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So this morning I turned on the little red netbook and began a several hour struggle to get it to behave. No luck. So unless I can find a store on the way down at which to buy something that will give me internet access at WorldCon, I’m out of communication until I return from there next week.
Absence of posts, tweets, etc. means nothing except that I didn’t find a replacement I wanted. No need to worry. But for any of you going to WorldCon, you’ll pretty much have to hunt me down.
I was hoping for an easy departure, smooth trip, early arrival. Not happening.
Comment by Wickersham's Conscience — August 28, 2013 @ 11:23 pm
Time for an iPad, Elizabeth. Take time in the Big City to visit the MacStore and have one of the Helpful Young Persons show you how it works.
Comment by iphinome — August 29, 2013 @ 12:16 am
@Wickersham’s Conscience or save $300 and get a nexus 7 😛
@Lady Moon have a wonderful time at worldcon.
Comment by Annabel — August 29, 2013 @ 3:16 am
Not an iPad – a Kindle Fire, which doubles as a Kindle at need, and has an android-based operating system, which is infinitely better than anything Crapple can produce.
Doesn’t replace my Kindle, but is an excellent addition to it!
Comment by Sharidann — August 29, 2013 @ 6:44 am
I must chime in and be product neutral for a change.
I strongly recommand getting a tablet. It is really awesome for surfing and emailing.
I use one tablet to write also, combined with one of those nifty logitech keyboards, it is very practical. (The keyboard thingie, I know works with the brand Annabel can’t stand, my knowledge of other brands is much more limited).
Comment by Julia Coldren-Walker — August 29, 2013 @ 6:57 am
I would suggest Del XPS 12 its a net book with a screen that rotates to be a tablet. 64 G solid state hard drive gives plenty of room have word process, PowerPoint as well as over 300 e-books and 100 albums and still not even half full.
Julia
Comment by Linda — August 29, 2013 @ 8:48 am
I too use an iPad for travel and its Kindle app for reading in bed at home. It takes photos and videos, and connects to the Internet. Travel in Europe with a phone proved to be a real pest. I also liked that I could go to almost anywhere and find an Apple store. A Kindle book on how to use it travels on it if I suddenly want to do something I never thought about before. My cover has the built in keyboard, so typing is easy.
Two cents from someone for whom ease when traveling is really important. Hope you have a great World Con.
Comment by Kathleen — August 29, 2013 @ 9:50 am
I vote you should get a tablet too (but never expect it replace your laptop) for email, internet, and books. I’ve become an iPad fan.
Comment by Mike D — August 29, 2013 @ 12:23 pm
I think you aren’t an Apple person, neither iElizabeth nor iMoon so you would resent the iPad walled garden.
I would suggrst a Nexus tablet even though I have a Kindle Fire myself. My sister sent hers back (and got a Nexus) since she couldn’t stand the Amazon bias and advertising.
Comment by GinnyW — August 29, 2013 @ 7:53 pm
My netbook does work well either. Since I am considering replacing it with a tablet, I welcome all this advice. Thank you, folks.
Comment by Moira — August 29, 2013 @ 11:05 pm
Hmmm. The choice of device should be dictated by the planned usage. If all you want is internet access while travelling, a smartphone is perfect. A tablet will work terrifically if you’re averse to smartphones or want a bigger screen / want to watch movies on the plane / train (but beware the required internet plan specific to the tablet, over & above your existing services – that’s what puts me off). If you ever want to do anything involving a fair amount of typing – working on a book, blog posts, or even a load of email or comments – then I would think a netbook or small laptop is the way to go. Much typing = need for a keyboard. At least until speech recognition is Star Trek smart.
Elizabeth – good luck getting a new toy!
Comment by Jaimison Karp — August 30, 2013 @ 12:42 am
Elizabeth… i have a question which i hope you have the time and ability to answer. I just heard about a collection coming out from Baen with a Paks(world?) story included in it. The collection is called “Shattered Shields”. I was unable to find an easy way to search your blog for information on this.. It there anything you can point me (us) to regarding this story or can you say if this is a story about Paks or is it a work that coincides with the current focus of your paksworld novels?
Comment by Sharidann — August 30, 2013 @ 1:08 am
One thing – not sure whether Europe specific – but in Germany and France, in most hotels in big cities and even small cities, you have free Wifi access, which is really nice, as you don’t need to have a 3G or 4G version of a tablet with the phone company contract tied to it.
When I need to send some longer emails on the pad for emergencies, I use my iphone as modem so that I can have the writing comfort of the Ipad without the hassle of higher price and phone company contract.
Comment by Jonathan Schor — August 30, 2013 @ 1:11 pm
On the other hand, you could use this trip as a vacation from the internet. While you might find a pile of messages waiting when you get home, it is nice to just be able to get away from it all.
Comment by Suburbanbanshee — August 30, 2013 @ 5:36 pm
Just go to Walmart or an office store or a computer store and tell them to hook you up with a netbook.
Comment by ellen — August 30, 2013 @ 10:15 pm
I can really recommend Samsung Galaxy tablets! Use mine for everything! Although it got competition this week as I got a new smartphone which can also do everything, some things even better than the tab actually. And of course I have Kindle on both (think I have about a hundred books on the tablet, though I make sure I use a prepaid credit card so i don’t get any nasty shocks on my credit card statement at the end of the month). But anyway, I like how portable a tablet is, and mine did work with my sister’s roll up keyboard thingy from apple (we love Annabel’s term, my husband can’t stand Apple either).
Comment by Lise — September 1, 2013 @ 12:53 pm
I am happy with my Kobo tablet. Enough places have WiFi for checking e-mail on the road.
Comment by pjm — September 3, 2013 @ 12:26 pm
I know this is too late for the trip, but I strongly agree with @Moira (post 10). Decide what is important first. Size/weight? Battery life? Full-sized keyboard? Connecting to things? Networks/Internet? Cost? Staying with what you know? Fixing what you hated with the old one?
I hope you enjoyed Worldcon, and that the new toy is also a useful tool.
Peter
Comment by elizabeth — September 3, 2013 @ 9:30 pm
I wasn’t here when this question came in. (WorldCon, and as mentioned, no internet access because of old netbook’s refusal to untangle its innards.) This is one of the two Paksworld stories I’ve mentioned in the past month. The story is “First Blood” and it is a Paksworld story, but not a Paks story. It is set in the same time as the new Paksworld books, and in fact is set during Crown of Renewal, the book due in May 2014, though it does not spoiler anything in it. (And yes, that required some careful work.)
Comment by Richard — September 11, 2013 @ 6:03 am
Belated reply to #11 (Jaimison Karp) – the easy way to search this blog is from outside, with Google. For illustration, try searching now on keywords:
Paksworld Shattered Shields