When you are away...

[michaelday]

I would appreciate if someone could point me to a good discussion forum about laptops, cell phones etc... I'm planning to go on a trip and was wandering what do you guys usually use in such situations. Do I need a laptop or a palm device could be enough? I need to be able to receive and answer emails and use ftp to access my log files as well as be able to manage ppc's. Also if I don't have access to a regular phone line how fast and how economical is the cell phone - laptop connection? Any input is wellcome.
Thanks.

[ggrot]

You may be able to do email from a palm device, but I would consider it unlikely that you would find a way to do ftp transfers and goto ppc account adjustments on a palm. I'd shoot for a cheap laptop. As far as connectivity over a modem, its the same deal as with any other modem - slow. The only difference is you will probably not know the local access numbers of your ISP in the area, so you will need to use an 800 number, which generally costs more.

[mnw]

On a Business trip, a cell phone might be OK but depending upon the plan you have and where you are going, might not be too economical. When I go on a business trip or vacation, I use AOL's 800 service (only time I use AOL), minimize the AOL "browser" and use IE. Cell phones don't work all that well where we go on vacation (Shenandoah Valley/VA or the lakes of Maine) but almost every place we rent has local phone service. Business trips are a different story in terms of cell service and on a plan with no Long Distance or roaming charges might work out OK

[Tapolyai]

I travel almost every week and this is what you will find in my briefcase:

- my laptop
- charger/power cable for laptop
- my TDMA/CDMA cell phone for North & South America
- my GSM cell phone for everywhere else [if traveling outside of US]
- charger for both cell phones (same piece so don't have to have 2)
- power plug converter kit [if outside of US]
- telephone cable
- telephone cable converter kit [if outside of US]
- a small repair kit that has a philips, flat head and a cutter in it.
- digital video camera
- extra laptop battery [if outside of US]

I have a Handspring but I never take it on the road. It is completely useless to do work on. I have XL hands so doing anything else then reading stuff on it is is basically torture.

Two things might be questionable, the digital camera and the tool kit. The digital camera comes super handy when I have to take pictures of the suroundings and have to send it back to the staff. It's also great way to keep in touch with the family for extended trips. It's a cheap video camera so I don't get museum quality pictures, but good enough for a vid-conf. or to show the staff back at home where to drop the next piece of equipment.

The tool kit comes super handy. Some hotels bolt the power cords into the wall. Several times I was at hotels with 10Mbps ethernet Internet connection for free, just to find out that there were no available plugs (this is what happens when an IT project is lead by marketing people)! I have had times when I had to splice into the telephone cable to be able to provide carrier voltage (in Mumbai).