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7 Dec 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by *Touring Ted*
... I really want something that I can use wirelessly in a hostel, cafe etc. For checking mail, writing blogs and booking flights, transport etc.
I'm swaying towards another small netbook...... .
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I sway the same way you do. For detailed blogging on the move and cataloging and storing pics its hard to cut to anything less. When you are storing video too, and needing to pass video files from go pros and other video cameras into external hard drives its essential.
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7 Dec 2013
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I've used a couple of netbooks for travelling; a Compaq (taken over by HP) and lately a Gateway (part of the Acer empire). These things always sounded better in theory than they functioned in practice and I would not recommend them as lightweight travelling devices.
The price range and size may be attractive but this is one of those cases in which you do get what you pay for. They are not that light, have puny processors and in both of mine I found the keyboards awkward and irritatingly glitchy.
The oft suggested alternatives, the Mac Air and the Microsoft Surface Pro, can cost nearly four times the price of a netbook but I do keep noticing lower end quasi ultrabooks from name manufacturers which are reasonably priced.
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8 Dec 2013
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I've just moved from a 13" MacBook Pro to an 11" MacBook Air.
Saved over a kilo and the more I use it the more I love it. Travelling with it in bubble wrap and a double large ziplock bag makes for light waterproof protection.
PN
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8 Dec 2013
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I've got an android smart phone and yes, you can do most things..
But they're crap for web browsing... And yes I've tried.
Trying to book a flight on a smart phone on dodgy wifi will have you ripping your hair out..
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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.
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8 Dec 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by *Touring Ted*
But they're crap for web browsing... And yes I've tried.
Trying to book a flight on a smart phone on dodgy wifi will have you ripping your hair out..
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Not a problem when the screen is 14cm diag 
"could it be all about the right tool for the right job?" as my old mentor used to ask 
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8 Dec 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bertrand
Not a problem when the screen is 14cm diag
"could it be all about the right tool for the right job?" as my old mentor used to ask |
You got a 'Phablet' ??? 
I was looking at a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 with it's huge screen but still no good for typing I guess...
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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.
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8 Dec 2013
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I recently tried a windows tables and to me it's the holy grail. I'm no windows fan, but it's compatible with everything else, small, no hdd, expandable memory, plug and play, hdmi and usb ports often, works perfectly with android. With map source, base camp, oziexplorer, etc you could even full an entire TB external hdd with vector maps and sat imagery to plan or adjust your route each evening for the next day.
Just make sure you can charge it with a 12v adapter. My acer can't (no connector adapter) but my Mrs' samsung can. I think an 8" is coming out soon.
I recommend taking a true bluetooth mouse or stylus with it. The desktop bit of a tablet isn't designed for fingers.
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8 Dec 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PaulNomad
I've just moved from a 13" MacBook Pro to an 11" MacBook Air.
Saved over a kilo and the more I use it the more I love it. Travelling with it in bubble wrap and a double large ziplock bag makes for light waterproof protection.
PN
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I've been using an 11" Air for a couple of years, and nothing beats it ... actually there are a few things which does; Samsung and Asus have similar computers (13" though), more options and more ports....
Just a small hint for protecting an 11", get a book book cover, and an 8L Sea to Summit bag - it fits like a glove.
Casper
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8 Dec 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by casperghst42
I've been using an 11" Air for a couple of years, and nothing beats it ... actually there are a few things which does; Samsung and Asus have similar computers (13" though), more options and more ports....
Just a small hint for protecting an 11", get a book book cover, and an 8L Sea to Summit bag - it fits like a glove.
Casper
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£800 !! 
I can't pay that for something I'll probably sit on and break 
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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.
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8 Dec 2013
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Ted,
I'd probably stick to a little netbook. My Wife's got a little Samsung, it cost almost bugger-all and is surprisingly fast and the battery lasts for ages.
If I was feeling flush, I'd consider a tablet with a plug in keyboard.
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8 Dec 2013
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Ted, if it helps, here's what I recommend.
I had a couple of 10 inch netbooks before and they suffered from smaller screen resolution and no onboard video card (made it very hard playing movies or editing pictures)
I switched a couple of yrs ago to a 12.1 inch 1366x768 netbook with a dedicated onboard video chipset. It cost about 350 quid and edits full res pics in photoshop, does HD video editing (slowly - but it does it) and has a bigger full size keyboard (the 10 inch netbooks had a squeezed slightly smaller keyboard)
Netbooks arent really made any more but you might be able to find some old stock or find one on eBay. I can do 10 times as much on my more powerful 12 inch netbook than I could on my 10 inch netbook.
Asus eee 1215 is what I am taking on the road with me. Check it out mate.
Last edited by colebatch; 9 Dec 2013 at 04:28.
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27 Jun 2016
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I've been using a Chromebook as my home computing device for most of three years and it works great for me. Then again, 99% of what I do at home can be done in a web browser. YMMV.
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15 Sep 2018
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technical stuff
After riding motorbikes for too many years, and losing stuff, I try to keep it simple
a cheap Nokia phone for phone calls and texts ( whose going to steal that !!)
a small cheapo camera in my pocket
and a decent camera in my tank bag for when I have time
an A5 writing pad hardback and a few Pencils and a pen
I keep this together with some typed out sheets of trip data,locations, and contact details in my tank bag
I find its much easier when sitting in cafes to write notes than to be immersed in a tablet and not make eye contact with other people
I keep small old samsung notepad thingy for booking hotels
spare SD cards for the cameras
and maps
I dont do blogs, if I am travelling its personal and for me, I like to keep notes and then write it up afterwards
I have travelled with a young relative who has all of this technology, but I found him a little distant at times and missing out on his surroundings,I like to integrate and blend in
plus I have the habit of breaking technology maybe due to age ?
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13 Dec 2013
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Tablet or small, rugged laptop? Android, Mac, or windows?
Quote:
Originally Posted by colebatch
I sway the same way you do. For detailed blogging on the move and cataloging and storing pics its hard to cut to anything less. When you are storing video too, and needing to pass video files from go pros and other video cameras into external hard drives its essential.
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We are in the same dilemma, though we even want to be able to edit the movie clips we shot with the GoPro right away :-) As we don't want to face the horror of editing all this stuff after coming back from a 4-5 months trip... rather start it on the road. 
We also initially thought about just taking a tablet (further tech family would include an iPhone 3, samsung S2 plus smartphone, garmin and the GoPro - and possibly the BRCK modem, if we can get it  ). But now I think a tablet won't be enough... there are apps for this, but I know video editing is a fidgety work as it is on the laptop, I can't imagine doing that on the tablet... anyone any experience with video / sound editing on a tablet?
Also, we have a Garmin and wanted to connect it to the tablet to do the route planning there (and then load it on the Garmin). Seems that there are no apps for Garmin! (or at least no apps for android or mac-tablets, and I don't know if I want to go windows for a tablet...).
And lastly, a friend here in SA told us he wrecked two harddrives in his laptop while just commuting with the motorcycle to work (commuting on dirt roads, though  ). The vibrations just wrecked it.
So he strongly recommend to get a device with a solid state drive. Which is quite costly. Anyone had similar experiences?
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13 Dec 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Akruehl
And lastly, a friend here in SA told us he wrecked two harddrives in his laptop while just commuting with the motorcycle to work (commuting on dirt roads, though ). The vibrations just wrecked it.
So he strongly recommend to get a device with a solid state drive. Which is quite costly. Anyone had similar experiences? |
I've done a lot of rough miles with all sorts of laptops over the years. I even had a massive crash with a 17" Dell which got thrown down the road and it still worked perfectly... The trick is to NEVER have the HDD active whilst moving. Some make the mistake to have the laptop in sleep or hibernation mode which still has the HDD ticking over. With vibrations, it will kill it....
However,
Solid state Hard drives have really come down in price and they are far more reliable and faster to access. The only downside is that their capacity is a lot smaller for the same price.
But that's what USB flash drives are for.. Once or two of those and you should be okay. You can get a whopping 128GB flash drive for about £50 quid now and MASSIVE 256GB one for about £120.
USB flash drives are GREAT for travelling.
I think I've made my mind up..... I'm getting a 10" netbook with Win 7 and a sold state drive and a couple of 128 GB flash drives.
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Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.
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