Laptops while on the road

[PhilSpace]

I've been watching this for a couple days and really think it applies to traveling everywhere, so it's now in TP. I will leave a redirect in Outer Darkness for a while. Great thread, U3 is a cool idea for those that don't travel with a notebook.

[Drif10]

I was messing around with an iTouch at the store yesterday. That's Apple's mp3 player/web browser with wifi. The iPhone isn't available up here, but I think for my needs when it does come out, I'm sold. Sure, it's kinda a pain to type on, but man...one thing to keep charged up? I always got tunes with me, and a phone, so the wifi thing saves me all kinds of space and adds all kinds of convenience.

Something to consider.

[Scrubs]

I did a fair bit of research to this latley with the same veiw as you.

I would say the following was worth a look the Asus Eee PC
its a tiny Linux based laptop for around $400 http://eeepc.asus.com/en/

I like to watch the odd DVD while I'm on the road so I wanted
something with a DVD drive (which the Asus doesent have)
the best portable model IMO with a DVD drive is the Vaio TX series
11" screen, extremely light and with standard battery has a run time
of 7 hours and 16 hours with extended battery. In practice it's
always best to half these claims to give a conservative run time
under load but still has the most impressive battery run time
for a laptop like that that I have come across.

They have now been superseded by the newer Vaio TZ range
which again are very impressive. they offer a dual core processor
instead of single (and also cost alot more) If you're not wanting
to do anything to strenuous with it I would suggest the older
and cheaper TX range.

[RoyB]

I finally designed a "Moto Office" so I can tour and work from the road......









More here:

http://public.fotki.com/Rbertalotto/...mputer-system/

[Scrubs]

I Love it!

Great Work! Very Impressive

Did you make any build instructions? it would make a great build tutorial thread.

[RoyB]

It's really pretty straight forward. The Lap top, the two cigarette lighter sockets , the BMW Socket, the "AA" Battery charger and the 120V inverter all can run off either the internal battery or the bikes battery. The solar panel can charge either the bikes battery or the aux battery in the case. All of this is accomplished with the flip of a switch.
There is a 5A circuit breaker that protects everything. The volt meter keeps you up to date on what is happening.

The whole Pelican case can be removed and taken into a tent and will run with internal battery and laptop battery for over 8 hours.

[PhilSpace]

Originally Posted by RoyB

I finally designed a "Moto Office" so I can tour and work from the road......

Very cool, similar to some stuff we have done at work. Why the power inverter?

I might have to put something together like that for my macbook, with Maha chargers for my strobe and camera.

[VelvtRide]

+1 on the U3.

It's a USB flash drive with a browser, email, word-excell-PDF reader... also carries your favorites. There are many programs available for these drives so you aren't constricted by not having a laptop.

Plug it into any computer and open it up... you can use all the programs for all your computing from this flash drive. Not only does it hold all your information, once you unplug it from the public computer it leaves no trace of your activity on the computer itself. It's all stored on the flash drive.

I use this occasionally and it works flawlessly. I've never had any trouble at all. I use it to check email, browse the net, download attachments & view them, create documents, play games, instant message friends & family. You can even use Skype with it, though I haven't tried it.

You can load your own desktop on it, as well, so you feel more at home in the same environment that you're used to.

If you go this route, get a large capacity drive and make sure you put a security program on it so you info stays safe in case you leave it behind. Someone mentioned Thunderbird wasn't available for it, but that's not true. It is.

When I go down south, I'll be taking my laptop. It's a small Sony - 10" screen. Packs small enough for me and has a CD/DVD drive and WiFi. I'll use it for internet access, emailing and dumping pics onto.

If you think the Flash Drive will work for you, but you just need a place to dump pics, you can use your iPod with an attachment to upload them all to it.

[SourcetoSea]

I'm totally sold on using a PDA + Keyboard combination for travelling. Cheap(ish), light, and compact. Carry a big memory card for the camera and upload to flickr/smugmug/whatever when you get a chance, then just email to a blog address straight from the unit via wifi. Also carry an adaptor that'll read whatever cards you're using (SD, Compact flash, etc) so you can dumb your emails as text files at the cybercafe if you want.

Being able to write in a motel room/campsite is a big, big timesaver regardless of if you can get on the internet or not.

Here's a quicky article I did on Writing on the Run awhile back.
http://www.sourcetosea.net/Blog/file...1151b4d-3.html

[TheLostBoy]

i hit the road to get away from my laptop

[spoof]

Originally Posted by TheLostBoy

i hit the road to get away from my laptop

of course, having said that, I have to admit that it is infrequent that I can escape long enough to not need it. I do freelance work, from a computer, in order to make a living. I'm about to spend six weeks in Mexico and Guatemala on my bike and, if I dedicate just 6 - 10 hours of that time to working...I can suddenly enjoy the trip. I've done Italy and transcribed my notes in internet cafes and it pretty much sucked. If the ability to write when I can and upload at cafes and wi-fi spots as targets of opportunity is the price I have to pay for some relative freedom...I'll take it. I'd rather leave it all behind...but. Maybe folks like you will inspire me to manage it one day.

Anyway, as noted by Scrubs, I'm posting this on a just-arrived-via-UPS eee notebook. Tiny. 7" screen. 2 pounds. A lot of testing to go and some big concerns about battery life for a trip like I have planned...but everything else is right about the product so far. Basic, sturdy, fast, adaptable. I'll give a full report on my return.

[Tempo]

Originally Posted by Scrubs

the following was worth a look the Asus Eee PC

That's very cool, a solid state travel-sized laptop that's billed as being shock proof with built in card reader. I bookmarked it. Sounds like it might be just the ticket for travel computing if/when I ever get out on that big ass road trip.

[PhilSpace]

Originally Posted by spoof

Anyway, as noted by Scrubs, I'm posting this on a just-arrived-via-UPS eee notebook. Tiny. 7" screen. 2 pounds. A lot of testing to go and some big concerns about battery life for a trip like I have planned...but everything else is right about the product so far. Basic, sturdy, fast, adaptable. I'll give a full report on my return.

Keep us posted. As for taking a laptop, it's a tool. Maps and trip planning, managing and backing up pictures taken on the road, documenting your trip, see Shog's Where in the World Thread or some of the other great ride reports, and being able to keep in touch with the family.

[westnash]

Good info...if it is just for e mail use internet cafe's or have a cell phone that works outside USA. Verizion has great coverage in Mexico. If you want to take a computer understand that it probably wont work in many places for e mail but buy a $300 or so rebuilt model that wont bum you out if it gets damaged. The USB flash drive with a Mozilla e mail program will work in most internet cafe's and you will have your address book history to use.....I have used this method around the world and it is much better than lugging a computer. It sounds great to say you need a computer to edit your pictures and write a blog but most of the time you are too tired or have better options than writing. Take a notebook and make notes and write when you get back.......believe it or not most of your friends are not waiting to read your blog.

[R-dubb]

Originally Posted by westnash

....believe it or not most of your friends are not waiting to read your blog.

Speak for yourself.