Traveling with Technology

These days many people travel with their laptops, iPad, iPhone, cameras, and other electronics. Sometimes this is great to have. Other times it complicates. There are all sorts of insights, discussions, puzzles, and tips here or coming to this section. To read any full post, click it’s header.

Skype call on Honduran data card

 in Central America / Deb in Honduras / Deb's Travels / Honduras / Traveling with Technology

Tonight I did my segment for Computer Talk Radio (on the air, syndicated radio show) via Skype as usual, but used my new Claro data card on my unlocked iphone 4GS. The Skype Voice call for 24 minutes was about 10mb sent and 10mb received. I thought it would be much more data! Claro, in case you are interested, is the less expensive of the two Honduras cellular carriers. I paid 290 Limpera for a 15 day period providing me with 5 Gb of data. For 490 you can have 1month and 7gb. An additional week will be 140 for another 7 days, 3gb. My first card was TIGO. I paid 45 Limpera for the card. (There was no charge for the Claro card.) Then they get 500 Limpera for a month and it gives you 5gb. The exchange rate is 19 Limpera to a dollar but we all round […]

Dropbox for safe file keeping

 in Traveling with Technology

As a traveler, both backpacker and cruiser, I love Dropbox. It allows me, and anyone, to create a file, whether photo, movie (up to 180mb), note, or other document, to sync to you Dropbox folder on the Internet for safe keeping. That way you can access it from your tablet, smartphone, laptop and/or desktop. If your device is lost, stolen, or damaged you will be very happy you didn’t rely on keeping your info only on that device! There are versions of the app for various devices and for computers as well as the web interface. Each works a bit differently and as I write this you must work with the website and the mobile apps in tandem to achieve things. They are working on the apps and welcome feedback. They are also great about helping us. I may post a few tips or findings about the iPad or iPhone […]

My first phone SIM or cellular data card

 in Central America / Deb in Honduras / Deb's Travels / Honduras / Traveling with Technology

Today I purchased my first data card, a SIM card for my iPhone that enables me to access the Internet on my iPhone. I should be able to use my iPhone as a Personal Hotspot, but the silly system requires that I get set up with TIGO, the provider, for that. About the card – for those who may with to know: It was 45 limperas for the card, then 150 limperas for 2GB to be used within 1week or lost. The alternative was a one-month card that provides 5GB but we would not still be in Honduras in 3 weeks. It was not possible to buy two weeks at a time. Data and voice/texting are sold separately. I purchased voice minutes some days later upon learning that a cal to the US is only 2 Limpera and a tad per minute. I spent just 50 Limpera.

Caye Caulker, Belize

 in Deb in Belize / Deb's Travels / Sleeping Accommodations / Traveling with Technology

I have plenty to write journal-wise, but right now I have some work tech to figure out. I just had to stop though to share my amazing environment with the world. So… I am lying on a hammock at Yuma’s House, a house-hostel that is on the beach. A bright, clear blue sky and fluffy white clouds are shaded perfectly by coconut-laden, full palm trees. Right behind then is the greenish turquoise ocean, an open cabana with 2 hammocks, and a few simple wooden boat docks well spaced, stretching into the water. This is what I dreamed of. A quiet place to enjoy the clear, clean ocean air as I write or work. The price for my 4-bed dorm is $25 Belize per night, $12.50 US. A full fish dinner with 2 drinks and chocolate cake for dessert runs $20 Belize per night, $10 US – and that is BBQ […]

Loving the iPad

 in Mexico / Traveling with Technology

I received “my” iPad two days ago, late in the evening, setting it up and starting to use it until 2am when the lights went out for the night on the Mondo Jovan hostel rooftop. After 2 weeks of the tiny iPhone for web browsing, text composition and everything else that could be done, this large bright screen and touch-type keyboard is dream! I do not exactly lay my fingersdown and touch-type, but close. Sort of half-hand touch and half touch-peck supplement. The case, folded back, enables me to have the same angle I had on my Mac for years with the CoolPad under it. I do have errors. I miss the space bar. But this is more a true keyboard. No deleting when attempting an “m” or typing a “c”I rather than a space. I will see how auto correct works with me as time and non-Engliswords ds continue. […]

Bus from Izamal to Cancun

 in Deb's Travels / Mexico / North America / Sight-seeing / Transportation / Traveling with Technology

Again, I am the only foreigner on the bus. In fact, the only tourists I saw today were the same couple from the pyramid. Izamal is a day trip for most people and a destination at which to stay resort style with a rented car for others. I wish I had picked up a book to read. The iPhone is useless for reading without Internet. 5 hours with nothing to read. What a waste that is because for 20 years I have mourned having time to read. The bus arrived at 2;40. I zipped up the backpack straps and carried my pack onto the bus taking the first seat on the non-driver’s side so i can have leg room and a view. My pack is on the floor in front of the seat beside me. Space permitting and with a stop in Villadolid I am more comfortable having it on […]

Lucky!

 in Deb's Travels / Mexico / Traveling with Technology

A few hours ago, sitting with my iPhone at the dining room table of my CouchSurfing host, I read an email from an LA writer friend (I know through IWOSC.org) — and I jumped up saying Yeah! I literally jumped for joy and exclaimed “I am so lucky!” Funny how I found myself saying “I am so lucky” today.

iPhone as my only tool

 in Central America / Deb in Mexico / Deb's Travels / Mexico / Traveling with Technology

I have loved the iPhone since the day it came out. Compared to the Palm Treo 700 I’d had, it was part miracle and part dream. I love all that the iPhone can do — but when that iPhone became my ONLY communication tool I started to truly feel its limitations. I am a professional writer. I need to write articles, to pen this blog (which is something that cannot be done in actual pen). I need to compose text for client websites. And I WANT to be able to write to friends. That’s a lot of thumb tying. 1) My thumbs are getting sprained. Seriously, after two weeks of this they hurt. 2) I cannot keep up with the thoughts in my head so I am losing words and ideas. 3) I am sick of typing the letter c instead of a space, thus (no, not this!) composing gibberish. […]

Worked the entire day; just like being in LA

 in Central America / Deb in Mexico / Deb's Travels / Mexico / Traveling with Technology

[As posted on facebook] Today I spent the entire afternoon, until past 11pm working and never got outside. Even spoke to cousin Lisa and friend Mario. It’s just like being at home in, except that I am on a Spanish keyboard so I cannot use punctuation well and I wake and go to bed in a hammock. And that the speaking is via Skype since I no longer have a phone. The no phone is a PIA but the hammock part is cool. I am traveling!

Life without email was hard

 in Central America / Deb in Mexico / Deb's Travels / Mexico / North America / Traveling with Technology

After I was robbed, I immediately changed passwords — and for my email, even changed the username. That was a mistake though, starting a chain reaction that left me unable to filter spam and to delete emails for about 6 days. I could’t find or notice real messages under the weight of the unwanted. It was hard to give up my landline and physical address. It was harder to give up my AT&T cell number as that was my last phone line. But to lose access to my email, limited to wi-fi as it was, really cut me off.  It was so great to get to my Merida CouchSurfing host, Daniel, and have a fellow Mac/iPhone geek to help me figure out the problem. I was great to not be alone in the problem. I am so happy to have my email back these past few days!

Merida mall for a/c & work

 in Central America / Deb's Travels / Mexico / Traveling with Technology

Today Daniel and I took a bus to his favorite mall. First Chinese food in the food court that tasted just like LA. Prices were similar too. Then we sat is a couple of comfortable chairs (my first in a long time) and had coffee at Starbucks as we used the Wi-Fi. Daniel was noticed by a fellow CouchSurfing host, Manuel. He gave me some good info about a developer I was interested in meeting. (Update on that: I didn’t get to call him. Also Manuel and I missed one another a couple of times in the next week.)

Arrived in Merida

 in Central America / Deb in Mexico / Deb's Travels / Food / Mexico / North America / Traveling with Technology

I arrived in Merida while it was still light. While on the bus I realized I had not written down Daniel’s address so I’d need Internet. That turned out to be a very pleasant surprise! In the bus station I asked a man for help asking for a McDonalds or such for Internet. The woman who worked there replied in excellent English that there is no need to Burger King or MD because the downtown was all Internet – gratis. And it was only 4 blocks down and 4 blocks to the left. I enjoyed the walk, buying a real Mexican ice cream pop (paleta) to eat as I walked. I got chocolate this time, but the fruit pops are the true prize in Mexico. (Good thing I had my bottle of water to wash my hand after. I was covered in drips on this dry hot and humid day.) […]

Valladolid on to Merida Mexico

 in Deb's Travels / Food / Mexico / Sight-seeing / Sleeping Accommodations / Traveling with Technology

March 22, 2014

After waking in Vallodolid (va ya doulid) at 8:30 having a light hot shower and a leisurely morning that included doing my fingernails putting on makeup and Andrew’s bracelets as well as putting my hair up, I did some email.

I need to decide what to do about my work and writing. Can I really write on an iPhone? Get an iPad? Buy a new Air? I vacillate between the flexibility a new Mac brings me and the freedom of not having one. I have not yet released my upset over losing my Mac. Backpackers do travel with computers. I think everyone, save for a couple had one at last nights hostel.

There is a stylish church anchoring one side of the square but it locked up just as I touched the door. I walked through the small park, stopping to take a panoramic shot of it from church, past the fountain, to some of the regular buildings that are the style of this town. The town is Colonial, I am told. The buildings are right angles, deep golds and reds that are old world and elegant, simple, solid, honest, unpretentious, attractive.

Working from Cancun again

 in Central America / Deb in Mexico / Deb's Travels / Mexico / North America / Traveling with Technology

As I remained in Cancun for a week searching for my stolen Mac, I did whatever I had to in order to get my work done and not let my clients done. Stopping into the Office Depot across from my hotel, I found it cool and comfortable so I stayed a while. My work tools of the day (March 19, 2012), and of many days to come: iPhone 3GS that once belonged to my cousin Elena, V-moda earphones, and a fabulous battery by Scosche. This battery almost didn’t make the packing cut as I favored their lighter battery and their solar battery, but it recharges my iPhone at least 2-3 and still shows 3 lights. I have come to rely on it greatly. What I am doing: using an iPhone app called Voxer to speak, walkie-talkie style with my friend, fellow web designer (and GoLive 5 Bible contributor) to update […]

About Tales of Travel & Tech

 in Deb's Travels / Traveling with Technology

When I decided to pack up my belongings and travel some of our great world’s roads with just my Mac, a few select pieces of tech, and whatever clothing basics that fit into my convertible backpack, I had no idea just what adventures in tech I was personally in for! What I knew: as long as I had my Mac I could continue to earn my living from wherever I was I’m the world. I would just need to not go off-grid (Internet grid and electrical grids, that is) for more than a week at a time. Easy, I thought. What I learned: even living in another state, staying in my hometown of NY, it was not easy to work. (in fact I took on a job that was much larger than its description and was quickly overwhelmed trying to get online, do the job, and actually get out and […]

Cell phone & phone calls in the Yucatan

 in Central America / Deb in Mexico / Deb's Travels / Mexico / North America / Travel w/Tech in Mexico / Traveling with Technology

Cell phones are big here. It seems as if every one has one. Walk into a woman’s room and you’ll here a woman speaking from her stall – just like I hear in Los Angeles. Yet pay phones are far from a thing of the past here. You can’t walk very far without seeing a phone and Internet cafe. Well, cafe would be a misnomer. It’s really a smallish shop with 2 rows of stalls. One row is of Windows towers for email. The other is of phone booths containing tabletop phones and a chair so you can enjoy your call. Payment is done through the shops proprietor. Hoping to find my stolen Mac, I visited a dozen or so pawn shops. The trip through Pawn Shops was shocking: the prices being asked for electronics was virtually the same as the prices in the local Office Depot or Sam’s Club. […]

Apple in Cancun

 in Central America / Deb in Mexico / Deb's Travels / Mexico / North America / Travel w/Tech in Mexico / Traveling with Technology

Of course, I had to see Apple Resellers in Cancun. I plan to do so everywhere I go. The iShop, with 20 stores in Mexico, is the largest reseller, I believe. Coming to see them was more than a wish after my Mac was stolen. I was desperate to plug my SuperDuper! Clone into any Intel Mac so I could access my info, make sure data was safe and work out ways to get my work done. Anyway, here is the iShop. oh, the huge box in front is a promotion: bring in an old piece of technology and get 1,000 pesos off your new Mac. It was fun to check out the box each of the 4-5 days I came by.

Finally online (at Starbucks) & at the beach

 in Central America / Deb in Mexico / Deb's Travels / Mexico / North America / Sight-seeing / Travel w/Tech in Mexico / Traveling with Technology

(Posted to Facebook at 1:24pm on March 11.) I’m grinning ear to ear, internally shouting, yes! finally! I’m online! Internet is quite spotty in the real Cancun. (I hate to admit it but I went to Starbucks. In the hotel zone, of course. Starbucks is Starbucks. Nothing to report in that arena.) My roommate friends, 2 great women from other parts of Mexico, are at the playa (beach). I can’t take too much beach, and have the reality of work, so I’m wandering around the city. I’ll meet them later. (The update added later:) I did meet my roommates. I went across the street to look for a bathroom and they happened to see me cross the street. What a surprise to hear them call out to me. This place is crowded. We had a few tacos, then went to the beach.

To Jailbreak or Not?

 in Deb in Mexico / Deb's Travels / Mexico / Traveling with Technology

I did NOT want to Jailbreak any iPhone. I believe in R&D and do not want software through any back door. But Apple and AT&T left me no choice. It is required in order to unlock an iPhone for use by another provider – even when that phone is out of contract and in fact, the owners of the phone continue to be clients of both companies via newer phones. By day two in Mexico I had had so many meeting complications due to lack of a phone that I headed over to an Internet place to Jailbreak my iPhone 3GS. (The process requires Internet access.) Jailbreaking was successful. However, my particular phone was not supported by the software available so i still had no option to make/receive calls. Frustration continued.

Setting up my travel Mac

 in Deb's Travels / Traveling with Technology

When I first set up my adopted 2008 MacBook Air, out of respect for it’s small (80GB) hard drive and my need for my client’s files, I promised myself I’d only install the few apps that really needed for work.  This Mac isn’t for fun. I’m venturing around exciting parts of the world and there are many better things to do than play on a computer — even when it’s a Mac. Thus, I only needed to install programs which were necessary for my work. My friend Cathy set up the Mac, actually, as I packed up my belongings. iLife, iWork, Office 2011, Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 — but only Photoshop, Dreamweaver, InDesign, Illustrator. But then there were some utilities I really hate being without: TypeIt4Me, Default Folder, Flip4Mac, and 1Password. Oh, and Skype — necessary not just to keep in touch with friends but also to record […]