Have gadgets, will travel

By Andy Walker

Bathing suit. Inflatable horsie. Laptop.

That’s what my packing list usually starts with, though by the time I am done packing for any trip, whether the destination is Bagotville or Bonaire, there are always loads of critical gadgets stuffed between my sunscreen and my flipflops.

So next time you pull out the Samsonite from the basement, here’s a packing list you might consider taking to keep your inner geek happy during your trip.

The Amazingly Versatile Laptop

The number one, all-purpose, can’t-leave-home-without-it device has to be, and perhaps will always be, a laptop.

Some people see a mobile computer as a way to take work with you, but frankly I’d leave my underwear behind before my laptop...but perhaps not for the reason you’d think. A laptop can be extremely versatile on the road. Sure, it can connect you to your e-mail and be used to research maps (I use Google maps at maps.google.com), but consider that it’s also a mobile stereo system, a DVD player, and even a video phone. If you load a few games on it, it can also be an airplane baby-sitter for an otherwise screeching child.

If you’re in the market for a new well-traveling laptop, take a look at the ThinkPad T43. The computer was developed by IBM, but last year, a Chinese company named Lenovo bought the ThinkPad line. Despite the new owner, ThinkPads are still made in the same factory as they were before the Lenovo acquisition and remain largely the same. There’s one fabulous change, though: Lenovo has dropped the prices.

The T43 ($1229 to $1799) is 2.2 Kg (4.85 lbs), which is 50% lighter than equivalent competitor laptops. It also comes with anti-drop technology, which parks the sensitive hard drive when it’s smacked off the airport lounge seat by the big moose with the overstuffed carry-on.

If you’re going to use the T43 for game play, be sure to choose one with an ATI Radeon video card for better video performance. Transcontinental travelers might also consider an optional 8-cell battery ($219) that gives you up to 7.5 hours of mobile use and about half that for mobile use with wireless Internet turned on.

Connect Where You Roam

Most laptops these days come with a technology called Wi-Fi. It means the machine can connect to the Internet wirelessly when the computer is in range of a Wi-Fi hotspot, which is available at coffee shops, in airport terminals, and in many hotels. Even some campgrounds offer Wi-Fi connections. The price for this service varies from free to about $10 per day. Flat monthly rates are also available through most services. It’s the most reliable way to stay connected to the Internet so you can get your e-mail, surf the web, and use the Internet like you would at home.

When not in range of a Wi-Fi hotspot, you can rig your laptop to use cellular data networks. There are two flavors of this service, depending on which provider you use.

In Canada, Telus Mobility and Bell Mobility use a wireless technology called EVDO (which unravels to the oddly named "Evolution, Data Optimized"). It provides speeds of up to 2.4 Mbps, although outside of a laboratory, typical speeds are 400 to 700 kbps. That’s about half the speed of a home high-speed Internet connection.

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