Pocket surfer 2.

[longjohnsilver]

I'm a complete dinosaur when looking at any sort of technology, my laptop is probably 6+ years old and therefore obsolete.

I keep on hearing about wifi but don't really know what it is. But I would like to find a way of connecting to the net from my boat and I saw this from ]#features]Maplins

Is this the way to go? And if so how do I charge/power it? What else should I consider bearing in mind ease of use and set up is paramount.

 

[Danny_Labrador]

I wonder who the service provider is ? Could it be used outside the UK ?

 

[Moonshiners]

there's 2 ways to get your laptop on line.
1st - a link to a wifi connection, think of it like a short range TV signal, most marina's charge for this, but you basically plug in an "antenna" and if you are within the area of coverage and have the username and password (if required) you can connect through their service.

secondly would be to sign up to something like vodafone or oranges roaming devices, these basically are little things that plug in to your computer and pick up a signal from satalites. and you pay a monthly connection fee just like a mobile phone (although depending on the area they can be slow)

some links:

http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/shop/mobile-broadband/laptop/pay-monthly/t-mobile/usb-modem/overview/

http://www.voyager.bt.com/wireless_devices/voyager_1065/product_info.htm

These either require a USB slot or a card slot.

Persoanlly i don't like those little pda things.

all depends on how much you will use it, but either way it will cost!

Bearing in mind a new laptop from someone like dell can be as little as £300 I would buy a new latop and a mobile boradband device (about £10 per month) from on of the mobile companies (this is what we did for my dad on his boat).

Then you have an endless set of opportunities to also have access to freeview TV, online phone calls, chart plotters etc...

Don't be scared off by it all. a bit of help setting up and you'll be well away.

My dad also restricted techie, now has complete access to his work computer via broadband on his laptop as well as freeview tv for his boat, if he can use it anyone can...

 

[Flossdog]

I work from home and wanted to be able to access my emails and the internet on the boat. I got a Vodafone USB thingy which works through the mobile phone network. Internet speed is acceptable (slow) when not in a 3G area but very fast when I am. It is amazing! I was even sending emails whilst sailing 5 miles off the Welsh coast. Cost is £15 a month which is cheap when it releases me from my office.

 

[dylanwinter]

I have been using a tmobile one - £15 a month - only time it was below 3mb was at Rye when the tide was out. Full 3.6 when the tide is in though. Amazing

Dylan http://uk.youtube.com/user/KeepTurningLeft

 

[nmelton]

You will definitely need a new laptop with USB connections if you want decent mobile broadband and I would second the cheap Dells. From personal experience I think, as others have said, the PDA/mobile surfers are too fiddly and small. Most of the mobile telephone companies now offer the USB dongles that plug into your laptop as described by other forumites above. These provide far better overall coverage than Wi-fi but you will still have this facility on your new laptop anyway should you be in a Wi-fi area.

However to keep the costs down compared to some of the other networks you might like to look at the 3 network if its signal coverage is good in your sailing area. If you have an existing 3 mobile they are offering a free dongle (normally £50 at least) and a half price monthly contract (£5 instead of £10) if you sign up for a year or might be 18 months. OK it's a commitment but you get a 'subsidised' monthly payment and I have been very pleased with the coverage and speed.

Good luck with your investigations,

Rgds, Nigel

 

[Evadne]

I have just ordered one as my birthday present to myself.
At £40 per year it's a lot cheaper than most phone contracts and for £160 it's a damned site cheaper than any vaguely comparable phone, none of which have a screen anywhere as big. It also got rave reviews in the various web sites I found regarding speed of the modem, etc.
The only potential snags, as far as I can see, are (1) if Datawind go belly up and you need to source a new simm card or equivalent. (2) If they up the price ridiculously and (3) it isn't a laptop, i.e. no data storage, mouse, printer or other interconnections.

At that price I can afford it and it's worth a go, it sounds tailor made for receiving weather forecasts on a boat. If I remember, I'll file a report later in the season on how useful it's been.

 

[MarkJohnson12345]

I have a Pocket Surfer linked via Orange.

It works quite well.

Keyboard is crap, difficult to get a sensible message sent.

But it will collect emails quite efficiently. You can surf the web, and visit favorite sites (weather news PBO etc)

Screen is not good resolution, not much good for pictures, also text can be a faint.

Certainly better than nothing, and usually quicker than switching on laptops etc.

Can also read PDF files.

I also use a laptop and an Orange USB stick. This is really the better route to go, as you can email and run tide/navigation programmes etc.

But a bit more expensive.

Pays yer money and takes yer choice I guess.

Mj