more fun, thanks to the Sheraton NCAA Challenge powered by Facebook at Sheraton.com/ncaa. This new microsite allows friends, fans, and basketball enthusiasts of all stripes to virtually "face off" during March Madness with a series of online challenges that will keep everybody riveted as the field narrows down to the Final Four. All you have to do is pick a game you'd like to create a challenge around, the team you support, and what the stakes of the challenge are based on a list of possible outcomes. The gauntlet is thrown down via the user's Facebook newsfeed, allowing friends to accept the challenge and become rivals. Once the game is played, players have the option to share the outcome on Facebook. Winners enjoy the thrill of victory, while the vanquished pay a token penalty, such as having to wear the opposing team's colors for a week or hosting a viewing party for the next game. The site also offers sports fans access to specials of 50% off and bonus SPG points. Log in here to register your favorite college team and choose the games you'd like to challenge. If you're staying at the Sheraton this month (see video) catch some games on the widescreen TVs inside the Link@Sheraton or keep up with the challenge using its free internet.

The Lobby isn't the only online project Starwood has been working on. For our readers, here's a sneak peak of Westin's new Find Renewal. It's an interactive site dedicated to expert advice on friendly tips on personal renewal to help Westin's customers (and the general public) relax. There are recommendations for psychology, style, nutrition, productivity, trends, fitness and more—but we think the coolest feature is the "Tip of the Day" widget, which allows you to download daily tips directly to your desktop. The site is a collaboration between Starwood, Creative Artists Agency and Electric Artists that's also going to expand into a special in-room Westin television channel in 2008 that will feature lifestyle content and inspirational programming. Official launch date isn't until tomorrow, but we thought you would appreciate the early look.

Farecasting, where companies predict the prices of airline tickets, is becoming more and more high-tech and accurate. Farecast.com is at the vanguard of this, and they've recently launched Farecast Deals, which will search for the cheapest deal on the requested city-to-city trip, and explain whether that's historically a good deal - or whether you should wait for the price to go down. Farecompare.com has a "Best Time to Buy" feature which lists airfares for up to a year in advance and points out the best time to buy. Other sites offer similar programs, and all this discounted-ticket competition can only be good for travelers.

Absolutely have to take your laptop away on vacation? It happens. There are worse fates to be had, anyway. If you're looking for a happy medium between vegetating in the sun and getting serious work done, here's a solution for you. The SunShade laptop cover helps you shield your laptop screen from glare and type away happily even in the sunniest part of the day. The SunShade is affordable, lightweight, and a simple solution to a very annoying problem. We'd love to pack it in our laptop bags and use it--only when absolutely necessary, of course--at the W Retreat & Spa - Maldives, Le Meridien Tahiti, The Atlantic (Ft. Lauderdale, FL), or any other warm-weather getaway.

[image via The IT Helper]