Should I take a laptop to India?

Peacefulplanet

BTW, used reasonable subnotebooks are not so expensive, I got one of these:

http://computers.search.ebay.com/c40...0QQsacatZ51148

1.3GHz, 512MB RAM, 30G HDD for 180$ + shipping, not too bad:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Dell-Latitude-La...QQcmdZViewItem

Weighs only 1.6kg

drewsky

this was a great thread..

I have decided to bring my mac for a few reasons, one being work. But am I to understand that i can pick up a wireless signal sitting in a cyber cafe in Connaught for example? Do i have to pay to hook onto this?

Also with a new mac it seems to be the consensus that it converts the power for me.

Did i understand that i still need a power surge plug in thing? I think i saw some of these as well as the plug converters in the market in Connaught or am I dreaming?

Also securtiy wise, since i am staying at small guesthouses in Delhi can i just lock it in my luggage and hope for the best? When travelling i am going to store it in a friend's house.

thanks for all resposes!

brownboy66

There's a growing number of hot spots all over Delhi these days. Here's the thread with information on wireless hotspots, costs, etc.....you should find pretty much everything you need there.

Wifi Hotspots In India ~ Please Add To The List

Anything that protects your delicate electrical equipment is not a bad thing. Having said that - the combination of the step down transformer that comes with most laptops plus the battery pretty much ensures nothing too wild is going to go straight into the machine. Can't hurt when it comes to protecting the transformer and battery.

like most things - use your common sense. If the guest house is reputable you should be fine - otherwise your friends house sounds like the ticket.

happy travels.

drewsky

thanks brownboy66!

Ali-Monbeam

I have taken my lap top with me all the time and load it up with some good films to watch during the evening as TV isnt to good.
and even if the power goes off you can still watch due to the battery.
If you get to a place with internet access you can go on line.
I put all my photos on it from phones and digital camera.
and keep a blog toowhile all the sights and experiences are new. I wonder what I would do without it now.

skk

I'm wondering about securing my laptop in hotel rooms when I leave the room for a few hours. I confess I don't worry about it here in the US. I just put the laptop away in a cupboard or chest of drawers so its basically out of sight when I leave the room.

I'm probably going to add to this by using the Kensington (Universal) security slot device+cable solution. But, none of this will really stop a determined thief - just opportunist ones.

I think it will be ok but am I underestimating the theft risk in Indian hotels ?

I have stayed in hotels in India over 25 years for days at a time, but never really left anything valuable and easily removable in the room - my cameras, videocamera, passport, money have always been with me or in the hotel or room safe if there is one there and touch wood, had nothing lost/stolen.

But a lap top is a different ballgame - You can't put it in room safes - its too big !

It seems silly to hand it over to reception for safekeeping wherever they keep it safe every time I leave the room.

Views ? Alternate ideas ?

-skk

brownboy66

I'm guessing that it will mostly be dependent on which hotels your staying in - if its mostly 3/ 4 star then it should be fine (as with most of the well known guest houses). Certainly can't hurt either to ask at the accommodation about what is the best way to secure the laptop (it may be that the best way is to leave it reception).

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skk

Yup, I'll try that. I think I'll also learn how to properly use my USB stick drive - loading it with all the stuff I need so that if the laptop gets nicked I can still proceed with the daily market activities/trading as uninterrupted as possible. I have a trip to Philly coming up soon. I'll try and run off my stick drive while I'm there - it will be a good dry run..

Hmmm, supposing the stick drive gets stolen off my key ring ? Better encrypt everything I suppose - What a pain ! Why can't we trust each other ?

What was that I said about "daily market activities/trading"?

-skk

brownboy66

that would be one hell of a pick pocket job to get your flash drive off the keyring! Good move though to keep the essentials on the drive and then carry it around with you. In the unlikely event your laptop takes a walk, you'll still have it and if its mixed in with a few of the usual travelling applications - you'll still be able to function in a limited capacity I guess.

but yes, wouldn't it be easier if we could just trust each other

annlili

Hi-

I read through the past posts here and am still a bit confused; if I am planning on taking my dell laptop, can I just bring a plug adapter- or do I need a surge protector as well?? I will be staying in ~3-4 star places (yeah i know, its cool to do everything backcountry and whatnot, but I am going for a wedding and that is just where it is at!).

Also- does anyone know if Jet Airways has plugs in the seats to charge laptops? That would be super sweet...although quite unexpected as well. :P

hal2004

I looked for a surge protector, but couldn't find one before I left. Turns out I did fine with just a plug adapter, staying at 2-3 star places and with a few power outages and generator start-ups.

But maybe I was lucky. Most articles I've read recommend a surge protector.

skk

I at first wasn't planning on getting one - after all, the AC->DC adapter that one uses for a laptop has to do all the rectifying and smoothing anyway - it will take the brunt of any spikes after all, not the PC.

But then I find that surge protectors start at US$9 - the Targus brand (330 volt spike, 500 Joule protection, with a $75000 connected equipment warranty(!?) - so I figure why the heck not - I'll probably investigate the minimum required performance characteristics a bit more and then most likely bring one with me to India. I do use surge protectors in the US but they are just glorified industrial strength power strips to me that I nicked from prior work places.

-skk

brownboy66

great advice from skk. Surge protectors are so cheap its not a bad idea to have one.

A lot of appliances, mobile phones, etc - use a step down transformer to reduce the charge required for the phone or laptop. In addition to that - manufactures have gotten into the habit of making chargers that can be used in both Europe (240 volt) and the US (110 volt) - so they are capable of handling a wide range of voltage anyway. What this means is that the charger, in effect, filters the voltage before it gets to your appliance anyway.

now having said that - its not a surge protector, and while it can handle the variation in voltage that doesn't mean its indestructible. If it becomes hot to touch - its struggling with the power supply (best to unplug it at that point). So the moral is that if you don't have a surge protector - your power pack/ charger should protect the laptop. If you have a surge protector - it will protect your power pack/ charger/ step down transformer.

skk

Just as an FYI - I checked out a hotel room (in Philly but its a data point surely?) for anchor points for using the Kensington (Universal) security slot device+cable solution for securing a laptop when you leave the room.

I found two. One was the towel rail on the shower glass door - but somehow I don't think that's a good idea; but the other was:

The hinges to the closet door. The gap was wide enough for threading the security cable, the hinges are screwed on with at least 5 screws and the laptop ends up on the closet floor, discreetly put away - Ideal !

Well, unless somebody comes along with a power screwdriver or perhaps a cutting torch

Lets see what I find in Indian hotel rooms.

-skk