netbook in the backpack

[ragincajun]

2.9 lbs where have i been il be packing an 8 pound dell the whole way just to keep up with streaming moivies i can watch once a week at hostels and play warcraft

[singingpilgrim]

I'm thinking about carrying a netbook, but hadn't mentioned it because I figured I'd get lambasted for the weight issue.
Most people I know who have netbooks get them to use as their computer, and they're much cheaper than laptops, but would prefer to have a laptop with a CD/DVD drive and more space and all if they could afford it. I own a laptop. My thought is I could find someone amongst people I know who would be willing to trade their netbook for my laptop for 6 months while I thruhike, I could get the use of one for free. I can't afford a smartphone. And, even if I was given a free smartphone, (with a free subscription, since that's the real expensive part about them, they typically cost an extra $30 a month and my normal cell phone bill is a total $40) I'm not sure I could blog on one. The fact that I've been typing so long it's effortless is what makes typing conducive to writing for me. On a smart phone I'd have to get oriented, and the writing just wouldn't 'flow' out. And I think that an online blog/journal will be my primary way of keeping in touch with people at home.

I also think a netbook is a smart option for me because I'm going to be hiking with my dog, so I won't be as free to go into buildings, such as libraries, to use other people's computer. But I can sit on the sidewalk outside, or get an outside table at a cafe with wifi, and still get online.

I still haven't decided if I will bring a netbook. But I love the idea of turning it on for twenty minutes each night or something to type up thoughts for my journal, and then being able to post them online in town in just a few minutes.

For me, cost is one of the top priorities, and I have no doubt that trading my laptop for a netbook would be the cheapest and easiest way to get online during my thruhike...

But when I think about the weight, I really am not sure. I know it'll be very annoying, but not having it may mean that I won't really be able to keep an online journal at all.

I am glad that I am not alone in considering it, and wanted you to know you're not alone, but I don't really care if other people think I should or not. This will be a decision I will make, not internet people.

[ragincajun]

yep its all about freedom 20 years from now people with 5 ounce computers will think its silly to go hiking without ability to just attach your headphones plug into a movie while its streaming and choose wich role you want to virtual, JUMP into while interactivally watching

[Panzer1]

The new Wi-Fi+3G Ipad is only 1.6 pounds.

Panzer

[moytoy]

getting lighter every day! Like the man said 5oz may not be far away.

[Mrpokey]

The reason I wouldn't carry my netbook on the trail is, I'd be mad as fire if something happened to it and it was ruined. So much could destroy it on a hike. (mice chewing thru a wire, rain/moistur, dropped on ground, crushed in backpack, etc

[singing wind]

So much to see hear and experience on the Trail. The woods, mountains, etc. are the text and verse - and a paperback is less susceptible to damage and easier to carry.

Good luck with your hike!

[Panzer1]

The reason I wouldn't carry my netbook on the trail is, I'd be mad as fire if something happened to it and it was ruined. So much could destroy it on a hike. (mice chewing thru a wire, rain/moistur, dropped on ground, crushed in backpack, etc

add:
1) stepped on by someone in a shelter at night
2) stolen
3) constant vibration caused by hiking
4) extremes of temperature IE hot/cold

These devices are made to be used in air conditioned/heated offices and homes, not for the trail.

I think size matters more than weight. Something around the size of a cell phone would be easier to take care of on the trail.

Panzer

[Snowleopard]

I think I'm going to experiment with photographing handwritten pages for keeping a journal. Do libraries, etc., let you upload pictures on their computers? The backup is to snail mail the paper pages home.

[The Old Fhart]

Mrpokey-"The reason I wouldn't carry my netbook on the trail is, I'd be mad as fire if something happened to it and it was ruined. So much could destroy it on a hike. (mice chewing thru a wire, rain/moistur, dropped on ground, crushed in backpack, etc"

Panzer1-"add:
1) stepped on by someone in a shelter at night
2) stolen
3) constant vibration caused by hiking
4) extremes of temperature IE hot/cold

These devices are made to be used in air conditioned/heated offices and homes, not for the trail.

I think size matters more than weight. Something around the size of a cell phone would be easier to take care of on the trail. "

Computers on the trail aren't new and they can survive. In 1998 I carried an HP 100Lx PalmTop computer with a real (though small keyboard) the entire trip. It weighed just 11 ounces and ran on 2 AA batteries that lasted for weeks. I had the DataBook scanned and converted to a text file loaded plus I used it to type my journal at night in my tent as well as having 23 novels and other stuff loaded. If I had kept a paper journal and carried the DataBook that would have weighed as much as the computer so I didn't have any added weight. I made a padded pouch for my sternum strap and the computer was where I could check it during the day without taking my pack off. If it was raining it was inside 2 heavy duty ziplocks, then the pouch, or if was really bad, in my pack. The text editor it had that I used for my journal was set up with commands like Windows WORD so when I got home I could transfer the text to my desktop and edit and save it there. The OS was DOS 5 so it didn't suck up power like a windows machine and that allowed it to get extremely good battery life.

It not only survived the entire trip but I had used it on other trips like the JMT where I had that trail's data and and other goodies loaded. I replaced it with a PDA because of newer applications I needed to use but it is still sitting on my desk and still working fine after all those miles and all those years. So the bottom line is it is possible to take a PDA/Blackberry type phone device on the trail if you're careful and not a complete klutz.

[Connie]

My iPod Touch cost less than my netbook.

My iPod Touch travels in my pocket with nothing more than an Air Jacket and a screen protector. I have paid for the Best Buy 2-year breakage warranty.

It has Notepad (for trail journal), Star Walk, iBird Pro, Topo Maps, The Weather Channel, Radar (for weather radar), Stanza (for eBooks) and Repeller (for mosquitoes).

Most people think: Podcasts, music, internet radio. News, RSS newsfeeds. YouTube, streaming tv, movies. I have that available.

I also have puzzles.

I have the Orange Gadgets iGPS360 and xGPS software, with GPSSerialHook I can use many of the other GPS apps in the Apple Store like GPS Tracker and, especially, for TrackMyTour I ran across online for bicycle touring, that may be used just as well for canoeing or kayaking or hiking.

I also use Map Quest, Rest Area and Around Me apps for getting to the trail.

I have Fring with Skype and a SIP account and Google. I have Google Voice.

I have the Voxie app for dictation.

I have a Kensington add-on battery, in addition to the solar Novathink Surge. I understand the Morphie Juice Pack (additional battery) will have the FLO TV receiver chip this quarter.

What is not to like? I can forget it in my pocket, if I like. I have a mindless tv episode, if I need to get my mind off things. I have a movie if I feel deprived. I have news, if I feel I really need to know what the world is up to now, as if, that isn't predictable: the usual "Pinky and The Brain" rulers of the world and the usual other idiots. <sigh>

I would not take my EeePC 900, except in a shock and crash protective case in the offside pannier on my bicycle. That netbook is too important: I have optimized the hardware and the operating system for performance. It has the touch screen replacement. I have Garmin map software in it. Nope.

That is my decision. Those are my choices.

If you go with the netbook, look at Runcore SSD (solid state drive) (e.g. very lightweight, I have a Runcore SSD in my EeePC 900) and their netbooks you add the hard drive or SSD.

The Runcore SATA SSD and the relatively inexpensive Point Of View "barebones" netbooks have Atom CPU and Invidia ION "Cuda" graphics are an excellent value.

I haven't seen a better netbook offered, unless you want to "HackIntosh" a Dell Mini or pay big bucks.

The Northtec Gecko Edubook starts at $199 and has surprisingly excellent options available for a traveler.

I would have a Runcore SSD, 3G, and N wifi internal cards for it, using the Li-3S2P or LI-3S battery pack or the rechargeable single AA batteries optionally. The bulky power adapter is built-in inside the case, so it uses a regular computer power cord.

I know I want one.

[ragincajun]

recently noticed on e-bay little 1.5 lb computers available for 100$ buying one just for trip so small so cheap almost disposable much less worried about it breaking wanna watch summer blockbusters streaming from inside tent with wi fi camping behind hotels motels ninja style

[Bucherm]

I suspect that those laptops are the little netbook knockoffs from no-name companies in China running Windows CE. Unless it has a actual known brand I would avoid those.

(And no netbook is going to be running flash-based streaming media well)

[moytoy]

(And no netbook is going to be running flash-based streaming media well)

You are correct my friend but not for long. How do I know this? Because I started out in 1968 working for Univac on the Fastrand drum that weighed 5K lbs. and had a storage capacity of 100 megabytes. Yesterday I replaced a hot swap 500 gigabyte HD in a server in less time than it took me to drive into the parking lot. The point is of course that nothing that is true today is true tomorrow in this industry.

[Bucherm]

You are correct my friend but not for long. How do I know this? Because I started out in 1968 working for Univac on the Fastrand drum that weighed 5K lbs. and had a storage capacity of 100 megabytes. Yesterday I replaced a hot swap 500 gigabyte HD in a server in less time than it took me to drive into the parking lot. The point is of course that nothing that is true today is true tomorrow in this industry.

Oh, I know. I worked on a system when I was in the service(In 2005) that proudly said "Hewlett-Packard Computers HPUX-1986" when it booted up. It looked like it came from a SPECTRE warehouse in the '70s. I just doubt that Adobe is going to figure out a way to make Flash less intensive on CPUs when the processor trend is more power, not less. Existing netbooks just aren't built for it.

And of course there goes into the whole cell coverage while you're in the woods. I'm not super-impressed with 3G even when in DC, and I highly doubt Verizon or Sprint are going to be rolling out WiMAX and LTE coverage in the woods anytime soon...

If the OP just wants something to use for blog updates, I would grab a smartphone. If he wants comething for entertainment...maybe a Kindle or iPad. I don't think the return is quite there yet for watching Family Guy form the FOX website while in a shelter in the mountains.

[moytoy]

All true, actually I am the OP.. My biggest problem with the smart phones is the size of the keyboard. I can't even effectively text let alone feed a blog or journal.
Most of my work now can be done from a laptop with an aircard. I'm in the Ocala National Forest now. Of course I'm tethered to my truck for power for the LT.
I'll probably do a 5 mile walk this morning and then return here for some online work and then do another 5 miles tonight. Thats pretty much my routine these days.

[Miner]

(And no netbook is going to be running flash-based streaming media well)

If you meant it can't fully handle streaming HD content (720P or 1080P) then you are correct. However, my year old 9" Acer netbook handles anything lower then that just fine and there is no point to watching HD content on a 9" screen anyway.

[Bucherm]

If you meant it can't fully handle streaming HD content (720P or 1080P) then you are correct. However, my year old 9" Acer netbook handles anything lower then that just fine and there is no point to watching HD content on a 9" screen anyway.

I was actually referring to Flash-based media, rather than something like Silverlight or HTML5. Flash is, IMO, CPU intensive all out proportion to the quality of video. My Samsung NC10 hates youtube and other flash media sites.

[The Weasel]

add:
1) stepped on by someone in a shelter at night
2) stolen
3) constant vibration caused by hiking
4) extremes of temperature IE hot/cold

These devices are made to be used in air conditioned/heated offices and homes, not for the trail.

I think size matters more than weight. Something around the size of a cell phone would be easier to take care of on the trail.

Panzer

Perhaps there IS a reason why the Army/Marine Corps doesn't use 'off the shelf' laptops in the field, and has special specifications to prevent damage, moisture and other inimical conditions. Remember, you'll fall a lot on the AT. It will rain a lot. There are people who aren't totally honest in shelters, hostels and towns. And there are plenty of computers in every town. Need to keep some data, such as journals, maps, etc. to print later? Put it on a cheap thumb drive and plug in when you get to a library or such.

TW

[Hikerhead]

Perhaps there IS a reason why the Army/Marine Corps doesn't use 'off the shelf' laptops in the field, and has special specifications to prevent damage, moisture and other inimical conditions. Remember, you'll fall a lot on the AT. It will rain a lot. There are people who aren't totally honest in shelters, hostels and towns. And there are plenty of computers in every town. Need to keep some data, such as journals, maps, etc. to print later? Put it on a cheap thumb drive and plug in when you get to a library or such.

TW

Fall a lot? Where does that come from, personal experierence? I'm no expert but I think you'll find most people fall maybe 4 or 5 times on a thruhike unless.... you'll just really clumsy.