Notepad computers for Cruising........

[Rosieo]

For those of you that bought the Acer have you backed up your factory installed software? I keep getting the little box at the bottom saying to back it up. I haven't yet because I didn't buy an external CD/DVD writer. I really don't want to spend the extra money right now. I was just wondering if anyone did go ahead and back theirs up.

[sail7seas]

Thanks, John and Lisa.

I was sure I heard/saw a sign saying free WiFi at FLL airport. This was the first time I traveled with a laptop/netbook so the first time I tried to connect.

 

I haven't tried connecting anywhere else but home and on the ship so have no clue about the antenna but I will be trying it this week. I think I'll go to B&N and see if I can easily connect to their WiFi.

 

Thanks.

[knitlady037]

I used the free wifi at FLL in Jet Blue terminal with my laptop. It is a full sized compaq. Don't know if that makes a difference.

[newfarmers]

Thanks, John and Lisa.

I was sure I heard/saw a sign saying free WiFi at FLL airport. This was the first time I traveled with a laptop/netbook so the first time I tried to connect.

 

I haven't tried connecting anywhere else but home and on the ship so have no clue about the antenna but I will be trying it this week. I think I'll go to B&N and see if I can easily connect to their WiFi.

 

Thanks.

 

Hi S7S and everyone else on this thread that now has a life of its own.

 

We are on the whole very happy with our little Acer. It was a fantastic addition to our travels.

 

In hindsight my partner would have preferred a netbook with bluetooth so he could have connected to the web via one of our mobile phones 'cable-less' but the short cable we need to carry is no big deal.

 

Re. the wireless. We have a wireless network at home and it's obvious the Acer doesn't have as a good a wireless aerial as our Dell. We have never had trouble getting a connection with the Dell when we travel. There wasn't a place on Rotterdam that I had trouble getting a signal.

 

On Legend of the Seas the connection was atrocious. I believe it was bad in general from the number of people complaining at the front desk but I think the limited range of the aerial also hindered the connection. At HK and Singapore airports it struggled a bit but then at our hotel in Singapore it was lightening fast.

 

Another thing to consider with netbooks is the screen resolution. Not long before we left I bought a new camera - a Canon SX110iS. A really great camera but another topic entirely.

 

Unfortunately the Canon imagining software that comes with the camera isn't compatible with the lower resolution of the Acer. It wouldn't load onto the pC when I tried to copy it over using a memory stick.

 

Was no biggy. I just used the Microsoft imaging software to download and view but couldn't edit the photos or movies, or stitch the panoramas. As I said, no biggy as I have the software loaded on this laptop or our PC and can do it all when we get home. But if you're going away for an extended holiday and photo/movie editing is a must, then it's something else you might need to consider when choosing a netbook. No idea if the 10 inch screens would have the same resolution issues.

 

what a great thread!!!

 

pete

[richwmn]

I just checked the web site for the Fort Lauderdale Airport --

Here is what it says

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport serves as a focus city to AirTran Airways, JetBlue Airways, and as of November 2007, Allegiant Air. The airport is the largest hub for Spirit Airlines, catering mainly to the airline's international to domestic network. The airport's close proximity to cruise line terminals at Port Everglades has also made it popular among tourists bound for the Caribbean. The airport offers free Wi-Fi Internet access throughout its terminals.

http://airport-fll.com/

The size of the netbook should not make a difference, so something else was going on. Try connecting at a public wifi hotspot and see what happens. Did you have any problems on the ship?

 

Rich

[sail7seas]

I used the free wifi at FLL in Jet Blue terminal with my laptop. It is a full sized compaq. Don't know if that makes a difference.

 

Thanks, Knitlady. You make me feel better I wasn't completely imagining FLL airport at Jet Blue has free WiFi. I was sure I had either seen a sign or heard announcement. Maybe it's only some airline areas that are free; not all?

 

Now I'm back to figuring out why I couldn't connect.

[sail7seas]

I just checked the web site for the Fort Lauderdale Airport --

Here is what it says

 

Quote:

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport serves as a focus city to AirTran Airways, JetBlue Airways, and as of November 2007, Allegiant Air. The airport is the largest hub for Spirit Airlines, catering mainly to the airline's international to domestic network. The airport's close proximity to cruise line terminals at Port Everglades has also made it popular among tourists bound for the Caribbean. The airport offers free Wi-Fi Internet access throughout its terminals.

 

 

 

http://airport-fll.com/

The size of the netbook should not make a difference, so something else was going on. Try connecting at a public wifi hotspot and see what happens. Did you have any problems on the ship?

 

Rich

 

 

Thanks, Rich. Well, that confirms it is free WiFi.

 

I had no problem at all connecting anywhere on Eurodam. In our cabin, Neptune Lounge, the pool.....

 

I plan to go to Barnes&Noble first chance I have and try to connect there. I think the store near me (with Starbucks inside) has free WiFi.

 

I plan to bring my Acer to Maasdam in June for use on the ship and the free WiFi in Sydney cruise terminal. :)

[kjw869]

I had no problems connecting to the free WiFi at Ft. Lauderdale on Feb 24, March 12 and March 19th using my Acer netbook.

[sail7seas]

Hmm... I wonder what I was doing wrong or not doing.

[jtl513]

Now I'm back to figuring out why I couldn't connect.

Do you have the option to View Available Wireless Networks? (With XP I right-click on icon in the lower right corner of the screen to get it, but I don't know what you'd do with Linux.)

 

If you can do that, and you "see" a network but it only has "one bar" (or a numerical value like 10%, or a word like "Poor") you may have to try to locate where the router antenna is, and move closer to it.

[sail7seas]

My Acer has XP and that is what I did. I Right clicked the icon. There was only one that came up and it didn't connect. I didn't spend a lot of time fiddling with it and just shut it down.

 

As always, John. I thank you for your help. You are probably exactly right I was too far from an antenna. Didn't occur to me to move. :o

[richwmn]

Do you have the option to View Available Wireless Networks? (With XP I right-click on icon in the lower right corner of the screen to get it, but I don't know what you'd do with Linux.)

 

If you can do that, and you "see" a network but it only has "one bar" (or a numerical value like 10%, or a word like "Poor") you may have to try to locate where the router antenna is, and move closer to it.

Just to complete the answer, most of the linux based netbooks run a version called Ubuntu (1 of many compilations of Linux). With it there is an icon on the top that looks like a staircase which also indicates signal strength. Left click on it to get a list of available wireless networks, right click to change wireless settings.

 

Rich

[LoyHAL]

For those of you that bought the Acer have you backed up your factory installed software? I keep getting the little box at the bottom saying to back it up. I haven't yet because I didn't buy an external CD/DVD writer. I really don't want to spend the extra money right now. I was just wondering if anyone did go ahead and back theirs up.

 

Hi Rosieo,

I'm having the same thing with my new Acer. I have an old external CD writer, but the cable won't connect to the Acer. I'm off to Radio Shack tomorrow to see if they have a cable adapter. I'm not excited about buying another CD writer!

 

I also ran into the situation of wanting to put my copy of Photoshop Elements on the Acer. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to get it on there!

 

This is a terrific thread and I'm hoping someone out there can answer our questions.

LoyHAL, who is a Mac person, but likes the Acer anyhow! ;)

[silvercruiser]

Radio Shack sells a very small devide for about 5 bucks that lights up when near a wireless connection, anywhere from one to five little red lights. I've found that four is enough for a good connection.

We were recently on a ship that didn't have wireless in the cabins and this little gadget was a big help in finding the public areas where I could use my little asus laptop. Never have had any problem connecting right away.

[Rosieo]

Hi Rosieo,

I'm having the same thing with my new Acer. I have an old external CD writer, but the cable won't connect to the Acer. I'm off to Radio Shack tomorrow to see if they have a cable adapter. I'm not excited about buying another CD writer!

 

I also ran into the situation of wanting to put my copy of Photoshop Elements on the Acer. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to get it on there!

 

This is a terrific thread and I'm hoping someone out there can answer our questions.

LoyHAL, who is a Mac person, but likes the Acer anyhow! ;)

 

LoyHAL, I am just like you, a Mac person and loving my little Acer. After calling everyone I know to see if I could borrow an external CD writer and having no luck I bought one from Costco. It was $69.99 and that included shipping. I really didn't want to spend the money but figured I should back it up. If you have no way of getting Photoshop Elements on yours try Picasa. Not as good as Elements but OK. I figure I won't be doing any heavy editing until I get home from my trip then I could do it on my Mac with CS3.

[richwmn]

Hi Rosieo,

I'm having the same thing with my new Acer. I have an old external CD writer, but the cable won't connect to the Acer. I'm off to Radio Shack tomorrow to see if they have a cable adapter. I'm not excited about buying another CD writer!

 

I also ran into the situation of wanting to put my copy of Photoshop Elements on the Acer. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to get it on there!

 

This is a terrific thread and I'm hoping someone out there can answer our questions.

LoyHAL, who is a Mac person, but likes the Acer anyhow! ;)

 

LoyHAL, I am just like you, a Mac person and loving my little Acer. After calling everyone I know to see if I could borrow an external CD writer and having no luck I bought one from Costco. It was $69.99 and that included shipping. I really didn't want to spend the money but figured I should back it up. If you have no way of getting Photoshop Elements on yours try Picasa. Not as good as Elements but OK. I figure I won't be doing any heavy editing until I get home from my trip then I could do it on my Mac with CS3.

 

In most cases you can copy the contents of the cd to a usb memory stick ( using your desktop or other notebook) and use that to install the application. You should remember, though, that they must be Windows applications, your Mac Programs will not install or run.

 

Rich

[Rosieo]

In most cases you can copy the contents of the cd to a usb memory stick ( using your desktop or other notebook) and use that to install the application. You should remember, though, that they must be Windows applications, your Mac Programs will not install or run.

 

Rich

 

I tried backing it up to a usb memory stick and it wouldn't work. It will only let me burn it to a CD. I have nothing of great importance on there but want the backup in case it crashes and I have to reinstall what originally came from the factory. Let's hope that never happens!

[richwmn]

I tried backing it up to a usb memory stick and it wouldn't work. It will only let me burn it to a CD. I have nothing of great importance on there but want the backup in case it crashes and I have to reinstall what originally came from the factory. Let's hope that never happens!

Sorry I wasn't clear - I was talking about copying the contents of an install disk to a memory stick in order to install a program on the netbook. As far as backing up your files, just drag 'n drop to the memory stick -- you don't really need to use the backup program provided.

 

Rich

[Rosieo]

Sorry I wasn't clear - I was talking about copying the contents of an install disk to a memory stick in order to install a program on the netbook. As far as backing up your files, just drag 'n drop to the memory stick -- you don't really need to use the backup program provided.

 

Rich

 

Rich I understand how to back up my files onto my flash drive. But I want a copy of Windows in case I have to reinstall it. Now in years gone by when I had a PC I always got a backup disk for Windows in event I needed to reinstall on the computer it came with. So I am assuming that when the little box pops up to tell me to backup my factory installed software it is talking about Windows XP. Am I wrong in assuming this? If I am and my computer crashes for whatever reason how would I get Windows XP back on it. That is really the only software I am concerned about. Everything else I can figure out.

[GmaPajama]

I think this is a new question - I've followed this thread since inception, and don't remember seeing it. Is there some kind of screen that can be used to block the glare from the sun? I sort of like to take my little guy out on the patio so I can read CC with my morning coffee there - but I can't see in it all that light. I have the Acer mini, if that makes any difference.

[Rosieo]

I think this is a new question - I've followed this thread since inception, and don't remember seeing it. Is there some kind of screen that can be used to block the glare from the sun? I sort of like to take my little guy out on the patio so I can read CC with my morning coffee there - but I can't see in it all that light. I have the Acer mini, if that makes any difference.

 

This is a good question. I tried to use it out on the patio and found the same problem. I had to sit in the shade where there wasn't any glare.

[catl331]

There are some film products that stick to screen by static electricity that are marketed as scratch/nick protection, but they also reduce glare. These can be trimmed to fit your screen size. Kensington makes one such product (about $25 for two sheets), and you can probably find it or others at your favorite computer store. Or online.

[haligonian37]

I wanted to say a quick thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread. I'll be picking up one of the Acer Inspire netbooks this week and this thread has been better than any laptop review page anywhere on the net. Thanks again!

[Nic's Mom and Pop]

Acer has just come out with an accessory kit for both the 8.9 an 10.1 aspire one models. It includes a mini wireless mouse, a leather (suede) bag, and an external USB Optical Drive. I found it at Fry's Electronics for $99.00. It is a little pricey, but it is all nice quality products. I was able to back up my Acer easily with the included USB optical drive. I see it on Amazon.com but as of yesterday it was not available yet.

Carol

[LoyHAL]

In most cases you can copy the contents of the cd to a usb memory stick ( using your desktop or other notebook) and use that to install the application. You should remember, though, that they must be Windows applications, your Mac Programs will not install or run.

 

Rich

 

Thank you Rich! This is what the nice man at Radio Shack suggested today.

Haven't tried it yet, but will report back.

 

Regarding the situation with the backup disk, will it back up to a file that we could copy to the memory stick? And then make a disk with another computer?

 

Thanks for all the help, y'all!

LoyHAL