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General => Technical Help => Topic started by: sue 1950 on Monday 13 August 12 20:50 BST (UK)
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I have a laptop and I have seen people with small laptops when I am on holiday, I am looking for something that gets me on the net also I want to add my family history programme on, something Wi Fi ? what is the difference between I pad Notebook and a tablet? I am a bit confused with all of these.
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Laptops are basically scaled-down computers with a built-in screen and keyboard, with a battery to give them portability. All modern laptops have wi-fi.
Netbooks are very small versions of laptops, often with reduced functionality. They are, as the name suggests, primarily designed for accessing the internet whilst on the move. Nearly all have wi-fi.
Tablets are devices with a screen which can be anything from 4 inches (100mm) to 11 inches (280mm). They usually have a touch screen, and no keyboard. The most popular tablets are the Apple Ipad and the Samsung Galaxy. Most tablets have wi-fi, and some tablets have the ability to have a phone SIM inserted, which gives them access to the internet from just about anywhere. Tablets have varying levels of functionality, and you should search the internet for more information on this, if you feel that it is important to you.
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Thanks Nick
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Note, with tablets, you won't be able to install you usual family history software. There are some FH apps (programs) which you can download specifically for tablets but they vary in functionality, you will need to adapt to them.
You won't be able to print from a tablet unless you have a wifi printer or you have set up your home printer on a home network. Tablets do not have USB ports which reduce their functionality but they can be used as a reader like a kindle and are fun and easy to transport. They are faster than a NetBook.
Battery time is about 10 hours of full use which is more than a laptop or NetBook.
Netbooks do not have a CD/DVD drive but you can attach a portable drive via the USB port. The screen is about the same size as a tablet screen (10ins). They are heavier than a tablet. Forgot to add, you can transfer you FH program by copying the program from the cd to a USB stick to install on a NetBook.
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I have used a net book for some time when out an about, on holiday etc. I also bought an external CD drive to load software etc. Cost less than £300 in total and I really like it.
It has Wi Fi, Bluetooth and I also have a separate internet dongle for times when Wi Fi not available,
I have just upgraded my phone within the last 3 days to a Samsung Galaxy Ace2 and, becoming aware I could , have downloaded Ancestry and managed to log onto my account, so will be interested to see how this works in practice for those occasions when I might come across something when I don't have my netbook with me.
Mavals
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You need to consider the FH program first. If you have invested a lot of time in building up your database you need to ensure that you can use it on the new device.
A netbook running Windows 7 may be the first thing to look at. But if your existing laptop is using an old version of Windows you may have problems getting the FH program to work on your new device. So it would be useful to know the FH program and your existing operating system.
Ken
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Also, using Wi-fi abroad can be very expensive although recent EU legislation has limited it (to a maximum charge of fifty euros per day I think)!! :o
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Really? do you have to pay then if you use it abroad, I thought you could take your laptop in a wifi place and go on the net?
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I know it costs money if you are on the phone abroad to get on the net didn't think you had to pay on laptop.
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There is a service for laptops available - 'pay as you go' with a dongle!
See most service providers for info.
Brian
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When abroad don't use a dongle with a British 3G sim, that's when you incur high charges it might not even work abroad depends on where you are going, using hotel wifi usually incurs a charge from £10-20 per day, check to see if your hotel offers free Internet before you book. Otherwise go and have a coffee at one of the international coffee shops, they offer free Internet. Heathrow wifi is very expensive £5 per hour! use your British dongle here but airports in other countries may or may not charge, it depends on where you go.
You may possibly be able to buy a 3G sim in the country you are visiting, but most 3G sims abroad are contract only or extremely expensive. In the USA for example, you have to provide proof of permanent address to purchase a sim :-\
Also don't leave your 3G phone or tablet on roaming whilst abroad it will drain your balance in less than a blink of an eye :o :o :o most people only find this out when they either can't connect or come home to an enormous bill if on contract, hence the EU legislation.
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I have an iPhone 3s. When I'm travelling, I switch off everything but the phone to keep preserve the battery charge. When I'm abroad, I always switch off "roaming" (i.e. 3G) and only once purchased some wifi and found that 5Mb of data lasted almost no time at all.
I'm with T-Mobile and as an example. you can see their overseas data costs here:
http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/shop/mobile-broadband/euro-broadband-booster/
Modern websites are so much larger than they use to be so they will use up Megabytes of data very quickly indeed.
If you're staying in the UK, you can purchase a "dongle" which, usually, looks like a USB stick and these are a lot more reasonable.
OR
You can try a survive the genealogical withdrawal symptoms and actually communicate with the rest of the family :-X
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Take a look at Trustive - http://www.trustive.co.uk/
They have wifi access in 130 countries. There are several different plans available - if you're only going to be using it on holiday they have pre-paid plans for 2 days, 1 week, or 1 month (from £12 to £29). They also have monthly plans for more frequent travellers. They also give you a program to put on your laptop/tablet/smartphone which finds the nearest wifi hotspots for you. They also do wifi + 3G accounts.
If you are a BT or Sky Broadband user, you may also have free access to wifi hotspots, but these are limited to the UK only.
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If you are a BT Internet user you have free access to WiFi hotspots throughout the EU. You just connect to a FON hotspot using your BT Internet username & password. You may have a limit on the minutes you can use, it depends on your BT package.
Often the cheapest way to use 3G overseas is to buy a Pay As You Go SIM when you get there on a local carrier. This is certainly true outside the EU. In places like Japan it can sometimes be the only way.
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Really? do you have to pay then if you use it abroad, I thought you could take your laptop in a wifi place and go on the net?
Yes you can - if it's free access. It works the same as in the UK. For example, go to a MacDonalds and you get free wifi. Go to cafes or bars offering free wifi and you may have to get a password from behaind the bar when you buy something but you can log on for free. Depending upon which country you're in, sit outside a public library and log on to their wifi for free. However, if you don't have access to free wifi (ie there's none in range) you may want to consider buying a Dongle and paying-as-you-go, but beware, if you are outside 3G network coverage you might not get onto the net at all >:( You can also pay-as-you-go without a dongle at many locations such as airports, shopping centres etc. Confusing isn't it! ;D
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Take a look at Trustive - http://www.trustive.co.uk/
They have wifi access in 130 countries. There are several different plans available - if you're only going to be using it on holiday they have pre-paid plans for 2 days, 1 week, or 1 month (from £12 to £29). They also have monthly plans for more frequent travellers. They also give you a program to put on your laptop/tablet/smartphone which finds the nearest wifi hotspots for you. They also do wifi + 3G accounts.
If you are a BT or Sky Broadband user, you may also have free access to wifi hotspots, but these are limited to the UK only.
But the trustive sim costs £55 plus £12 delivery before you even buy airtime :o for one off short trips abroad, I'd rather go and have a coffee or bar...not sure free wifi is enough to get me into a McDs :P
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Take a look at Trustive - http://www.trustive.co.uk/
They have wifi access in 130 countries. There are several different plans available - if you're only going to be using it on holiday they have pre-paid plans for 2 days, 1 week, or 1 month (from £12 to £29). They also have monthly plans for more frequent travellers. They also give you a program to put on your laptop/tablet/smartphone which finds the nearest wifi hotspots for you. They also do wifi + 3G accounts.
If you are a BT or Sky Broadband user, you may also have free access to wifi hotspots, but these are limited to the UK only.
But the trustive sim costs £55 plus £12 delivery before you even buy airtime :o for one off short trips abroad, I'd rather go and have a coffee or bar...not sure free wifi is enough to get me into a McDs :P
Nothing is enough to get me in to a McDs....
It is always worth contacting your supplier for advice on the cheapest options. Several years ago ( Pre 3g) I was going to Canada with my mobile for the first time and contacted my supplier. I was advised it was cheaper to send a MMS with text attached rather than just send a text.... and it was! I sent my husband a daily message updating him about our trip.
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Nothing would make me eat in a MacDonalds either, but I'm happy to sit in their carpark and get free wifi ;D ;D ;D
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Take a look at Trustive - http://www.trustive.co.uk/
They have wifi access in 130 countries. There are several different plans available - if you're only going to be using it on holiday they have pre-paid plans for 2 days, 1 week, or 1 month (from £12 to £29). They also have monthly plans for more frequent travellers. They also give you a program to put on your laptop/tablet/smartphone which finds the nearest wifi hotspots for you. They also do wifi + 3G accounts.
If you are a BT or Sky Broadband user, you may also have free access to wifi hotspots, but these are limited to the UK only.
But the trustive sim costs £55 plus £12 delivery before you even buy airtime :o for one off short trips abroad, I'd rather go and have a coffee or bar...not sure free wifi is enough to get me into a McDs :P
The prices I quoted were for wi-fi access, which you don't need a SIM for. When I went to Tenerife a few years ago I had a Trustive account, and I used it in several wi-fi hot spots on the island, as well as in the departure lounge at Stansted Airport.