jupe Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 Anyone tried using a pocketsurfer in Europe. Have seen several adverts for these gadgets lately, apparently they enable you to send e-mails and surf the net etc for the one off payment for the pocketsurfer. I had a look on the internet for further info and gather that you need to pay an extra amount to use in Europe but am wondering how well it would work. Unfortunately my laptop does not have built in wifi, we were away 6 mths on our last trip (France, Spain & Portugal) and I managed by using internet cafes (not so many about these days) and campsite facilities (some seemed very expensive). We will be doing more in the way or touring for our next trip, Italy, Germany some bits of Eastern Europe so quite a wide range. I know I could buy a wifi card for my laptop but is this the most economical and easiest thing to do. There are so many systems around now for keeping in touch - too many options maybe - that I'm confused - husband just said "well what's new" but he doesn't even know how to turn the computer on!!! Any thoughts/advice from those in the know would be appreciated. Jupeter currently based in Basingstoke in the rain but soon to be searching for the sun. Jupeter *-) *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philman Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 I use a PCMCIA card in my laptop. Quite a few campsites are now providing either free or quite reasonably priced wireless facilities. When the signal is particularly weak ( usually if the pitch is quite a way from Reception ) I use a Hawking dish which can capture signals several hundred meters away. It has 8 times the sensitivity of a normal wireless card. Phil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 Or an Archos which is a brilliant bit of kit, now with wi-fi http://www.archos.com/products/gen_5/index.html?country=gb&lang=en Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankkia Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 i agree re the archos. i amreplying to this on mine. it is agood bit of kit and gr8 for m/homers as it can hold several thousand photos plus loads of music and can even record from your sky freeview etc box so you can take lots of movies with you. the wifi needs a decent signal but i have gone on line from my neighbours wifi which is about 100yds away so not bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Globetrotter Posted November 22, 2007 Share Posted November 22, 2007 I have a Pocketsurfer. It will work anywhere an Orange mobile (Or roaming other) signal can be received. I use an Orange mobile and have never had a problem abroad so am confident it will work. The drawback is that the roaming charge for the Pocketsurfer is £17.99 per hour !! When I bought it, I was told £7.99, but apparently the deal had not been agreed then and was unachievable. It is a great bit of kit, but this is a drawback if you spend a lot of time abroad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel E Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 The cheapest way of converting your existing laptop and avoiding having to carry yet another piece of kit is, as has been said, to buy a PCMCIA wireless network card. I have a Belkin which seems to work well. You can now also buy a wireless device that plugs into a Type 2 USB port and does the same thing. Whist you're at it why not also get a USB TV card - about £20 for digital only and just over twice as much if you want analogue only. BEWARE though: Unless you have a failrly recent laptop (say less than 5 years if it was originally a well-up-the-range model or 3 years if down market, and one that's running at least XP SP2, you'll probebly find it cheaper to upgrade to a laptop that has all these things plus a DVD re-writer so you can watch DVDs or listen to CDs as well, download all your digital photos and video from your cameras and back them up onto DVD, AND ALL WITH JUST THE ONE CARRY CASE! About £450 will buy you a new laptop with all these things and enough power to enable youn to do video editing as well. Mel E ==== Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jupe Posted November 24, 2007 Author Share Posted November 24, 2007 Yes this was my way of thinking but then got side tracked by various people we've met when travelling away who sem to have all sorts of gadgets that I'd never heard of - maybe I'll just stick to what I can understand!!! :-> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SID RAT Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 This is a question for Mel E. Can you tell me where you got the USB plug in device for your laptop? It sounds exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 The USB WiFi units are available anywhere that sells computer equipment and have been available for years. PC World keep them for instance. Bas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SID RAT Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 Thanks for that Bas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 Just trying out the Pocket Surfer 2. At the price it is a smart bit of kit, especially for when mobile. Expect it will be la lot ess of a security risk than a Laptop, as it is truly Pocket sized and easily hidden away. I even managed to get a signal & access the Internet, where everyone was having difficulties with their mobile signal. (deep in a steep valley) Downsides I have found so far, are:- A - it currently does not support "hotmail" e-mails B - misses some pictures from the website, but this may be to do with the website,s picture format, as it does load the majority. Should be useful for accessing Camping Sites via the internet,when touring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twooks Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 at the moment - nothing seems to support Hotmail e-mails - been nothing but bother since their last upgrade B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 jupe - 2007-11-21 9:25 PM Anyone tried using a pocketsurfer in Europe. Have seen several adverts for these gadgets lately, apparently they enable you to send e-mails and surf the net etc for the one off payment for the pocketsurfer. I had a look on the internet for further info and gather that you need to pay an extra amount to use in Europe but am wondering how well it would work. Unfortunately my laptop does not have built in wifi, we were away 6 mths on our last trip (France, Spain & Portugal) and I managed by using internet cafes (not so many about these days) and campsite facilities (some seemed very expensive). We will be doing more in the way or touring for our next trip, Italy, Germany some bits of Eastern Europe so quite a wide range. I know I could buy a wifi card for my laptop but is this the most economical and easiest thing to do. There are so many systems around now for keeping in touch - too many options maybe - that I'm confused - husband just said "well what's new" but he doesn't even know how to turn the computer on!!! Any thoughts/advice from those in the know would be appreciated. Jupeter currently based in Basingstoke in the rain but soon to be searching for the sun. Jupeter *-) *-) I was very interested in one of these, really seemed to answer most situations. However the one sticking point is that it works through Datawinds servers, so no Datawind one totally useless gadget that can do nothing else at all. According to some industry sources there is doubt that Datawinds financial model (relating to this) stands up, therefore it is totally feasable that this could become a dead and very useless duck. Beware! Bas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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