[ManWithAVision]

My wife and I have my 90 year old mother living with us. A problem arises when riding season hits and we want to take off for weekends or a week or two at a time. My brother calls and looks in on her from time to time, but my mother refuses to go stay with him when we're away. So we have turned to technology and installed an eight channel DVR with cameras in key locations around the house (inside and out)that can be accessed from a remote computer. We call it NANA CAM!This will allow us to check on her from time to time while we're on the rode. I know, sounds like BIG BROTHER doesn't it. She also wears a panic alarm that will summon medical help in an emergency.
My question is, does anyone elese carry a netbook or a laptop on their bike travels and if so, do you have any pointers for safe stowage while under way.
We are looking at buying a compact unit and are also looking into adding the Garmin mapping software as an option so we can plug in a Zumo 660 in the motel room and chart a path whenever we feel the need to know where we are going the next day.

 

[ZZedmonds]

In my case, I have security cameras and can access them from my iphone if needed. If I feel compelled for a more detailed view I can log on to a website at a courtesy computer at a hotel or library. A netbook might be a more convenient idea. In my case it's hard enough to travel light on a bike.

 

[Trekwolf164]

I picked up a Gateway Netbook for the Vision it has wireless connectivity. I put it and it's power cable in an old portableDVD player case. Stores nicely in the trunk of my vision takes up very little space.

 

[Clubford00]

I have both a laptop and netbook. If im going somewhere for a weekend the Netbook is fine, for a week + i take the laptop.
Netbooks are great because they are small, however they are much slower and (Obviously) have a much smaller screen.
I have cases for each so its not a problem for the NB but the LT i usually stow it in the larger rear seat pack that Victory sells.
Im pretty sure that if you can carry it the LT is a better choice for what you want to do. Since it is a faster unit, it will make "streeming Nana" better and more real time, as opposed to the herky jerky of a slow connection.

Where did you get the equipment for the house stuff? Sounds like a good way to keep track of my kid ! LOL

 

[ManWithAVision]

I have both a laptop and netbook. If im going somewhere for a weekend the Netbook is fine, for a week + i take the laptop.
Netbooks are great because they are small, however they are much slower and (Obviously) have a much smaller screen.
I have cases for each so its not a problem for the NB but the LT i usually stow it in the larger rear seat pack that Victory sells.
Im pretty sure that if you can carry it the LT is a better choice for what you want to do. Since it is a faster unit, it will make "streeming Nana" better and more real time, as opposed to the herky jerky of a slow connection.

Where did you get the equipment for the house stuff? Sounds like a good way to keep track of my kid ! LOL

Ordered it from Tiger Direct. A Q-See system with 500 GB DVR and eight colour cameras. Very reasonably priced at $682.96 CDN. Their warehouse is actually in your neck of the woods.
We are considering a Dell Inspiron at the moment. It has an 11.6 inch screen. They call it a laptop rather than a netbook but it is in between the two sizes. Can get it with 4 GB DDR so it should be good for real time video. I have the Victory seat bag as well. That's where I was thinking of carrying it.

 

[randysfishing]

I to have the same set up for work and I just log on from the phone. I can see everything all be it small but it works for me.

 

[lmarshall08]

As a IT guy I would avoid traveling with a laptop on a motorcycle. As we travel on a bike on the open road you will hit bumps and potholes, which can cause damage to the hard drive (even when it's not powered on). Your best beat if you want a full keyboard is a Netbook since most don't use a spinning (scratchable) hard drive.
But Scott's suggestion of the iPhone is what i would go with personally since it's super portable, has a internet connection in most places wi-fi or cell, and can do most things a netbook can do.

Netbook/Laptop=the extra pair of dry jeans I wish had when it rained...

 

[tlfuller]

Sure. In the past we've taken out DELL laptop but in the last year we bought a DELL netbook and now we take it instead. What we do is pack it in the middle of our clothes and use them as cushion. So far so good. We too have a Garmin ZUMO 450. We've got the GPS software loaded in the netbook and can make new routes as we go, change existing ones and download them to the GPS as needed. Again, so far so good.

 

[stilcrazee]

You may have some herky jerk or jumpy video regardless of you computer or netbook speed if viewing real time due to bandwidth. Archived files downloaded then viewed should be a snap.
I am going to be carrying a netbook this year. Bought a small padded carrying case for it and will find room somehow in one of ny saddlebags. Agreed that the screen is smaller and unit itself is slower, used it on vaca in December with wireless in the resort and it worked fine for what I needed.
I plan on the Kingpin service manual that I have in pdf to a thumb drive and loading it to the netbok and or just carrying it with if I don't have the netbook with me. There's seemingly always a computer around.

 

[h7wae14t]

Isn't the whole idea with a bike is....to be one with the wind...no phone, no network, no worries....don't get me wrong...i do the computer thing 10 hours a day as it's my job. I love to get on the brute and just let things go! I guess if I had someone in need it would be nice nice to have an eye on them though.......Since i work for a telecom, i have to say --> I-Phone!!!!!!...keep me employed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[bored76]

I'm looking at a netbook for the longer trips, so that when I'm in my room at night I can let my friends know what's going on. I can also post cool pics and keep my points up on thevog.net. (PS I get metric points, so mine accumulate faster )

 

[Gossamer]

I've got an older HP laptop that has ridden with me for better than 30,000 miles of road trips. I bought it broken and rebuilt it on the cheap. It's held up quite well over the years and I'll likely go that route again when this one goes kaput.

It'll come down to my best deal on a netbook vs a used laptop. My good one travels with me when I can merge a business trip and a bike ride.

For protection I always put a soft white disposable shop towel between the keys and screen since I've seen scratching occur if they're allowed bounce around too much. I keep it in one of those neoprene cases to protect from other jarring. I also wrap it in a garbage bag just in case some water gets into a bag.

Seems' a little anal now that I'm reading what i do but it has served me well to this point.

The best thing you can do is place is so that it can't bounce or slide around if it's a mechanical hard drive, if it's an solid state drive you need not worry as much

 

[dsjr70]

You could always get a milspec notebook like the Durabook or Victum Note V10.

 

[ManWithAVision]

I'm looking at a netbook for the longer trips, so that when I'm in my room at night I can let my friends know what's going on. I can also post cool pics and keep my points up on thevog.net. (PS I get metric points, so mine accumulate faster )

1 road mile = 1.6 road kilometers
Now wonder it always takes us so much longer to get from point "A" to point "B" up here in Canada eh!

 

[ManWithAVision]

You could always get a milspec notebook like the Durabook or Victum Note V10.

Cool! Looks rugged, but at what price?

 

[APHATMOUSE]

Anything that bounces a traditional hard drive around is a quick way to kill the hard drive....doesnt mean it's going to happen, but any good bump is certainly not good for it...

Go with a solid state drive... usually if it is 16 or 32gb for storage it is solid state....if you get up to 160gb, etc, it is usually a traditional hard drive..

I need 24x7 connection to work, so I always have something on me- lately i've been relying on my iphone if i'm less then 4 hours out, but if I GO, then I pack a netbook and a mifi card...

the mifi gives you internet access through the cell phone signals- so I don't have to track down a wifi signal...

My experience with the iphone is OK...but if something really goes wrong I need a bigger screen... so netbook is what I usually prefer to bring.. the iPad may change all that, is my hope!

A solid state hard drive/netbook combo is fantastic for bikes, though- thumbs up from me!

 

[ManWithAVision]

My only concern about going with a netbook is that most only have 1 GB DDR SDRAM and the best I've seem is an Asusanetbook which can be upgradedto a max. of 2 GB DDR SDRAM. I was told by a computer guru that for streaming real time vids I should be looking for a unit that runs 4 GB DDR. Any feedback from the tech whiz's would be greatly appreciated. The Q-See camera system is supposed to be compatible with the i_Phone and some Blackberry's. One would think that they don't have that kind of capacity.

 

[tarpits99]

http://www.apple.com/macbookair/specs.html

macbook air
3lbs
3/4 " thick x12.8 " wide aluminum case so it wont take up much real- estate in the bags
13.3 (diagonal) Inch screen
120gb solid state HD
2gigs ram
Built in camera for video chat
Built in wifi
Fast! OSX has much less system overhead than windows although it will also run windows if you install a copy. I have it on my office machine with paralells desktop.

Just a thought.

 

[dsjr70]

My only concern about going with a netbook is that most only have 1 GB DDR SDRAM and the best I've seem is an Asusanetbook which can be upgradedto a max. of 2 GB DDR SDRAM. I was told by a computer guru that for streaming real time vids I should be looking for a unit that runs 4 GB DDR. Any feedback from the tech whiz's would be greatly appreciated. The Q-See camera system is supposed to be compatible with the i_Phone and some Blackberry's. One would think that they don't have that kind of capacity.

I have a standard EE Netbook with the 160 gig standard drive. Carry it with me at all times, dropped it a few times and throw it on my seat all the times. I have had no failures and teathered to my Verizon phone I have no issues with streaming.
The key to most Netbooks is to order them without all the BS software and do a clean install yourself.

 

[Roadrocket]

As a IT guy I would avoid traveling with a laptop on a motorcycle. As we travel on a bike on the open road you will hit bumps and potholes, which can cause damage to the hard drive (even when it's not powered on). Your best beat if you want a full keyboard is a Netbook since most don't use a spinning (scratchable) hard drive.

Is it best to carry it laying flat or on one of it's sides?
RR