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Communications Connecting - internet cafes, laptops, smart phones - how to connect, use, which one, and intercom/radio systems.
Photo by Marc Gibaud, Clouds on Tres Cerros and Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia

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Photo by Marc Gibaud,
Clouds on Tres Cerros and
Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia



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  #1  
Old 15 Jan 2008
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Originally Posted by MikeS View Post
If you're doing south and central america, i really wouldn't bother lugging a laptop around with you. There are pleny of internet cafes in most places you go and you can get photo cd's burnt in pretty much any town.

If you go to North America however, its mostly 'wi-fi' that you'll find and having a laptop will be advantageous as they have very few internet cafes.

So if you're going south to north, wait till you get to north america till you buy a laptop/pda doodah.

North America has no need for the cafes. Just about every town has a library. And just about every library has free access to the internet via their computer.
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Old 16 Jan 2008
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North America has no need for the cafes. Just about every town has a library. And just about every library has free access to the internet via their computer.
The same could be said in Australia and Britian. Like any 'free' service it can be slow, have a waiting list and/or using faulty equipment. Some times it is good.. sometimes not.
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Old 16 Jan 2008
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Laptop is best just now
I'm lugging a laptop from Texas to South America & at 2kg it's significant but it's cushioned in my clothes in the top box & so far all is well at 5,800 miles mostly on rough roads, & a little off road.

Sony have some very nice Vaios which are compact, light & fully functional - but heavyweight price.
PDAs use cut down versions of operating system & software so dont have all the features you may want.


Personally I think the laptop is easier to use, more functionality (ripped & watched some films en route), and so more likely to be used than summat that you might struggle to do anything reasonable on.

And when you find free wireless it's a bonus

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Old 16 Jan 2008
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I have 3 options, and I'd never bring the laptop because of 1) the bulk, 2) the drive would fail. The PDA/Handheld (iPaq 2210) has seen better days, but it has WiFi, pocket word, excel, etc, which is handy, and i can transfer the SD card from my camera to it (but can't view the photos cos there isn't enough memory). I also installed Linux on it (on an SD card), so that it doesn't lose the installed stuff when (not "if") the battery runs out (which is a pain on Windows Mobile). I also have a Nokia N800, which is cool, and it has Wifi, 2 SD slots, but it doesn't have Word/Excel. There may be some equivalent software on the website (all the software is open source, and based on standard Linux software repackaged for the smaller screen size), so the list of available apps is improving all the time. The N800 has no hardware keyboard, so its a) use the stylus, or b) get a bluetooth keyboard. The N810 (sister device to the N800) has a pull out hardware keyboard, plus a GPS chip built in, but has less storage space (1 SD card only, as opposed to 2 on the N800).

Good luck figuring out what you really want, out of allt he options available to you!
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Old 16 Jan 2008
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Yep, I used the libraries in North America but often found you got kicked off by someone who had booked the pc earlier. They were OK now and then and useful when there was nothing else around but wouldn't want to rely on the libraries for internet access. Also the opening hours aren't always suitable when you're travelling all day.

My vote is still with the internet cafes (though some we found in North America cost up to $12/hour!), mainly because of the extra weight of a laptop and because its just another valuable thing that you will worry about when you leave your tent and go exploring.

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Originally Posted by Colorado Ron View Post
North America has no need for the cafes. Just about every town has a library. And just about every library has free access to the internet via their computer.
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Old 17 Jan 2008
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You need an ASUS EEE pc.

7 inch screen, 920 gram, 400$.... need I say more?

I love it still, after a month on the road.


Gl choosing
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Old 17 Jan 2008
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Originally Posted by peter-denmark View Post
You need an ASUS EEE pc.

7 inch screen, 920 gram, 400$.... need I say more?

I love it still, after a month on the road.


Gl choosing
Hi All, I have to agree with Peter, the Eeepc is brill had mine for two weeks and can't fault it, It does every thing it was designed to do, what more could you want from a mini laptop whilst on the move...work, travel or pleasure?TDMalcolm
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