Technologically inept person needs laptop for travel. Please help!

[nwoods]

The Macbook air sounds great, but they're out of my price range.

Remember that iPad's are not stand alone devices. Meaning, you will want a heavy duty case (like the Lifeproof case), a bluetooth keyboard, and then apps to run on it, plus the additional warranty. Plus, if you want to use it for GPS, you will either need to buy a GPS puck to plug into it, or buy the cellular equipped models with the built in GPS chip. At the end of the day, the iPad is not that much cheaper than the MacBookAir...which has all the software you need already.

Keep in mind also that Apple has a refurbished product store for ipads, MBA's, etc...
- MBA: http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/macbook_air/13
- ipads: http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/ipad

 

[xbox73]

Check out this link! iPad in Baja 1000

http://www.apple.com/ipad/life-on-ipad/gearing-up-for-the-win/

You notice they still had their trusty Lowrance GPSs (large on co-driver's side, beneath iPad, small on driver's side - off) installed? I wonder which GPSs they really used for the race. The Lowrance GPSs are ruggedized & purpose-designed for topo mapping & trail running, and have e.g. 10Hz external antennas. If using a tablet's internal GPS that only updates once per second, instead of 10 times per second, it's pretty easy to outrun it in a Tropy Truck & miss a turn or caution, though 10Hz Bluetooth GPS accessories do exist. Not saying that a tablet is poor choice for the OP or a casual user, but I think a bit of artistic license was probably used for that promo ad.

 

[Cole]

You notice they still had their trusty Lowrance GPSs (large on co-driver's side, beneath iPad, small on driver's side - off) installed? I wonder which GPSs they really used for the race. The Lowrance GPSs are ruggedized & purpose-designed for topo mapping & trail running, and have e.g. 10Hz external antennas. If using a tablet's internal GPS that only updates once per second, instead of 10 times per second, it's pretty easy to outrun it in a Tropy Truck & miss a turn or caution, though 10Hz Bluetooth GPS accessories do exist. Not saying that a tablet is poor choice for the OP or a casual user, but I think a bit of artistic license was probably used for that promo ad.

Yeah, probably true!

I've done pretty extensive motorcycle travel and have adapted over the years from paper to GPS. While living off the bike for 6 months I had and Android phone, Apple iPad and eventually added a Garmin 650t dedicated GPS.

Long story short! None of them are perfect! They all have critical errors!


The most bang for the buck useful tool of all of them has been the iPad though, by a wide margin!


A view of my office and morning coffee! Notice that there is still a paper map in the tank bag!

 

[zoblo]

what about netbook?

Seems like with the popularity of tablets for their small size, netbooks have been cast aside. I have toshiba netbook NB505-N500BL and love it. Take it for traveling over my tablet if I need to do any typing at all. It's small, fits on an airplane table with room to spare,slips into my day pack easily, runs 8 plus hours on a charge, inexpensive, and best of all has a great keyboard. I never could never type more than a short e-mail on my tablet without getting frustrated. Only downside is it does not have a built in dvd/cd drive, but can always buy a portable one for when needed. I really don't find it an issue not having one. Good luck with your making a decision.

 

[zoblo]

oops on the netbook

Should have called it a notebook and another plus, it's light.

 

[robert]

I'm still using a ProLink Glee UW2 (typing on it right now in fact). The netbooks have fallen out of favor, but I much prefer them to a tablet since I do a decent amount of typing on it. This one has been carted around the world in a daypack, ridden around several SE Asian countries on the back of various dualsports and scooters (in it's neoprene sleeve, wrapped in clothes and inside a waterproof duffel bungees to the seat), used on a RAM mount in my Tacoma and VW bus, flies on helicopters out to oil rigs, etc. With my luck it'll die now that I've bragged on it, but so far it's held up like a champ.

Lately I've been carrying a Samung Tab 3 8" along with it, and while it has some advantages, I hate typing on the thing. Another advantage of the netbook is that it has an ethernet port; there are still lots of places out there that don't have wifi- the budget hotel I stayed in last week in Perth for example.

 

[Cole]

I'm still using a ProLink Glee UW2 (typing on it right now in fact). The netbooks have fallen out of favor, but I much prefer them to a tablet since I do a decent amount of typing on it. This one has been carted around the world in a daypack, ridden around several SE Asian countries on the back of various dualsports and scooters (in it's neoprene sleeve, wrapped in clothes and inside a waterproof duffel bungees to the seat), used on a RAM mount in my Tacoma and VW bus, flies on helicopters out to oil rigs, etc. With my luck it'll die now that I've bragged on it, but so far it's held up like a champ.

Lately I've been carrying a Samung Tab 3 8" along with it, and while it has some advantages, I hate typing on the thing. Another advantage of the netbook is that it has an ethernet port; there are still lots of places out there that don't have wifi- the budget hotel I stayed in last week in Perth for example.

Apps, apps, apps, apps......

...keyboard cases and built in cellular! Posting from an iPad right now sitting in a VW van with no wifi or cable in sight:coffeedrink:



Edit:

For those that think they must have a keyboard, you can buy keyboard cases that work just like a laptop! AND pull it out of the case and use it as a tablet when you want. (Reading at night in a tent for example)


Quick image I stole off the net of an iPad air (9.7" retina display which is much better for those of you that like to read a lot or do photos) and some add on keyboard case!

Its a bit hard to express how much more portable an iPad air is than a MacBook Air. The iPad for example fits in the rear pocket of my motorcycle jacket. (Or tucked into the back of my pants when I need a free hand)

 

[robert]

While there are a few apps I see as useful (I actually have some of the mapping, currency converter and language apps on my tablet and my phone), most of them I have no need of and I hate the fact that most are collecting data on me; I'm just old school like that.

I'm posting from an oil rig an hour and half by helicopter off the coast of Broome, WA, Australia (Prelude Project). Yeah, I'm cheating since we have satellite comms (Rignet), wifi, etc.

 

[haven]

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/asus-10...gray/1846005.p?id=1219066204580&skuId=1846005

Best Buy is selling a 32GB Asus gadget that might work well for a traveller. It's the Asus Transformer T100, a tablet plus keyboard device that runs Windows 8.1. Price for the 32 GB model is $299, with a $25 Microsoft Windows Store credit. The T100 includes a copy of Microsoft Office Student edition. While 32 GB is a bit light for a Windows machine, the T100 has an SD slot for memory expansion.

note that the T100 is WiFi only, and lacks GPS capability. I don't know for sure, but it's likely some third party has created a utility program to link tablets that meet the Surface Pro design standard (like the T100) to a smart phone for 4G and GPS services.