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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

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October 24, 1998 Issue # 032
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.....IN THIS DIGEST.....


// -- NEW -- //

Emailing home photos from a digital camera
~ Neil McKechnie

Laptops & airport security
~ Ray Kienle

Use of Email on cruise ships
~ Frank

Going online during Middle East travels
~ David L Cole

Using a fax as a printer
~ Marilyn Stinnett

Laptop for video editing
~ Vincent Malmgren


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// -- MODERATOR COMMENT -- //

Lots of fascinating new posts in this week's I-Laptop Warrior. I
must say that moderating this discussion list is one of the most
rewarding things that I do. I've always enjoyed being in
publishing, first in print and now electronic, but nothing has
brought me as close to the "reader" as this list. There's no other
form of communication that can do this.

As the number of subscribers to this list has grown, obviously the
number and variety of posts has also grown. I wonder if you all
might be willing to help in the continued growth of this discussion
list. Can you think of a few friends or colleagues who might be
interested in subscribing? If so, why not forward them this issue
of the list with a note from you? There are instructions on how to
signup at the bottom of every issue, or people can always signup at
http://www.roadnews.com. There is no charge, of course, to signup
for the list.



// -- N-E-W -- //

From: "McKechnie, Neil" <neil.mckechnie@intel.com>
Subject: Emailing home photos form a digital camera

I'll be backpacking extensively in all of Europe for six months
next year. I am trying to limit what I carry (size and weight). I
will be carrying a GSM phone (good for emergencies, booking hotels
on the fly, etc), and a digital camera.

My main concerns are 1) keeping regular email contact with friends
back home, and 2) sending and receiving digital pictures. My first
choice would be to just go to a cybercafe occasionally, and do
email and photo transfers there. However, I'm worried that the
cybercafe's may disable use of the floppy drive in the interest of
security (mainly viruses). Do you have a sense of if this is true?
If they don't, then problem solved.

If they do disable the floppy drives, my next choice would be to
carry a Windows CE handheld, and connect to the net and my digital
camera through it. This introduces a new concern, namely that I
don't want to carry all the required phone jack converters for many
different countries to make sure I can connect my modem. (If I did
this, my backpack would surely be way too heavy and stuffed with
digital toys, and not enough room for basic essentials).

So, I would want to connect the handheld to the GSM phone for
Internet access. My problem there is that most phones seem to
target their connectivity to Win95 machines, not WinCE.

Hopefully you can see my dilemma. Any help you can offer would be
greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Neil
neil.mckechnie@intel.com


Moderator's Note:

Do you already have the digital camera. I don't own one, but I
understand that they allow transfer of photos to a computer in
different ways. If you purchase one that connects via one of the
computer's ports, you may be able to get around the "disabled
floppy" problem at Internet Cafes. However, cafe owners may have
other reasons for not wanting you to play with their ports, such as
the possible need to reboot the computer.

I don't know what portion of cafes have disabled their floppies.
By definition, all the Internet Cafes have Email, so if you have
some idea of your itinerary, why don't you Email ahead and ask. At
least you could get a sampling of responses to see what you're up
against.

I know there are people on the list that can offer additional
information and hope that a few of them will speak up.

~ Moderator Bob


++++ next post - new topic ++++

From: Ray Kienle <rkom@rkom.com>
Subject: Laptops & airport security

My owners manual for my Acer Extensa 367T says not to allow the
computer to go through the Xray machines at the airport. For speed
(most of the time) I would prefer to send the laptop through the
Xray conveyor (in a cushioned carrying case). Also, I have seen
many other people send theirs computers through the Xray conveyor.
Can the Xrays damage my computer?

Ray Kienle


++++ next post - new topic ++++

From: Frank <frankcpa@ptd.net>
Subject: Use of Email on cruise ships

I would like to take my laptop on my cruise. Is there a way to get
Email and send fax from the ship?

Frank
frankcpa@ptd.net


Moderator's Note:

This is something that we've discussed several times here on
I-Laptop Warrior. The high and low if it is that it can't be done
practically or affordably. Ship-to-shore radio isn't good enough
and is quite expensive. There are also new satellite systems
becoming available, but they are new and hugely expensive.

As an alternative, you can go online while in port. You might try
seeing if there are internet cafes where you will be ashore. Sorry.

~ Moderator Bob


++++ next post - new topic ++++

From: "David L Cole" <david_l_cole@email.mobil.com>
Subject: Going online during Middle East travels

Does anyone travel the Middle East and have successful access to
the internet and their Email? We have several business locations
in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE and have been unsuccessful in
finding dial-in capabilities in this region.

We are in discussions with Equant/SITA, who provide networking to
the international airports around the world. Anyone have the
opportunity to use them?

Regards,
David Cole - PMP
david_l_cole@email.mobil.com


++++ next post - new topic ++++

From: "Marilyn Stinnett" <msmerle@hotmail.com>
Subject: Using a fax as a printer

I know it isn't a new idea, but here's a tip for road warriors
that's worth repeating. If you are traveling and don't have a
printer handy and you really need a hard copy of a document. Just
send it to the fax machine at the hotel or the company where you
may be giving a demonstration. It works in a pinch, may not look
state of the art, but it gets you where you need to go.

Merle
http://www.merlesworld.com/
If nothing ever sticks to Teflon,
how do they make Teflon stick to the pan?


++++ next post - new topic ++++

Moderator's Note:
This post first seemed too far off topic for this list, but who
knows? Perhaps soon we'll all want to be doing video editing while
on the road, so I thought I'd include it.

From: Vincent Malmgren <vince@internews.org>
Subject: Laptop for video editing

I want to configure a laptop to capture video, edit it with, say,
Premiere, and then upload it to the Web from the field via a
satellite phone with high speed data capability.

Interfacing the laptop with our Inmarsat B satellite phone for
remote, high speed internet access isn't a problem. The thing
that's got me perplexed is video capture with a laptop.

First, what is "zoomed video"? Many laptops say they are "zoomed
video" ready and there are several "zoomed video" enabled PCMCIA
capture cards on the market.

Second, many laptops now have built-in video-in ports. How do the
built-in ports compare to capturing via a "zoomed video" PCMCIA
capture card?

Third, I've found one or two laptops that have Firewire ports (Sony
VAIO 505; Armnote TS759). But as far as I can tell, these firewire
ports can't be used for capturing motion video, only video stills
from Sony DV cameras like the DCR-PC10. Do you know of any laptops
that allow motion video capture through a firewire port?

Finally, if you have any real life experience in this area, is
there a particular laptop/software/peripheral combination you would
recommend?

Thanks in advance.

Vincent Malmgren
vince@internews.org


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Subject: Funny phones in Switzerland and France

Last two times I was in Europe, I came across phones that puzzled
me. One was in Switzerland, the other in France. The phones were
of a modern variety. They were wired in to the wall with Swiss and
French modular phone line plugs, as one would expect. But on the
other end of the phone line that ran from the wall, there was a
US-style RJ11 plug.

Oh, boy, I thought, this should be easy to go online. Since these
were residential lines I wasn't worried about digital service, so I
took the line out of the phone and plugged it directly into my
modem.

Nothing. It didn't work.

So I got out my line tester and checked out what I was dealing
with. In both cases, I found the polarity reversed on the lines.
I was surprised. Has anyone found similar circumstances and can
anyone offer an explanation? It was my understanding that the
general rule that a phone was a phone the world over still applied
(with the exception of digital PBX systems, of course).

My immediate solution was to pull out my alligator clips and put
the polarity back as it should be.

Bob Lawson

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