Laptops, how many BM's take them to patts

[The Mentalist]

I see the question of what hotels have a good hi speed wifi asked quite often.

I personally don't take my laptop with me to LOS, hell I'm on holidays and other things can wait, but I do

acknowledge that some guys just can't survive without the thing, as I call it.

I also can see where guys are really still at work and have things to do, and then there are those that just

can't let go and have a holiday.

The amount of times the question of WiFi access, speed and reliability etc is asked on this board, leads me to

wonder why we haven't got a hotel list with ratings on this sort of thing available.

[Chuk Wa]

I take my Acer aspire one netbook, small and light in the carry on baggage

[Mr Bean]

If you are staying in a secure hotel, I would say take it!

Get yourself a Kensington lock so you can secure it. I know some hotels have anchorage for this purpose, however, if you have a small netbook type, theres always the room safe.

 

I found my L/top invaluable, as I was able to keep in touch with friends, and access PA for the latest info etc. Also good for contacting the insurance company, by email, if you are unfortunate enough to be unwell etc.

 

So many hotels & Bars are now offering Wi Fi.

 

If the speed of the connection is a little slow, remember this is Thailand!

[The Mentalist]

If the speed of the connection is a little slow, remember this is Thailand

 

Maybe thailand should think about the fact, this is the 21st century

[themosch]

as many hotels have pretty slow wifi connections i usually go to internetshop or pc in hotellobby. The digital camera i use Sony Cybershot DSC T90 has a 8GB memorycard. So it last pretty long and i can upload mi pics and vids at home! So no hassle of carrying laptop, looking for safe storage and so on.....

[RCR]

I travel with my Asus 900 netbook. I use it for banking, email, catching up with the Australian newspapers and general browsing.

 

A couple of weeks ago I was staying at the Sawasdee Seaview. The hotel wi-fi was strong enough to use the internet from my room on the first floor (level 2 for Americans).

[pattayaplayer]

I always travel with my MacBook Air. I stay in the Sandy Spring and use their WiFi which has presented a few frustrations including the fact they charge for it. But it works and it is reasonably fast.

 

I can do an hours work and stay in touch with the office at a time of my convenience which works well. I read my home newspaper online. I read the boards a little because there might be a nugget of new info on the boards which I can follow up while in Patts. And I use Skype to call home for pennies. So it is invaluable. The trick is being able to balance doing a little work with letting go and enjoying Pattaya. It took me a few trips but I'm fairly good at it now.

 

So WiFi is essential. Or at least a high speed wired connection but that's second best and will fade as installing WiFi is a lot cheaper than wires.

[docmullet]

I have decided against it as I like to travel light and need a break from the net...I spend too much time on it as it is

 

I have just bought a 4gb flash drive and have loaded it with portapps http://portableapps.com/ so I can surf securely from a net cafe

and take all the software and info I need on a pen drive

[dozer]

Using my minilaptop for email/messagin only pretty much, i dont browse the net much or download anything when in patts so a slow wifi is not a big problem for me.

[adi]

I just use my ipod touch, ideal for what need the web for in Pattaya, P.A and e mails etc, I use internet cafes for banking stuff etc. adi

[jacuzz9mm]

I use a bullet proof panasonic toughbook which seems to pick up wifi signals from very long distances. I dont lock it up which I should really as it belongs to work but i do hide it away as BGs do like to surf dodgy sites but it runs Linux so its fairly bullet proof for virus and addwear too.

 

J

[Tao 66]

A laptop is now essential for me.

 

My guesthouse (another plug for Skytop.. www.skytopguesthouse.com) has a very good high speed net connection.

I use skype in my room to stay in touch with home, especially as Mum is not always in the best of health.

I also use it to post pictures and do my favurite thing in Patts, second to shagging, writing my trip reports.

The net connection there is also FREE if you are a resident.

With good clean serviced rooms at 500 baht a night its a bargain!

[Jameson]

I have brought my laptop everytime I've been to LoS, but High-speed isn't important to me. Although I work in Iraq so even a shite connection is better than the one I have here, so I'm happy either way 5555

[Punter]

I use internet cafes for banking stuff etc.

 

I would not use an internet cafe in Pattaya for banking if I was with you. They are known to have key logging software.

 

I use a yahoo email address which I use only in Pattaya.

[BuokowBoy]

Pleanty of good internet shops around. If you take pictures and need your tunes you may want to bring it.

[JasonL]

I have never taken my computer to Pattaya... I check everything at at the same internet shop and have never had any problems... thankfully...

 

I try not to spend much time on the computer while I'm there... I think to myself, "This is what I would be doing if I was home... let's get the hell out of here and go down to Soi 6."

[Muso]

I have done both, taken lappy, and not, and the "and nots" have it for me, where I stay have PC to deal with what I need. I come away to chill, not to type!!

[boxingbob]

I took my laptop with me to los. In bangkok, the connection at the Dawin hotel was very slow, and by very slow I mean very very slow.

 

In patts, the connection at the Sabai Empress was pretty good, although somedays it didn't work at all.

 

I used it to keep in touch with family and friends. You can also look up hotels and restaurants from your room.

 

hotels usually have internet access at the lobby on average of 50-60 baht for about 15-25 minutes. Plus you'll feel safer knowing you left your laptop at home. Although a drawback may be that when I used the computers in the lobby, people were still signed into pattaya addicts, facebook, and yahoo mail.

[Devil Plaything]

Laptop is vital for a longer stay - no way I'd do my banking in a Thai internet cafe, for instance - wouldn't even check my main email in one, because the security is worse than non-existent in every cafe I have used (most are running cracked, ancient versions of windows and they will be infected with malware). If you can't take your own machine, set up a temp email address for when you're travelling, and don't use it for any 'important' communications like your bank.

[LongPlay]

Since I am never 100% 'off' I always need to have my laptop. Thousands of dollars worth of software on it that I require to trouble shoot issues so that I dont have to leave and go trouble shoot them in person. I never get to stay long in LOS, so it is not a big issue. But my laptop wont normally fit into the safes. I put them away where someone would need to dig them out to steal them, so I feel a little safer with them in the room.

 

I dont drink much, and always make a rule of NEVER drinking from a container I do not know for sure are safe. The new method of drugs on the nipples though, could get me, so I will be using the photo of ID, and putting the cell phone into the safe idea from other threads here. That way, since they know they are a known quantity, your chances are a little better that way.

[lantern]

Yes always take mine to download pics and to keep up with the boards.

Wouldn't use a cafe for banking either.

[Slacker]

Maybe thailand should think about the fact, this is the 21st century

 

It's a question of infrastructure and priorities. If you look at Japan, then most of Europe (and I suspect Australia too) are stuck in the dark Ages when it comes to internet speed.

[dogblower]

Both of my laptops go where I go. Since I don't really have a home and I absolutely have to have a laptop at work, and keep in touch when I'm not there, I don't have much choice. 2 might be overkill I agree, but sometimes it's convenient to be able to use them both, and the netbook is great on the plane.

[quenton79]

I always bring my Dell XPS with me to Patts. I have to visit the forum on a daily basis to find out the scoop!

 

Can't live without it!!! Oh yeah...I have to also work with it!....

[commanddoh]

I have a MASSIVE Acer widescreen media centre.

 

At the time, I thought it was a good idea to buy it, but in retrospect it defeats the point of 'mobile computer'. The case is huge, and if airlines/Airport security were being anal (not exactly unusual) they could say it is far too big to take on a plane.

 

Its a great laptop, but sometimes I think I would be better off with a netbook. Just something simple to use for messaging and things whilst on the move. I could connect my blackberry to it for a web connection if it came to it (in the UK), but as for hotel wifi in Patts - thats all I would really need a netbook for. Anyone got any cheap/useful links to any in the UK? Would be appreciated.