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FredOnline 30 Jun 2013 09:10 PM

EmailDiscussionistas on tour
 
Having recently returned from a vacation overseas, I've been thinking about all the (essential?) technology that I carry with me.

On that vacation, in my carry-on:

1. MSI U230 Netbook
2. Google Nexus 7 Tablet
3. Android Smartphone
4. Garmin Sat Nav
5. Digital Camera
6. MP3 Player

For my previous vacations, I started out taking a Toshiba laptop (15.6 inch screen) with me years ago - weighed a ton in my carry-on - using a dial-up connection, and hoping that the hotel would have a suitable wall socket for me to connect!

Then I've tried a succession of netbooks on recent vacations - weight wise, OK - but oh so slow due to their processing power.

I also have a Google Nexus 7 Tablet - great for quick browsing, but unsure whether to trust this as my only computer on my travels.

So recently, I purchased a Samsung Chromebook, with the SSD drive - superfast, and I've been testing it on the basis I'm on vacation, and will it do what I want it to do?

Answer so far is YES - but I have a lot of time until my next vacation to give it a proper test.

So to the poll . . .

What is your essential technology?

Multiple choices may be selected, and the poll is anonymous.

janusz 30 Jun 2013 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FredOnline (Post 557137)
the poll is anonymous.

See multiple threads in EMD on the subject of anonymity on the internet :D:D

ReuvenNY 1 Jul 2013 03:33 AM

Great topic!
We travel twice a year, typically to distant destinations. After trying various tech combinations I settled on the following:

1. Large screen unlocked smartphone (Galaxy Note II GT-N7100) for which I buy a local SIM card with data. That affords me Internet access just like at home as well as serves as a eReader.

2. Two mega zoom compact cameras (currently Sony HX50V for me and Panasonic ZS30 for my wife). That assures a mix of great pictures and is important if one camera is lost or malfunctions.

3. Ultrabook laptop (Asus Zenbook). We back up on it daily our pictures from the SD cards for extra measure of security. Also we use it for email, browsing/booking at the hotel's Wi-Fi. If Wi-Fi is not available, we tether our laptop to the phone's data.

I used to take a Tablet on those trips, but it's not a good substitute for a laptop. Also the 5.5 inch screen of the phone serves as a substitute to the tablet.

David 1 Jul 2013 08:20 AM

I carry an old Blackberry 8700 (with a local SIM) when travelling. For everything other than email and texting, I use an old Acer Notebook.

n5bb 1 Jul 2013 12:02 PM

How do I answer the poll for the iPad? Do you consider it a "tablet"?

Cory 1 Jul 2013 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by n5bb (Post 557167)
How do I answer the poll for the iPad? Do you consider it a "tablet"?

iPad's are definitely a tablet. Just like the Nexus, Surface, Galaxy Tabs, etc are tablets.

chrisretusn 1 Jul 2013 07:41 PM

Well on my last two trips overseas, I used my Toshiba Satellite laptop. I will be bringing again on my next trip.

I also have a cheap TracFone (a stupid smartphone) that I bought on my last visit. I will bring it with me and reactivate it for use while there for calls and text. My normal use cell phone only works here.

Tsunami 5 Jul 2013 03:21 AM

Preparing for a trip to me includes one step: booking the flight ticket. Really, that is all preparation I do. I don't even book hotels in advance, I arrive and just start wandering around looking for a hotel.

When on holiday, I tend to for a short period of time NOT spend a lot of time on computers, since I do that already so often during non-holidays periods. So taking anything with me to connect to the web, I don't see the point. In normal days, people know how to reach me. On holiday; the purpose is not to be reached and to just forget about the daily life and relax.

If I however do need to send an urgent email that cannot wait, then I'll either use the hotel terminal or a local internet cafe. Since I try to limit this type of situations as much as I can, a public PC will do just fine. It's not occuring often enough to take my laptop with me.

The only "technical equipment" I carry with me is my photo camera and sometimes my iPod player if I expect a long flight.

n5bb 6 Jul 2013 04:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tsunami (Post 557336)
Preparing for a trip to me includes one step: booking the flight ticket. Really, that is all preparation I do. I don't even book hotels in advance, I arrive and just start wandering around looking for a hotel.

I travel several times a month (usually for business) in the US, and I always book rental cars and hotels as far in advance as possible. The reasons are:
  • Availability - I have seen several times where all hotels within a large radius (sometimes as great at 100 miles / 160 km) of my destination are filled several days in advance of a large event. Rental cars can also become hard to find, even in a city with many cars such as Las Vegas, Nevada.
  • Price - Just as with airline flights, the prices get very high when only a few rooms are still available in an area. I have seen prices go to 2 to 3 times the normal room rates.
  • Desirability - Only the worst hotels and rooms are available when rooms are mostly sold out. In one instance we had to drop off a colleague at a fleabag hotel adjacent to a very low-end strip club because it was the only place we could find within 50 miles of the San Antonio Texas airport during spring break.
These problems are at many different locations, including small towns during a big wedding or local sports event, spring break in many areas (not just near coasts), and conventions or other big events (auto races, SXSW in Austin TX, graduations, sports events, political meetings, etc.).

The timing of these events is often not obvious to a visitor. I have seen problems due to a religious convention in Oklahoma City (filling all hotels within a 100 mile radius), local sports event in Washington state (filling all hotels within over 50 miles on an interstate highway), and large wedding in Las Cruces New Mexico. Spring break and graduation ceremonies are at different times in different areas.

Bill

David 6 Jul 2013 04:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tsunami (Post 557336)
Preparing for a trip to me includes one step: booking the flight ticket. Really, that is all preparation I do. I don't even book hotels in advance, I arrive and just start wandering around looking for a hotel.

You do indeed sound like a very seasoned traveler, Tsunami ;)

FredOnline 6 Jul 2013 04:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tsunami (Post 557336)
Preparing for a trip to me includes one step: booking the flight ticket. Really, that is all preparation I do. I don't even book hotels in advance, I arrive and just start wandering around looking for a hotel.

And following up on Bill's post.

For myself, living in UK, and visiting the USA, I have to give a first night's address on arrival to the powers-that-be.

I always spend hours on the internet, on TripAdvisor, to find the "ideal" hotel(s) for my vacation.

The same when choosing car rental - to get the best deal - although I always fall for the upgrade when at the rental counter!

Tsunami 6 Jul 2013 05:50 AM

In Europe I never was asked a hotel address at customs. I think if I'd travel for business I'd play safe and arrange all in advance. But i am not in the business world. If I travel, it is for artistic reasons mostly (either own poetry performances although far distances for that are rare, or for watching concerts) and since I always combine those with a few days in the city I have the luxury to not have to book in advance and be adventurous. If I arrive the day before the concert, that leaves me a whole afternoon to search a hotel, and the adventure starts already once I set foot outside the plane. It adds to the feeling of being in a totally unknown big big city, feeling lost and excited simultaneously :)

Also, I do try to walk around the city a bit before picking a hotel, preferably in the city district of the concert venue, allowing me to have a quick shower and snack quietly before heading to the show.

FredOnline 8 May 2015 10:11 PM

It's nearly 2 years since I started this thread, and there have been some changes to my "essential technology".

I'm currently in the USA, and have been visiting filming locations in Georgia for The Walking Dead TV show.

This time my essential technology:

Toshiba Chromebook
Way faster than the Samsung Chromebook I had.

Nokia 1320 - Windows Phone - 6 inch screen
HERE Drive+ installed - offline, turn-by-turn voice-guided navigation.
Windows Authenticator for 2FA.

Motorola Moto G 2nd Gen - Android Phone - 5 inch screen
Also doubles up as my MP3 player.
Google Authenticator for 2FA.

Digital camera - Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS3
Had this a few years now - good for places where you don't want to advertise that you're a tourist!

Digital Camera - Fuji Finepix 2500HD
Bought this a few weeks ago off e-Bay, for a fraction of the new price.
Got 18x zoom for close up and personal shots.

Garmin Sat Nav
Although the maps installed are over 5 years old now, It's still getting me where I want to go.

The Chromebook has fulfilled all my needs - especially with regard to all the photos taken.

I was able to transfer them from the camera SD card onto the Chromebook, and then back them up to a flash drive and online to OneDrive.

With Pixlr Editor, I was able to edit (crop, resize, etc) for posting on social media.

Although I also own Nexus 7 & 10 tablets, I made the decision not to bring either of these - can honestly say I've not missed them.

If you include my Port Designs backpack, the whole lot (with a few other traveling extras) weighs about 4 kg.

:)

LinuxArie 9 May 2015 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FredOnline (Post 584145)
Garmin Sat Nav
Although the maps installed are over 5 years old now, It's still getting me where I want to go.

Why not upgrade to OpenStreetMap ;)
http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/

janusz 9 May 2015 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LinuxArie (Post 584151)
Why not upgrade to OpenStreetMap ]

Does Garmin Sat Nav work with OpenStreetMap?


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