Should I take a laptop to India?

oldhippie

M2
I am heading for Goa in a few weeks and will be in the Calangute area. I need to have access to my email.

Which ISP would you recommend? Also is there anything specific I would need to carry by way of cables etc?
Does the cybershop you use offer broadband access or is it all dial up in Goa. I am currently using a VSNL dialup account in Mumbai.

Thanks
Bill

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Too Many Gandus, Too Few Bullets.

-m2-

Hi Bill,

there is only dial-up in arambol as cable hasn't reached here yet -- I don't know about Calengute, but last year in nearby Mapusa there were a couple of places advertising broadband, but I didn't check them out. You should be able to access web-mail from any cybershop with their comps, or if you wish to use your own laptop, via their ethernet hub -- if your laptop has a 'network' or ethernet card you're in business. I don't know if it is necessary to have your own cable, I brought my own for convenience and it is just a quick connection with no configuring or whatever. You will be sharing a dial-up with however many comps are active though -- which is ok for mail but a pain for pix or other big files. You don't have to worry about an ISP this way and if you use your own comp then you don't have to worry about the security of your data etc (I think )

mike

Swarf

Most labtobs have a transformer, that makes input currency unimportant - they transform what gets in to what the labtop works with. They might be sensitive to changes while they are in use, thoug, I dont know about that.
For the plugs, a very simple solution is to bring an extention cord from home. Just cut of the part that goes in the wall plug, and replace it with one bought in India. To do that, you only need a small screwdriver and something to cut of the isolation of the cord.
Cut of the isolation app. 0.5 cm or so, twist the cords and bend them once. Put them in the holes made for this in the new plug and fasten them with the small screws. Voila.

Tagore

Anything India related for Pocket PC, font support etc. ?

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http://www.webmaxtor.com

-m2-

don't know anything about the 'pocket pc' per se, but there are some interesting sounding options as far as internet connection via celluar.

butterball

Great thread...

I've bought a couple of 'Kingston' security cables ( on ebay - £10 ) one with keys, the other is a 4 digit combination ( In case I loose the keys ! ) so I will stash my ibook ( g4 14' - just arrived.. lovely, but almost as heavy as my old 'clamshell' ) in a rucksack in my room and just have the cable running out of the bag.

I've also ordered a 'Crumpler' School Hymn sleeve which claims to be quite protective.. Unfortunately I couldn't get a Tom (?) Bihn Monolith as they are on back order..

There is another thread running on running a GPRS ( albeit only at 4 speed !! ) through Airtel on the mobile.. ( Thanks M2 & Pickle )

Any other quicker GPRS options ( South India ) ??

phobal

Don't bring it. And I'm a computer nerd whose been using a box since I was six. India is up there with China and Japan when it comes to technology. Cyber-lounges are everywhere. Save the risk and update your blog through these lounges. I'm bringing my digital camera, a CD with the digital camera drivers and an ftp client, and camera usb cables so I can upload my stuff to the blog. But again, unless you're on a business trip, leave your precious laptop at home .

And for the love of god, leave your pocket pc at home as well! You're in a completely different culture, the last thing you need on your mind is where your pocket pc is. Regardless, you're an idiot to use wireless to check your email.

shanthi

Hello! Must say that I've taken my laptop with me back and forth to India for the past 5 years and never had a problem. I take it in a normal laptop shoulder bag with no other packing around it than that which the bag provides itself. I usually take emergency clothing and supplies in the laptop bag too incase my luggage goes missing at the airport of arrival in India (happened twice, and counting!)

As far it getting "thrown around" goes, one answer is, Don't throw it around!! Packing? never used any.. Monsoon problems? just make sure the case you carry it in is a good one and not with a zip at the top, rather, like an old fashioned school satchel type of carry bag - with the flap that comes over and locks on it.

You may be asked to take out the battery in the laptop and hand it over to staff on the airline. You will get it back at the end of your flight. This isn't a rule that is set in stone however, most of the time you won't be asked for your battery at all as some airlines have a place in the cabin to have the laptop re-charged so it's available to be booted up when asked to do so, going through security. Being asked to boot up is a probability and can happen perhaps three times during a multi-leg flight to India (or anywhere else for that matter!) and so you need to have the laptop fully charged when departing (booting up takes a lot of energy from the battery).

Personally I wouldn't be without the laptop. But then, I need it for work. I do transfer the photo's from my camera-phone too - saves a lot of time for me as people can receive pictures of the kids the same day we had an outing or party or whatever.

Getting it stolen? Yes, of course that's a high possibility - but then don't take it anywhere where that might happen. Don't leave it off your shoulder or the strap of the bag (bag should be locked at all times when moving around) off your leg (Itwist the strap around my ankle a couple of times) while sitting at a cafe table or whatever.

livin-in-india

my experiences:

-greatest problem with computers in india is voltage fluctation. in desktops it'll burn the ram. in laptops it can fry the system. i have a friend whose ibook needed replacement from low voltage. only reliable solution- a voltage stabilizer. yet they are too big to travel lightly with (v-guard is a reliable brand). personally, i take the risk, and know i am vulnerable (try not to think about it, and always disconnect my laptop when the lightbulbs begin fluctuating- usually in the evening here in mysore).

-computers aren't so special anymore in india, so have no fear to use it in public. they are used to them in most bigger towns or cities. laptops are still a novelty here as they are more pricey, but it isn't something wild, wierd, or reeking of money. costs the same as their motorcycles.

-airtel just launched new wireless internet services- something compatible with black berry. check them out.

-tata has a big wireless headset that doubles as internet (often at pretty impressive speeds).

-reliance has mobile/internet service, so you can connect one of their mobile phones to your pc laptop with 98B or newer running.

-wouldn't recommend a laptop for people exploring india for their first time when they are 21 y.o. and backpacking. but, if you are approaching india from a different angle than the typical first-time backpacker, laptops are amazing tools.

-i talk with home for free (i use skype, and have a high speed connection in my indian house). also free video cam chatting.

-when i am traveling i can write and read e-mails away from the cafes, just use them to download-upload mails. (using outlook, or in my case mac's "mail")

-write free of any time limitations (time is money, even when you are dealing with rupees)

-can concentrate better choosing my work environment

-can rent VCDs or DVDs from the local shop for 10-20Rs to watch when i am under the weather.

-i carry almost 10,000 songs on my hard drive with me at all times, to fit any mood.

-i carry yoga. tai chi, and other instructional videos, and language videos and audio classes.

-can use griffin's imic to make podcasts and can produce them on audacity or garageband when away from any connection, and upload them when an internet connection comes my way.

-and finally, like anything else in my bag, i can leave it to rest when i don't want it. so when i am in the hills for three weeks, i practically forget i have it. and when i do open it up after three weeks in nature, it amazes me (as if i am the staring villager now)!!!

__________________
India is the great Yin-Yang. Amazing lightness, equally amazing darkness. Wrapped up to make one complete whole.

HowieUK

Hi all,

I managed to successfully bid for a Compaq Pressario laptop off ebay from the HP renewal shop over the Xmas break! (They sell returns or in my case a discontinued model at a greatly knocked down price, still with the 12 month warranty! )

Unless you have an unlimited budget, compromises have to be made as in size etc but I am very pleased to have got a 330mm x 230mm x 35mm weighing 2.36kg and wouldn't hesitate to recommend them

I'm busy at the moment transferring my music collection to the hard drive but wonder what 'shouldn't do without' software I should be looking at to install for India?

As a lot of posts on this thread are 2 or 3 years old, I guess most of the advice on connecting to the net etc are pretty much out of date now?

Are there any new 'budget' connections available or is it still the best option to write emails etc offline and then transfer them at a cybercafe? (if so whats the best device for transferring?)

If you have any advice for me please keep it relatively simple as I'm not much of a techie!(although an old friend of mine who looks after my pc's is a top geek! so I can always get his advice to interpret your advice! if you get what I mean?)

Thanks Howie

john.sw

Hi Howie!

I have a Compaq Tablet PC (weighs 1.5kg) and my internet connection is a RIM (Reliance India Mobile) phone with data cable.

The pay-as-you-go phone and data cable cost about Rs.3000/- and the connection charge is Rs.30/- an hour peak rate and Rs.15/- an hour off peak.

The connection is very quick and reliable, and although the speed varies depending on how busy the network is, I get speeds of up to 128k.

In the office I connect to the network and use the broadband, and in certain airports I log on using the built-in wireless. At Coimbatore Airport they have an unsecured wi-fi connection that you can use free of charge, and I suppose other places have free wi-fi too.

For transferring from your laptop I suggest a pen drive. They are very cheap and reliable, and do not need any drivers if you use XP.

If you have a burner built in to your laptop you can back up photographs to CD or DVD - blank disks are readily available.

All the best,

John

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www.nilgiris.asia your guide to the Nilgiris, Ooty, Coonoor, Kotagiri and Gudalur

HowieUK

Cheers for that info John,

the RIM with data cable seems very reasonable and also the wi-fi which my machine has in-built, although I'm yet to use it!

The m/c also has XP so transfering from my m/c would be ok with a pen drive but as I read in some other threads wouldn't it be a problem without installing drivers at a cafe to read it, due to the fact that most run on '98 or have they now mainly been upgraded to XP?

Also good to hear blank cd's and dvd's are available as my luggage list is getting longer and heavier!

Thanks

Howie

cathode

Buy the HP NX6125. its a pretty amazing lappie.. sub 2.8 kgs, comes with a dvd writer, 60gig hard drive, 512megz of ram, an ATI Radeon Display, magnesium alloy body, spill resistant keyboard, scratch resistant screen, body, finger print scanner(for security), about 4hrs battery life(standard out of the box battery) add a travel battery costs about 2K (INR) (50 USD) you get like 8 hrs and it costs under 50K (INR) about 1000USD
if you want a cd writer DVD combo with a 40 gig hard drive, 256 megs of ram then its like 40K(INR) (800USD)

john.sw

Windows 98 is common, but XP is also available in most places I have been.

If your computer has a burner, you can simply back up your stuff to disk and post it home.

A pen drive works on XP as soon as you plug it in, but will not work on Win 98 without installing drivers.

HowieUK

Yes I've got a cd/dvd burner although posting home may be a problem as house is going on the market next month

Home will be wherever I am going to!

Thanks again for info

Howie