Laptop vs I-pad

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Footprint
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Laptop vs I-pad

Postby Footprint » Tue Jan 10, 2012 10:29 pm

Hi

As I'm about to purchase a new laptop it is obviously a good time to look into what is the most suitable for my potential usage over the next 12 months. As I will be back in Andalucia at the beginning of February - this time for 5 weeks in an attempt to secure a suitable long-term rental property - I will need to purchase some kind of mobile internet modem. I believe Movistar offer suitable systems.

So - a rather long-winded way to get to my question - does anyone have experience of this either using a laptop or an i-pad? Whilst back in the UK either will connect through wi-fi to my system at home but once away from there I need something that will give me good communication to my OH who works overseas (not Spain).

Any suggestions/experiences?

Many thanks in anticipation.
You can spend, minutes, hours, days, weeks or even months over-analyzing a situation; trying to put the pieces together, justifying what could've, would've happened - or you can just leave the pieces on the floor and move the f**k on.

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Re: Laptop vs I-pad

Postby chrissiehope » Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:24 pm

Hi Footprint,

I don't know anything about iPad, but we have a USB modem dongle on our laptop in Spain - it's supposed to be 3g, but more often than not it is only GPRS (dial up speed), which is enough for us to access emails etc.
Most phone companies sell them now, either contract or PAYG (we use Vodafone PAYG or 'prepago' as it is in Spain). Which company you use will largely depend on the signal where you are mostly located - on the Costa it shouldn't be much of a problem, but inland (especially in the campo) different phone providers (Orange, O2, Vodafone etc) can have different signal strengths (or even no signal at all !), which will affect your speed (& more importantly for you, probably render Skype virtually useless :( )

So I suggest this signal strength should be high on your agenda when searching for your rental :D

I'm sure others on here will have further info / advice :wink:
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Re: Laptop vs I-pad

Postby Julie » Tue Jan 10, 2012 11:31 pm

I used to use www.masmovil.es before I had adsl they use orange for the signal, the service is good both in spanish and english :)
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Re: Laptop vs I-pad

Postby Miro » Wed Jan 11, 2012 12:22 am

Laptop / netbook or tablet? If that's your question, check out the ASUS Transformer. It's a remarkable bit of kit and I love mine!
http://uk.asus.com/Eee/Eee_Pad/Eee_Pad_ ... mer_TF101/
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Re: Laptop vs I-pad

Postby masterob » Wed Jan 11, 2012 12:59 am

As I am sure you know, you cannot connect a USB Dongle directly to the iPad so that would not be an option. If you go down the iPad route then you would need one with a 3G wireless network interface rather than just the WiFi version.

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Re: Laptop vs I-pad

Postby Footprint » Wed Jan 11, 2012 8:17 am

Hi - many thanks for the responses.

Yes I would have got the iPad 3g version but I'm leaning more towards a laptop I think. I will be staying between Alora and Valle de Abdalajis during February and it will be in that area I am looking to rent.

Decisions, decisions..........so much easier buying a pair of shoes or a new Radley!!! :problem:
You can spend, minutes, hours, days, weeks or even months over-analyzing a situation; trying to put the pieces together, justifying what could've, would've happened - or you can just leave the pieces on the floor and move the f**k on.

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Re: Laptop vs I-pad

Postby El Cid » Wed Jan 11, 2012 9:46 am

If you do decide on the iPad remember that a new version is rumoured to be coming out on Feb 24th.

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Re: Laptop vs I-pad

Postby rafiki » Wed Jan 11, 2012 10:01 am

Miro wrote:Laptop / netbook or tablet? If that's your question, check out the ASUS Transformer. It's a remarkable bit of kit and I love mine!
http://uk.asus.com/Eee/Eee_Pad/Eee_Pad_ ... mer_TF101/
The new, higher spec TF201 model is due out in UK tomorrow but there will be supply and teething issues for a while.
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Re: Laptop vs I-pad

Postby gerryh » Wed Jan 11, 2012 10:18 am

Footprint wrote:Hi

I will need to purchase some kind of mobile internet modem. I believe Movistar offer suitable systems.



Any suggestions/experiences?

Many thanks in anticipation.
All of the mobile phone providers in Spain sell USB modems.
The important thing is that you choose a mobile phone provider that has good signal coverage in the area where you want to live.
Do not believe what they tell you in the shop about coverage.
The only way of finding out is to talk to people who have one or a smart phone and ask them what the signal is like.
I'm with Vodafone and get good a good signal where I live, my neighbour is with Orange and gets a poor signal. She didn't ask my advice/ opinion first, she thought Orange had a better deal.
Cheers
Gerry
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Re: Laptop vs I-pad

Postby quebin » Wed Jan 11, 2012 10:27 am

We have a Vodafone dongle for internet connection.When we took out the contract we purchased a wifi base unit that cost 10 euro and will allow connection of up to 5 wifi enabled machines.

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Re: Laptop vs I-pad

Postby Miro » Wed Jan 11, 2012 3:47 pm

rafiki wrote:
Miro wrote:Laptop / netbook or tablet? If that's your question, check out the ASUS Transformer. It's a remarkable bit of kit and I love mine!
http://uk.asus.com/Eee/Eee_Pad/Eee_Pad_ ... mer_TF101/
The new, higher spec TF201 model is due out in UK tomorrow but there will be supply and teething issues for a while.
I think the new model is a little slimmer and lighter, but otherwise pretty much the same? Regular firmware updates sort out most issues anyway.
No problem with USB - the docking keyboard has 2 USB ports.
Don't worry about what people think, they don't do it very often

"Acquiring a dog may be the only opportunity a human ever has to choose a relative," Mordecai Siegal 1935-2010.

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rafiki
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Re: Laptop vs I-pad

Postby rafiki » Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:12 pm

Miro wrote:
rafiki wrote:
Miro wrote:Laptop / netbook or tablet? If that's your question, check out the ASUS Transformer. It's a remarkable bit of kit and I love mine!
http://uk.asus.com/Eee/Eee_Pad/Eee_Pad_ ... mer_TF101/
The new, higher spec TF201 model is due out in UK tomorrow but there will be supply and teething issues for a while.
I think the new model is a little slimmer and lighter, but otherwise pretty much the same? Regular firmware updates sort out most issues anyway.
No problem with USB - the docking keyboard has 2 USB ports.
No, a bit more than that. It has the Tegra 3 quad core chip which should give it a bit more umph. However, I see just today that even before the TF201 is available in UK the Transformer Prime TF700T will be out shortly with a 1920x1200 HD screen. Hard to keep up isn't it?
Brian.

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Re: Laptop vs I-pad

Postby Miro » Wed Jan 11, 2012 7:22 pm

Frustrating to know that my barely 6 month old beauty is already obsolete!
Don't worry about what people think, they don't do it very often

"Acquiring a dog may be the only opportunity a human ever has to choose a relative," Mordecai Siegal 1935-2010.

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Re: Laptop vs I-pad

Postby rafiki » Wed Jan 11, 2012 7:29 pm

Miro wrote:Frustrating to know that my barely 6 month old beauty is already obsolete!
http://vimeo.com/8703840

...but you still have a very good machine which you are happy with. I'm only hanging on because we were just about to buy a tablet and had settled on a TF201 but as we are not in too much of a hurry have canceled that order and will await the TF700T or something else that may be announced in the meantime. :?
Brian.

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Re: Laptop vs I-pad

Postby Miro » Wed Jan 11, 2012 8:02 pm

:lol: Fantastic! I feel so much better now.
Don't worry about what people think, they don't do it very often

"Acquiring a dog may be the only opportunity a human ever has to choose a relative," Mordecai Siegal 1935-2010.

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Re: Laptop vs I-pad

Postby Footprint » Wed Jan 11, 2012 9:11 pm

Thanks everyone. I will check out the people I am staying with as they have one. When over last month I bought a simple Nokia and simcard from Movistar in Alora as I'd stupidly left my UK mobile at home. That had a good signal but that was a phone and not internet.

Cheers.
You can spend, minutes, hours, days, weeks or even months over-analyzing a situation; trying to put the pieces together, justifying what could've, would've happened - or you can just leave the pieces on the floor and move the f**k on.

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Re: Laptop vs I-pad

Postby flan_taster » Wed Jan 11, 2012 11:55 pm

I think Movistar is OK for mobile phone use but when I was looking into a USB Internet dongle they were not so competitive. However much depends on the best signal strenght etc as already said and until you know where you will rent it may be best not to be too hasty. Try using a local wifi if possible. In my area Carrefour (supermarket) offered a good deal - they use Orange network. You can studuy the guidance maps for coverage on each web site but although they help there is nothing better than getting experience from someone who already uses it.

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Re: Laptop vs I-pad

Postby Footprint » Thu Jan 12, 2012 7:52 am

Sound advice - thank you flan-taster.

Have ordered a laptop at last - and spent more than I had intended :!:
You can spend, minutes, hours, days, weeks or even months over-analyzing a situation; trying to put the pieces together, justifying what could've, would've happened - or you can just leave the pieces on the floor and move the f**k on.


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