Computer illiterate need your opinion

[Floatin']

I am slowly being forced into the age of computer and electronic communication. More often lately much of my business communication is by email. Previously I could forward my faxes and telephone calls to my place at the river and handle business from there without anyone knowing I wasn't in my office. Now when I get back home to check my email I have missed important messages.
Finally my question.... What would you recommend I look into buying so it appear's that I am at my office (like I should be) when I am really at the river mid week. Anyone else lucky enough to have this major dilemma :p

[Phat_Kat]

buy a laptop or perhaps a cheap computer. Something like an emachine and just leave it at the river. Hook it up to a phone line and use dial up. I'm gonna guess your company uses outlook express for their email so just have everything setup on you new river computer or laptop. If you've got a tech guy then he'll know what you want done. If your company just uses AOL mail or employies personal email(Aol, hotmail, yahoo, etc.) accounts then just use that. This way you can boot up the computer and check your email in between the sandbar and skiing.

[MagicMtnDan]

Sounds like you're only concerned with e-mail and not any serious computing. You could buy a very inexpensive laptop - even a used one and do quite well with it. E-mail is one of the easiest applications for a computer to handle.

[Boozer]

You like to spend time at the river right? LOT's of time probably and I'm sure you value that time. So don't do dial up if you go dial up you'll be wasitng all your river time waiting for the internet to load at dial up speeds.
You need to call the phone company out at the river and order a fractured T1 if available or a DSL line, something broadband so that when you need your shit you get it on demand and don't have to wait for it. You can also configure your computer to recieve your faxes for you and format them into word documents which will make it so that they can be emailed to you at the river.

[BigBoyToys]

The Nationwide IT company that I work for just switched to this device for all techs nationwide Sprint PCS Treo 300 (http://www.sprint.com/pcsbusiness/devices/pda/handspring300.html) and in doing so, got rid of the individual pagers and cell phones that we had at a savings to the company. This device, combined with the Sprint PCS wireless service, is a Cell Phone, Email, pager, internet, organizer, etc. When I get a email, the device goes off in real time the moment I get the email and I read it right away. I can then send an email or call the person (if I know the phone number wink ). I have even browsed the HB Forums with it and have posted in the HB forums with it. If you are looking for a convenient portable device that has cell phone, email, internet, pager, and organizer abilities, this is the way to go. I've even posted Boat race results REAL TIME on the internet with it. I have a laptop also but have rarely used it since getting the Treo 300. The once portable laptop doesn't seem as portable anymore when compared to something that can fit in my pocket :D and it sure is nice to not have to plug in to a modem/phone line/etc to go on the internet. It is TOTALLY wireless :D :D
[ August 26, 2003, 12:22 PM: Message edited by: BigBoyToys ]

[riverracerx]

Get a Blackberry! You can get e.mail anywhere, but it is not as confusing as a cell phone trying to do the same thing.
All the VP's at Disney have them....

[BigBoyToys]

riverracerx:
Get a Blackberry! You can get e.mail anywhere, but it is not as confusing as a cell phone trying to do the same thing.
All the VP's at Disney have them.... We were using the Blackberry, but also had to have a Cell Phone. The total cost for the 2 combined was more than the cost for the 1 with everything. I just read a corporate newsletter that estimated a 20% savings. It isn't confusing at all....1 button goes to the cell screen, 1 button goes to the email screen, 1 button goes to the internet browser, 1 button goes to the organizer. 4 main buttons total and they eben have pictures eek! . Did I also mention that it is a touchscreen? wink
[ August 26, 2003, 12:29 PM: Message edited by: BigBoyToys ]

[Floatin']

MagicMtnDan:
Sounds like you're only concerned with e-mail and not any serious computing. You could buy a very inexpensive laptop - even a used one and do quite well with it. E-mail is one of the easiest applications for a computer to handle. This sounds like what I am looking for. Without subscribing to dsl or cable I will need the cheapest internet connection possible, Any suggestions ? (I use cable at home)

[BigBoyToys]

Floatin':
MagicMtnDan:
Sounds like you're only concerned with e-mail and not any serious computing. You could buy a very inexpensive laptop - even a used one and do quite well with it. E-mail is one of the easiest applications for a computer to handle. This sounds like what I am looking for. Without subscribing to dsl or cable I will need the cheapest internet connection possible, Any suggestions ? (I use cable at home) I would check with your current broadband provider and see if you already have a dialup connection. Many broadband providers include a dialup number for your account in case the broadband goes down. I know that I have a "free" dialup connection but never use it since I have my own domain with dialup accounts. Might be something to look into.

[SUPERCREWJOHN]

Floatin':
MagicMtnDan:
Sounds like you're only concerned with e-mail and not any serious computing. You could buy a very inexpensive laptop - even a used one and do quite well with it. E-mail is one of the easiest applications for a computer to handle. This sounds like what I am looking for. Without subscribing to dsl or cable I will need the cheapest internet connection possible, Any suggestions ? (I use cable at home) Your current ISP should have a local dialup number. If you access your corporate network remotely there may be other requirements such as having your machine autheniticate against your corporate domain. Check with your IT department, they should have some guideline for remote access.

[mickeyfinn]

Most of the major isp's who supply DSL service also give you a limited amount of dial up access. Earthlink/Mindspring for example give you 20 hours/month dial up access to use in the event of a dsl outage or if you are traveling. If you have cable or some broadband service that doesn't offer this then check out netzero. It only gives you like 10 hours per month but it is totally free. As for the computer go ahead and splurge for a new one if you have or know someone who can load the OS for you. A new machine with an AMD 1800 with everything integrated in the motherboard will only set you back about 250.00 for everthing but the monitor. At least this way you should have something that is dependable and under warranty for a year.