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#24 (Click HERE for free subscription information.) ................................................................. Internet Online LapTop Warrior Discussion List I - L-A-P-T-O-P W-A-R-R-I-O-R D-I-G-E-S-T .................................................................. .................................................................. August 18, 1998 Issue # 024 .................................................................. .....IN THIS DIGEST..... // -- NEW -- // Making connections in Portugal ~ Kathleen Buckley Other methods of staying in touch while traveling ~ Joy Jennings European Internet Connection Problems ~ Ed Swoboda Could not connect to AOL ~ Seagulls@aol.com Fax-to-Email services ~ Shari Sommer // -- CONTINUING -- // Web based Email ~ George Liu I didn't say anything about "burned-out" modems ~ henry mensch ============ Sponsor's Message ============ iCallSignal software eliminates long distance phone charges for remote control, mobile users Why pay your ISP by the month while you continue to run up long distance bills by the minute? Why waste time prearranging e-conferences, data transfers, and telecommutes? Now there's iCallSignal, the software that lets you CONNECT a distant, offline computer to the Net, EXCHANGE info, then DISCONNECT it. It's that simple. No advance plans. No long distance costs. Visit http://www.icall.com/road and see why LAN Times says, "It takes the tools with which you're already comfortable and makes them work more cost- effectively." ========= Please Support Our Sponsor ========= // -- N-E-W -- // From: Kathleen Buckley <Winenews@aol.com> Subject: Making connections in Portugal Interesting to read about the Moderator's recent Europe trip sans laptop (see I-Laptop #22). I've considered leaving my laptop home, but never have been brave enough to risk being stuck offline. One of the big problems is how fast the cybercafes come and go, maybe because we're all carrying laptops around. Here's my question: I will be in northern Portugal for the port harvest in the remote Douro Valley, so cybercafes are certainly out and I'll travel with laptop and acoustic coupler. However, does anyone have experience with direct connections to the phone lines -- what adapters I need, what to expect? I've heard stories that make me cringe so I want to be prepared. I'll need to be online briefly, daily (and I am not an acoustic coupler fan). Also if anyone has experience with using UK-based mobile phones in that region, a report and recommendations on range/access would be helpful. Are there any global mobile companies with local/domestic rates by groups of countries (ie Europe) instead of by single country? Cheers, Kathleen Buckley Winenews@aol.com Moderator's comment: I was in Portugal a few years back and took along the appropriate phone-line adapter, one that covers both Denmark and Portugal. I'm not sure I ever used it, though. I found quite the mixture of phone jacks in use. It seemed to matter most where the company was from that built the hotel. So I'd recommend bringing along all your major European country jacks and maybe you'll get lucky. Also, US-style RJ 11 adapters are growing in popularity in Portugal and that is how I made most of my connections. You might also try setting yourself up with a wire with alligator clips on the end so that you can take apart any phone jack you find and connect up to any exposed wires you might find. The basic technique is to connect to two wires and then use a line tester to see if you've got it right. If not, try another combination from the four wires you'll normally find and sooner or later you'll get it. Then you're free to dial. We haven't talked much about this technique on I-Laptop Warrior, but it is pretty versatile. It won't work on pay phones or digital lines, but otherwise it can usually eliminate the need for acoustic couplers. ~ Bob Lawson ++++ next post - new topic ++++ From: Joy Jennings <joy_jennings@pagenet.com> Subject: Other methods of staying in touch while traveling I saw your moderator, Bob Lawson, quoted in today's Dallas Morning News, which prompted me to send this info along to the I-Laptop list. We are currently launching PageNet Two-Way, a service that provides wireless email in the US in a lightweight device about the size of a deck of cards (but a little fatter). Many business travelers enjoy the compact device, which may be worn on a belt or carried in a purse. Two-Way subscribers can send and receive Internet email, send and receive pages from other two-way users, and send messages to one-way alphanumeric users. With Two-Way service, you can also send group messages, get news updates and stock quotes and maintain an address book within the device. The device utilizes a small QWERTY keyboard. A wide range of service levels are available to fit individual usage, and the unit is available for purchase or lease-to-own. More information is available at: http://www.pagenet.com. We are also partnered with Iridium to offer global paging later this fall through their constellation of satellites. Joy Jennings PageNet joy_jennings@pagenet.com ++++ next post - new topic ++++ From: Ed Swoboda <ESwoboda@aol.com> Subject: European Internet Connection Problems I spent three weeks in central Europe (Italy, Austria and Germany) in May traveling in both large and small cities. I did not stay in big-name business-oriented hotels. The major problem I encountered was a simple inability to connect. Virtually all telephones were hard wired (receiver to handset and receiver to wall). I had a collection of country specific connectors and plugs , but they were all worthless. The only thing that saved me was an acoustic coupler. While the connections may not have been very fast, at least the acoustic coupler worked. Another suggestion: If you plan to use an acoustic coupler, practice using it before you go in the road. Ed Swoboda ESwoboda@aol.com ++++ next post - new topic ++++ From: Seagulls@aol.com Subject: Could not connect to AOL Stopped in Detroit and in Hong Kong and tried to get on AOL with a Mac laptop, but could not. Man next to me with a PC using the same phone number had no problem. My Mac worked well the rest of the trip, in Thailand and across the US. Any one have any idea why I had these problems? Thanks, seagulls@aol.com ++++ next post - new topic ++++ From: Shari Sommer <sommer@faxsav.com> Subject: Fax-to-Email services I recently read the article on the Roadnews.com web site about fax-to-email providers, and I would like to inform you about a service that our company, FaxSav, offers. FaxCourier is a fax-to-email service that delivers messages to a user's email inbox as TIFF attachments. Users can read their faxes with multi-page TIFF viewing software, which comes standard with most computers and is available for free or at low cost for download on the Internet. FaxSav offers toll-free or local area codes (currently, there are New York and New Jersey area codes, but users can obtain a local number regardless of where they are located). FaxCourier enables users to read their email whether they're in the office or on the road; receiving faxes is as simple as opening one's email inbox. FaxCourier is available for a $12.00 monthly fee, and corporate discounts are available for groups of 50 or more users. More information about FaxCourier and FaxSav's other Internet fax services is available at http://www.faxsav.com Thank you. Shari Sommer sommer@faxsav.com // -- C-O-N-T-I-N-U-I-N-G -- // From: George Liu <gyliu@u.washington.edu> Subject: Web based email I wanted to add some comments about using web based email while on the road (see Moderator Corner, I-Laptop #22). I signed up for a MAILEXCITE account before leaving for Europe with the idea of sending emails with attached photographic (JPEG) files taken with my digital camera without being burdened with a laptop. The plan didn't work as expected for several reasons. First, some of the cyber cafes which I visited did not allow the use of diskettes (my camera was a Sony Mavica which writes files directly onto diskettes; the cost of the storage media is essentially nothing and the transfer of JPEG files from camera to PC is probably the most convenient of any digital camera). One place in particular, the public library in the Chelsea borough of London, had coin-operated PCs each of which had a locked insert in the diskette drive to prevent anyone from inserting a diskette. Second, the MAILEXCITE service did not function as expected. When I logged on to my account MAILEXCITE displayed a message that stated that I would be logged off automatically after 90 minutes of inactivity. Since I was paying for every minute of use on the computers I was well aware of how much time had passed. It seemed that I was being logged off 20 minutes after having logged onto the system. This did not give me enough time to write a short email and load a half dozen JPEG files. I was really disappointed in not being able to send almost live pictures back to the states. My recommendation is to thoroughly test the web based email service before you become dependent on it. On another matter, I brought back nearly 100 diskettes filled with JPEG files in my check-in luggage. These diskettes were scanned by three different airport x-ray machines. I have looked at most of the images, and my conclusion is that the x-ray machines did not affect the diskettes. Just to protect myself against a disaster, I copied these diskettes onto two ZIP disks and mailed them to myself a day before flying back to the States. George Y. Liu Dept. of Comparative Medicine University of Washington Seattle, Washington (206) 685 - 3255 ++++ next post - new topic ++++ From: henry mensch <henry@q.com> Subject: I didn't say anything about "burned-out" modems In I-Laptop #22, it was written: >In response to Henry Mensch's post concerning his burnt-out modem >(I-Laptop >#20), instead of carrying a spare PCMCIA modem (cost $99 >to $299), I have a better suggestion. Use the new Modem Saver Plus >or Modem Saver International made by our company, Road Warrior. The truth is that in fact, my modem *wasn't* burned ... turns out that it failed from being removed from the laptop unexpectedly. It has been reset and, in fact, I'm using it right now... henry mensch / <henry@q.com> http://www.q.com/henry/ ------------------------------------------------------------------ Send suggestions and comments to mailto:editor@roadnews.com ---------- End of I-LapTop Warrior Digest -------------- Subject: Funny phones in Switzerland and France |
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