Whenever I stay at a hotel, I use the corded bedside telephone like a Batphone. It's my hotline for help when I needed to order food, complain about the couple next door or ask for more blankets. That's it. I never make actual calls on it. In fact, I actually fear the cost of dialing outside the hotel. No big deal. I save that stuff for my cell phone.

Now thanks to Runtriz, I may soon be able to hang up that old-fashioned hotel landline for good. The Hollywood, CA?based software company launched a product called ?Hotel Evolution? and implemented it at the Malibu Beach Inn in Malibu, CA. At check-in, guests receive an iPod Touch pre-loaded with a web app that lets users order room service, set up wake-up calls, request towels, get local info and more. (Guests with iPhones or iPod Touches have the web app installed for them on their own devices.)

This is a nifty, no-fuss way to get what you need. And since it's on the web, it can take orders while you?re on the go. Nice. I always wanted to have my own personal concierge.

Check out MobileCrunch for the deets.