Anyone take along their laptop?

[Tricia]

Hello,

I'm headed off on my second dive trip taking pictures with my Olympus 3040-Z and PT-005 housing. But I am considering taking along my lightweight laptop computer so that I can download pictures in the evening and really look at them (I don't find the small screen on the back of the digital very helpful.)

My question is about security: although I have dive insurance (D.E.P.P.), it will not cover the computer. And I am a little nervous about having the computer in my hotel room. What do you folks think about this? Do you take along your laptops when you travel? Is it worth the effort and risk of theft of the computer?

Thanks!

Tricia

 

[boydski]

Hi Tricia,

I dislike lugging my brick of a laptop around when I'm on vacation. It might tempt me into doing some actual work, and we can't have that on vacation.

What works well for me is a device made by Iomega called a Fotoshow. It's basically a portable 250Mb Zip drive with a built in slot for transfering images from your smart media card to the zip disk. The unit also will allow you to display and edit the images on a Television. It weighs less than half what my laptop does, and takes up a lot less space.

I have found this really usefull on live-aboards and long dive trips. After a dive, I simply insert my smart media card, press the copy button and a few minutes later, all the images have been copied to a zip disk. Then I reuse the same card on the next dive. When I'm done diving for the day, I hook up the unit to a TV and "admire" the good photos I have taken ( and delete the bad ones ).

This way, I fill up a couple of zip disks on the trip, and then burn them to CD when I get home.

Boydski

 

[raxafarian]

I take mine... can watch dvd's on the plane, d/l pics everyday... play with photoshop if I'm bored. Burn pics to cd every couple of days for 'safety'.

Mine would be covered under my homeowners insurance... would be a hassle, but would be covered.

 

[Spectre]

I do some business travel and the laptop comes with me everywhere. I got used to the DVD and music on the planes, and I also try to check back to the office and make sure everything isn't going to hell with me gone.

I've never had a problem with security. I've had strange looks in the elevator before as I moved a 3 laptop network from my room to the testing facility, but no problems...

I have a tendancy to lock a lot of my stuff in a safe [if available] and I occasionally hide my laptop in my suitcase...

 

[SubMariner]

Tricia, Pearce takes his laptop EVERYWHERE. So far it has been on many trips with us: on a liveaboard in the Red Sea (twice), Bonaire (several times), Grand Cayman, Canmore AB, upteen trips to Europe....

Seeing a pattern yet?

If you are concerned about your laptop being stolen, make sure it is covered on your homeowner's policy. Then back your data files up before you leave home.

You can't really do more other than ensure it is "out of sight" when you leave your room.

BTW, we have the Olympus 4040Z. We dl the memory chip every night onto the laptop using an Izoi. Also, have dl'd digital video via USB or firewire while on our trips.

TTFN,

~SubMariner~

 

[Wally_lamma]

I've been dragging a laptop all over the world for many years and have never had any problems with theft. One thing I'll advise you about is making sure that you have an adapter for the electric outlet for the country you are going to and make sure that your unit will work on voltage at the loaction your going. Most newer laptops have switching supplies and the is not an issue but some of the older units don't.

Also try to keep your laptop away from ocean breezes for long durations, cover it with a towel if you leave your windows open at night or leave it while your on the deck of the boat or resort.

One other thing to remember is if you leave it in your room and you have the air cranked down real cool, when you take a cold laptop out in the wet ocean air, water will condense on it this will play hell on the keyboard and circuit board internally.

I took two 128MB flash cards but with a laptop I down loaded them every night using a external USB flash adapter $20 at computer store and saves on battery power in the camera.

Zip drive thing sounds real neat, I think I'll have to find one of those. There is always a tv around to review the pic's on.

Bottom line is take it -- you will enjoy looking at the pic's and so will the rest of the divers around you.

ChrisR

 

[ladycute1]

My lap top goes every where with me.... It has been to Europe, Hawaii, Fiji..... I just keep it tucked away and it has always been fine.... Sometimes the hotel has an in-room safe --- and I'll use that.

 

[Dee]

I've only been on one dive trip since I got my digital camera but yes, I took it with me and plan to do so again. I felt perfectly safe leaving my laptop out on the table while we were diving or out of the room. Guess it depends on where you go.

I do like the Fotoshow thing. My laptop is an older one with a slow processor and small 3 gig HD. I ended up deleting some programs in order to have room for over 700 pictures! this little gizmo will probably cost less than a new laptop!

 

[tx.lakerats]

I take mine where ever I end up.... Has too many things on it like phone numbers and contacts that I'd rather just type a key pad then have all those loose papers lying around...
Plus good for movies on the plane!!

 

[Jonathan]

My lap top has even been to Bikini - but then it is so small I went through 3 security checks before someone realised I was carrying a computer in that little bag.....

That Iomega thing sounds good but does it come with a bigger drive and Sony format?

Cheers
Jonathan