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The Off-Topic Lounge APPROPRIATE FAMILY-FRIENDLY TOPICS ONLY - READ THE RULES! This forum is for posting anything (excluding topics prohibited by the forum rules) that's unrelated to email. General discussions, in other words. |
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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30 Jun 2013, 08:10 PM | #1 |
The "e" in e-mail
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Manchester UK
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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. |
30 Jun 2013, 10:36 PM | #2 |
The "e" in e-mail
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: EU
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1 Jul 2013, 02:33 AM | #3 |
Moderator
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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. |
1 Jul 2013, 07:20 AM | #4 |
Ultimate Contributor
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Location: Canada.
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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.
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1 Jul 2013, 11:02 AM | #5 |
Intergalactic Postmaster
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Irving, Texas
Posts: 8,929
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How do I answer the poll for the iPad? Do you consider it a "tablet"?
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1 Jul 2013, 12:05 PM | #6 |
Essential Contributor
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1 Jul 2013, 06:41 PM | #7 |
Cornerstone of the Community
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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. Last edited by chrisretusn : 6 Jul 2013 at 10:13 AM. |
5 Jul 2013, 02:21 AM | #8 |
The "e" in e-mail
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: in between the bright lights and the far unlit unknown
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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. |
6 Jul 2013, 03:25 AM | #9 | |
Intergalactic Postmaster
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Quote:
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 |
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6 Jul 2013, 03:29 AM | #10 |
Ultimate Contributor
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Canada.
Posts: 10,355
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You do indeed sound like a very seasoned traveler, Tsunami
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6 Jul 2013, 03:37 AM | #11 | |
The "e" in e-mail
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Manchester UK
Posts: 2,616
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Quote:
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! |
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6 Jul 2013, 04:50 AM | #12 |
The "e" in e-mail
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: in between the bright lights and the far unlit unknown
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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. |
8 May 2015, 09:11 PM | #13 |
The "e" in e-mail
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Manchester UK
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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. |
8 May 2015, 11:26 PM | #14 | |
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Quote:
http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/ |
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8 May 2015, 11:52 PM | #15 |
The "e" in e-mail
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