internet device for travelling?

[forrestdweller]

at the moment i*m using a PC for internet access[sorry for the odd typing:my keyboard plays up...].BUT sadly soon i will be back to my old semi nomadic lifestyle, so carrying a PC is out of option.....in the past i had to rely on public access to use the internet,but that is rather inconvinient....SSOOO i*m looking for a device to have internet and keep in touch with the world[AND plan my return to japan...]...the best solution seems an ipad or mini ipad....my problems is that i*m electrinicly/technically challenged.......ssoooo what would be a good internet device for travelling?i prefer something decent quality wise with good customerservice[important when travelling all time...].
i did a quick search last nite: there*s the **apple** ipads and some suspiciously cheap other brands[best avoided i guess...]

anyone able to give a technically challenged fella some advice?

THANKS

 

[Countryman]

Buy a keyboard before replying please! How do you put up with that?

I would have thought an iPad or iPad mini if size was an issue would have been ideal but frankly apart from screen size there is nothing to add much over an iPhone.

Apple have stores in reasonably sized towns all over the world and their iCloud back up is excellent for data recovery and backing up photos from extended trips. If your phone dies you can wander into a store and for a nominal fee, even out of warranty they will replace your handset, set it up and recover you to your last iCloud back up.




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Mesquite]

Getting an i-pad, tablet or similar is only half the solution.

Unless you intend to rely solely on free wi-fi access you'll need an internet dongle for each of the countries you intend to travel in.

 

[Countryman]

Unless you buy a WiFi only iPad they come equipped with a SIM card slot for mobile access on your phone companies data plan. Even the WiFi only versions can be tethered to your mobile phone for access.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[sandbender]

The best internet device for travelling, at least the kind of travelling your posts suggest your doing, would be an Apple Newton. Thirty days of battery life from four AA batteries. Chris Bonington used one to post expedition updates from half way the himalayas.

Back in todays world I'd suggest an iPhone rather than an iPad. Your earlier posts suggested that you were living off the grid in a Japanese forest but were not sufficiently technically proficient to post any photographs of your environment.

An iPhone would make taking and posting photographs easy, of course you can take photos with an iPad too, but it looks a bit daft if you are doing so in public.

Edited to add:

I have partly fixed your first post.

 

[kaiAnderson]

id go for an android device over an apple. something like a samsung galaxy. Theyre both as good as each other but the android tablets you can get for a quater of teh price of an apple.

 

[British Red]

Apple are reidiculously over priced compared against windows, android, linux or pretty much any other system. BUT they are easy to use with good after sales care and that seems to be what you want. I suggest the iPhone 6S plus as a large but portable screen size and some sort of portable charger because battery life absolutely blows on iPhones.

 

[mrcharly]

I bought my daughter a kindle fire 3 years ago. It's wifi only, but that is pretty widespread these days. Battery lasts for days and days - she took it cycle touring to watch films at night (pre-loaded) and managed 5 days of touring without recharging.

When travelling it was used to skype from airports, cafe's and suchlike places, browse the web to look up flight details, maps and other info.

A similar tablet can be bought for half the cost of a mobile phone.

 

[neoaliphant]

kindles are cheap
hudl 2 works out cheap if you double up on tesco clubcard
more powerfull but cheap is the nvidia shield tablet £149 new, and an excellent tough case is available


samsung galaxy tab 7 inch is avauilablke refurb for £60

asus transformer 10 inch refurb for £80


if you want to get an ipad, while youre at it you might as well make some firestarters by getting some £20 notes and dipping in wax to help starting the next campire

ive ahd so many clients lose data on apple devices

also most apple devices seem to break very quickly, not ideal for travelling

 

[sunndog]

if you want to get an ipad, while youre at it you might as well make some firestarters by getting some £20 notes and dipping in wax to help starting the next campire

Nice


I vote for a 7" samsung galaxy tab with sim card slot. And download a proper qwerty keyboard for it

 

[SCOMAN]

Unashamedly plus one for apple products iPhone, iPad etc. I use an iPad for myself and it makes the similar products I have to use for work look ridiculous performance wise. Apple products just work but you do pay for it. There are lots of third party keyboards if you feel the need for an iPad at reasonable prices nowadays but if you're a two finger typist do you need it? I have a Logitech one that fits like a clamshell over my iPad protecting the screen when stowed. It's okay to type on and doesn't get in the way if you're not using it. Do buy a good case for it though, I use this;

http://edcforums.com/threads/tactical-notebook-covers-military-ipad-protector-case.114575/

I got it delivered to my hotel when holidaying in Canada, post to the UK was prohibitive. Something similar could be made yourself using a Webtex or Snugpak A5 organiser with some sticky velcro.

http://www.outdoorgb.com/p/the_snug...dItem=633529&gclid=COTOr9WX0ckCFSgTwwoddhYG1w

I'm jealous I do have itchy feet for travelling.

 

[neoaliphant]

Nice


I vote for a 7" samsung galaxy tab with sim card slot. And download a proper qwerty keyboard for it

on a lot of the keyboards, if you change the layout to PC, you get full number row and extra characters, only good on tablets and phablets really as each key will be smaller
there are quite a few small tablets that can make phone calls as well, like note 8

 

[British Red]

hudl 2 works out cheap if you double up on tesco clubcard

Tesco have given up selling Hudls

 

[sunndog]

on a lot of the keyboards, if you change the layout to PC, you get full number row and extra characters, only good on tablets and phablets really as each key will be smaller
there are quite a few small tablets that can make phone calls as well, like note 8

Probably just cos i'v been using it for about four years but i can only get on with hackers keyboard these days

 

[JohnC]

I use my iPhone mostly, would also use the iPad a great deal, but have used the kindle's browser more than a few times, for looking up news emails and text stuff it works fine..

 

[Countryman]

kindles are cheap
hudl 2 works out cheap if you double up on tesco clubcard
more powerfull but cheap is the nvidia shield tablet £149 new, and an excellent tough case is available


samsung galaxy tab 7 inch is avauilablke refurb for £60

asus transformer 10 inch refurb for £80


if you want to get an ipad, while youre at it you might as well make some firestarters by getting some £20 notes and dipping in wax to help starting the next campire

ive ahd so many clients lose data on apple devices

also most apple devices seem to break very quickly, not ideal for travelling

How on earth do they lose data on a device that is permanently syncing to iCloud and that can be restored identically on a new device?

No not £60 a pop and for good reason. You get what you pay for. They work beautifully. Where in a town the equivalent size of Basingstoke worldwide can I come in and get a replacement device, restore it on their Wifi and walk out none the worse?

Far easier to set up and use than my Surface or any other device including my kids Kindles. It's designed to be used by Luddites! No offence to OP.

I think an iPhone 5 would probably sort him. £120 will get a good 5C off eBay and replacement from Apple with a 3 month Warranty for similar in store.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dwardo]

S5 or similar phone. Changeable battery and waterproof. If you are traveling alot its moisture rather than water that will kill devices.
Add a cheap tablet to this and you are good to go. The phone will sort the tethering issue for the tablet.

 

[didicoy]

I have been semi nomadic now for 7 years. For 5 of those years I have been using 3G. I first purchased a dongle from them loaded with 10gig of Internet data to use as and when I chose. It would last 12 months and if Iran out I could simply top up monthly if needed. However. If you don't use all the allowance after the 12 months, then the data was lost and I would need to repurchase more data allowance. I now have a 3G monthly pay as you go. I get 15g for £16 per month. I have used the device in Europe but couldn't say what world coverage is like. There are obviously hotspots and areas where signal is poor or none existent. I have used it on several laptops, but since last year, I have just used it on my iPad.

 

[forrestdweller]

thanks for the replies so far and special thanks to sandbender for fixing my post- my stupid keyboard works as it likes but i have to wait until i can get a lift to town to get a new one[stupid considering that i leave in less than three weeks and have to leave it behind....]....
right now i have a mobile phone- but it*s a simple version without internet[access] and it usually just collects dust in my room; it will [probably] left behind when i leave japan and i will be without phone as usual after that[ i have no real use for one and do*nt share the human obsession with those things...]---->ssooo i look for/need an internet device which does not need a phone....[wifi is rather widespread here so that should not be an issue?] i basically want it to send messages to friends,spend some time on BcUK, some research[google] and occassionally maybe a youtube clip.... most phones i know of have rather small screens and i*d prefer something slightly bigger...

i already had a search through the net for some of the options mentioned: some seem not to be available here but the samsung galaxy IS- i*ll check for availability and price when i get to town next time...

 

[sunndog]

I still say you wont go wrong with 7" tablet. a good size screen for veiwing or typing but also small enough to fit in a coat pocket