Technology On Vacation

V

valkyrie

Well-Known Member
Scenario.
You are traveling abroad to a country you have never visited before. You do not know if there is any Internet connection where you are going (but there may be). You plan to visit many places within the area and use public transportation (train and bus) to get from one place to another. Train and bus schedules and routes are available for download online.

You are already bringing a camera.

Question.
What other electronic device would you find helpful to bring on your trip?
 
A camera is the only device I would bring. Other devices just get in the way of enjoying the trip.
 
MP3 player of some type - music is great for long trips where you don't have to concentrate on driving. Something that does video too is a great add-on.

Pocket translator depending on your knowledge of the local language...need not be digital, but several have nice search engines built in.
 
Will your cell phone have service there?

I'd definitely consider a small wi-fi equipped device. Something like an iPod touch, small tablet PC, or a netbook with a 6-cell battery.

Depending on how many pictures you plan on taking, you may want a device with a card reader so you can copy the images off the camera.
 
In addition to my camera I would just bring my ipod. If I thought I might run out of space on my SD card I'd bring a few extras.

Cellphone service can cost an arm an a leg abroad, be it voice, text or data. I don't need my cellphone that badly. I've also never taken my laptop on vacation because I'd always be afraid of losing it, or it being stolen from my hotel room. I guess if I had something pocket sized and wifi enabled like an ipod touch that could be useful but I don't think it's necessary so wouldn't go out and acquire one just for the trip.
 
From my stock supply of electronics, I would definitely bring an MP3 player.
Wouldn't bother with the laptop unless I was certain of internet accessibility. Would bring extra cards for the camera in that case.
Would take a DS or some other hand held game.
 
Which country?

I'd bring a (SMAW) Shoulder-launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon.

oh no wait sorry wrong kinda field trip huh? ;)

I’d recommend those A/C power plug adaptor thingies
you’ll wanna be able to plug stuff in to power outlets Right?

Why are you keeping the name of the destination country secret?

Are you on a secret mission?
 
Yep, only good if yer already on a plan.
When I went to NYC recently, the iphone was my friend. Could look up train routes etc on google maps. Even told you what time they were departing. Not to mention, finding restaurants, etc. Downloaded a lonely planet guide onto before we went, so we didn't even have to carry around a big-ass book.
 
BeardofPants said:
Yep, only good if yer already on a plan.
When I went to NYC recently, the iphone was my friend. Could look up train routes etc on google maps. Even told you what time they were departing. Not to mention, finding restaurants, etc. Downloaded a lonely planet guide onto before we went, so we didn't even have to carry around a big-ass book.
Click to expand...

Wow, you got iPhone service in NYC? How'd that happen?
 
AT&T stated selling the iPhone here with no limits on the bandwidth/month use so their infrastructure was slammed pretty hard when the demand maxed out their available bandwidth. I have a friend at work that, during SXSW, had many periods of time when people were unable to reach him and/or he was unable to dial out. He still has these problems but not as frequently as when all those people flooded Austin for SXSW.

The new data plans for iPhones (AT&T) have service levels for you to choose the bandwidth you need per month. Existing plans supposedly will not change, at least that was the announcement. However, I have a friend who's wife has an iPhone and he noticed their bill last month. AT&T had changed their plan on them without consulting them. It should not have. I wonder how many other AT&T customers have had that happen to them. That can't possibly be a fluke. With AT&T it's most likely occurring to unsuspecting customers by design.

If I were to get a smart phone it would not be an iPhone. I don't want to be beholden to one company for everything I want/need for the device. There are many very cool phones that (1) do exactly the same thing (2) have a more reliable service plan (3) aren't having the same structure/design flaws and (4) don't feed AT&T and Steve Jobs :thumbup:.

Then there's having to deal with AT&T... need I say more about that?
 
I like the idea of having the train/bus schedules on the phone. I will likely not use my phone while in France unless I buy a new SIM card at Marche Aux Puces, which I doubt I will do. I like the idea of unplugging from my world across the ocean and I'm eagerly looking forward to not being available to receive calls for 14 consecutive days (especially from work).

I'm going to check to see if my current phone (Nokia 6301 w/ an 8 Gig mini SD card) will let me upload files and view them. The screen is small (because I like small phones) but it's a great phone.

It has wifi and I am able to connect over my home 802.11n router to place/receive calls (I live in an area with no cell coverage). I have separate ring tones that I created for the people that call me frequently. I will hear the phone receiving a call and I can either just ignore it or grab it depending on the song I hear. I have a shit ton of music on that 8 gig mini SD card but it's not full.
 
BeardofPants said:
Also, we weren't using it that often... why, is it bad?
Click to expand...

They've had all sorts of problems with not having enough capacity to handle all of the iPhones in NYC. They have stopped selling iPhones for extended amounts of times to try to cope with it.

There should be an iPhone on Verizon within the next six months, according to engadget.
 
valkyrie said:
It has wifi and I am able to connect over my home 802.11n router to place/receive calls.
Click to expand...

That's awesome. Is that what it means when most smartphones say they are "Wi-Fi enabled" - I always just assumed it meant you could do wi-fi tethering, but it was always listed separately.
 
Altron said:
That's awesome. Is that what it means when most smartphones say they are "Wi-Fi enabled" - I always just assumed it meant you could do wi-fi tethering, but it was always listed separately.
Click to expand...

No, AFAIK its a Tmo/Nokia only feature. Its called HotSpot @Home, and is bascially a GSM->SIP client for the cell radio. Here's a bit more info: http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/06/27/hands-on-with-t-mobile-hotspot-home/

If a phone is wifi-enabled, it has the capabilities of using a local WLAN for data instead of the carrier service. This saves you if you're on a metered plan, and of course is faster. Tethering is usually locked via software on the phone by the carrier and offered for a fee. That's why you see it listed separately. Used to be more common to silently include it in your plan (just needed the special USB cable), but lately with the marketing of air cards and the inclusion of wifi on the phone they've added it as a separate option.

Alternatively, with an OS like Android, you can root the phone to allow superuser privileges to access and enable tethering without any plan changes. You could tether via usb, bluetooth, or create an adhoc wifi network for multiple clients, not just your laptop. Not that I've ever done that or anything...
 
Altron said:
That's awesome. Is that what it means when most smartphones say they are "Wi-Fi enabled" - I always just assumed it meant you could do wi-fi tethering, but it was always listed separately.
Click to expand...

Mirlyn said:
No, AFAIK its a Tmo/Nokia only feature. Its called HotSpot @Home, and is bascially a GSM->SIP client for the cell radio. Here's a bit more info: http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/06/27/hands-on-with-t-mobile-hotspot-home/

If a phone is wifi-enabled, it has the capabilities of using a local WLAN for data instead of the carrier service. This saves you if you're on a metered plan, and of course is faster. Tethering is usually locked via software on the phone by the carrier and offered for a fee. That's why you see it listed separately. Used to be more common to silently include it in your plan (just needed the special USB cable), but lately with the marketing of air cards and the inclusion of wifi on the phone they've added it as a separate option.

Alternatively, with an OS like Android, you can root the phone to allow superuser privileges to access and enable tethering without any plan changes. You could tether via usb, bluetooth, or create an adhoc wifi network for multiple clients, not just your laptop. Not that I've ever done that or anything...
Click to expand...
Yes, Mirlyn is correct. I love the WiFi enabled feature on this phone. If I didn't have it I'd have no cell phone coverage at my house at all.

iPhone for Verizon? Bleh... I hate Verizon just as much as AT&T. Probably because I have Verizon land line service and I sometimes have no dial tone when it rains and there is heavy static on the line intermittently. They have the worst rural phone service.
 
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