Need (or want) to stay "connected"?

[32232]

I take only my Iphone on short (weekend) trips. Phone, e-mail and weather apps are all that's needed.

For longer trips I take a netbook which has Garmin software for trip routing and downloading to the GPS as well as more legible internet browsing.

[miairhead]

I can use the droid to connect to the internet (pdanet) with the laptop, I was a IT guy and got addicted to information. Plus MS streets and trips, office, photo shop, etc.

[mcmxcivrs]

Life would be perfect (for me) if a developer would build an App for the GS911. I do know that Apple is not the easiest company to deal with on the App front and have significant experience with them at work so understand the lack of the App due to GS911 volume of devices in the field...

Ken, according to the GS-911 people its not the software that's the issue, it's the hardware. They would have to re-engineer the tool to include the Apple certification chip that allows it to communicate with an Apple product and that is just too costly for them to do as a small company. It's the main reason I went Android with my phone and am looking at Android tablets.

I currently have been carrying my Asus Netbook computer, but am intriqued by the potential of a tablet. I'm leaning towards a 7" one though as the 10" format does not seem to offer enough advantage over the netbook size wise. A 7" would slip into a tankbag easily whereas the 10" or the netbook will not. One of the reasons for the netbook has been to be able to store video from my GoPro camera, but as the SD cards are getting so much cheaper, I can justify having a bunch of them to fill up instead. Still, I'd like to be able to use the tablet to view the clips directly from the card, but as yet, that seems not possible with the current range of products. So for now, I'm sticking with what I've got, but am hopefull for the future.

[PittsDriver]

I pack my 15" MacBook Pro which is probably overkill but does a great job with Garmin Basecamp, movie/video editing, and web updates for blogs on trips. I'm guessing that the newer MacBook Airs would do all that and be a fraction of the weight and size - probably the perfect computing companion on the bike. You could probably even carry that in a backpack on a sport bike and never feel it.

[braddog]

I don't want to be connected,thats a main reason for taking off on my bike,to escape this daily info grind.thank you ,it will be there when I get back.

Amen to that.

Having worked in the IT industry for over 30 years, having worn a pager and a cell phone for much of that, having used a PC or a terminal for much of career...riding motorcycle is an escape. Of course I carry a cell phone, and I can access e-mail from it if I want to, but I don't want to.

That said, I appreciate threads like this where people share what they use and how they use it. It's all good info.

[LngRdr]

I'm a gadget geek and like to stay connected. I sold my Ipad 3 2 weeks ago in anticipation of the new model (yeah, I know). I have a Macbook Air that I surf on more often than not but I've found for road trips on the bike, my iphone will do everything I need. Here lately, I've found myself using it more at home than the Macbook.

[bogthebasher]

Ken, according to the GS-911 people its not the software that's the issue, it's the hardware. They would have to re-engineer the tool to include the Apple certification chip that allows it to communicate with an Apple product and that is just too costly for them to do as a small company. It's the main reason I went Android with my phone and am looking at Android tablets.

I currently have been carrying my Asus Netbook computer, but am intriqued by the potential of a tablet. I'm leaning towards a 7" one though as the 10" format does not seem to offer enough advantage over the netbook size wise. A 7" would slip into a tankbag easily whereas the 10" or the netbook will not. One of the reasons for the netbook has been to be able to store video from my GoPro camera, but as the SD cards are getting so much cheaper, I can justify having a bunch of them to fill up instead. Still, I'd like to be able to use the tablet to view the clips directly from the card, but as yet, that seems not possible with the current range of products. So for now, I'm sticking with what I've got, but am hopefull for the future.

I did use my 'new iPad' this summer and only brought a couple SD cards along. Saved several hours of video (also GoPro) on the tablet which I transferred to my MacBook Pro for editing over the winter. As to the GS911 hardware dependency - that's too bad. I have the same problem with the half dozen Celica GT4s my kids own. Hard coded Engine Management using serial ports output of PC laptops. No way to port to Bluetooth so I am nursing a couple of ancient laptops just for that

Sigh, there never seems to be one right answer for everthing. Sometimes i harken back to paper maps, wrenches and a signal tester light...

[racer7]

Found one interesting use for a I-pad- its camera at a club event. We did an Octoberfest brat and goulash thing at our place for our local club and one of the guys brought an I-pad and was showing pics taken on its relatively large screen. Does that better than a netbook. Clear and easy to see even in daylight which is more than one can say for most digital cameras. My netbook makes a very crappy camera by comparison but I always have a digital camera in the tankbag anyway.

I suppose if one want to spend the $ and is savvy enough, running an 11" MacBook Air with a windows environment would allow one to do everything needed with better screen, keyboard, and speed than a netbook but the price is many fold increased. Still, I've been impressed with the utility of my older (2008) MacBook with SSD upgrade and my SO's 13" MacBook Air- its lit keyboard would be great at night, too.

Someday when people get tired of Apple stuff their systems may get more complete and open. Proprietary stuff has a way of getting dated and then forgotten. To me, most of those "apps" are kind of funny- most are worthless little bits of code that do nothing very significant- sort of like all those shareware pc things available when 5" floppies were the thing.

[PGlaves]

The desire to get unconnected to get away from work is one viewpoint. I'm retired. Getting some emails from friends, or some tech emergency questions from MOA members doesn't bother me a bit, even when traveling. It's kind of nice to get an email message with a photo of my grandkids too.

"Connected" isn't the problem. Those jobs people are fleeing from are the problem. Before I retired, if I went on vacation my boss and coworkers understood that they should disturb me only in case of a real emergency. It almost never happened.

[tommcgee]

I've worked for myself for 30+ years. Managing connectivity is a bit part of that. Sometimes I want it and sometimes I don't. Only my immediate family and a couple of close friends have the means to get through to me at any time.

The desire to get unconnected to get away from work is one viewpoint. I'm retired. Getting some emails from friends, or some tech emergency questions from MOA members doesn't bother me a bit, even when traveling. It's kind of nice to get an email message with a photo of my grandkids too.

"Connected" isn't the problem. Those jobs people are fleeing from are the problem. Before I retired, if I went on vacation my boss and coworkers understood that they should disturb me only in case of a real emergency. It almost never happened.

[John M]

I usually carry just an iPad - does everything I need (not everything everyone needs I know). If I also plan on working, I take my macbook air - very light and thin, great batter life, and can tether to my iPad, or Verizon Mifi hub. I like putting the ipad in my top case and using as gps - bluetooth connected so it tells me when to turn without looking. Not great on real sunny days - but I live in Michigan so that's only occasionally an issue!