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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Netbooks

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michaelj
Navigator

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132 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/10/2010 : 15:15:53

This is going to demnonstrate my lack of computer sophistication, but does anyone use a netbook on their boat when they are out on the water? How from shore will one work? Thanks

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5902 Posts

Response Posted - 03/10/2010 : 16:10:55

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by michaelj
 ...demnonstrate...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
It's hard to type on those tiny keyboards, isn't it?

I have two of them, and they're great for traveling and carrying around without getting a sore shoulder from the strap. You can use them offshore, but you need to buy some kind of card to pay for the service. I believe they're sold by cellphone companies, and, by my standards, they're a little costly, but not if you're a full-time cruiser. I believe Sten will be able to tell you all about them because he uses one. I'm sure he'll join in shortly.

Edited by - on

piseas
Former Treasurer

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USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 03/10/2010 : 16:53:22

Michael, I dont believe there is any difference between a netbook and a full size laptop working in so far as distance from shore. Just realize there is no CD player on a netbook.
Steve A

Edited by - piseas on 03/10/2010 16:54:08

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 03/10/2010 : 20:59:28

Yes, wifi is wifi and edge and 3g are what they are regardless of the device. A USB dongle and a cell signal will get them online, but you won't be impressed with the speed. A netbook is just a compact pc (or Mac on April 3) with no frills and a low power processor that trades performance for battery life. Word processing and web activities are what they are designed for, not demanding applications. Apple's penchant for really integrating designs and designing and building a custom processor for the Ipad may raise the bar, but we'll have to wait and see. It definitely won't raise it to notebook or Macbook range. I take my Mac aboard as a Navigation computer, but I've never used a cell service adapter or bought wifi where it was available.

Edited by - on

windsong
Captain

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USA
318 Posts

Response Posted - 03/11/2010 : 06:16:35

Your netbook with a mobile broadband card will surf the web anywhere you can get a phone reception. I sail along the coast and handle business matters via the web and my netbook. Broadband cards come from your wireless phone company and cost about $80/month. I didn't want to pay that, so I use my cellphone. I connect the sync cable to the USB port and use it as a wireless modem. With Verizon that features costs $10/mo. For offshore, you would need a satmodem. VERY pricey. I rented one once for a trip to the Baha.

I set the autopilot and go below to work. I don't even tell people I'm on the boat. Heck, for all you know, I could be on my boat right now. Excuse me a moment while I go above, the jib is flogging...

Edited by - windsong on 03/11/2010 06:46:24

Unsinkable2
Captain

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USA
273 Posts

Response Posted - 03/11/2010 : 07:50:39

I use a dell netbook that works really well. If I'm near an open wifi router I use that, otherwise I just connect it with a usb cable to my cell phone for access. Works great, and no one knows where you really are :) On my phone (a windows mobile phone with AT&T) I can use the phone as a modem and make voice calls at the same time.

I also found a great little tool called RedFly - it's just a keyboard/monitor combination that connect wirelessly to your cell phone. My windows cellphone can edit word documents, excel spreadsheets, browse the web, and even remote desktop into a remote computer or server for more advanced tasks - only problem is that it's hard to get much done on such a small keyboard/screen. That's where RedFly comes in. You just open it up and it automatically connects via bluetooth (no wires!) to the cell phone, but gives you a laptop-sized keyboard and larger screen to work on. The bluetooth connection is so fast, I can even watch movies stored on my cellphone via the RedFly. And because its bluetooth, I can leave the cellphone down in teh cabin, and just bring the redfly out in the cockpit to work. And here's a bonus - if you want to, you can connect your cellphone to the redfly with a mini usb cable and the redfly will actually charge the cellphone.

btw, no, I have no vested interest in redfly :) It's just really, really handy! Here's a link to redfly:
http://www.celiocorp.com/

Edited by - Unsinkable2 on 03/11/2010 07:51:44

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4024 Posts

Response Posted - 03/11/2010 : 12:08:09

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I set the autopilot and go below to work.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

!!!!

Edited by - on

Stu Jackson C34
Admiral

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844 Posts

Response Posted - 03/11/2010 : 13:16:21

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">[i]
I set the autopilot and go below to work. I don't even tell people I'm on the boat. Heck, for all you know, I could be on my boat right now. Excuse me a moment while I go above, the jib is flogging...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Not an issue. He "works" during the week, when no one else is out sailing, so workign down below while on autopilot is just fine.

Then, on weekends, when it's "crowded" out there, he sails!

Simple...

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 03/11/2010 : 13:41:09

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">A netbook is just a compact pc (or Mac on April 3) <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Don't tell Steve Jobs that the iPad is a netbook!

Edited by - on

michaelj
Navigator

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132 Posts

Response Posted - 03/11/2010 : 14:36:00

Cap'n Hetzer (Windsong):
What is the name of the Verizon plan that enables you to use your cell as a wireless modem? Thanks.

Edited by - on

windsong
Captain

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USA
318 Posts

Response Posted - 03/11/2010 : 15:09:21

It's called BroadbandAccess Connect. This site lists the price as $15/mo, but I pay only $10 under my data plan.
http://www.smartdevicecentral.com/article/How+To+Tether+Your+Verizon+Smartphone+as+a+Modem+2008+Edition/233062_1.aspx

Edited by - on

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4304 Posts

Response Posted - 03/11/2010 : 20:51:50

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Unsinkable2
 I use a dell netbook that works really well. If I'm near an open wifi router I use that, otherwise I just connect it with a usb cable to my cell phone for access. Works great, and no one knows where you really are :) On my phone (a windows mobile phone with AT&T) I can use the phone as a modem and make voice calls at the same time.

I also found a great little tool called RedFly - it's just a keyboard/monitor combination that connect wirelessly to your cell phone. My windows cellphone can edit word documents, excel spreadsheets, browse the web, and even remote desktop into a remote computer or server for more advanced tasks - only problem is that it's hard to get much done on such a small keyboard/screen. That's where RedFly comes in. You just open it up and it automatically connects via bluetooth (no wires!) to the cell phone, but gives you a laptop-sized keyboard and larger screen to work on. The bluetooth connection is so fast, I can even watch movies stored on my cellphone via the RedFly. And because its bluetooth, I can leave the cellphone down in teh cabin, and just bring the redfly out in the cockpit to work. And here's a bonus - if you want to, you can connect your cellphone to the redfly with a mini usb cable and the redfly will actually charge the cellphone.

btw, no, I have no vested interest in redfly :) It's just really, really handy! Here's a link to redfly:
http://www.celiocorp.com/

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Sweet! My company just gave me a Blackberry yesterday! I was thinking about getting a Netbook so I could keep up with the weather while out sailing.

Now I can cancel my XM Satellite Weather subscription for my Garmin 378 and use this setup.

Thanks for the heads up!

Edited by - GaryB on 03/11/2010 20:53:09

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5369 Posts

Response Posted - 03/11/2010 : 22:42:30

I used to have a satellite card for my laptop, and that was the only way I could keep track of squall lines and thunderstorm cells coming my way.

Unfortunately, except on rare occasion, NOAA weather radio does not predict T'storms in a timely way.

In some cases I was completely surprised by some nasty squalls and only when the storm was upon me did NOAA tell me that a T'storm was coming my way.

The satellite card gave me NOAA's live radar in motion which gave me enough time to return to port, or find safe refruge.

Edited by - on

piseas
Former Treasurer

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USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 03/12/2010 : 10:55:09

Speaking of Netbooks, here is a [url="http://gizmodo.com/5490111/tested-the-best-new-netbooks"]review[/url] of the best ones.
Steve A

Edited by - on

PCP777
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1225 Posts

Response Posted - 03/12/2010 : 12:01:40

Being inland I can get 4G coverage, which is typical broadband speed through a company called Clear. It covers the entire lake, the problem is my home is just outside of the coverage area. I would cancel my cable internet and use this if my home was covered. I'm in a future coverage area.

I do use my Blackberry to look at Doppler and weather information all the time. It's saved us a few times and other times put us at ease. I use accuweather which works well for phones.

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 03/12/2010 : 14:04:43

When we took our laptop on the boat last summer I was disappointed that the only way to see the screen was to either curl up in the Vee berth with it, or close up the boat. Are any of these new netbooks daylight viewable?

Edited by - on

hinmo
Navigator

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USA
248 Posts

Response Posted - 03/13/2010 : 05:57:36

When I sail, I do my best to get away from it all.....normal work weeks are now 12hr/7 day weeks with the travel laptop, VPN'd into the corporate network. In a way its good, but with my cell and laptop, it seems to never end.....whens my retirement date anyway?!

Laptop on the boat?....I'll pass (for now!)

Edited by - on

watercayman
1st Mate

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Cayman Islands
49 Posts

Response Posted - 03/13/2010 : 08:34:46

One of the reasons I bought my boat was the romantic idea of writing while sitting on the dock or anchored. (I pretend I'm a fiction writer). Well, the fantastic magic of the boat has all but sucked the fiction from my brain for the last six months... but, on those days when I find the muse again, I have been able to do exactly what I dreamed of using a Toshiba netbook (NB205-210) that I've been thrilled with since purchase. It's not great in the sun, but with enough shade, it's totally usable.

Once I complete a chapter, I hook up my blackberry, use it as a modem as described above, and connect to the internet. I use an online storage facility (Dropbox) to backup my book and make sure they are fully synched and available back at home or in the office. With unlimited data and the free storage, this costs me no additional money over what I normally use for business.

All in all, that romantic idea of writing on the boat really does come true... when I'm not dreaming of new projects to play with on Skol! ;)

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 03/13/2010 : 10:11:30

My Macbook and Macbook Pro are readable in the cockpit as long as the sun isn't directly on the screen, but my daughter's old Powerbook (she is supposed to give it to me, but she has had some trouble getting parts of her music library transferred to her new Macbook) with the matte screen is much more readable. Edit: to much digression into my own needs.

Edited by - Dave5041 on 03/13/2010 21:41:07

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