Holiday gadgets and IT - which ones?

[Hilary]

I'm looking for some advice from you gadget-savvy DISers for the best kit to take away with me, please

I have a standard (not smart) phone, and a net-book that I have taken in the past, and I'm also thinking of buying a kindle. In reality, the net-book is used only for occasional emailing family back home, checking-in for the return flight, and the very occasional bit of internet searching for restaurants, etc. The phone is used to text family and friends at home and away with me.

I find the netbook great, but it still weighs a fair bit in the hand luggage, which would be totally justifiable if it got a lot of use, but I'm wondering if there's a better solution to my needs. We are DVC members, so almost always include time in WDW resorts where the internet is (was?) wired, not wi-fi.

Any advice much appreciated

 

[Tony Toon]

Just returned form the Mouse. There were 5 of us (Me, DH, DS DD & DS'GF) and we travelled with 4 macbooks,1 kindle,2 ipod touches,2 iphones,1 blackberry, 1 android phone, 1 DS, 1 PSP and 1 ipod - no wonder we had a job keeping within our luggage allowance

We stay in a villa with free wifi and don't use our phones for texting or calling at all - just have them so we can phone for taxis when we get home. Use the iphones for photos and videos (as well as digital cameras) and use the macbooks for surfing, emails and phone calls home via skype.


Mrs TT

 

[wilma-bride]

Hilary, not sure what you're asking really. However, we have just bought a travel router for specific use at the DVC resorts, where we also get free internet. Gary has a Samsung Galaxy Tab which we will be able to hook up to the router (wireless) so we can do things like online check-in, check flight times, Fairfx card balance etc.

As far as a Kindle is concerned, it's really only any good for reading books - having said that, I absolutely love mine. It is, by far and away, the best thing I own and I would find it very hard to be without it now.

 

[Hilary]

Hilary, not sure what you're asking really.

LOL!! Sorry - I'm not sure that I really knew when I posted, either!

As far as a Kindle is concerned, it's really only any good for reading books - having said that, I absolutely love mine. It is, by far and away, the best thing I own and I would find it very hard to be without it now.

...but I have been reading a bit about the kindles and how they can also be used for very limited internet browsing - or have I read that wrongly? Have you ever tried this with yours? I think this was at the back of my mind when asking for suggestions for a 'solution' to what would be good to take.

no wonder we had a job keeping within our luggage allowance

 

[wilma-bride]

LOL!! Sorry - I'm not sure that I really knew when I posted, either!



...but I have been reading a bit about the kindles and how they can also be used for very limited internet browsing - or have I read that wrongly? Have you ever tried this with yours? I think this was at the back of my mind when asking for suggestions for a 'solution' to what would be good to take.

OK, yes, they have an internet browsing capability and, if you got the 3G one (which I have), you wouldn't need to worry about the wireless/wired internet issue. However, the internet browsing is hit and miss at best - certainly not worth buying for that option. I have used it occasionally to have a look at FB or the DIS but it is very difficult to use for browsing and I wouldn't want to rely on it for that purpose. For downloading books on the move, great! For accessing the internet, not so great.

 

[jockey]

We bring a wireless router with us to use at Disney it's handy for our ipads mac book and iPhones . Tbh the kindle is not great for Internet as Jo says it's hit or miss and very limited