Wilsons Sandbox

I don't know where you can get a small light cheap computer, but this makes me think about how long it will be before bikes have a sort of laptop or tablet computer as a display, taking the place of all the instruments, the gps, the music system, and the phone. It seems like the trend in electronics is towards integration of various functions into one. For example, the Iphone does a lot of stuff.... db ----- Original Message ---- From: Ross Lindberg To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com; TC_Dualsport@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, August 18, 2008 9:03:11 AM Subject: [DSN_KLR650] NKLR - Portable Computing I have been thinking about getting a used notebook/laptop computer to bring with on my road trips. Small is good, and all I will be using it for is keeping up with e-mail and writing in my ride journal using Microsoft word. A DVD player would be nice in case I have enough energy left at the end of the day to watch a movie, but it's not a deal breaker if it doesn't have one. I seem to remember some discussion about this a couple of years ago on the list. Does anyone have any good advice on where to find a used computer with some life left in it? The smaller in physical size the better I guess, and I don't want to spend too much. That way if it dies due to the stresses of travel I'm not out a whole lot. Thanks guys. Ross Lindberg Fertile, MN [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

If you don't need "really cheap", a new Asus EeePC can be had for $300 - $600 depending on configuration. Small, fast enough for surfing and emails and such, and a solid state hard drive means no worries about engine vibrations killing it. They're pretty sweet little units. Check Newegg.com and search for Eee PC. --Jonathan "smthng" Kalmes Springfield, VA 2005 Yamaha FJR1300ABS - "Blue Bayou" 2006 Jeep Unlimited Rubicon - "Teflon" 2008 Kawasaki KLR 650 - It's here, but it hasn't earned a name yet. http://smthng.info "If I'd known it was harmless, I would have killed it myself."

On Mon, Aug 18, 2008 at 10:03 AM, Ross Lindberg wrote: > I have been thinking about getting a used notebook/laptop computer to bring > with on my road trips. Small is good, and all I will be using it for is > keeping up with e-mail and writing in my ride journal using Microsoft word. > A DVD player would be nice in case I have enough energy left at the end of > the day to watch a movie, but it's not a deal breaker if it doesn't have > one. I seem to remember some discussion about this a couple of years ago on > the list. Does anyone have any good advice on where to find a used > computer with some life left in it? The smaller in physical size the better > I guess, and I don't want to spend too much. That way if it dies due to the > stresses of travel I'm not out a whole lot. Thanks guys. > > > > Ross Lindberg > > Fertile, MN > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > ------------------------------------ > > List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com > List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html > Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650Yahoo! Groups Links > > > >

At 9:03 AM -0500 8/18/08, Ross Lindberg wrote:

>I have been thinking about getting a used notebook/laptop computer to bring >with on my road trips. Small is good, and all I will be using it for is >keeping up with e-mail and writing in my ride journal using Microsoft word. >A DVD player would be nice in case I have enough energy left at the end of >the day to watch a movie, but it's not a deal breaker if it doesn't have >one. I seem to remember some discussion about this a couple of years ago on >the list. Does anyone have any good advice on where to find a used >computer with some life left in it? The smaller in physical size the better >I guess, and I don't want to spend too much. That way if it dies due to the >stresses of travel I'm not out a whole lot. Thanks guys.

A used Apple iBook G4 12" is a rugged and cheap option. You can find them for ~$300. Typical configuration will be 30GB HD, CDRW/DVD-ROM, built-in wireless, 512MB RAM, USB 2.0 and Firewire. The final-model iBook G3 would be a similar, cheaper but slower option for about $200. iBooks can generally be treated like a bowling ball and hold up OK. Mark

I picked up an Asus EEE PC at Radio Shack, 7 inch screen. Won't take a CD but other computer functions are pretty good. Fits a Pelican 1200 case and I just finished carrying it on a 14,000+km trip across Canada and back with no probs. Has built in Wi-fi,and a 4GB hard drive, ran about CDN $400 new, and does everything I want, mostly email and word processing. As to the CD capability, my Ipod has 110 CDs' in it, and with earphones and a wall charger certainly covers my entertainment needs. Again, it is always worth investigating before you put up the bucks, and my requirements are likely different to yours. DC David Bell wrote:

> > I don't know where you can get a small light cheap computer, but this >

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--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, D Critchley wrote:

> I picked up an Asus EEE PC at Radio Shack, 7 inch screen. Won't take a > CD but other computer functions are pretty good.

You can plug a USB CD/DVD player into the USB port and it works fine. I have the 9" version, slightly more readable screen, same form factor. Good for motorcycles because there's no hard drive to break, it's all solid-state, and it's really small and compact. Its little foam "envelope" will tuck nicely between a couple of spare t-shirts in your luggage.

3b. Re: NKLR - Portable Computing Posted by: "E.L. Green" eric@... e_l_green Date: Mon Aug 18, 2008 4:18 pm ((PDT))

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, D Critchley wrote: > > I picked up an Asus EEE PC at Radio Shack, 7 inch screen. Won't take a > > CD but other computer functions are pretty good. >You can plug a USB CD/DVD player into the USB port and it works fine. >I have the 9" version, slightly more readable screen, same form >factor. Good for motorcycles because there's no hard drive to break, >it's all solid-state, and it's really small and compact. Its little >foam "envelope" will tuck nicely between a couple of spare t-shirts in >your luggage. I have one, too, a 4 gig model. I added Windows and an 8 gig SDHC card and that's where all my apps live. I just got back from a 1000 mile trip today, and a 1600 mile trip 3 weeks ago and the computer worked great; had no problems hooking up to the wifi in the motels where I stayed. Just shoved it in the side case with the clothes. It was handy to use the Streets and Trips mapping software occasionally. Dave C

First off, I want to thank everyone for their ideas and experiences. It has definitely given me a lot to think about. Now for my next stupid question. I was surfing last night looking up these Asus computers and I noticed that you can get them set up with either the Linux or Windows OS. For someone who has never worked with anything but Windows, is the Linux set-up something to consider? The reason I ask is the Linux unit is substantially cheaper. Ross Lindberg Fertile, MN

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "David C." wrote: > > 3b. Re: NKLR - Portable Computing > Posted by: "E.L. Green" eric@... e_l_green > Date: Mon Aug 18, 2008 4:18 pm ((PDT)) > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, D Critchley wrote: > > > I picked up an Asus EEE PC at Radio Shack, 7 inch screen. Won't take a > > > CD but other computer functions are pretty good. > > >You can plug a USB CD/DVD player into the USB port and it works fine. > > >I have the 9" version, slightly more readable screen, same form > >factor. Good for motorcycles because there's no hard drive to break, > >it's all solid-state, and it's really small and compact. Its little > >foam "envelope" will tuck nicely between a couple of spare t- shirts in > >your luggage. > > I have one, too, a 4 gig model. I added Windows and an 8 gig SDHC card > and that's where all my apps live. I just got back from a 1000 mile > trip today, and a 1600 mile trip 3 weeks ago and the computer worked > great; had no problems hooking up to the wifi in the motels where I > stayed. Just shoved it in the side case with the clothes. It was handy > to use the Streets and Trips mapping software occasionally. > > Dave C >

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Ross Lindberg" wrote:

> > First off, I want to thank everyone for their ideas and experiences. > It has definitely given me a lot to think about. > > Now for my next stupid question. I was surfing last night looking up > these Asus computers and I noticed that you can get them set up with > either the Linux or Windows OS. For someone who has never worked > with anything but Windows, is the Linux set-up something to > consider? The reason I ask is the Linux unit is substantially > cheaper.

The Linux unit also comes with more flash memory than the Windows unit, and runs faster because the Linux is specially modified to run on the Asus eee PC while Windows is, well, Windows. If all you want to do is Internet stuff, the Linux one works better than the Windows one. It'll connect to Internet via wireless, and all that. It has two main issues: 1) won't play Quicktime or Windows Media Player videos, and 2) won't talk to GPS units. (Well it will, but the software really isn't all there yet). I bought the Linux version, but bought Windows XP Personal (OEM version) from the same place I bought the Linux version. That adds $90 to the price and you have to install the Windows XP using various tips available on the Internet (and it helps a *lot* to have an external USB DVD/CD drive), but it works pretty well. I also upgraded the memory to 2 gigabytes (it's one DIMM). I'm using about 3gb total on the C: and D: drives with the software I've installed on it and Windows XP itself, and have installed various maps for the mapping software I use onto an SDHC card in the card slot so I can do mapping stuff. All in all it seems to work pretty well, a lot better than a PDA anyhow. It's not a "real" computer, but it's all I've ever needed on the road.

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> 16b. Re: NKLR - Portable Computing > Posted by: "Ross Lindberg" rosslind@... rosslindberg > Date: Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:30 pm ((PDT)) > > First off, I want to thank everyone for their ideas and experiences. > It has definitely given me a lot to think about. > > Now for my next stupid question. I was surfing last night looking up > these Asus computers and I noticed that you can get them set up with > either the Linux or Windows OS. For someone who has never worked > with anything but Windows, is the Linux set-up something to > consider? The reason I ask is the Linux unit is substantially > cheaper. > > Ross Lindberg > Fertile, MN > >

If all you plan to do is surf the web and do email plus a few other simple apps, the Linux version is stone simple to operate. It's easy to use all the built in applications, but unless you have some experience messing with Linux, it's not real easy to add to or modify what comes on the machine. That being said, I used mine just fine with the installed Linux software for several months before I finally installed Windows. BTW, there is also a very large and helpful online support network for the EEE PC, just Google EEE Forums or similar terms. Dave C