Up to date opinion on laptops

[WillTravel]

Whether or not to bring a laptop comes up now and then, and my opinion not to do so is stronger than before.

I had to bring a laptop for this trip, because I was attending an event in the middle of traveling.

However, it was not fun. First, the extra weight of the laptop (admittedly a Dell for work and thus heavier than what many people would have) and its peripherals made life more difficult.

Second, it was not that easy to log on everywhere. Wi-fi wasn't available at the LSE residences I was at in London. Wi-fi was broken at the hotel in Toledo, but the clerk gave me a network cable and I was able to get access then. At the event I attended, I got a complimentary BTOpenZone voucher, but that was very finicky about when and where you could use it, and the connection was often terrible if I could get it at all. I saw wi-fi offered at some outlying cafes in London (not in the centre), but of course I was not carrying around my laptop then. I did not bother to unpack the laptop in Madrid, but just used the computer available for guests.

At this moment (in Seattle) I am staying at a place, for a few more hours, that does have good, free wi-fi, but it resulted in me looking through hundreds of emails when I could have sleeping .

Of course because I had the laptop, I also had more anxieties about it being stolen or forgetting it or something.

So with a smallish netbook, maybe the experience would be different, but I would categorically advise against a standard laptop in most circumstances, particularly if you are trying to do things cheaply and trying to pack lightly.

[Eagle]

WT,

I enjoyed reading your comments on the "pros & cons" of travelling with a full-size Laptop. I'm considering taking a Workshop as part of my travels next year, and this would most likely require a Laptop.

I'm a bit reluctant to travel with my Macbook Pro, as it's not only heavy but also expensive. Packing that along would most likely limit my stays to Hotels, as I wouldn't want to trust that in a Hostel. There would definitely be a "worry factor" in taking the Macbook.

I've been looking at Netbooks, and will most likely purchase one before my next trip. It won't be as functional for photo processing as the Macbook, but I suppose some compromises will be necessary.

On my trip this year, I found that the Wi-Fi did work reasonably well in those locations that offered it. Sometimes a password was required (in one case a VERY LONG password, which was changed daily). I was just using an IPod Touch, but it seemed to work fine (although a bit awkward with the small display and keyboard).

Thanks for posting that!

[madamtrashheap]

I'll be interested to hear about your travels with the Netbook, Eagle, as I'm in the WT camp about travelling with a laptop - where possible, don't.

I, too, have travelled with a laptop for work, and was constantly concered about theft as I didn't always need to lug it with me during the day and thus left it locked in about three layers in my hotel room, which is still not safe. Once I stopped dragging the thing with me, I would simply carry all the info I needs on a disc, then a USB Memory Stick (aaaah, what did we do without them?!!!) when they first came out (on a Swiss Army Knife, no less!) and life was simpler. I have a long list of Internet cafes around Europe (which open and shut with great frequency, but at least there are plenty now) which offer all the programs and facilities I require, and luckily most places now have all the gear you need for keeping in touch, downloading pictures, etc.

I understand taking your own laptop with you, and I have a few friends who never travel without theirs, but I like the "freedom" of not having it with me - I don't feel like I'm at work (even when I am) and I don't stress about it being stolen.

[WillTravel]

Someone was telling me this weekend that he had his laptop stolen from a cafe in downtown Seattle at about 8:30 in the evening last year. He was the only customer in the shop, and had his laptop open. A teenage boy asked him for directions to the bus, and as he was turning around to point it out, this same guy grabbed the laptop, and ran!

So as always, it's good to point out that you should be careful about your bags and belongings, and thieves thrive on distraction. I already try not to sit near the door when I have a laptop, and I will be a bit more careful when someone asks me something when I have it open.

[Eagle]

WT,

That type of theft is not something I'd considered. A Netbook would be especially easy to grab, but I wonder what how the thief in Seattle plans on charging it when the battery runs down?

This is a good reminder to exercise caution, especially when travelling with technology.

Cheers!

[WillTravel]

Eagle, I am guessing the thieves don't have too much problem finding power supply units, once they have a laptop.

[Eagle]

WT,

Yes, undoubtedly the thief probably went to the nearest computer store and told them he "lost" his Charger.

This is probably a good reason to travel with an inexpensive Netbook rather than an expensive Laptop (such as my MacBook Pro).

I'm planning to wait a few months before I buy a Netbook as there are new and better models coming in the near future.

[dar482]

If I don't bring my laptop, I plan on bringing a small videocamera to record my trip in Paris. I'm assuming I'll be fine if I keep it on me or lock it up at the hostel.

However, how are internet cafes if I want to upload my pictures or videos in Paris?