Laptop computers
 

All of you that are OTR drivers, how many of you have a laptop computer you take with you while you are away?

Those of you that do, how much did it cost you and what kind of computer is it?

How does internet access work out for you being in different places all the time, what methods do you use to access the internet on your laptop?

As far as navigation programs go, do you have those on your laptop also, or do you access them some other way?

Thanks in advance.

I have an HP Pavilion DV8113cl that I bought at Sam's Club. Its cost was in the neighborhood of about $1,200. However, if you're only going to use a laptop for internet access & mapping, you don't need a high-end machine. I use my laptop for pretty much everything: entertainment via tv tuner & movies on hard drives, finances via Quicken, log book via Drivers Daily Log, etc.

For internet access, I have a Sprint connection card. So far, I don't think I've found a place in the country without access. Some places are faster than others, but it's always there - cost is $59.99/month unlimited.

Navigation, I use Microsoft Streets & Trips 2006 & CoPilot Laptop Truck 9.

I already have built in wireless in my lap top. Does everyone have to buy a card specifically for this? Also their coverage area may be decent compared to other wireless broadband, but damnit it's got overall I'd say less than 5% of the country covered. MY city isn't covered, the only two that are in my state are Atlanta and the college town Athens.

My laptop has built in wireless as well, but it's not the same as mobile broadband service that the cell phone companies offer. I use Sprint.

I have an IBM Thinkpad T43 with a 1.86gHz Centrino, 60gig HD, 2 gigs of ram (512 mB stock), DVD/CD combo burner, etc. I picked it because the Thinkpads are rugged little laptops (metal hinges and magnesium top case) and the Thinkpad has the awesome pencil-eraser mouse nub in the middle of the keyboard. Another great feature is the LED light at the top of the scfreen that illuminates the keyboard - which I found by accident after a few weeks. It has active shock detection that shuts don the HD instantly. It also has biometric security- you have to swipe a finger over a fingerprint reader to access the computer on power-up, after it is closed, or after it hibernates.

I paid +/- $1250 for it, NIB from www.overstock.com with free shipping. It arrived in 36 hours.

It has built-in wireless I can use when available, but I have a Sprint Mobile Broadband card that I use everywhere else. I have NEVER been anywhere I couldn't connect.

I use Google maps and/or Google earth for navigation, but I think I will buy a Garmin GPS USB antenna/software set-up for a real-time 15" scrolling map. Of course then I would have to get a RAM mount for it.

Also, a tip to those who use EVDO cars like the Sprint- Get a Wilson dual-band cellular mirror-mount antenna and adaptor for the external jack. It's a little Star-Treky with the radials or what not, but I get 6 bars of signal everywhere now it seems, and it speeds up the conection greatly. I got 1166 down speed yesterday at my yard, whereas I usualy ranged between 450-850 down beforehand.

It's good enough to feed my Warcraft addiction lately.

-p.

I wouldn't mind doing it, better than the 160 I pay for comcast at home right now, but I'd need proof it works 'everywhere'. On their coverage map it litterally covers probably only 5% of the country. I know for a fact that it says it doesn't cover my city.

Come up here where I live and I Bet you can't connect with it :P

I live in rural west virginia. My cell phone won't even work here. But, I'm using the sprint card right now, downloading at about 20k/sec.

Anyone out there use Mac? I am soon to be otr and I have a Mac Powerbook G-4 with airport card. I get internet service via T-mobile @ hotspot places like Starbucks. What do I need to have internet otr. I know T-mobile has that service but will it work on Mac. I don't have a slot for any card thingy I have seen at cell phone stores. Am I going to have to get a windows type laptop??

I have a Winbook, cost me about $800.00. http://www.winbook.com You will not see the ads for these computers unless you read Fortune 500 magazines. The laptops are made for "professional travelling business people". I've had mine for about two years now....and haven't had a single problem with it.

I connect to the web with a T-Mobile GC89 Aircard that is both wi-fi and GPRS capable. I can use it most anywhere in the country. No roaming charges either :D Costs me $49.99 a month for unlimited access to the web. Little devil sniffs out all available wi-fi nets too... 8) I can use any of the T-Mobile hotspots as they are included in the fee as well.

I just found out I do have a PC slot on my Mac. Don't know for sure what you do with it though. I am going over to the T-Mobile store to inquire about this. I hope since my apple airport at there hotspots maybe all I have to do is sign up for the $49.95 plan for everywhere service. I have cingular cell phone service but they say there card is not mac compatible. I bet t-mobile will say same! Thats what I get for being different. It will be awhile before I can spring for a pc laptop. I have never drove around to see what spots the mac will sniff out. I guess I should do that. It would help if I was a little more knowledgeable about this computer stuff. Any Mac users out there???I couldn't be the only one.

Recharging the Laptop battery
 

I just purchased a WIFI card and plan on using the truckstop Internet for the time being
My question is what is the best method of recharging my Laptop battery
Im thinking about using Inverter or ?
any help will be appreciated
Thanks

An inverter is fine, however, make sure to have your inverter off or your latptop disconnected when you fire up the truck. Damage to the battery/laptop may result.

thanks for that tip.

I use a H.P. "DV-1000" with "LIGHT SCRIBE" CD /DVD RW ect. Great machine.

Re: Recharging the Laptop battery
 

Go to Radio Shack and check out "I GO" stuff". I got the "I GO Juice". You can charge any laptop with it. You can plug it into 110 volt or use 12 volt It has tips with it for any laptop. You can also power you portable CD player,I Pod, cell phone, although if you want to power,charge your cell phone you will have to also get the correct tip and another cable. You can charge and power sevaral things at the same time. It isn't especialy cheap but it is pretty versatile. You can get just the 12 volt setup or 110 or both(Juice) Lots of different options.

Some laptops will not charge from an inverter. There are 2 types of inverters, pure and modified sine wave. It won't hurt to try. Some chargers are real picky like battery chargers for cordless drills won't work.

You can buy a brand new Dell laptop for under $600. Nice machines, I have one.

I bought my laptop to replace my dying desktop. Because of that I spent some major money on it and got a real nice small, light, and mobile gaming machine.

I'll bet you play those games where you get to shoot everyone without reading them there rights. You say your an illegal from Mexico, BANG BANG. What, you forgot your license at home, BANG BANG... :lol:

Anybody know about this?

Oops...a better link. To be released Nov. 06

Seems interesting. I'm going to have to check it out.

That says for bluetooth enabled laptops, but clicking on their supported products they only list phones.

Back to Sprint EVDO- Yesterday I set a personal record of 1340 down/106 up. Granted I was in the Texas Medical Center in Houston with tons of coverage, but still.

Just now I speedtested it (using Speakeasy's speed test) at 760/57 sitting in my company's yard.

Earlier today I had 2 bars of signal at both the TX/LA state line and later in Crowley, LA - until I plugged in the ol' Wilson dual-band cellular external antenna, and it jumped to 6 bars of signal at both places. Money well spent.

I am a huge proponent of Sprint's EVDO card- in the areas I run it always works. In BFE it might be dial-up slow, but it still works. YMMV.

I am told Verizon touts their service as "Unlimited", but actually limits you to 5gB a month, and will terminate your service AND charge you the $200 early termination fee if you overrun OR if you d/l streaming video and/or use it for VOIP and/or online gaming. Ouch. Pretty much rules out any good porn surfing.

Sprint actually advertises their "unlimited" service for use for streaming video and VOIP. I can tell you from personal experience that if they have a bandwidth ceiling, I haven't hit it- and I would estimate my usage at 20-30gB a month between surfing and WarCraft.

In addition, they are rolling out EVDO Rev. A, promising moderately faster download speeds and greatly improved upload speeds. Only catch is I would have to buy the new Merlin S720 card. Bummer.

-p.

I use torrents to download stuff. Shshhh don't tell RRIA. I have gotten up to 1.5 mb/s download speed on torrents before. Not often, but normally with enough seeds(sources) I can get 700-850 kb/s easily and constantly. If they can beat my comcast cable speeds I'll look into it, but why are their coverage maps basically blank? What's the deal, highspeed in 5% of america and fast dialup wherever you can get a phone signal?

The Sierra 595 card is a Rev A card as well - I just got one.

As far as the 5% of the country being high-speed, ya, that's pretty accurate. You won't have DSL speeds everywhere, but you can almost guarantee you *WILL* have a connection.

As I stated before, most of the time I have 15-20k/sec d/l speeds in most areas, and DSL speeds in pretty much every major city.