Technology Tips: 2006
European tourism now comes with a digital divide: those with high tech gadgets and those without. Which fancy new tools are worth the trouble and actually enhance your travels?
GPS Reviews - Recommendations
I find it a little frustrating the lack of information regarding GPS units and their use in the US and Europe. I found the Tom Tom Go 910 that has both North America and European maps, but are their any other alternatives that as simple and do not require a laptop to change map bases?
Sergio Morariu <email>
Fremont, CA USA Sun 12/31/2006
Walgreens.com digital photos
Walgreens has this digital photos online program where you sign up, upload your photos, choose the photos you want printed, then submit your order. The photos can be ready in an hour. I've done this and it's great. Definitely worth the 19 cents a photo. I haven't done this while traveling yet, but my idea is to submit the photos you want processed before you fly home, and they are ready before you even get there. You pick them up and are happy. (You can have them sent to your house as well for additional shipping fees).
e. e.
austin, tx USA Thu 12/28/2006
laptops and e-guides
If you're already taking a laptop, consider getting a portable printer and buying e-book versions of your guidebooks.
I did this on my most recent trip. The printer was about the size and weight of just 1 large guidebook. So instead of carrying my whole RS Italy book when out exploring Rome for the day, I’d just print out the pages I needed and discard (recycle) when done. Even better was being able to print out results of web searches! It's like having unlimited guidebooks. And after the initial outlay of the printer (~$250), there are really no additional costs, and it saves a lot of space and weight! Small packages of paper were available most places I went, so I never had to carry around more than ~25 sheets of paper.
There are more details that I won’t go into here, but feel free to e-mail me for info.
jason <email>
Boulder, CO USA Mon 12/11/2006
Wanting US Television
In defense of wanting a little US television: this year and last, my wife and I traveled to Europe – mostly France, Germany and Austria. We travel on our own and tend to stay in small Pensions or hotels not usually frequented by Americans. Most of these had televisions in the rooms but carried only local broadcasting.
After spending all day sightseeing and dealing with German or French speakers, it is surprising how you begin to miss hearing English. I speak German, but it is a mental strain to be constantly working your brain trying to remember and understand words and phrases all day long. So, when relaxing in your room in the evening, watching an episode of Law and Order in German just isn’t the same!
Watching a little CNN or your own recorded shows is a source of mental “rest.”
Steve
Richmond, VA USA Thu 12/07/2006
Slingbox
If your looking for the ultimate travel-techno-toy, look no further than a Slingbox. A Slingbox allows you to watch TV programs (live or recorded) from your home's satellite system, cable box, or DVR via broadband Internet to most any device that displays video: Laptop PC, PDAs, and smart-phones. Setup is very easy, just connect the slingbox to the back of the cable-box/DVR and then to your router.
The software (both windows and pocket PC) is very well designed and it works flawlessly with my cable company's DVR box. My ISP limits my upload speeds to 45 KB/sec so I assumed picture quality on my Axim x50v would be horrendous; but in reality the quality is very good. Since I have gotten it, I have traveled to China, Holland, and Germany, and it was worked flawlessly!
If you travel a lot and want to keep up with your local sports team, or can't wait until you get home to watch the latest episode of Lost, the Slingbox is a must!
Michael Schneider <email>
NY USA Fri 12/01/2006
Few basic techno tips
Just got back from 4 weeks in Central & Eastern Europe. (Tips from English speaking American, not a multiglot world expert. But I am a Cisco CCIE engineer, so I am very technical)
Technology tips: 1. Make sure you realize that Switzerland has a slightly different plug than remainder of central/eastern Europe. Strange but true, one of my adapters worked (special Nokia phone charger, but adapter wouldn't fit)
2. Get plugs for USA to Eastern Europe cheap at train stations shops etc. I can personally recommend MUNICH station at the cell phone shop. Cannot tell you how long I ran around trying to find this in Munich. Or better yet pick them up at Ricksteves before you go.
3. Bring DVDs or music for your laptop as every country has 1 English TV station - namely BBC/CNN World News and sometimes MTV subtitled if you are lucky. That's all --- so don't forget this unless you enjoy being tortured with American sitcoms that you cannot understand. (unless you speak the local language) Or you can rip DVDs, or sitcom videos and play them on your laptop or PDA or IPOD etc. Something to do is good in the evenings.
4. Check your electronic devices to make sure that they will run on both 110/220V --- most will, but stuff like shavers, SonicCare toothbrushes etc will not. 110V only unless you use a convertor to reduce the inherently supplied voltage in Europe.
5. Didn't bring my mp3 player as I really wasn't that interested in music, plus they play ALOT of American music on the airwaves. EVERYWHERE from Romania to Belgium...no problem there!
Have fun,
Andy
Andy <email>
New Orleans, LA USA Mon 11/27/2006
iPod photo storage
Apple's website will tell you how much space and approximately how many photos you can store on your particular iPod. (http://www.apple.com/ipod/ipod.html) However, what resolution you take your photos on affects this - the larger the resolution, the less space for storage.
iPodgeek
seattle, wa USA Fri 11/24/2006
digital photo storage
I was just wondering if anyone could tell me how many photos I can store on a photo ipod if I have an 8 megapixel camera?
Jamie <email>
Carbondale, CO USA Sun 11/19/2006
SIM Cards for Slovenia
I am currently visiting Slovenia so prior to my departure for Europe I purchased a prepaid SIM card for the MEGA cellular network. I purchased mine from Cellularabroad. Be warned that MEGA went out of business some months ago. The remnants of MEGA has been acquired by another company, but they are not honoring the SIMs purchased for MEGA. All you will getr is emergency access.
I have found that it is best to wait until you arrive in a country before buying a SIM card. In Slovenia Mobitel SIMs with Euro 5 credit included cost Euro 18 including a free teeshirt. A fraction of the cost of a SIM for Slovenia in the US. Top-up cards are available everywhere.
Do not let this put you off Slovenia, it is a very friendly country with so much to see and do.
kernow
Atlanta, GA USA Sun 11/19/2006
Adapters
By the way, in most (all) cases the gounding pin of a U.S. grounded plug fits along side a two pin Euro type C plug, so nothing else is required.
Lee
USA Tue 11/14/2006
Adapters
I have 7 laptops at home - yeah, seven. Some of them I have had for years (decades?) and they are really obsolete, but they still work. Only the oldest, a Compaq 286 has a grounded plug for the power supply. The rest all have two bladed, non-grounded, non-polarized plugs. No one needs a computer with a grounded plug.
From Europlugs, a simple "Euro Plug" adapter, which works in any receptacle in continental Europe, which, BTW, Europlugs misabels, is $0.99 plus $4.95 shipping. The same plug is less than $5 at ACE hardware and you can get it today.
On the other side, a type C Europlug is only rated for 2-1/2 amps. For hair dryers, which draw more amps, by European standards you really should, use a grounded plug, but this is really irrelevant because our hair dryers do not have a grounded, or even polarized plugs. Therefore, the protective features of a Schuko type, grounded plug are not utilized.
Lee
USA Tue 11/14/2006
Adapters
Lee, actually my laptop plug does require a grounded adapter so I was very glad I had one. And I found the prices at Europlugs to be the some of the lowest I found anywhere.
Ginny
USA Tue 11/14/2006
Canon digital cameras
Canon Powershots have different series, the A series with takes standard AA batteries, and the SD series that take a special lithium rechargable batteries. For the SD series, look on the back of the charger to determine the input voltage. If it can handle the voltage in Greece, you will only need a plug adaptor.
AF
San Jose, CA USA Tue 11/14/2006
Battery Chargers
Anne--I also have a Powershot and am thrilled with it. At Walmart I found a 15-minute Rayovac charger and batteries that is 110/220 so I only need an adapter. The charger also only has prongs that flip out without additional attachments. Much easier and lighter! Then I have the converter available (with an additional adapter) for my hair dryer.
Darcy
Lewiston, ID USA Tue 11/14/2006
battery chargers
Hi everyone,
I know this subject has been posted on quite a bit, but I just need some clarification.
In January I'll be spending a month in Greece, and I'll be bringing a Canon powershot digital camera with an extra battery (lithium). For my battery charger (a CB-2LV) what sort of adapter/converter will I need to be able to charge the battery that I won't be using? Also, would it be possible to get a adapter/converter that also works with a hairdryer if I decide to bring one along?
Thanks for your input!
Anne <email>
USA Mon 11/13/2006
Technology Tips
For weight and cost, the best of the Protege were the 3010, 3015, 3020, and 3025. For that reason, they are now difficult to find, but, if found on ebay, they should still not cost $600, more like $100 or less. The later, heavier ones may cost more, but they are not worth the money, IMHO.
USA Mon 11/13/2006
Adapters
Ginny, after reviewing the website, I don't see anything noteworthy about Europlugs.com. There are plenty of plug adapters available at similar if not lower prices.
Most laptops DO NOT require a grounded plug, nor can they use them. You will be wasting your money. Most laptop power supplies have two equal width blades; they are not even polarized. A simple "Euro" plug is all you require.
Instead of bright orange tape, I use simple black electrical tape to secure the adapter to my laptop cord. This keeps it from staying in the receptable when I pull the plug.
Lee
USA Mon 11/13/2006
Slingbox
If you're going to bring your laptop anyway, seriously think about setting up a Slingbox at home before you go. This gadget allows you to watch your tv, including your Tivo'ed programs, anywhere you have an internet connection. You don't have to bring anything extra with you. I loved being able to watch my local team play a game from my hotel room in Prague, or catch up on my favorite shows over breakfast in Dublin. It's not for people who want to get away from everything, but great for those of us who like to keep up with what's going on back home. Also, the slingbox setup can be tricky, so do it a few weeks before you leave.
USA Sun 11/12/2006
Adapters
I bought all my adapters at Europlugs.com. Prices were very reasonable and the items shipped fast. Don't forget to get grounded plugs, espcially if you have a laptop. Also,it helps to put some bright orange tape around your adapters so you don't forget to take them out of the outlets.
Ginny
USA Sun 11/12/2006
Adapters, Etc
A 120Watt adapter or converter is not good enough for a hairdryer. They are usually at least 1000W. Check yours. However, I doubt if you really need a hairdryer. We have been in Europe for several weeks in the last two years and I do not think we have been in a hotel which did not have a hairdryer.
Check all your equipment and if it says 110 - 240 Volts (or thereabouts) you will only need a plug adapter. I am not familiar with the specific items you are asking about, but if you really need the hair dryer, and possibly the curling iron, check their wattage and make sure whatever you buy will carry at least that load.
Iain
Edmonton, AB Canada Sat 10/14/2006
OH MY!
SKB - first, look at your equipment and find the input voltage rating. If it says 100 to 240 volts, all you need is the wall plug adaptor. Otherwise, you will need a voltage converter to step up to 240 volts.
Steve
richmond, va USA Sat 10/14/2006
Adapters and Converters and Voltages Oh My!
Okay, I apologize if I'm asking questions that have been answered below, but the more I read, the more confused I'm getting. My husband and I are going to Paris in November and plan to bring (1) hairdryer, (2) curling iron, (3) white-noise machine, (4) digital camera charger, (5) blackberry charger, and (6) cell phone charger (I don't want to bring those last two, but my boss will make me). What do I need to buy to make sure all of these work and don't blow up or otherwise cause problems? I think I need, for each item, both a voltage converter (low <50w for electronics and high 120+w for other stuff) and a plug adapter to make the plug fit the holes in the wall. At Target, I've seen a "foreign voltage adapter kit" that includes 5 "adapter plugs", low voltage "for electronics" and high voltage "for warming products." Would that give me everything I need, or do I need to combine this kit with something else?
Still confused, but trying to figure it out...
SKB
Jersey City, NJ USA Sat 10/14/2006
Palm T|X with WiFi
My trip September 2006 to Scandanavia and Estonia I took a Palm T|X with me. It has Wi-Fi, a SD Card reader. Does email, language, currency, web browsing and most anything else you can think of. Fits in my pocket, charger uses 220 or 110. No keyboard but you can get one if really needed. I found WiFi everwhere, hotels, public squares, hotel lobbies, bars, cafes, especially in E-stonia where my hotel had WiFi all over the building. Mostly free except at expensive hotels and airports. With the card reader I could view pictures from my camera and email some home now and then. Surfed the net, listened to internet radio and stuff
I ripped from home, including Rick Steve radio shows. Wow, I could have stayed home and done all this and not be hassled by being out of the country, oh well!
Steve Dickey
Pacific Palisades, CA USA Thu 10/12/2006
electronic translator
We've used an electronic translator in Costa Rica. Sorry, don't remember what brand, but it could have been a Franklin. It worked okay as a translator, and great as an ice breaker. Everyone wanted to play with our toy. Of course, there is no substitute for knowing the basics in the native language: greetings, please, thank you, and numbers.
J
FL USA Fri 09/29/2006
We left the laptop stateside
We really gave some careful thought about taking our laptop to Paris for a weeks vacation. Our hotel had WiFi but we decided to leave it at home and use internet cafes in the city. The internet cafes were a wonderful delight. Close, cheap, fast, and staffed with kind, helpful, friendly, English speaking employees. To our delight the cafe we used also had a telephone that we used to call home (USA) without a calling card. Just pay as you go. Each night we spent about 20 min. on line and made one or two phone calls. I don't think we spent over 20 euros total for the entire weeks use of computers and telephones. On the downside we were not as informed as we would have been with a Wifi empowered laptop but there's something to be said about being unplugged in Paris.
NFL Football addicts: The Internet is about the only way to stay current on NFL games in Europe. Europeans have no interest in american football. BBC and CNN Europe don't even flash the scores on the bottom of the screen!
Furnacefighter <email>
West Chester, PA USA Thu 09/28/2006
Leave your laptop at home
I just finished lugging my laptop computer around Italy and England for 12 days. I wish I'd left it at home. Take Rick's advice: When in doubt leave it out.
If, like me, you need to do work while you're on the road, use GoToMyPC instead of trying to take your programs and data on a laptop. With GoToMyPC, you leave everything on your home or office computer and control it from afar, from virtually any computer with Internet access and a reasonably recent copy of Internet Explorer. I've used this service for several years now and found it to be extremely reliable and useful. It costs only $20 a month, and you can purchase increments of as little as one month by cancelling upon return from your trip.
GoToMyPC is great for e-mail, too. I let my home or office PC handle e-mail as if I'm home -- with all the spam filtering, sorting, filing, and so forth. It's like having 3,000-mile-ling extensions on the cables of my home computer's keyboard and monitor screen.
Michael Knoll <email>
Seattle, WA United States Sat 09/23/2006
RE: Pocket Translators
I've been researching translators this week because I think they will be useful for my upcoming trip to Czech Rep., Austria, Germany and Netherlands. All I can tell you is that it appears that most of the Franklins are junk, and that Translators by Ectaco & Lingo get much better reviews. Of course, they're more expensive. You might get a good deal on one on Ebay.
Ginny <email>
USA Tue 09/19/2006
Pocket Translators
Does anyone have any experience or advice on pocket translators. I am going to Spain and think one would be a useful and entertaining tool. Any reccomendations are apppreciated.
Neil
Mukilteo, WA USA Thu 09/14/2006
Computer
I just purchased a new e-machine laptop. It has a decent processor, 40 Gig HD, will read my SD card, will charge my PDA and IPOD. I can load my ipod from it. It has WiFi, and cost $500. Purchased on the internet.
FtWguy2
Ft Worth, Tx USA Sun 09/10/2006
Communication Without Cell Phones?
What if I just need a cheap way to keep in touch with my travel companions when we're in Europe? Buying 2 phones w/sim cards seems needlessly $$$$. Would walkie-talkies work? Any other suggestions?
Ginny <email>
USA Tue 09/05/2006
Why a Macbook and not a 10 yr old machine
I think I should quantify my statement on the Macbook. If all you want is to check email and surf rail times... don't get a Macbook. The guy with the Windows 98 Toshiba Protege is correct in his statement. I am a photo nut and takes thousands of photographs on vacation. I also like to stay in touch with my friends and family and need things like currency converters and the weather at my finger tips.
The Macbook is great for doing the above as well as surfing the internet and checking mail at blazing speeds. Its built in wireless adaptor can get you up and on the net at any of the thousands of FREE WiFi hotspots in Europe. That means I cut down on my phone call expenses.
Each photo I take with my Canon EOS 1D Mark II takes up 50MB of hard disk space and consumes tons of RAM. I like to check out my photos at night when I have some down time in Photoshop. This would be impossible with a Windows 98 300MHZ system.
You don't need a Macbook to go wireless and use Photoshop by any means but the applications included with my Mac are amazing! The reliablity blows Windows out of the water, the performance, the ease of use, etc. You can buy a cheap Windows system anywhere now and so Macs are a little more expensive, yes. So that's why I am saying buy a Macbook and don't just use it for travel. Use it for EVERYTHING because it can do everything! Screen too small for home use? Buy the Apple adaptor and hook it up to your old PC monitor. DONE!
With the click of my mouse I can bring up my 15 "widgets" I have on my Mac which tells me everything from the weather, currency converter, language converter, dictionary, it has a flight tracker, world clock, etc, etc, etc.
When I am sitting in an airport lounge, or a long train ride this thing makes the wait so much easier!!
Taylor
New York, NY USA Fri 08/18/2006
Outlets, converters, and transformers
For low wattage (less than 50-80W) devices like ipods and camera chargers, the voltage converters are actually transformers. And, the transformer changes the voltage, not the amperage. The amperage takes care of itself.
However, the ipod accepts European voltages. All you will need is a plug adapter. The standard No. European adapter should work anywhere you are going.
And, any place where the electrical wires come to the surface is an "outlet". If your room has an overhead light, it has an outlet. An outlet can be a lighting fixture, a switch, or in this case, a "receptacle". An outlet where you can plug something in is called a receptacle.
<email>
USA Thu 08/17/2006
Available outlets
I think you mean a convertor, not a transformer.
USA Thu 08/17/2006
Available outlets
If you are talking about electrical outlets, be sure to also have a transformer to chaneg the current. Most hostel rooms we've been in have outlets.
USA Thu 08/17/2006
Re: maybe
I don't need a laptop except to travel, and then only the most basic of functions. Therefore, buying the "most feature packed laptop on the market" would be a colossal waste of money. I doubt that many vacation travelers need all that is on the Macbook. In the past I have used a simple handheld computer, sort of a PDA with a full keyboard and display. My latest travel computer is a Toshiba Portege 3025, 2.9# and about the size of a piece of paper. It fits into a case so small no one would expect it to be an expensive laptop and try to steal it. Even if they do, it only cost me $80. Yet, it does every thing I need.
USA Wed 08/16/2006
Euro Cell Phone throught STA travel
Hi All:
My friend and I bought two motorolla cell phones from STA travel and the phone was only $30 and it came with $10 in minutes. Sure, you'll wanna upgrade to more minute, but your incoming calls are FREE and your family in the states gets a 1 800 number and it's easy for them to reach you in a pinch. We love these and found these most economical. You can find out more info on www.sta.com
EJS <email>
Los Angeles, Ca USA Wed 08/16/2006
Maybe...
Traveled all over the world with it. Wouldn't want to travel with anything else.
For some price is not an issue. Although for some it is and for those buying a SMALLER laptop just to travel is a waste of money. Why not get the best, most compact, most feature packed laptop on the market. Which the Macbook surely is. This way, you can travel with it, use it at home, work, etc. It's perfect!!!
You think a 13.3 inch screen is large? WOW! Very few laptops have smaller screens.
I love my Macbook for travel, tell us all what you like.
Taylor
New York, NY USA Tue 08/15/2006
Re: Apple Macbook
Apple Macbook is exactly the computer you don't want to take on holiday - too big (almost 13" x 10"), too heavy (5.2#), too expensive. You don't NEED all the bells and whistles for vacation travel. Find something older, smaller, lighter, and less expensive. Almost any old laptop has the computing power you need.
The travel power adapter kit, at $39, is an overpriced "unneccessity".
USA Tue 08/15/2006
Taking what on a holiday?
A computer can be a necessary tool for a holiday. In addition to record keeping being able to download pictures, label them, put them in a directory by date is valuable.
However, an ipod, with music. Now that is something you need to take a vacation FROM. As for the language lessons, if you haven't learned it by the time you leave, it's too late. Particularly since you will be listening to your music, not the language lessons.
By the way, if your computer has a CD drive, DB sells a CD with train schedules for ALL over Europe. Just €5 at Reise Zentrums.
USA Tue 08/15/2006
Apple Macbook perfect for travelers
To those of you asking what a good laptop would be, without question, the new Apple Macbook!!
With a screen size of 13.3 inches and a weight of about 5 pounds this is the perfect travel laptop. I switched from Windows to Mac because I travel a lot and needed a laptop with all the bells and whistles that was highly portable.
The Macbook has a built in camera so you can chat with people via live video, it has a security slot where you can attach a cable to the laptop and to your wrist or a desk which makes it thief proof. The least expensive model is $1,099 but comes with a 60GB hard drive, fire wire cable built in, wireless airport and many more extras. You can also buy loads of neat extras like custom Macbook carrying bags, travel adaptors that fit right onto the Apple power cord, etc. It also comes with almost all the software you could ever want.
If you travel and can switch or already use a Mac get the Macbook.
Taylor
New York, NY USA Tue 08/15/2006
Interesting
Seems as if my posting thanking everyone for their replies was removed. Guess it's now subversive to be grateful for information. Once again, thanks to all who responded and the trusty laptop will accompany me unless (God forbid) there's another terrorist threat (which I fervently hope does NOT happen for the safety and well-being of everyone). So, will be buying a cable lock.
Appreciate your feedback.
Jac
FL USA Tue 08/15/2006
Available outlets
I'm going to be staying in hostels for approx. 2 months. I have the ipod camera connection, but I want to be able to charge my ipod and my camera batteries.
If I'm staying in the dorm style hostel rooms, are there normally outlets that I can use to plug these into? I know this will depend on each one, it's more of an overall question. I'll be in BeNeLux, France, Germany, Italy.
thanks.
Eric <email>
san pedro, CA USA Tue 08/15/2006
Taking a laptop on holiday
It just doesn't seem like a vacation if you have to drag a computer around.
I thought a holiday was a vacation from all that "extra" stuff.
A digital camera and an ipod (for music and language lessons) is enough for me.
Digital memory is not that expensive anymore...it's so easy to bring several 1G memory cards and even with a 7-8Mg camera have enough for over 800 photos. Unless you are a photo nut, that seems like overkill to me...you can view them and delete the bad ones...and I'm sure you will take a few of them.
Traveling light is NOT taking a computer..small is better....lighter and less worry about theft is even better!
No laptops for me on holiday...but that's MY OPINION...you have the right to not agree.
USA Sun 08/13/2006
RE: laptop - Jac
About five years ago, I made my first trip to Europe with a digital camera. I quickly realized that it would cost a small fortune to buy enough memory sticks for the trip, so I took along my laptop, so I could download pictures to the hard drive. I found that having my laptop with me was valuable. Not only did I copy a comlete set of train schedules, so I always knew my travel options, but I created spreadsheets for expenses. On one spreadsheet I kept a record of ongoing expenses, but I kept another already filled in with what I knew my accommodations and travel would cost, and an estimate, based on experience, of what meals would cost. When I paid for an expense, I deleted it from the spreadsheet; at any time, I could tell very closely how much cash I would need to finish the trip. When I went to the ATM the last time, I knew how much to get.
Great. Except that by the end of the trip my 7-1/2# Compaq felt like it weighed 75#.
So I went out and picked up a used NEC Mobile Pro from Ebay. Not only does it weigh less than 2-1/2# and fit in a case so small no one would know it held a computer, but I don't have a fortune invested in it. It won't work if you "need" a computer to watch DVDs, but for downloading and organizing pictures, keeping track of expenses, and holding train schedules, it is perfect.
So, Jac. I totally support your wish to bring your computer along. Just don't bring a big, expensive one.
<email>
USA Sun 08/13/2006
2 daughters, 2 laptop security options for Jac
My younger daughter used a nice cable lock for her laptop when she studied abroad last year because we were worried about the rip- off factor...whether from her error or a manufacturing defect we'll never know but she managed to lock it to a cafe table and it wouldn't unlock again! Long story...my other daughter uses an option that might be best for you. She cannot bear to be parted from her Apple laptop for a second. She uses the sleeve-type padded protector, which doesn't add any weight, and centers it, when traveling, in the middle section of her beat-up student backpack. It seems a better option than some of the made-for-laptop carriers that shout "I'm in here"! I'd opt for her security system, especially if you will be on the move a lot.
USA Sun 08/13/2006
Laptop Security
For a lot of reasons, I'll be taking my laptop on our next trip to Europe. Can someone suggest a good type of cable lock or alarm system to help avoid theft? If necessary, I'll carry it everywhere with me since it's not that heavy. Yes, I REALLY want to take it. Really.
Thanks.
Jac
FL USA Wed 08/09/2006
Technology Ipod is great
I have a 30 gig Ipod video and have downloaded lots of french lessons, ricks podcasts for the louvre, the
Chateau Versailles websites guide to chateau and gardens (in French) the rough guide amsterdam and
Paris eating and drinking guides (this is in the photos)
plus all the music I really love,
and have only used about 2/10 of the available space.
I have also been downloading music mixes from
the I tunes french music store and all these downloads are free
there is a great website called tourcaster that has lots of neat tours for many countries in europe
Check out the ones for Paris, a fun da vinci code
tour.
the rough guides have a lot of info in the websites as well
Susanne
Fairfax, Ca USA Tue 08/08/2006
Podcasts
Man....what a great way to get a free education, and to get some interesting listening in while on vacation!
I've just downloaded 2 different podcasts...and will keep up to date on them in prep for our holiday next year.
One is and Italian lesson called "Let's Speak Italian" Mike is the podcast master for this program. He starts out with a simple lesson of just a few words so you can learn some basics. If you double click on the center wheel, you get the lesson visually, so you can read and listen to learn at the same time. This is invaluable for travel!
The second is NPR's podcast. Great listening for on the road. You can download a bunch before your trip and have some variety in your listening pleasure!
Of course, running to the library and checking out books on CD, loading them to the computer and then to the ipod is also great...but I think I like to sit and read when I can...if it's car travel, then listening is good - if I'm driving!
Anyway...check out Podcasts for language lessons, in addition to Rick's new podcasts...it will just enhance your experience overseas!
USA Mon 08/07/2006
New Audio downloads
I'm real excited over the new audio downloads Rick has started. Paris is an excellent start. I hope it will branch out to other hot spot cities.
USA Wed 08/02/2006
Melissa techno savvy
Find a local Apple store and go talk to a sales person, they will educate you to the features of the new ipods. OR, go to a Best Buy (not the best choice as I don't think the sale staff is that educated)
You need to come into this century. The new electronics make traveling wonderful.
on the new Ipods you can dowload TV shows for $1.99, plus copy your CDs to it, and add photos that you'd like to share as you travel. You can also download your photos on the road to the ipod, but I don't do that....I do it at home from the computer.
I can't see taking that many photos that I fill my several memory cards.
As far as your SD card....you better check to see how many photos you can take with your new camera. and it sounds like you should take a class to learn how your camera works too. You probably have a 32MG card, and that won't take many shots....you will need a 1G or at least a few 512's for a 2 week trip!
So...don't sit at the computer and ask questions...go to some classes and learn how things work. Get educated to get the most from what is out there.
USA Tue 08/01/2006
techo unsavy
Thanks DB for the advice. I think there are so many options that it will take some time to figure out what will work for me. I would love to have something to take on the plane to view DVD's and listen to music. I've seen other people doing that and they look like they are having a nice flight watching and listening to what they want to watch and listen to! As for photos. I don't need a lot of storage. I don't want to be lumbered with lots of electronics either. I don't know about reading books from electronic devices. I find the print a little difficult to read from those.
Melissa
Portland, Tue 08/01/2006
Melissa - techno unsavy
First, about iPods...an iPod is simply a small device that can store digital files, usually/mostly music files (MP3 and/or other formats). It's small and can hold a large number of songs. iPods are not the only kind of digital music player available, but they're surely the most popular (and many would say "best"). Many little storage devices can do several things: play music, store photos (so your camera's card doesn't fill up) and even play some videos. iPods are great for music, but as others have noted, may not be the best solution for storing large volumes of photos (they're slow to transfer images off camera cards, and doing so will run down the iPod's battery - which is rechargeable). There is a another class of small device commonly referred to as a PSD - photo storage device. I just bought one, an Epson P-2000, which can hold thousands of high resolution photos, and has a nice screen for viewing photos. It's a bit larger than an iPod (about the size of a Palm Pilot or other small PDA). It can also play music files and even videos, but it's not really ideal for that. I got it to offload photos from my digital camera; being able to play audio (MP3) files, and even watch videos, was a plus. It wasn't cheap, but it's a nice, capable unit, and it will allow me to shoot photos with abandon and never have to worry about filling up my camera's storage cards. There are several classes of these PSD gizmos, from a basic no-frills unit that's essentially a small PC hard drive with no screen (smaller than a deck of cards), to more capable (and more expensive) units that have huge capacity and beautiful crisp color screens for previewing photos (or watching videos).
I don't have an iPod, but I understand that they are great for music. I'm happy with my Epson PSD, which is mostly for storing photos when traveling Admittedly, it's not a great music player, but it works good enough for music - I've also got several of Rick's radio show podcasts on it, which is nice. I'll watch a video or two on it on the long flights to Europe. I've also downloaded some maps of European cities and subways, which I've loaded on it - looks great.
I think these kinds of small devices will become better, more capable, and more popular in the coming years. I look forward to the day when, instead of lugging 3 or 4 of Rick's books, a folder full of maps, a bunch of other papers, I'll just have all that stuff on a handheld device. The one I have comes close to it (can't get Rick's books on it yet, but I can get a lot of the other stuff - Rick, please consider selling electronic versions of your books in the coming years - that will help us pack lighter!).
Anyway, iPods = great for music, but not your only option, and there are better gizmos for other uses (like mass photo storage).
Hope that helps.
DB
Seattle, WA USA Tue 08/01/2006
techo unsavy!
I'm totally oblivious when it comes to techno things. how does an Ipod work? And, if I get one, will the batteries run out and make the thing obsolete? I've heard things about the batteries which make me think twice. Is there something out there comparable to Ipod? I carry things like pics of my family (actual pics!) and addresses, my CD player and a case of 24 CD's and this takes up room. THe pics and address book aren't so bulky...
Plus, I just bought a Canon A620 as my old Canon A80 lens broke and would have cost $200 to repair. The new camera takes an SD card...I take it this SD card is more compatible friendly...but, as I said I know squat and would appreciate some advice.
Melissa
Portland, USA Tue 08/01/2006
Don't leave it at home -LOVE MY IPOD!
i LOVE my ipod for those plane rides over (10+ Hours of terrible movies and canned music) and for nights when I just can't sleep, too much noise in the hotel, etc. I store my pictures on the ipod and can share them with people I meet. I keep information for my friends on my ipod so I can send a postcard, or if necessary make a phone call.
the BEST thing that ever happened to technology is this micro music player.
I'll never leave home without it. I can totally enjoy the world - it's not like I have the thing on while in a church - but if I can find a podcast that has information about the country I'm visiting, you can bet I've downloaded it before my trip.
heck - that brings me to another point/use of my iPod. I have podcasts of the languages of Europe. This way I can learn and share while I'm on holiday.
Yep...thanks Steve Jobs. You've done the world of traveling a HUGE service by making this amazing small machine.
USA Tue 08/01/2006
Leave your technology at home and enjoy your trip. You'll be surprised at how much you DON'T miss iPOD, iTHIS, iTHAT, chargers, batteries, burners, memory sticks, CD's, flashcards, PC's, Palms, cellphones. Info overload!! How does one relax with all this? Plus, how much do you think we've all spent on these various contraptions over the past few years without convincing success?
Don't drive and talk!
USA Mon 07/31/2006
Ipods, Palms, and Pocket PCs
It really depends on what you want to focus on. I have a Palm with Excel and Word. Its great for organization, addresses, inputing info, etc. However, I only carry my iPod with me on holiday travel. I have all my music on it, audio books including language "tapes", travel podcasts, but it also has all my travel notes, contacts, and calender from my Palm (iSync works with Palm). My husband always has HIS Palm with, so I put my Excel and Word files on his. I also back up my photos to my iPod. The iPod is useless for inputting text info, but I got an iTalk for it and it works great for voice recordings. Much faster than writing or typing. Its not a perfect solution, but I found that the iPod and having my husband with his Palm (and my Excel/Word files) works great for us. We have bought a Pocket PC to be able to connect to the internet without dragging a laptop with. I agree with Lee that this can be VERY valuable. However, we haven't had great luck with our Pocket PC - we've had it freeze, die, eat batteries (we probably just picked out the wrong model), and because we're not fantastically savy, have had trouble connecting. I found that I was spending so much time trying to make it work, that I was missing out on my vacation. I still think that the Pocket PC is a great idea, but for now we'll go with our Palm and iPod to Europe, and on our domestic trips we bring our laptop. I like the idea of the new phones/Pocket PC. Once that technology is all sorted out I think we'll be going that way. Figure out what you really want to do electronically on your trip and how much hardware (and chargers) you want to take with.
Debie
NY USA Sun 07/30/2006
Ipod or Palm???
I am not sure what software Tungsten runs, but unless the handheld runs Excel and third party imaging software, don't bother. I don't think an IPOD does.
Five years ago, I bought my first digital camera, and I quickly realized that I could not afford enough memory card space for all my pictures. So, I took my laptop with me to Europe. Although I decided it was too heavy to carry, I also discovered that the ability to have Window software was invaluable. My solution, which I used successfully for four subsequent trips, was to get a lightweight handheld (CE) computer. Having Excel to record and predict my expenses and keep my train schedules is worth every ounce I carry. It is also worthwhile every morning to download and classify all of the pictures I took the day before.
Lee
USA Sat 07/29/2006
Ipod or Palm???
I was wondering, which is better ipod or a palm tungsten E2? I want to have something where I can backup my photos, download some of the travel tours, and keep organized for my trip w/o having tons of papers (I'll be backpacking for 3 weeks, and living in Spain for 4 months.) Thanks for any advice:-)
Emily
Orlando, FL USA Fri 07/28/2006
Lithium Battery
I assume your camera came with the Canon battery charger (CB-2LV). The specs on that charger says it accepts 100-240VAC, so no "converter" should be necessary. All you need is a plug adapter, which fits into the wall receptacles in Europe and accepts the two bladed American plug. These generally cost less than $5. You will need one for continental Europe and another for UK, if you are going to both. If you are getting anything else from Rick, get the adapters from the Travel Store. Otherwise, REI sells them, as does Ace Hardware. Places like Walmart generally sell a packaged assortment with adapters for the entire world - perfect if you fear you might go to sleep in Italy and awake in China.
<email>
USA Sun 07/23/2006
Lithium Battery Question
I'm buying a digital camera for my 3 week trip in September to Europe.
I'm currently looking at the Canon SD600, which has a lithium battery instead of AA's.
How long will a lithium battery last? Would it be cheaper/better to buy 2 lithium batteries or a electrial outlet converter? I'm not sure as to how much a converter would cost. Thank you for your help!
Jenny
USA Fri 07/21/2006
GPS - would be nice if addresses were listed in the guide book
We bought a Garmin Nuvi to use on our three week drive through Germany and I don't know how we would have made it without it. It would find gas stations, food, etc for us as we traveled, and you can buy a seperate chip with language translations to help you communicate. Didn't need it much, except in small towns.
Jeanie
Newcastle, WA USA Wed 07/19/2006
Adapters and Converters
I need more info. on the CONVERTER.....I bought a Lewis and Clark Dual Converter Kit, which has a High and Low setting on it. Does this mean that I can switch the setting to low setting for charging my camera and then go to a High setting for my gf's hair dryer...
Edward
Canada Tue 07/18/2006
Gadget update
Hi, everyone.
Thought I'd post a quick update to my previous post on gadgets (waayyyy down there). We just returned from three weeks traveling. One week at sea, then two weeks traveling through England, (Cotswolds, London) France (Paris, Loire Valley and Normandy) and Belgium (Bruges). I had given my wife an 8 megapixel digital camera. We took the charger and the power converter to keep things fired up. I took my pocket PC with GPS. I had loaded all of the detailed maps on it prior to going. My wife took 4 gigabytes of pix - at 8 megapixels, that's about 800 pictures. We used my GPS to navigate throughout England, France and Belgium - and never got lost, at all. I was concerned that the powering cradle used via the cigarette lighter in the rental car wouldn't work due to differences in voltage and amperage, but it worked flawlessly. We simply didn't get lost - everything from finding the local vintner in the Loire to buy a particular wine, to all of the detailed navigation from Normandy to Bruges - no problems. Not getting lost = more time at the places we wanted to visit. We're now sorting through the aforementioned 800 pictures, and loading them on to DVD, with selected music, which will then play as a slide show on any DVD player.
Hope you guys have fun traveling. Take care.
respectfully yours,
Paul Barnhill
Paul Barnhill <email>
Virginia Beach, VA USA Tue 07/11/2006
Skype
To respond to skype question: unless the computer has skype on it AND you have access to a usb port or headphone/microphone jacks, you will not be able to use it in an internet cafe. Now for my experience, because I was doing thesis research I had a 12" notebook that I had with me. I used skype and a skype phone (but any headset will work) and loved it. I payed a few cents a minute and was able to make very clear calls to other skype users as well as to landlines. It was a really nice way to keep in touch and very cheap! I was even able to make calls from Ogulin, Croatia in a park because this small town was covered in a free wifi cloud. Can't beat that!
Adam <email>
USA Mon 07/10/2006
Cell phone in Italy
Checked with my cell carrier the other day about using my phone on my trip to Italy. (Cingular) They were so helpful. I can use my phone with nothing more than activating an international plan for about $6 a month. And you can do that prior to leaving and cancel when you come back, and it will be prorated. So any calls to or from or within Italy are 99 cents a minute. Or without the program, they are 1.29 a minute. And I am only using for emergencies, so do not really care about the cost. Just wanted to know if it would work.
You do have to have a phone equipped with int. calling features, which I am told most do nowadays. They even punched my cell model up and checked just to be sure, and it did.
They did say, call again right before you leave and make sure all is active, and no problems should be found. After arriving at the destination, power off for about 10 minutes and power on and all should work just as if you were at home, just more expensive.
So if any of you have cingular, you may just want to touch base with them. They said all the info is on the website, but I did not look to verify that.
Happy travels!!
Mitzi
Jasper, GA USA Sat 07/08/2006
Caution when offloading your camera
In Siena Italy, I stopped at a camera store that had a Fuji machine dedicated to transfering photos from memory card to CD. The machine does not allow you to check your completed CD and I assumed that since this was a modern technology built for this purpose, it would be fine.
When I got home and transfered the CD to my computer, I found that an entire day's worth of shots were missing. I'll never get those back.
I will never take that chance again, from now on, I'm investing in enough memory cards to get me through the trip.
If you do transfer to CD using one of those systems, insist upon checking the CD before reformating your card.
Rick Levin
Eureka, CA USA Thu 07/06/2006
Zoto Details
So what the zoto.com will want you to do after you sign up for a free account is download their uploading software. Say i'll do it later. (Most public computers will not allow you to install your own software) You then can click on the upload option on your welcome screen. (right hand side, under quick actions) You then can use option #3 to browse for your camera on the computer, often named external drive f: or some other letter, and locate the folder your pictures are in. Select the pictures, Name them, Hit the add more files button to add more and then Upload.
This option is not great for lots of photos (or those not as familiar with technology) but is a nice way to back them up if you have the time and its free.
When at home you can click on your pictures, click on other sizes and select original to download the size your camea took.
You can also sort the pictures and have your friends and family sign up to view them online.
Hope this didd't sound like a plug, i just wanted to get as much info out there for everyone. I'm going to try backing up some of my pics on my trip this summer with this methood.
No-L
Bellingham, wa USA Wed 06/14/2006
Photo help for Chris
I am not sure what the case in Spain is, but in Switzerland, every single internet café had the equipment to burn CDs directly from flash cards. All you need to do is take the card out of the camera and put it in their card reader.
Though my fiends accuse me of being a walking billboard for Costco, I would caution you about downloading photos. Costco.com, snapfish, club photo and yahoo all shrink your images. A 1 meg 3000x2000 photo they shrunk to 200 kb and 1000x500 or so.
Therefore, I if I were you, just take a large (4 mb) memory card and if you run out, burn it to CD.
John
San Francisco, CA USA Tue 06/13/2006
Adapters and converters
A plug adapter fits into a foreign wall receptacle and accepts an American two-bladed plug. It can be used with any appliance that can accept 220-240 volts.
A voltage converter is an electronic device that converts 220-240 volts to 120 for an appliance that only accepts that voltage.
There are two kinds of converters. The low wattage (50-90 Watt) type is a transformer that drops the voltage while preserving the wave form. This type of converter is necessary for electronics, such as camera and computer power supplies. A high wattage appliance like a hair dryer will overload and damage the transformer.
A high wattage converter "chops" the top off of the sine wave to create an average of 120 volts. This works fine for resistance applicances like hair dryers, but can damage battery chargers.
Voltage converts are general bulky and heavy and inconsistant with light packing. Try to avoid needing them. Best thing to do, buy only dual voltage hair dryers and curlers, and look for 100-240VAC 50-60 Hz power supplies and battery chargers.
<email>
USA Sun 06/11/2006
Converter v. adapter
I am SO CONFUSED about the difference between a plug adapter and a converter and what to get! I'm travelling to Scandanavia and want to use my battery re-charger, hair dryer, and "white noise" machine. Help!
Linda <email>
New York, New York USA Sat 06/10/2006
Cell phones overseas
I'd like to weigh in on the cell phone debate. I recently used a cell phone on my trip to Europe (Switzerland and Italy). It was quite affordable ($220 for my own quad band GSM phone and prepaid international SIM card. The SIM card, believe it or not, gives you free incoming calls in 80 countries). The company is Zengo Wireless (www.zengowireless.com), for those who are interested. I was happy with my experience, and quite impressed with them as a whole.
On a separate note, I think that having a cell phone is a useful tool abroad, regardless of the circumstances. I've had a few too many experiences of meeting cool people on the road I've wanted to connect with later in my trip but couldn't because there was no reliable way to reach them or we ended up missing each other at our predetermined meeting point. (I often travel solo, so meeting interesting people on the road is one of the things I enjoy most about going abroad.)
I, too, shudder at the thought of a traveler yaking on the cell phone the entire trip. (It's such a waste!) But, I feel that way about people who only eat McDonald's when they're abroad or who aren't open to exploring the culture of the host country. It's a waste, but their behavior shouldn't restrict what the rest of us (responsible) travelers do overseas, such as having a cell phone.
C. Amankwah
Newark, DE USA Fri 06/09/2006
Ipod
I just came back from 11 days in Europe and backed all my digital photos on my Ipod (V5) every other day.
In addition to having a backup, I have an instant portable slide show to share.
Suzanne
Kitchener, ONT Canada Thu 06/08/2006
Chris - photo help for Spain
Costco.com is great if you have a membership. Download your pictures to that site, then pick the ones you want printed - go to the store you pick and they will be ready at .17 each. I use Costco a lot when I want to share my pictures too!
USA Tue 06/06/2006
Photo help for Spain
Help!
I am traveling to Spain for a month. I have an olympus digital camera. I have heard about going to have your photos burned onto cds. What do i need to have? the camera cord (have) Card reader(no have what is it?). Also what are good sites to upload my pics to in order to store them. Then last, what kind of convertor do i buy so i can use recharable batteries? Thanks for the help this is my first trip out of the country.
Chris <email>
Portland, 0r USA Tue 06/06/2006
Plug adapter
Gadget Gal; make sure that you have a plug adapter, otherwise you won't be able to recharge/charge anything. I always take 2, just in case (and for those odd place with very deep sockets).
Just a Traveller
Tucson, Arizona USA Sun 06/04/2006
Gadget Gal loves her music
Gadget girl here. I have a IPod Nano. I also have a Tungsten T2 Palm Pilot and digital camera. All I cannot live without. I just bought travel speakers for the Nano-$20.00 (DreamGear) at Walgreens in San Francisco. They are very weight and sound "stereo-like" for the hotel room. Just terrific. I also bought an EverReady battery re-charger set. Came with 4 AA batteries plus triple AAA batteries. Paid less than $30.00 at Buy.com. I also have a power converter. Surge protector. Just want to know if SKYPE is availabe for me while I journey through Italy.
Verona <email>
San Francisco, CA USA Sat 06/03/2006
digital camera downloads
1st trip with digital camera. 3 weeks in Spain. Camera had only 128 memory card. Cost just 1 euro in Seville to copy to a CD and that included the CD. So I skipped taking all the extras for the camera and when card was full, found a camera place or internet place and copied the pix and cleared the card. Met some friendly folks who were technology proficient in those places too.
marylynne
santa rosa, CA USA Thu 06/01/2006
Cell phones
Just remember, folks, that technology such as a cell phone can act as a barrier between you and those around you. You schlep another pound of stuff around with you so that you don't have to ask that shopkeeper where a pay phone is, nor ask that mohawk-headed teen how to use it. Those could have been wonderful experiences. Also, is it in your best interest to maintain that work-mode efficiency, never-out-of-touch status during the time that you are supposed to be unwinding and getting back in touch with yourself and your place in the world? What are you missing while walking down the street or eating in the restaurant because you are on the phone rather than being in the moment?
If I were in charge of a large group, in Europe on business, or had a special situation like an ailing family member then a cell phone may be worth the steep penalty of carrying one. Otherwise, I would rather spend my energy on where I am and not on scheduling where I hope to be later.
Think about it.
J
FL USA Tue 05/30/2006
Camera Phone
On my most recent trip to Europe, I brought my camera phone and a couple of decent disposable cameras, and it worked out well. While I would not reccomend most camera phones, mine is 2 megapixel and has a mini sd slot. I had a 256 MB card with it, took over 400 pictures, and still had lots of room. Overall though, it worked out great, the phone is smaller than most cameras, and plus I'm used to carrying it around everywhere anyway, so it was not likely to be lost. The actual phone didn't work in Europe, but I kept it in airplane mode the whole time so that it wouldn't waste charge looking for a signal. It kept its charge for 2-3 days and didn't require batteries. Also, I did end up with some great pictures. Not 8 Megapixel quality, of course, but definitely better quality pictures than I got with the disposable.
Todd
Chicago, IL USA Sat 05/27/2006
Sometimes less is more!
I agree! I teach technology and use it all kinds of ways every day, but agree with the last post completely. Once, I learned in a class that the best way to know you have become technology "literate" is when you can recognize that something electronic is not always the most efficient way to do something. When it WORKS, digital options for travel photos are amazing. For me personally, it is just one more really expensive item to worry about protecting from thieves, to say nothing of the batteries, chargers, etc. I love the disposable cameras that can convert to panoramic shots...I have one of the entire Venice "skyline". I take candid shots with the little disposables and cut us out to paste in front of postcards in my scrapbooks. Etc. I buy them on sale in the US and can fit about 10 of them scattered through my carry-on. Last trip I splurged a few times and got them developed in one- hour photo places if we were going to be in a museum for awhile, and they stored completely flat...if you are a passionate photographer this is not a good option, obviously- do make sure to not buy the super cheapest ones because the film quality is way better with the nicer ones...
Karen
USA Fri 05/26/2006
Less is more
Well, my digital camera died on my last trip. Will not stay on. It was $600 and I can't be bothered to fork out another $600 on a new one. Warranty is up ..funny how they run out just when they break! So, I got my old Ricoh 35mm camera out and put a couple AA batteries and I can't believe how simple and hassle free it is! All this stuff I carried around with me to upload, store, copy and back-up my digital pics not to mention loads batteries and chargers. Now all I do is take a couple rolls of film, have it processed and voila, I have pictures printed. Plus, I notice I am not taking pictures of EVERYTHING and actually enjoying the surroundings I'm in whether it be a cathedral or a ruin or a wonderful little village. Before, I was just totally trigger happy takinng anything and everythng...now I take pictures for a reason and they are more meaningful that way..sound crazy??
Barb
Olympia, WA USA Wed 05/24/2006
Skype... gonna try it
I actually really need help guys. I am going to try to use SkypeOut while I'm abroud in internet cafes... has anyone tried this? Mainly I was wondering if people generally noticed if you could plug straight into a USB and also download and install apps. on most cafe computers. Any help on the subject would be SOO huge! Thanks!
Brian <email>
Pittsburgh, USA Mon 05/22/2006
Ipod to camera
In response to the previous post, with my apple camera adapter the photos are exactly the same quality as the original photo. The ipod is acting as a hard drive just like your PC does. ITs awesome.
Sarah
NZ Sun 05/14/2006
Camera to iPod
I have an 8 megapixel camera and I want to bring my 30 GB video iPod with me and transfer my photos onto it. When you do that, do the photos lose their quality...will the iPod make them smaller? Thanks for the help.
Jeremiah <email>
Portland, OR USA Sun 05/14/2006
Phone
For phone calls, most internet cafes have telephones with very cheap overseas rates.
Jill York <email>
Ashburn, VA USA Tue 05/09/2006
Digital photo storage while travelling
For photo storage, as alternative to extra memory cards or ipods, look at the Transcend Photo Album available on-line only from Target, as well as other retailers, but Target has just as good a price and you can make returns at any Target store if you want to.
Dennis
San Antonio, TX USA Mon 05/08/2006
Digital camera and picture storage
So after reading all previous posts, and considering what I currently have, I have decided to bring my dig cam, 2 512MB memory cards, 2 1GB MP3 players/USB drives, and blank cds. I am thinking of taking pics with the camera, then transfering them to the MP3 players/USB drives at internet cafes, and burning CD's when those fill up. Any suggestions or comments?
Mike L <email>
Atlantic Beach, FL USA Fri 05/05/2006
Not bringing my iPod
My wife and I are trying to avoid bringing power converters/plug adapters on our upcoming trip to Europe so we're not bringing anything that needs to be recharged, i.e. my iPod.
But we like the idea of listening to Rick's audio tours while we're there. So rather than risk losing or breaking my $300 iPod, I bought a $30 cheap MP3 player from Overstock.com. It runs on 1 AAA battery and holds 128MB. This is plenty of room for about 2 hours' worth of audio tours (more if you re-encode at a lower bit-rate.) Plus, many models have an SD card slot which can take up to 2GD SD cards. If you had a spare SD card lying around (or one that you can temporarily use) this is a very good deal.
Using non-iPod headphones will also help avoid being a potential target for iPod thieves.
BradC
Los Angeles, CA USA Fri 05/05/2006
Photos from your Camera to Ipod
Here's how it works. You need an ipod, the USB plug you use to transfer photos from your camera to the PC and the Apple Camera Adapter (Its about the size of a big thumb, US$29 from Apple). Plug the USB plug into the camera & camera adaptor and the camera adaptor into the ipod. The ipod detects it has new photos as asks if you want to download. What's really cool is that you can then view the photos on your ipod at any time! This is brilliant, we've used it on many trips recently and its what we have in our pocket for our upcoming trip to Europe.
Sarah
NZ Thu 05/04/2006
Photo Storage
Brian, Check out “A short course in Displaying & Sharing your Digital Photographs” At http://www.shortcourses.com/sharing/storing-and-viewing.htm. There you’ll find ideas about what’s available for storing photos & other files. What they do and what to look for when choosing. They have links to 9 mass storage device companies. Not iPods, though.
USA Thu 05/04/2006
@ Brian Re: Details on Photo Storage
Try looking into connecting the ipod or another media device directly to your camera via a USB cable and transferring pictures that way. I heard of this being done before, but I'm not sure which devices are compatable with each other or exactly what type of cable to look for. There a other multimedia devices besides the ipod, and at comparable prices. One to check out is the Zen Vision:M from Creative Zen. Hope this helps.
Rina
San Diego, CA USA Thu 05/04/2006
Details on Photo Storage
My camera uses CF cards and I'd prefer to store my photos to some kind of device -- and listen to tunes! I'll need about 20Gb total, to be safe. I've seen lots of threads on storing photos and using iPods or other devices, but I can't seem to find out how its done w/o a PC. Someone posted something about a Belkin accessory for iPod, but I've gone to their site and can't find anything that let's you transfer photos from a CF card directly to an iPod. Any specifics would be appreciated. Note -- I am not committed to Apple/iPod. Thanks!
Brian
Redmond, WA USA Wed 05/03/2006
3 Way Local Power Adapter
Here's the senario: There was one single outlet in my Italian hotel room and the only lamp was plugged into it! I had come with several electrical devices that would have been nice to plug in and recharge but one of them was a CPAP machine that was medically needed. So I was resigned to using a flashlight that night. Next day, I was walking by a hardware store and bought a local 3-way adapter. IE: 3-way plugs into wall and both Italian lamp & US items are plugged in with US-Italian adapter. I keep one now in my tech bag and have used it for several trips since.
Next time you pass a hardware store in Europe pick one up!
Marty <email>
Seattle, WA USA Wed 05/03/2006
Ipod to get pictures home
Thanks for all the imput. Upon futher research I have decided to go with an Ipod to get my photos home (the 30Gb) I looked at a lot of options. The flash sticks seemed like a good idea, but is pretty pricey for so little space (8Gb max). So I went to multi-media players. The Creative and Ipod brands are the runners up. Sense Apple is the leader of this kind of technology, so I chose the Ipod. Unlike the flash stick, I can download my pictures directly from my camera to the Ipod, instead of having to use a computer. This eliminates any chance of getting a virus.
Jennifer
Anacortes, WA USA Mon 05/01/2006
iPod!
I have just upgraded to a 60GB video iPod. This will provide entertainment on planes and trains, as well as plenty of storage space to push digital pics and videos when my SD cards fill up. They are expensive, yes, but worth it if you want to avoid the hassle of a laptop or dealing with CDs, etc. Since the older 'Photo iPod' is yesterday's news now, they can be found pretty cheaply on eBay and Craigslist these days.
Jason
Portland, OR USA Thu 04/27/2006
Photos part 2
I just found this player on Costco's web site (I was looking for my own trip). http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11116282&whse=BC&topnav=&browse=
John
CA USA Sun 04/23/2006
Getting photos home
I brought with me 2, 1 gig memory cards for my camera which was just barely enough. In preparation for my trip, I did some research and this is what I found
• Snapfish, Yahoo and Club photo all shrink your photos and you have to pay to get them back in the original format.
• Lots of people burn them to CD’s. This can be done for about 8 bucks at an internet café. Then put the CD in a CD travel case. This is what I did.
• A 1 gig memory stick is cheaper than a 1 gig flash card at Costco (90 bucks compared to 60 bucks). This may be the way to go, but put it in an ultra safe place.
• Buy a portable disk drive. At the end of each day, you can upload your photos to it. They run 250-500 dollars depending on the features. One girl I met found great one on e-bay for about 100 dollars. Of course she had an 8 mega pixel camera (8 megs per picture basically) so she had to download each day. This is what I almost did and what I will most likely do for my trip this year.
John
San Francisco, CA USA Sun 04/23/2006
PDA crashes
I back up all essential travel files as Word documents, attach them to eails, and create an email subdirectory for the trip. Then, if I want to access my restaurant recommendations or my itinerary or whatever, I can do it from any Internet cafe. I wouldn't put any sensitive info there (credit card numbers and the like) but it's great for things like eyeglass prescriptions, hotel confirmations etc.
JER
USA Wed 04/19/2006
For Jennifer
Although I myself prefer the old- fashioned kind of photos, both my daughters, when traveling, upload theirs to Yahoo when they have access to free Internet or have paid in a cafe- just one of many free online options. Another benefit of this is that you can e- mail the "album" (and later updates) to your family and friends to enjoy.
Karen
USA Mon 04/17/2006
PDA crashes
Last year, I took a Palm Tungsten E with me to Europe. During the first week of the trip, I put the memory from my digital camera into the Palm to view the pictures, and shortly thereafter crashed the whole thing. The Palm was wiped clean: no itinerary, no notes, no translation files, nothing. Yes, I had a backup on my computer back home, but didn't do me any good for the remaining 3 weeks of the trip. Nearly identical episodes have happened since returning home. Has anyone else had similar problems? solutions? and suggestions?
J
FL USA Mon 04/17/2006
pda and digital camera
I've travelled with a laptop, and it is a bit of a pain, because it's something expensive to worry about. I've now got my electronics down to
1)a good but not extravagant digital camera and several CF cards; I have them downloaded onto CDs at kiosks or internet cafes and make sure before I leave to see all the pics ON THE DISK.
2) a cheap PDA (Palm TE) for reading matter from Project Gutenberg*, MP3s made from my own CDs or old records, an alarm clock, a calculator, and a note taker with small keyboard which serves fine as a journal-taker.
3) a plug adaptor and a short extension cord with 4 outlets to which I can plug my power supplies for these and a cell.
*Project Gutenberg, from which you can download text files, offers Jeeves, Agatha Christie, Sherlock Holmes, Jane Austen, etc etc. If you share a room, a PDA provides the perfect light to read by, and enlarges the type to suit your eyes.
All these together weigh only a couple of pounds and take up little space. I'm happy to talk to anyone who has questions.
Clare Durst <email>
Barrington, RI USA Sun 04/16/2006
Getting digital photos home
I took a laptop with me last year, but you probably do not want to do that. I also took thumb drives and backed the photos up on them. You could do this at an internet cafe, but you need to find one that allows access to the USB ports. Some do not. The thumb drives come in various brands and are called different names, but they are all small and convenient to carry.
Iain
Edmonton, AB Canada Sat 04/15/2006
Getting Digital Photo's Home
I am going on a 6 month backpacking trip to Europe and I have been at a real frazil as to how I am going to protect my digital photos and saftey store them or send them home. Does anyone have any ideas? I have heard of portable harddrives, I suppose I could email them (one at a time...), or save them on DVD's... But really I would just like some ideas from people who have overcome this same dilema. Thanks.
Jennifer
Anacortes, WA USA Fri 04/14/2006
Noise Cancelling Earbuds
I purchased a pair of Shure EC2 earbuds for $99 at Bestbuy. These truly cut out all sound and put you in a cocoon of whatever music you play. They don't even require batteries. I have a pair of noise cancelling headphones that I don't even use anymore. One caveat about the earbuds, you can still hear/feel things that vibrate heavily so you will still notice engine noise.
Nikol
Surprise, AZ USA Tue 04/11/2006
Noise Canceling Earphones
I got a pair of Sony noise canceling earphones for about $37 - or you can get Boise for $300 - YES THEY WORK, they didn't cancel all the noise, but it definatly helps. And it makes the movie easier to hear - forget those crappy earphones they hand out (if you're quick) Mine took one AAA battery and lasted a round trip transatlantic trip. I got a pair for my mother as well and now we won't fly without them :)
Alex
Columbus, Ohio USA Mon 04/10/2006
Digital Rail schedules
German Rail sells a CD with schedules for all over Europe. I don't know if it will work on your CD; it says it works on Windows CE from vers 2.0 up. It will also work (better) on a full Windows computer.
The CD can be purchased for €5 at Reise Zentrums in Germany. It can also be ordered online or by phone. When I got mine, with shipping and currency exchange it cost me about $25. Along with the CD they send you an invoice and an Überweisung, which you are supposed to give to your bank to pay them; except U.S. banks don't work that way. I had to email my credit card number.
You can find out a little about it on the English side of www.bahn.de. Click on Internat. Guests > How to get information. There is more information, and the online order forms, on the German side. From the home page click on Planen&Buchen > Mobile Services > Offline-Services für PDA.
<email>
USA Sat 04/08/2006
Digital Rail schedules
Does anyone know anything about a rail schedule for my PDA?
Caleb Bailey <email>
SB , CA USA Wed 04/05/2006
PDAs with WiFi---Low ATM Balances
Because of a recent Internet cafe bombing in Istanbul, I bought a Palm TX with WiFi to use in my hotel lobby in Istanbul. Before the trip, I made sure I could access my bank and credit union on-line banking websites and do financial transactions on the Palm. (Not all websites are WAP-enabled.) Thank goodness they worked, because my ATM withdrawals in Taksim Square were going against my checking account (no choice), instead of my usual savings account. It was easy to transfer funds online on my pda in the hotel lobby. The weight and bulk of a laptop made it a non-contender, especially when compared to the handheld.
Christine
Ohio USA Sun 03/26/2006
Video Journal
We just got back from Paris and Egypt. We recorded almost 5 hours of video. After the first or second day, I used the camera to record our comments on details of that day - maybe 5 or 10 minutes. The problem is our "video journal" is scattered about those 5 video cassettes. When I finally get around to editing the tapes, I'll probably put the commentaries together. I'd suggest using one dedicated cassette as your journal or diary - seperate from the cassettes recording your activities. Just slip it and record. When you get back home you can play it anytime to bring back your memories. Just like reading a journal.
Tom <email>
Summerville, SC USA Sun 03/26/2006
iPod as Solo Dinner Companion?
I've enjoyed traveling with two items, my iPod and a digital camera.
One thing I like about the iPod is that when I am traveling alone, which I do quite a bit, and thus usually eating alone, it is really nice to be able to listen to something while I am eating for a little company/entertainment, but not as obtrusive as reading a book (which I'm afraid I would probably do if I had no other choice!). As a single woman, it can also be an effective deterrent to unwanted company - but I've also found that it doesn't prevent me from connecting with other people if I want to. The iPod is also great as an alarm clock for me.
I just traveled for the first time with a digital camera, and it was really great to be able to see the pictures as I took them. It was also nice not to have to drag around a lot of rolls of film and to be able to take more pictures than I could possibly have imagined. (I used to travel with a $14 Kodak 110 camera or a cheap 35mm.)
My most recent trip was to Greece and Bulgaria, and although I initially had some qualms about taking these two expensive items with me, it appears that there is very little petty theft in these places. I did go during the winter/holiday period, though, so I can't say what it would be like at other times.
Lexey <email>
Hays, KS USA Tue 03/21/2006
Voltage
The US Dept. of Commerce publishes a pamphlet called "Electric Current Abroad". Unfortunately mine was published in 1984 - pre EU standards. It shows the voltage in continental Europe as 220, but it also shows voltage in the UK as 240, not 220.
Apparently, as of 1997, the "harmonized" standard voltage in the EU is now 230V. However, the countries had until 2003 to meet this standard, and I understand that it has been extended to 2008. Nevertheless, the standard is 230V.
Because there is a tolerance allowed on the 230V, both 220V and 240V will be within tolerance for now. What it does mean is that the min voltage in continental Europe can't be much below 210V and the max voltage in UK can't be much above 250V. Eventually the tolerance will be tightened so that all EU countries will have to be producing a nominal 230V.
<email>
USA Wed 03/08/2006
Voltage
I had a conversation today with an engineer at Xcel Energy, the company that provides electrical power to 10 US states.
First, there is no national standard for voltage. Every power company sets their own. Xcel's standard for single phase residential installations is 120 VAC. That is the standard for many electric companies in the US.
I said I thought 110 volts was the standard in the 1950's. He laughed and said it was more like the 1930s.
Of course, the actual voltage at a residence will vary depending on the load that day, distance from the distribution, etc.
It should also be noted that in commercial/industrial installations, where the power is derived from 220 V, 3-phase, the single phase is 127 Volts.
<email>
USA Tue 03/07/2006
Digital Camera Multimedia to CD Woes
With regard to unloading digital photo cards at the kiosks, be aware that they may only give you the photos. Some cameras also create audio and movie files, which may not be captured by the counter-top self-service kiosks. If you use you camera to record audio notes or movies, be sure to verify that the kiosk will see these files and add them to the CD. You may need to seek the service of a photo store with a regular desktop computer to burn all the contents of your memory card to CD. I used my camera to record Big Ben tolling 12 noon, but at home, I discovered the recording did not make it onto the CD.
Ken D.
Boston, MA USA Sun 03/05/2006
RE: Why Laptops?
We have taken all previous trips without a laptop, and did the last one with a laptop.
I really enjoyed having my laptop. I liked keeping in contact with my friends and family, and with the news. I liked being able to research things to do on the fly. I liked uploading my photos at night to my website and my storage site for my friends and family to enjoy. I liked being able to empty my card each day easily, and edit photos on the fly. I kept a journal on my website, and my friends/family loved keeping up with us on a daily basis.
I am a computer junkie - my husband likes watching tv; I prefer surfing. So I liked having it around during our downtime.
I'd bring it again. Different strokes for different folks. It wasn't a hassle and it didn't mean less of a vacation or a less relaxing vacation, if updating my website each night is what I like to do.
Rebecca
USA Sun 03/05/2006
Voltage
In the North America, electricity is 120 VAC (120 volts AC). In Europe, Australia, and many other places, electricity is 240 VAC (240 Volts AC). -------
Wrong Wrong
It's 110 V in the US and 220 V in Europe
OH USA Fri 03/03/2006
iPod the world over!
This must be one of the best all-in-one travel technologies in existence! You can use it download your photos from your digital camera (and view them!), listen to music in your 'bored-time', play videos for your children to watch ($2/show from iTunes and with AV cables, you can watch them on almost any TV), store contact email addresses and phone numbers, store your travel itinerary on the calendar with notes for hotel information, and you can even save scanned copies of your important documents.
Jim <email>
Milpitas, CA USA Tue 02/21/2006
Charging Laptops
Here's a trick that we used when carrying our laptop with us in Australia. Our laptop charger was dual voltage and the cord to the outlet plugged into the charger. (I believe most do.) Instead of messing with a plug adapter, we got a cord from an electric kettle in Australia and used it in place of our cord from the charger to the outlet. It worked perfectly. Just to repeat and clarify: the black cord that goes from the charger to the outlet is removed by simply pulling out the plug connection and replaced by a very similar cord from a small electrical appliance.
Has anyone else ever done anything like this?
J
FL USA Fri 02/17/2006
Phone between Ireland and Chile
I will be traveling in Ireland for two weeks in August and during that time, my fiance will be doing research in Chile. We would like to have an easy way to stay in touch via phone. I have looked into quad band cell phones but the calls are expensive. He will have a laptop but I am not taking one. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks!
Michele <email>
CA USA Thu 02/16/2006
Re: What do I need
Lap top - Look at the power converter (what you plug into the wall when using lap top on house current) and see what is says for the power rating for Input. If it says something like AC 100-240V, then all you need is a wall plug adaptor. Wall plugs are diffrent between Briish Isles and continental Europe, so you will need one of each if visiting both. Rick Steve's sells sets here, or Radio shack.
Digital Camera - are you using rechargeable batteries? Make sure the Input rating for the battery charger is rated the same as the lap top converter. If so, all you need is the wall plug adaptor. If it is not rated for 240V, you can't use it unless you buy a power converter, which is not worth the expense.
Steve
Richmond, VA USA Thu 02/16/2006
What do I need?
I am looking for advice on a couple things for my trip to Europe at the end of May. I will be bringing my Digital SLR camera and my laptop. What type of equipment do I need to safely charge both items? Converters, adapters, etc? And where do I get these items? I would appreciate anyone's input or ideas (feel free to email me at megantj@charter.net) -I want to make sure that I have everything I need before I head over there! Thanks a bunch!
Megan <email>
Bemidji, MN USA Wed 02/15/2006
Camera Tips for UK
A few 'Camera' Tips for your Trip to the UK:
1) Most Camcorder chargers are self-converting to UK power-only need UK adaptor. We bought a converter with our new camcorder and didn't need it. Charged great.
2) Get yourself re-chargable batteries & charger for digital camera for overseas trip. Otherwise your digital camera will eat 2-4 per day. Batteries are somewhat affordable in UK (especially at Asda/Walmart) but a pain to keep buying. Get the rechargeable.
3) You can EASILY download (and empty) your photos (memory card) onto a CD disk all over the UK. We did this at Asda/Walmart for 97p! You use the photo machine (they'll help you if needed) on the counter and pay, and then 20-40 minutes later, they will hand you your disk with photos and a couple of sheets of your photos in miniature. We even had them show us that the photos were on the disk before we cleaned off our memory card. So easy and inexpensive. Don't buy extra memory cards, just put on a disk (included in price) in the UK! Take disk to Walmart in USA and print out your photos.
Jennifer
Seattle, WA USA Sat 02/11/2006
digital cameras
Digital cameras are great for their weight, ability to take video clips, etc. A few suggestions: you can buy a simple black canvas case with a belt loop and velcro closure for $1.00 at Wal-mart. It is ample for most digital cameras, and doesn't advertise "expensive!" like a name-brand case does.
Buy a dual voltage battery charger and forget about needing a converter. All you need is the right-shaped plug.
In poorly lit places (like churches) you can often take acceptable videos where still pictures are blurred or too dark. (That's because our brains compensate for the blur when the picture is moving.)
J
FL USA Mon 02/06/2006
Digital vs. 35 mm Cameras
Ditto to Cathy from NJ comments regarding Canon digital cameras. My 4.0 pixel Canon was the best thing I purchased for my trip. I have a great 35mm camera but the small digital was so easy. Couple of suggestions:
Buy at least 2 packs of rechargeable batteries and try both out before you depart. If the rechargeable batteries fail you can always buy batteries on your trip. Don't both with the charger, adaptor and converter.
Buy a large enough case to hold the extra set of batteries and/or extra cards. A 512 card will let you take over 500 photos but I had 3 smaller cards. I heard about a person who lost their single 512 card and therefore all their photos.
Buy a nice long neck thin cord for your camera. I didn't have one and wished I did. Some of my pants pockets were not quite deep enough to place my camera, a little walking around money, etc. I now have one for the next trip.
Audrey <email>
Keizer, OR USA Sat 02/04/2006
headphones
Bose makes excellent Noise reduction headphones BUT about a tenth the price i bought some alwaig Headphones that I am happy with on a plane exhchanged them with Bose owner both agreed Bose better but not much ??
John Brangwin <email>
Bellevue, WA USA Mon 01/30/2006
RE: Digital vs 35mm Camera's
Jenn: The best thing I ever purchased for my trips is a Cannon Power Shot SD300 ELPH. It takes great pictures (my husband logged over 650 in Italy with plenty of room on the chip to spare), plus it's small enough to put in your front/back pocket and just pull it out as you need it. The size was a big selling point for me because I don't like lugging something around my neck or advertising I have it so the size made me feel very secure.
It's 4.0 mega pixels, there is no need for anything larger. It comes with a 16MB chip, but I upgraded it to 512MB and I purchased an extra battery so one can be charging while I use the other. I also purchased a small, off brand case (Lowepro - www.lowepro.com) that can attach to a belt and also hold an the extra battery. You will need to remember a power converter to use for charging the battery.
One other thing I like about it is it's ability to take small video's I can email to people. Hope this helps.
Cathy
Cathy
Jackson, NJ USA Sun 01/29/2006
Gadgets and other high-tech headaches
I've traveled throughout Europe 17 times, both northern and southern, Scandanvia to the Med. A couple of gadgetary recommendations:
1. Noise cancelling headphones for the plane. Bose are the top of the line, Sony is good, too. On a long flight, worth their weight in gold.
2. A GPS with mapping data loaded for wherever you're going. Garmin markets the iQue M-5, which is a pocket PC with mapping and GPS capability. Bottom line - I never get lost. I can use it walking, flying or driving. It can surf the net using WiFi, which means no internet cafes. With a simple adaptor, it charges in my hotel room. It's about the size of a calculator, so not bulky or clumsy.
3. Recommend a digital camer, with a high volume storage media like a SD card. Secure Digital cards are tiny, the bigs ones store up to 2 gigabytes of information (worth probably thousands of pictures, or anything else). Computers can accept a USB connection to a camera, but many will accept the card wihtout the camera -read the card directly like another floppy disk. Very handy.
4. Be careful running a laptop directly off an adaptor. I did in Norway - and managed to blow a circuit knocking out the power to the entire floor of my hotel. (Oops!) With the pocket PC, I'm not going to schlep a laptop around the country, just the pocket pc. Spend more time looking at the sights, enjoying the food, the ambiance and the people, and less time worrying about the gadgetry!
Paul Barnhill <email>
Virginia Beach, VA USA Wed 01/25/2006
Digital vs 35mm Camera's
I have never travelled before with a digital and have nice 35mm I am unsure what camera to bring?? an suggestions. If digital I have to worry about charging and uploading the photo's and the 35mm is big and heavy. I am backpacking.
Jenn <email>
Vancouver, BC Can Tue 01/24/2006
Power strip
Hi,
There are several postings about taking along a power strip to provide addtional outlets when traveling to Europe. Does this need to be a dual voltage strip? If so, where can I buy one? I will be using it with dual voltage equipment (camera battery charger, hair dryer, iPod).
Thanks,
Dawn
Dawn Burgoon
USA Mon 01/23/2006
Noise cancelling headphones
Seems to me that the answer for loud noises on planes that you'd rather not hear (of whatever sort) is to invest in those noise cancelling headphones. Bose makes some and I think there are others. I haven't used them myself but my husband swears by them. It's an easier solution than hoping or demanding that sources of noise be banished...
JER
USA Sun 01/22/2006
Cybercafes
I had a similar experience in some places - I have found this in Canada too, where there was no access for USB, CDS or even floppies. I found the best thing was to ask the horel reception if they could advise me of somewhere with t=what I needed. In every case, they were able to tell me where I could find a cafe with what I needed.
Iain
Edmonton, AB Canada Wed 01/18/2006
Instead of dragging DVDs along when travelling for business, my husband uses his Palm Zire to watch movies. I rip our DVDs down to 320x240 .mp4 files using a program called Handbrake (for Mac), dump a bunch of the ripped movies to his iPod (used as a portable HD), then he moves movies over to an SD card to watch on the Zire using a program called TCPMP. Added bonus - the movies in that format will also work on PSP and video iPod.
MI USA Wed 01/18/2006
Cybercafes now have
In my last European trip a few months ago, all the cybercafe computers I saw were 'dumb terminals'...a monitor and a keyboard.
I know why this would happen...it prevents people from uploading viruses from media like CDs, floppy disks and USB cards to the cybercafe computers. However it's hard on folks like me who, during the trip, like to send fotos or post them to a website.
So, if this is now the situation in most cybercafes [admittably I only visited a few during my journey so m sampling is quite small], maybe I missed that there is a service in which they could scan your media and allow you to use it. It was like that for the past 10 years, so hopefully someone will see that it's a good service to provide.
Paul
USA Wed 01/18/2006
Converters, inverters, and adapters
I haven't read this in months, and it sounds like some people are confused about power converters, inverters, and adapters. The following is a brief tutorial about electrical power.
Electricity comes as AC (volts alternating current) or DC (volts direct current). Any electricity you get from batteries is DC, and any electricity you get from a utility company over the powerlines is AC.
In the North America, electricity is 120 VAC (120 volts AC). In Europe, Australia, and many other places, electricity is 240 VAC (240 Volts AC).
"Chargers" for batteries are actually inverters that inverts the electricity from AC to DC. Some that you buy in North America can accept only 120 VAC and but many can accept an input power either 120 VAC or 240 VAC. You can look at the underside of the charger (or the back of the electronic equipment if the inverter is built-in) for the input rating. If you try to use an inverter with the wrong input rating, you can damage your equipment and even start an electrical fire.
If your equipment is not rated for 240 VAC, you can buy an converter to convert from 240 VAC to 120 VAC, but it is heavy and expensive and generally not worth it.
Once you have your input power taken care of, you will probably still need an adapter. Even if your equipment will take 240 VAC, Europe will not have the 2 flat prongs on the plugs that are standard in North America. You will need an adapter to adapt to 2 or 3 flat, triangular, or other shaped prongs. Standard plug shapes can vary from country to country, so check before you go.
J
FL USA Fri 01/13/2006
Converter
At Target.com you can order a set of plug converters that list the countries on them. I found it really handy and for 20 bucks you can't beat it!!!
The do have them at the store too.
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=1-8/qid=1136831669/ref=sr_1_8/602-1944660-0663026?%5Fencoding=UTF8&asin=B0000SVSL2
J <email>
USA Mon 01/09/2006
Power strips
I travel now and then to German, and I carry a handheld computer and a digital camera. Sometimes I want to use the computer on the power supply while I recharge the camera battery, so I took one of those little three 'n one US adapters, the ones you can buy everywhere with a set of blades and three outlets, and attached it to my plug adapter.
One word of caution, tape the plug adapter to the three 'n one adapter, because the pins of the plug adapter fit tight in the wall. I left a plug adapter in the wall in a hotel before I figured that one out.
A few days ago, I saw a British power strip at a Goodwill store. (I'll bet a lot of people want that.) I guess you could always buy a power strip over there and use plug adapters in each outlet on the strip.
Melissa
CO USA Thu 01/05/2006
US/Euro Power strips??
I've been to Europe a few times and have plenty of single outlet adapters/converters.
I am wondering, tough, if it would work to bring a US power strip along and use a converter to connect it to an outlet over there. In other words, would it work? Would there be problems using our electronics in the power strip? Not sure.....and I can't find any power strips that have a main euro plug that transforms to US outlets.
Has anyone tried this or have any suggestions?
Melissa
Chicago, IL USA Thu 01/05/2006
Converters & Chargers
After moving to the UK we've found a couple of great electronic devices: 1. A USB charger that charges the Nintendo DS system from a computer, about $7, available at game.net. 2. Kodak makes a great 110/240v. AAA Nimh battery charger for about $10 at Wal-Mart. Batteries last longer, all you need is the right adaptor. 3. Argos.co.uk has an inexpensive UK/USA plug adaptor for about $7.
Clint Heacock <email>
Meliden, Prestatyn, Wales UK Sun 01/01/2006