smart phone or dongle (1 Viewer)

[camper]

Can anyone advise me whether I'd be better with a smartphone or a dongle for my pc.
I don't make lots of calls -maybe 10 texts a week but I do like the idea of being able to communicate by email when I travel and I like the access to maps on my laptop.I know I can download maps but I prefer things to be interactive.
Is this enough info?

 

[pvw10]

iphone everytime for me.

 

[GJH]

I used a phone for many years, going back to when I had a Psion 5MX over 10 years ago. Either cable attached or using infra red/bluetooth, whatever the devices were capable of.

When dongles came out we got one but since moved to MiFi as we sometimes use two devices at a time.

One consideration with phones is whether your contract allows tethering.

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[hilldweller]

Can anyone advise me whether I'd be better with a smartphone or a dongle for my pc.
I don't make lots of calls -maybe 10 texts a week but I do like the idea of being able to communicate by email when I travel and I like the access to maps on my laptop.I know I can download maps but I prefer things to be interactive.
Is this enough info?

Interactive maps scare me to death, you wouldn't like the cost on the continent.

In UK ?

I think a dongle might give a better bandwidth, all it has to do is serve data.

And then things get blurred, a good smartphone is a PC.

I have a smartphone and MiFi. One works in some regions, the other in others, being on O2 and Voda.

Cost, the MiFi was £52 unlocked off ebay. A dongle would be a bit cheaper but isn't so flexible.

 

[joner8888]

Interactive maps scare me to death, you wouldn't like the cost on the continent.

In UK ?

I think a dongle might give a better bandwidth, all it has to do is serve data.

And then things get blurred, a good smartphone is a PC.

I have a smartphone and MiFi. One works in some regions, the other in others, being on O2 and Voda.

Cost, the MiFi was £52 unlocked off ebay. A dongle would be a bit cheaper but isn't so flexible.

I found that if i bought a French sim card i could not type into a mifi unit a code number to unlock it.
I ended up using my Vodaphone acc sim in my phone and if i paid a extra £3 per day i got a connection anywhere in euro land and could use my phone as here without a shock
The phone can be a wifi hotspot for a laptop ect too

 

[Techno]

iphone everytime for me.

Me too and I have Tethering included in my Orange contract so I can connect my Ipad or laptop to the internet through it. Best of both worlds.

In Europe I buy the 30mb per day bundle and only get charged £3 on the days I use it

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[darklord]

I recently changed from a dongle to using my smartphone (HTC desire)....MUCH better,......quicker, cheaper and using bluetooth, no need for wires, wouldnt go back.:thumb:

 

[Paramotormanal]

I have to agree with the first reply a smartphone is a must for me.

 

[Techno]

Having put off getting an iphone just because of the negative hype and buying an android that I was initially happy with but shortlived I finally got on the right path.
Had my 4s 11 months now and I wouldn't swap it for anything except perhaps a 5.
Everytime I use it is complete satisfaction.

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[spitfire]

Fior me too it is I Phone all the way although I do have 3 dongle for visiting the UK because free wifi is much more difficult to find there !!

 

[Techno]

Fior me too it is I Phone all the way although I do have 3 dongle for visiting the UK because free wifi is much more difficult to find there !!

All McDonalds are free and very many pubs and shops use cloud O2 free, all you need do is register to log in.
Also if you buy a Fonera and install it at home you'll gain access to all the very many Fon sites in UK
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http://maps.fon.com/fr

 

[tsrwright]

We travel 3 months in UK and Europe each year with 2 x iPhone, 2 x iPad and 2 x laptop.

We got a Huewai (sp?) MiFi (I think they call it) which charges off the laptop or the van 240/12V and has a battery so we can take it anywhere. Can plug into the USB ports but basically it is wireless and supports up to five devices at once (I think) Normally it is just Velcroed to a rooflight and connected to 12V.

With this set-up any of the devices we have can be connected at will so it is just like having a wireless network at home. It mainly uses the 3G network which is ok for ordinary work and doubtless 4G willl be better.

You need to have a sim card and data account with a provider - in our case 3 and over the past 12 months reception has become quite good.

Thing is, and I don't know how this applies to other devices, my wife and I can sit connected at the same time with no problem. Donlt think you can do this without having a dongle each which probably you couldnlt connect to an iPad.

I suppose for Europe we would just buy a local sim card.

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[wivvy's dad]

My Samsung SII has almost completely replaced my laptop with dongle in its usefulness.

Wouldn't touch an Apple product with a 10 foot bargepole.

 

[iandsm]

why

My Samsung SII has almost completely replaced my laptop with dongle in its usefulness.

Wouldn't touch an Apple product with a 10 foot bargepole.

Just wondering why?

 

[hilldweller]

Just wondering why?

I'll bet the same as me, you pay Apple top money for a good product then they tell you just what you can do with it.

Android, you pay from cheap to top money and do what the hell you want with it. So much variety.

Apple is too much of a cult thing, a triumph of marketing, ney brain washing from the master control freak.

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[buttons]

I'll bet the same as me, you pay Apple top money for a good product then they tell you just what you can do with it.

Android, you pay from cheap to top money and do what the hell you want with it. So much variety.

Apple is too much of a cult thing, a triumph of marketing, ney brain washing from the master control freak.

And now I have downloaded all of the relevant US maps onto my S2 using Nav Free I will be using it as my sat nav while in the US too. No WiFi or data required. Can you do that with an iphone.:thumb:

 

[Techno]

Samsung only copy apple hence being sued for gazillions

apple isnt plastic junk either :thumb:

 

[Techno]

And now I have downloaded all of the relevant US maps onto my S2 using Nav Free I will be using it as my sat nav while in the US too. No WiFi or data required. Can you do that with an iphone.:thumb:

I ask myself why when I have a tomtom 1005 with world maps that has a much more powerful GPS receiver and therefore less likely to lose where you are when it's important

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[iandsm]

And now I have downloaded all of the relevant US maps onto my S2 using Nav Free I will be using it as my sat nav while in the US too. No WiFi or data required. Can you do that with an iphone.:thumb:

Yes, the tomtom app does not need a data connection or wifi to operate fully. However, I would prefer to use my tomtom 1005 sat nav as it has a larger screen that a phone and it made for the job although I do find the tomtom app on the phone ideal if walking around, particularly in a city.

 

[jaygee]

i've got tomtom on my ipad. We're travelling Europe for 3 months and found this to be invaluable. You can access a general map of any area and zoom in to see all smaller roads or zoom out for bigger picture. It is always up to date (at no extra cost as oit's an app!) and you don't need internet connection to view it. It's also on my iphone so good if we are out & about.
I've got an iphone on 3 with "the one" package which gives intenet tethering to up to 5 devices at any one time. OK if you have got a signal but not allowed to tether when you are abroad - only in UK!
Have found that internet connection has been quite readilly avaliable wherever we've been, on campsites, in bars or in Macdonalds - all free!

 

[buttons]

Samsung only copy apple hence being sued for gazillions

[HI]apple isnt plastic junk either[/HI] :thumb:

You can re-appraise your view after viewing this if you like.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jViSKlAeYYs[/ame]

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[Techno]

That's very funny
I'm careful not to drop mine it's far too precious
I don't use plastic glasses in the motorhome either

 

[Techno]

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[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNM90pb-Xwk[/ame]

 

[buttons]

i've got tomtom on my ipad. We're travelling Europe for 3 months and found this to be invaluable. You can access a general map of any area and zoom in to see all smaller roads or zoom out for bigger picture. It is always up to date (at no extra cost as oit's an app!) and you don't need internet connection to view it. It's also on my iphone so good if we are out & about.
I've got an iphone on 3 with "the one" package which gives intenet tethering to up to 5 devices at any one time. OK if you have got a signal but not allowed to tether when you are abroad - only in UK!
Have found that internet connection has been quite readilly avaliable wherever we've been, on campsites, in bars or in Macdonalds - all free!

I have an S2 on Three fully loaded package. I also have an Iphone 4s on Three fully loaded package that my partner uses. She loves her iPhone, well she would being female. I much prefer my S2, but then I would being male.

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[callumwa]

You can re-appraise your view after viewing this if you like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jViSKlAeYYs

A very scientific experiment upon which we should all immediately re-appraise our views......:thumb:


Hmmmm, I think not, ........ just because it is on the internet, some may believe it is a fair and true experiment, shot on the first take and without any editing or bias, others may be rather more sceptical....


I have, and always will have covers on my phones and gadgets. I have dropped them from time to time,and never have suffered any significant damage. I even once some time ago dropped an iphone 3s, 9m from the top of a cargo tank.... the case was damaged, but no damage to the iphone.

I for one, don't care, if they wish to carry their very smart "phones" around without any protective covers and then drop them willy nilly, so be it.

The phones may be smart but the owners are not so....oh:

 

[buttons]

A very scientific experiment upon which we should all immediately re-appraise our views......:thumb:

Hmmmm, I think not, ........ just because it is on the internet, some may believe it is a fair and true experiment, shot on the first take and without any editing or bias, others may be rather more sceptical....

I have, and always will have covers on my phones and gadgets. I have dropped them from time to time,and never have suffered any significant damage. I even once some time ago dropped an iphone 3s, 9m from the top of a cargo tank.... the case was damaged, but no damage to the iphone.

I for one, don't care, if they wish to carry their very smart "phones" around without any protective covers and then drop them willy nilly, so be it.

The phones may be smart but the owners are not so....oh:

I have a smart son who is on his third Iphone screen, one was in his back pocket when he sat down. Never seen a broken S2 screen

 

[callumwa]

I have a smart son who is on his third Iphone screen, one was in his back pocket when he sat down. [HI]Never seen a broken S2 screen[/HI]

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One of my daughters has broken the screen on most phones she had had, including iPhone and Samsungs... In fact she has broken or lost most gadgets she has ever owned.....oh:

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[buttons]

A very scientific experiment upon which we should all immediately re-appraise our views......:thumb:
Hmmmm, I think not, ........ just because it is on the internet, some may believe it is a fair and true experiment, shot on the first take and without any editing or bias, others may be rather more sceptical....
I have, and always will have covers on my phones and gadgets. I have dropped them from time to time,and never have suffered any significant damage. I even once some time ago dropped an iphone 3s, 9m from the top of a cargo tank.... the case was damaged, but no damage to the iphone.
I for one, don't care, if they wish to carry their very smart "phones" around without any protective covers and then drop them willy nilly, so be it.
The phones may be smart but the owners are not so....oh:

Are you worthy of owning an Iphone, I thought that Iphones should be bare and on view so that all the world can see what a magnificent piece of kit you have in your possession.

 

[callumwa]

Are you worthy of owning an Iphone, I thought that Iphones should be bare and on view so that all the world can see what a magnificent piece of kit you have in your possession.

I have other magnificent bits of kit in my possession......

and I have no need to show them off in public either......

 

[buttons]

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One of my daughters has broken the screen on most phones she had had, including iPhone and Samsungs... In fact she has broken or lost most gadgets she has ever owned.....oh:

That is a great bit of artwork must have taken some time, was chalk your medium.

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