Laptop On Tour - How/Practicalities

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
Jamesh
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Joined: 2 Jan 2017, 5:56pm

Re: Laptop On Tour - How/Practicalities

Post by Jamesh »

SprokenBroke wrote: 15 Sep 2021, 8:56pm
speedsixdave wrote: 15 Sep 2021, 6:49pm I'm typing this on a Planet Gemini , which has a proper but tiny keyboard and is the lineal successor to the Psion 5 of the late 1990s
That Planet Gemini looks like a nifty toy. If you already have an Android phone you could use a USB or bluetooth keyboard. There are Linux distros around that will install on some Android hardware.
Reminds me if the Psion that had after 10 yrs I powered it up and it still worked!!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Panasonic-To ... 635-2958-0

Might be of interest?

Cheers James
SprokenBroke
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Joined: 6 Oct 2020, 1:53pm

Re: Laptop On Tour - How/Practicalities

Post by SprokenBroke »

Jamesh wrote: 15 Sep 2021, 10:49pm
SprokenBroke wrote: 15 Sep 2021, 8:56pm
speedsixdave wrote: 15 Sep 2021, 6:49pm I'm typing this on a Planet Gemini , which has a proper but tiny keyboard and is the lineal successor to the Psion 5 of the late 1990s
That Planet Gemini looks like a nifty toy. If you already have an Android phone you could use a USB or bluetooth keyboard. There are Linux distros around that will install on some Android hardware.
Reminds me if the Psion that had after 10 yrs I powered it up and it still worked!!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Panasonic-To ... 635-2958-0

Might be of interest?

Cheers James
Panasonic Toughbook CF-53 Mk2 - Weight = 2.35KG

Looks good. I could attach a set of wheels.
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Sweep
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Joined: 20 Oct 2011, 4:57pm
Location: London

Re: Laptop On Tour - How/Practicalities

Post by Sweep »

Agree with stuff upthread on not using anything with moving/spinning parts. But would suggest folk consider a chromebook. I've been using an 11.6 inch screen chromebook for two or three years rammed in a pannier and it has come to no harm.

Normally it sits in a slightly padded sleeve. For pannier transport I bought two more sleeves, one to go inside the regular one and one outside - so it is effectively triple padded, but with no great increase in bulk. I got the two other steeves pretty cheaply off the bay.

The current one has just run out of its security updates so I have just acquired a new chromebook - -311 c722-black

got it for £170.

Fits in the same triple padding.

Is definitely more rugged than the old one - heavier as well - partly due to the bigger battery no doubt - initial readings are showing a battery life of 15 plus hours, even above 20, though I don't know whether it will achieve this in practice - will see.

Of possible particular interest to cycle tourists charging powerbanks from dynamos, unlike the old one, it charges through a USB-C input. I have connected it to an Anker Powerbank and it does recognise it and appears to be charging. The chromebook simply cautions that it is connected to a low power charger and therefore might not charge while actually in use. I assume it will take a fair old while to fully charge from a powerbank but don't know how long yet. It has a 4266mHa battery, my old small chromebook only had a 3489 mHa one. I would anticipate charging it from a powerbank overnight. But might not have to do too often - chromebooks charge well while in use over the mains and I should be able to pump a fair bit of power into it in one of my UK spoons stops.

This chromebook will also, like my larger one, but unlike the small one it is replacing, run android apps. In any case you can set up a chromebook so that all is synched with an android tab or phone so you can use those when the chromebook is down on power for whatever reason.

So in short I think it entirely reasonable to take an appropriate laptop on tour - I much prefer a real keyboard. I am still offline for the vast vast majority of the day - have little desire to do social media/news catching up whatever while moving. Or in the tent.

If anyone has any questions about it, will be happy to answer
Last edited by Sweep on 16 Sep 2021, 10:57am, edited 1 time in total.
Sweep
Jdsk
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Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Laptop On Tour - How/Practicalities

Post by Jdsk »

Sweep wrote: 16 Sep 2021, 10:02am So in short I think it entirely reasonable to take an appropriate laptop on tour - I much prefer a real keyboard.
That reminded me...

As above, we don't take a laptop or a tablet when cycle touring. But of course you can use keyboards with iPads, either Apple's own or third-party.

Jonathan
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Sweep
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Joined: 20 Oct 2011, 4:57pm
Location: London

Re: Laptop On Tour - How/Practicalities

Post by Sweep »

Jdsk wrote: 16 Sep 2021, 10:39am
Sweep wrote: 16 Sep 2021, 10:02am So in short I think it entirely reasonable to take an appropriate laptop on tour - I much prefer a real keyboard.
That reminded me...

As above, we don't take a laptop or a tablet when cycle touring. But of course you can use keyboards with iPads, either Apple's own or third-party.

Jonathan
agree - i know you can plug keyboards in but I prefer a laptop for a few other reasons as well - one - don't know about ipads but with android tabs you can't really use them while they are charging.
Sweep
NickJP
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Joined: 24 Sep 2018, 7:11pm
Location: Canberra, OZ

Re: Laptop On Tour - How/Practicalities

Post by NickJP »

Last tour I took my phone - it's what I use to take most of my photos - and an iClever BK03 folding Bluetooth keyboard that packs down pretty small and weighs about 10oz. A bit cramped compared to a full-size keyboard, but infinitely better than pecking away on the screen of a phone or tablet.
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