Purchasing a Toughbook 30
 

I have purchased a Toughbook 30 which should be shipped in the next week or so. It has a dual intel chip but is not cheap - I got it o that I could do some image and video pre processing during my five months trip this summer. Toughbooks are made per military specifications, i.e. dust, dropping, some water, etc. If you are going to use for multiple trips and will be relying on it - all though the price is high - it is probable the best choice - will keep you up todate

whitney

Alternatives
 

I have found two modern alternatives to the Libretto. For a dirt cheap system that is rugged, small and dirt cheap, the NEC MobilePro 900C is an adequate choice. I just bought one to try it out, and here's my take on it.

The MobilePro 900C runs Windows CE .Net v4.2. This OS is not ideal, as there is not a whole lot of software available for it. In particular, I found it difficult to find a decent image editing package. I found that Pocket Artist is adequate for the job of cropping and resizing photos -- not great, but adequate. SeePic is an above average image browser that I use to look at the photos on my drive.

That being said, the keyboard on the MobilePro is absolutely awesome. It's a real pleasure to type on. The WordPad software included is a decent text editor for creating html or word documents or whatever.

The MobilePro doesn't have a harddrive, it uses CompactFlash memory cards for storage. This is really useful if you have a camera that runs on CompactFlash. Even if you don't, CF cards are much cheaper than SD cards or Sony Memory Sticks. The MobilePro also has a PCMCIA port, which readily accepts an SD card reader without any drivers or anything. So I can plug the adapter in the PCMCIA port and read my camera's SD card very easily.

That PCMCIA port also accepts an 802.11b wireless card, which allows you to connect to the Internet. The included IE is adequate for the task, although with a max resolution of 640x240, pages optimized for 800x600 or larger look all cramped.

Basically, I'm able to use the MobilePro to write text files when offline (at a campsite for instance), and then connect to the Internet when I get to a WiFi hotspot (or using the internal 56k modem) and upload those text files to my blog. I can also open images from my camera, resize them, and ftp them to my website... although editing 4 megapixel images on the MobilePro eats batteries and is really slow.

But... the MobilePro charges from a 12 volt, 2 amp source, which means it is dirt simple to wire up an adapter to a motorcycle electrical system to recharge the batteries. Batteries last about two hours if you're doing heavy image editing, connected to the Internet, or playing mp3s, but will last 6 hours or so if all you're doing is editing text files. This is on the standard battery - there is a larger capacity battery available.

Gaming on the MobilePro is great! PocketMame runs on the MobilePro, which gives you access to about 1000 old arcade games. In truth, only a few hundred play decently on the small monitor, but that's still a TON of games.

So, all in all the MobilePro 900C is *barely* up to the task for image editing, but it is perfect if all you want to do is keep a journal and upload to a blog when you get a chance.

No hard drive, no moving parts, a really heavy duty rugged body, and a footprint about the size of a VHS tape means this is a great motorcycle travel companion -- especially considering the low replacement cost ($150) if it ever gets damaged and the fact that all your data is on a CF card, and can easily be moved to a new machine. It has some limitations, namely lack of modern software and slow editing of large images, but for the cost it might be a viable alternative if you don't need anything too fancy.

If yo DO need something fancy, consider a Sony Picturebook PCG-C1VPK. It's a little larger than the MobilePro, but it's a full 600MHz PC running Windows 2000. But the price is around $700 and it's been reported to be a little flimsy. The large battery on those suckers last FOREVER though.

Charles.

Another vote for PowerBook 12". I do photo editing, video editing, it has reasonable power for it all. It's very small and smooth-sided from all angles, nothing ever get's stick with coths etc. Mine dropped from bike's seat against concrete floor, worked OK! Never seen any PC with that kind of solid supporting frame like the aluminium casing on AL PowerBooks.

But they don't make PowerBooks anymore and I don't know about the newer MacBook Pros tho. The casing seems to be the same, but it's a pity they don't have a compact 12" model of it anymore... Maybe in the future, I hope.

A lot of good suggestions...but you have to think about what makes a laptop weak...
The Toughbook is tough and all that but it doesn't allow you do any heavy work. The Mac on the other hand allows you to do quite a good amount of work, BUT they are more delicate.
The Thinkpad T-60 offers the best balance between the 2 critical factors or durability and utility. Hell look at Thinkpad's great warranty of 3 years...and customer service...its not some advertising gimmick like Dell...its something that sells the notebook...
Plus its the only laptop they'd use on NASA's Space Shuttle...and that says something...

2001: A Space Laptop | SpaceRef - Your Space Reference

Dell are now doing a MIL SPEC laptop similar (All Terrain Grade) to the Toughbook, but a more competative prices.

Dell Latitude ATG Computer - Notebook PC

Whilst on the face of it, it does look like it is as strong as the Toughbook, it has passed the military specifications, especially for dust and vibration; which will effect us most.

Just like to add, i just finished four months on the road through C. and S. America, and the Mac preformed flawlessly! Never skipped a beat! It's dirty, scratched and was again bent due to my clumsiness and never a problem. I can plug into any internet in the world without fear of virusus, and people were often amazed at the speed of my surfing and downloading. Unfortunately, i still have the GPS problem with my Garmin and will be upgrading to a new Pentium Mac so i can load Windows (Ughhh!!) onto a partition to do my GPS stuff. I would sugest the 12" Powerbook G4 to anyone looking for a solid computer for internet, video and photography while they are traveling.

I took a libretto 110CT with meto morocco just for downloading tracklogs and picturesand doing some write ups. Weighs about 1100 grams and does the job. It's been through some very rough terrain and is still going strong. I paid 80 EUR for it.

T

Toshiba know how?
 

I got a Portege by Toshiba, ex corporate, 18 mnths old, 12" screen, 60Gb HD, blah, blah, blah. ebay, £250 + tax:thumbup1:

Toshiba have used the experience gained from the Toughbook range to make this little baby, and with enough dubries to plug almost anything you want into it, including an SD card slot. The DVD Disk drive pops out to accept a second battery if you want, extending the 4hr standard stand alone time to over 6 hrs I think, (not used it yet.)

With infra red and wireless built in + bluetooth dongle it talkes to my cell phone and just about everything else I want it for. My camera, video and cell phone also use sd cards so that makes for easy transfer without messy cables. I notice that the wireless modem picks up next doors wi-fi set up, but haven't tried to route it through yet:nono: , but one of these days temptation is gonna get the better of me:cool4:

When I ride, it, and my camelback, go in a small rucksack as your body absorbes a lot of vibrations and at less than 2kg is no problem.

IMHO the hinge to the screen looks a weak point on most laptops, the portege p4010 looks stronger than most, and I shyed away from the one with the swivel screen for this reason.

I guess you make your choice and stay with it until it proves not to be what you thought it was, such is life.

Asus Eee
 

Check this bad boy out

ASUS Eee PC - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Great minds and all that

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...for-road-28378

Surfer,
Is that a U3 drive you're thinking of. You can carry your desktop on it and your anti-virus software etc.

Toughbook
 

TOUGHBOOKS are indestructible. Mine is old. It has a great keyboard and great screen. It survived six months on the road last year from Mexico to Tierra del Fuego, sometimes on horrible roads and on a Honda 125. I am writing on it now. Last month it and I survived being hit by a truck carrying two trucks. We are in Rio Grande, Tierra del Fuego. I am going to leave the laptop here. It is heavy and my ankle will be in plaster when I leave next week. Not on the bike. I trucked the bike north today to Dakar Motos in Bs As for repair and will pick it up after bussing and boating thru Chile, north Argentina and Paraguay.

:oops2: simon at home

I´ve been very happy with my Itronix GoBook MAX (about $200USD used, on ebay).

It has a 10.5 inch touchscreen, which is better than a mouse when you´re laying in your tent. Its 700mhz PentiumIII is enough to run Photoshop 6, GPS software, internet browers, etc. Mine has a 16GB hard disk (surrounded by foam), which is sufficient. I backup my photos on several 4GB SDHC cards and use a USB card reader. It´s small but heavy: built to military specs as well.

use the EEPC or ACER aspire one
 

You should buy an eepc with the 12gb solid state disk as it as no problems with vibration and shocks wich a normal HD could die from both have wifi and bleutooth 10inch screen the eepc is verry rugged mine fell 2 of 1.5mt hight no problem at all if you need more memory for your pictures use 8gb Usb sticks cost 15 dollar and als shock proof beter dan 2.5 3.5 inch disks speciali on a long journey?c? works with gps software and can run google earth and gramin mapsource with no problems but fot RTW dont take the white one but a black version:thumbup1:

the best laptop, you mean the IBM/Lenovo Thinkpad X300

yes it is even better than my T61 hammer/centerstand support/laptop that has fallen of my table, drank hot coffee and still goes like the first day i pushed the power butten.

what about it? did you get one?