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View Poll Results: What's your essential technology?
Smartphone 7 53.85%
Tablet 6 46.15%
Chromebook 1 7.69%
Netbook 1 7.69%
Laptop/Notebook 3 23.08%
Other 1 7.69%
Nothing 3 23.08%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 13. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 9 May 2015, 01:10 AM   #16
LinuxArie
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Posts: 69
I'm not shure, Nüvi and outdoor GPS do.
Just try it
You need the osm_generic_gmapsupp.zip
Unzip the file and place the .img file on your Sat NAv, or on the SD card (if there is one)
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Old 9 May 2015, 03:27 AM   #17
FredOnline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LinuxArie View Post
Why not upgrade to OpenStreetMap
http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/
I hadn't heard of OpenStreetMap before - but I've now googled it, and looked at a few related websites and YouTube video clips.

Looks interesting!
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Old 11 Mar 2017, 08:58 PM   #18
FredOnline
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HP Stream 11 instead of a Chromebook on my travels?

I've been thinking on the limitations of a Chromebook recently, and have done some research on installing Linux on a HP Stream 11.

The HP Stream 11 typically runs Windows 8 or 10, and has a 32GB eMMC drive, and reviews have commented on the slowness of the system running Windows and also the fact that the Windows OS takes up a considerable amount of that eMMC drive.

The solution?

Run it on Linux!

I just bought an HP Stream 11 on an eBay auction for £56 (around US$70), and tested Linux Mint 18 XFCE on it in a live session.

That worked OK, so I wiped the Windows OS, and installed the Linux.

Running Linux Mint, the HP Stream 11 is now quite snappy, and I have access to LibreOffice, Thunderbird, etc, and have installed additional programs - Chromium browser, qBittorrent, XNView MP (photo editor, similar to IrfanView) and a few others.

All this has made the HP Stream 11 much more flexible to use, and less limiting, than my Chromebook.

I look forward to trying it out on my next vacation!
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Old 11 Mar 2017, 09:37 PM   #19
Bamb0
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I hope you had a good vacation Fred! (The one you started this thread for)

When is your next one?
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Old 12 Mar 2017, 01:51 AM   #20
David
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Moving forward: I am looking at receiving my new Blackberry 9900 this coming Monday. It is certainly a step up from my old 8700 model, which is dying as we speak.

My Chrome book I do regard as essential technology as well

Roll on the Holidays! it will soon be Spring
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Old 21 Mar 2017, 06:47 AM   #21
RLBrooks
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Chromebook

It cheap to replace and if stolen it doesn't have any data on it. I use 2FA along with strong password so it won't be hacked. A replacement will be up and running in about 5 minutes; beat that with a laptop.
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Old 22 Mar 2017, 04:11 PM   #22
Bamb0
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I hope ya like it Dave!!
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Old 20 Jul 2017, 02:21 AM   #23
FredOnline
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Using Hotel Wi-Fi with Linux

Quote:
Originally Posted by FredOnline View Post
I've been thinking on the limitations of a Chromebook recently, and have done some research on installing Linux on a HP Stream 11.

The HP Stream 11 typically runs Windows 8 or 10, and has a 32GB eMMC drive, and reviews have commented on the slowness of the system running Windows and also the fact that the Windows OS takes up a considerable amount of that eMMC drive.

The solution?

Run it on Linux!

I just bought an HP Stream 11 on an eBay auction for £56 (around US$70), and tested Linux Mint 18 XFCE on it in a live session.

That worked OK, so I wiped the Windows OS, and installed the Linux.

Running Linux Mint, the HP Stream 11 is now quite snappy, and I have access to LibreOffice, Thunderbird, etc, and have installed additional programs - Chromium browser, qBittorrent, XNView MP (photo editor, similar to IrfanView) and a few others.

All this has made the HP Stream 11 much more flexible to use, and less limiting, than my Chromebook.

I look forward to trying it out on my next vacation!
As I'm shortly due to travel on vacation to the USA, I have a question about using a Linux device with hotel Wi-Fi.

On previous vacations, I used Windows laptops and more recently, Chromebooks.

At the hotel chain that I normally use, when wanting to connect to the hotel Wi-Fi, an "interstitial" web page is normally opened by my browser, then I have to enter my surname and room number into the page, which then allows the connection to the internet.

This has worked OK for me using the Windows and Chrome OS's, and also on my Android smartphone and tablet, but I have read recently that laptops running Linux sometimes have problems connecting, because for whatever technical reasons I wouldn't really understand, the interstitial web page does not get generated.

As I will be using the laptop for some photo editing (crop/resize/image resolution etc) and then uploading the photos to a web site, in addition to the usual internet requirements on vacation, I don't want to arrive in the USA with a laptop that I will struggle with to get connected to the internet!

Does anyone else on the forum use a Linux laptop on their travels, that they can offer any advise on their experiences?

Update:

I visited my local ASDA superstore (US equivalent is Walmart) today, armed with my linux laptop.

I knew that my Android phone could connect to their free Wi-Fi by opening the interstitial page, and was pleased that my linux laptop also successfully connected, and the browser opened the interstitial web page, so I could then surf the internet.

A first try, and good to know it works!

Last edited by FredOnline : 22 Jul 2017 at 06:01 PM. Reason: Update:
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Old 20 Jul 2017, 05:04 AM   #24
AnyBella
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Why not try and find a local establishment for a test drive first, before you travel? There must be some places that offer free wifi but with an interstitial page.
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Old 26 Aug 2017, 08:46 PM   #25
FredOnline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FredOnline View Post
Does anyone else on the forum use a Linux laptop on their travels, that they can offer any advise on their experiences?
Answering my own question!

I arrived in Florida yesterday with my Linux laptop, and powered it up on arrival at my hotel.

I opened the Chrome browser, and it said no connection available.

Then I opened the Firefox browser, it immediately recognised a new wifi connection and opened the hotel's interstitial page.

After connecting successfully, the Chrome browser then worked as expected.
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Old 27 Aug 2017, 12:57 AM   #26
TenFour
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Interesting. I have not had that problem with a Linux laptop when traveling, but have had lots of other problems--mainly due to lack of or poor quality Wifi in hotels, airports, etc. A few years ago I would have answered differently, but today I find the smartphone the most essential travel tool. It can connect almost anywhere using either Wifi or cellular data, is more secure in many ways than using your laptop on coffee shop Wifi, and is infinitely more convenient. Of course, when you need to get work done out comes the laptop. My smartphone camera has completely replaced all sorts of gear I used to carry. Yes, having a fixed wide-angle focal length can be limiting at times, but I think back to photography articles and classes when we experimented with SLRs doing the one-lens thing to really learn how to maximize what you can get. It is actually quite refreshing to not carry tons of gear, film, etc., and to not have to worry about it all when checking baggage or leaving the hotel room. The smartphone has improved travel tremendously, even for email. I remember the days of returning from vacation to face 600 emails in the Inbox, but now I take care of most of them in odd moments even when on the road. Some find it stressful to check work email when on a break or traveling, but I personally find it more relaxing than the dread of facing that stuffed Inbox upon my return. Also, I can't count the number of times I have solved a problem quickly and easily while on the road that could have become a nightmare if put off until back at home or work. Here in the USA many of us have found that employers now expect employees to be available 24/7, and it can be a real career deflater if you are not.
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Old 27 Aug 2017, 07:24 AM   #27
FredOnline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TenFour View Post
I find the smartphone the most essential travel tool. It can connect almost anywhere using either Wifi or cellular data, is more secure in many ways than using your laptop on coffee shop Wifi, and is infinitely more convenient.
I agree, or I would have agreed up until the day of my departure on vacation.

The previous evening, I fully charged up the battery on my Android 'phone (top of the range model and a faithful servant for around 18 months) and had all relevant documents pertaining to my vacation stored in a folder on it's SD card.

Well, on the morning of departure, I switch on my 'phone to be greeted with "the sd card has been corrupted, and requires formatting, losing all information held" etc.

Luckily (or well planned in this type of event), I had duplicated files also on my laptop and in FastMail file storage.

So then all I needed to do was a frantic few minutes work to copy the folder across to local storage on the 'phone.

The SD card is still corrupted but the 'phone still works, so I'll look into remedying the card fault when I get time.

Next time, I'll be having copies of important files not only on the SD card but also in local storage - lesson learned!
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Old 27 Aug 2017, 06:12 PM   #28
janusz
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TenFour View Post
today I find the smartphone the most essential travel tool. It can connect almost anywhere using either Wifi or cellular data, is more secure in many ways than using your laptop on coffee shop Wifi
Why a laptop connected to a coffee shop WiFi is less secure than a smartphone on the same WiFi?
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Old 27 Aug 2017, 10:52 PM   #29
TenFour
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Why a laptop connected to a coffee shop WiFi is less secure than a smartphone on the same WiFi?
#1 if in doubt about the security of the Wifi you can use cellular data, and #2 it is my understanding that doing things like banking using an app is much more secure than using an ordinary web browser, which is what most of us would be doing with a laptop.
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Old 28 Aug 2017, 03:16 AM   #30
janusz
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Originally Posted by TenFour View Post
#1 if in doubt about the security of the Wifi you can use cellular data.
My question, which remains unanswered, was about your statement comparing security of WiFi on laptop with that on smartphone.
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