Laptops, how many BM's take them to patts

[Muso]

I have taken mine the last twice, but when I comeback in Dec, I am not gonna bother...My hotel has free net in the lobby, which I found myself using as much as my lappy last time, and my mobile has net access too (N97)so I intend to lighten my load (in more ways than one) next time. I go to LOS to enjoy my bit self..not to type all bloody day!! I will do a brief TR from the lobby though, and of course to keep abreast of this addictive site!!

[Jaco2]

When I've been to LOS before I've used a work laptop. The hotels I've stayed in all had pretty good internet connections.

 

For the last couple of years I've used "Portable Apps" (I recommend this method) - mostly I use the hotels facilities if I need anything heavy duty. When last on my hols I took a memory stick with me for PC use and enough spare memory cards for photos so nothing too expensive could get lost or stolen. Here's a link to Portable Apps:

 

http://portableapps.com/

 

However, I've seen a lot of these new mini laptops from HP, ASUS and others and intend to get one to check reservations and bank details, watching movies, games, email, occasional surfing, etc, from the comfort of my hotel room (or on the plane), so long as I can protect it properly. It'll also mean that I can do my TRs for Addicts whilst the details are fresh in my mind!!!

[dragon9994]

Based on bad stories about US customs, not going to chance taking my laptop. I've read that there are lots of cheap internet shops around.

[Voracious]

I use my computer on vacations, usually in the morning, since I have a hard time sleeping until the afternoon like many of the bg's do.

 

I won't stay at a place without internet at all.

 

If a place charges what I consider to be high rates, it puts a big negative on staying there that would need to be outweighed by other features in the hotel. High rates to me are the $17-$20 per day you find at "old school management" hotels.

 

If a place has complimentary internet access, with decent speed, then goes straight to my short list to be sorted out against others with similar access.

 

I purposely look for newer boutique hotels or (what is to me) new-style-management that includes internet.

 

Right now I'm at a hotel in Bangkok that is $90USD/night. That is a one bedroom suite with a separate living room, dining room, full kitchen, clothes washer/dryer and huge bathroom. I think it's about 67+sq/m. The internet is wireless, included in the price (as is breakfast) and is two minutes walk from Erawan Plaza. Awesome place.

 

Compare that to Baiyoke Sky hotel, which I just left. That was about $60 a night for a run down room, no kitchen etc..., and 600 baht a day for internet. By the time you add it up the price isn't much different and the location of the Baiyoke Sky is inferior to where I am now.

 

Now, in Pattaya, I have stayed at the Residence Garden for years, but the internet is barely useable. I don't think I can stay there anymore...it's just too frustrating. You can have a solid 5 bars to the wireless router, but the connection itself...terrible. I'm going to e-mail Ib about it but really maybe it's expecting too much and perhaps it's too much of a burden for them to improve it.

 

Sorry...I side tracked a little bit.

 

But yes, Internet is VERY important to me and to my two other friends in the USA that often travel with me. I'd say it's 25% of my deciding criteria, which is pretty huge.

[PepeLePew]

Acer travelmate 2420

 

Taken it all over Asia, its old now and i don't keep important stuff on it so if lost or stolen no big deal. I go for long trips and keep in touch with friends and family by internet. It's also good to do my internet banking on my own comp, less chance of hacks or fraud than a public comp.

[Bitch Controller]

Take my laptop everywhere I go to stay in touch with the office. Usually only check emails 2 times a day at certain times so I dont lose touch with anything back home.

[rasdep]

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

 

i have the same its light easy to carry and has a good bat life to i can never stay with out checking my mail and the pat addict forum

[Erasmus]

I did not want to take my main laptop with me. It's big, heavy and ... expensive! But I need to have a range of heavy apps for work.

 

Mostly for kicks, I took a look at my daughter's Acer Aspire One and surprise: This little thing is taking (almost) everything I am throwing at it without slowing down much. 145GB hard drive, that's far more than I will ever need. I was worried about memory, only 1GB vs. 4GB on the big one, but it runs XP, not clunky Vista, so it's like having 2GB under Vista. And all those USB and card slots for my camera SD cards!

 

On the downside, the screen is really small, takes a lot of scrolling around for some apps and gives me a headache after a few hours. But I am not going to Thailand to sit through 4-hour sessions.

 

It will do what I need to do just fine, will fit in most room safes and if I break it/lose it, I can replace it for around US$400.

 

I am buying a 9-cell battery (about US$80), a clamshell with a zipper for $20 and a really ugly looking beach bag with a zipper to carry it around unnoticed.

[Me2995]

I have a Samsung NC10 netbook, it's perfect for holiday use, even at home I find myself prefering it over my desktop with a 22" widescreen.

 

Since I trade stock and forex markets it's a must to be able to wake up and open my pc and check as often as I like during the day. It's a pain when I would have to walk to the internet shop first.

 

Super high speed internet isn't neccesary, but a stable and always available connection is a must.

[dragan316]

Hp Compaq 6735s

 

Always handy to travel with, to check mails, browse & view pictures and movies on the fly.

 

A good speed and stable connection is a must..to receive uninterrupted flow.

 

My recent visit last month to Opey de place aprtment, was really enjoyable, with all facilities.

[villevictor]

Since I study here I have to use my computer. The hotel I'm staying at got a decent WiFi connection which atleast works for some Skype. Bit annoying when we got an e-meeting and Internet is down though.

[duffMaster]

A must , skype, email, Pattya addicts , store photos, see movies, book hotels, do my banking

 

cant live without it

[dnrc]

i'm taking mine because i don't fancy using a computer in an internet cafe, mainly for security reasons but also because i'd rather do it in the comfort of my room.

 

And also to store/review photo's of the trip (read girls) so there are no problems at customs.

 

 

I just wish i had a netbook rather than the 15" job i'm going to have to lug about.

[brg]

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!

 

Thinking of taking laptop next trip but worried it will get nicked by theiving Thai.....maybe I will do what I usually do

pop down to Gullivers and access email etc while having a beer

[Slacker]

...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.

 

Nearly every PC I have used in an internet cafe in Thailand has a full history of sites visited and on occasion still been logged-in to the last site visited. They are most definitely not safe for any secure transactions. I have not brought a laptop on trips before, but last one was last November and I was stranded with dwindling funds in UK bank and no way to check on balance or transfer from account to account. My own laptop would have also saved a lot of hassle when trying to stay in contact with work, family and most importantly...the airline for updates. I'll be taking one this time as everything I need is bookmarked and ready to hand without having to search for a internet cafe or wait for a hotel's free PC to become free, but I can understand why others can do without.

[Erasmus]

I would not access my banking sites directly on a WiFi, even on my own laptop. As I am fortunate to have access to our servers in the US, I set up a remote access "tunnel" to a server, then access the secure banking sites from there. Still not 100% secure that way, but at least one layer safer.

[kundai]

portable apps on a usb stick is the lighest way to travel most uk phones can access internet so you just need to buy a thasi sim for email and forums info sites etc if you must bank or do other security stuff why not carry a unix boot cd and a rewritable dvd for your programs and data atmost internet cafes you can easily read a camera memory card and write it youself in a few minutes

[illuxion]

I'm a geek, I have to be connected regardless of the painfulness of the connection. I usually just bring my little netbook with me as my laptop is a monster. If I can't find wifi I tether to my phone either through cable or wifi and just surf through there. It doesn't matter what the connection is, the net in general is painful as hell in Thailand. The sole thing I like better about being home is my net connection, 18Mb down/5Mb up dsl that I can actually use every ounce of the speed is nice. I'd gladly give up a good network connection to be in Thailand though :(

[dls2580]

i take mine so i get addicts nd find info if i need it

[PepeLePew]

Thinking of taking laptop next trip but worried it will get nicked by theiving Thai.....maybe I will do what I usually do

pop down to Gullivers and access email etc while having a beer

 

Have brought mine every trip for last 6 years, never had a problem, inc trips to Vietnam and Cambodia. It's not worth much now anyway and I don't keep any valuable data on it.

 

 

I would not access my banking sites directly on a WiFi, even on my own laptop. As I am fortunate to have access to our servers in the US, I set up a remote access "tunnel" to a server, then access the secure banking sites from there. Still not 100% secure that way, but at least one layer safer.

 

Hmmm, I'm guessing you wear at least 2 condoms just in case?

[Erasmus]

Have brought mine every trip for last 6 years, never had a problem, inc trips to Vietnam and Cambodia. It's not worth much now anyway and I don't keep any valuable data on it.

 

 

 

 

Hmmm, I'm guessing you wear at least 2 condoms just in case?

Naaah, it's too hard to type that way ... bareback fingers!

[lostagain]

As I have not accumulated enough dollars/baht/yen/pounds to insure my continued supply of food, shelter and other necessities I must continue to meet the obligations to my employer regardless of the time or location. So yes I carry a laptop and reliable high speed internet connection is an absolute necessity.

[Slacker]

I would not access my banking sites directly on a WiFi, even on my own laptop....

 

I understand the inherent risks of wifi use on the road and appreciate that log-on details and passwords are easily 'plucked from the ether' and relatively easy to decipher. However, as I understand it (and I'm willing to concede I may be wrong)...if you access a https site, the data is encrypted end-to-end and is therefore safe.

 

Quote from the Wise Geek - 'It is safe, however, to use free WiFi for accessing sites that provide end-to-end (also called point-to-point) encryption. End-to-end encryption is automatically put in place when visiting a site with an address that starts with https. In this case your browser will encrypt all communication before it leaves your computer, and it will only be decrypted at the destination site. The website likewise encrypts everything from its end, which gets decrypted by your browser. An interloper, whether local or online can still trap passing data packets, but the contents of those packets will be unreadable.'

 

I'd like to hear from those more clued-up than myself in these matters.

[bobbiega]

I take my laptop everywhere, definately it'll come to thailand with me. I never trust any form of shared pc, be it in a hotel lobby or business centre or in an internet cafe. There's just too many people about who're happy to snoop. I'm probably a little ott with it security, but better safe than sorry.

I'll also be bringing my mobile broadband, but I'm not so convinced it'll work (it is meant to apparently!). I prefer wired hotel connections to wireless if at all possible as well.

[lostagain]

>> I'll also be bringing my mobile broadband, but I'm not so convinced it'll work (it is meant to apparently!). <<

 

It will work. At least ti did for me, but the rates that are rebilled from AT&T are scarier than a alley full of pissed off ladyboys.