Minimizing Your Electonics

[ice_maiden]

I am going to take a minute and tell you about how I have minimized my electronic and entertainment to one small bag I can carry on my shoulder without must effort. Maybe this will give you some ideas. To give you some idea of size you could put it all in a briefcase and still have half of it left.<br /><br />Ok so I am a tecno-junkie of the highest order..It is my one downfalls as far as stuff goes. I like electronic gadgets like computers, tables, e-readers, hand held games, Ipods etc, etc, but I finally figured out how to have it all with just a few devices.<br /><br />My main brain is my computer.&nbsp; In this I am still over kill because I have two Laptops one is a Dell with disc drive.&nbsp; I use this one mainly for ripping movies and music off of the original disc, and saving it to a 500gb pocket drive. This way I don't have to take up space with a bunch of disc...This computer stays stored most of the time. The second is the one I use the most. It is an acer netbook. This is very small and light weight. It takes up less space than the notebook you used in school.&nbsp; I would narrow it down to only this computer if it had a disc drive. On either of these I can listen to music, watch a movie, play a game, read a book, store photos or surf the net. Although some of those activities would be more comfortable on a smaller device.<br /><br />Enter the 7" Nextbook android tablet. I researched long and hard before I bought a table/e-reader.&nbsp; I would not give you 5 bucks for a Kindle or Nook. Both are&nbsp;proprietary.&nbsp; I wanted a tablet that would let me do what I wanted and put what I wanted on it without jumping through someone else's hoops.&nbsp; I found this in the nextbook. And with a price tag of just over a hundred bucks it is more affordable than the kindle or the nook. (<em>that sounded like an ad... didn't mean it too</em>) On this tablet I can watch a movie, play a game, read a book, listen to music, look at photos or surf the web. The reason I can do this is because this device has an SD slot that allows me to load the content I want. A few 8gb sd cards and I am good to go. I have one for books (I have a lot of books), one for music and a few for movies. Most of the time all of my electronics go out the door with me. But even if the others get left at home this goes with me always. This tablet also saves me on my phone bill since I can use it with my mifi instead of having to pay for a high priced phone data plan. I just use a simple quick messaging phone that has unlimited text, mobile to mobile and unlimited internet. Since the internet is QM it's not that great but I can look up an address, phone #, check the weather or get the news, If I want to do something more involved I switch to the tablet if I don't want to drag out a computer.<br /><br />my mobile internet is supplied by a virgin mobile mifi hotspot. It says unlimited to 2.5gb and then they throttle you. But you can still use the internet.&nbsp; I have never noticed a BIG speed difference when I have gone over.&nbsp; I was over for 2 weeks last month and it really was not a problem.&nbsp; <br />Although if you are out of the sprint network it won't work. This works with my computer and my tablet. It is prepaid so I can buy it when I want it or leave it expired if I am going to be busy with other things.<br /><br />And last the 500gb pocket drive.. It is powered by the usb on the computer so I only have it and one short cord that goes with it.&nbsp; Could not be simpler.&nbsp; A 500gb drive will hold more than 500 movies which is probably the largest file to store. So if you are storing music, books, or photos it will hold a WHOLE lot more. And if you really need to store more they make them bigger or you can have two, they really take up no space much.<br /><br />The only thing I can't do with these few gadgets is watch commercial interrupted programs, That are pre-chosen when I can watch them.&nbsp; And that is not something I want to do anyway.<br /><br />And my cost for this is 80 dollars or less per month (dependent on weather I renew my internet exactly when it expires or not)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />

 

[mockturtle]

You could get a portable disc drive - I've been using netbooks for the last 5ish years &amp; I ended up buying a portable drive that plugs in to USB for power. &nbsp;It's amazing &amp; was under $50

<br /><br />I have a Western Digital 1.5TB USB external hard drive--I think it cost about $70.&nbsp;

 

[ice_maiden]

ok I going to show my tech-junkie habit here LOL ...<br /><br />I have but don't use much anymore.. A 1TB My book Hard drive, a 350 gb &amp; and 750 external HD... the reason I no longer use these very often is that they require an external power source, where as the pocket drive runs on the usb<br /><br />Punk hippie... please don't feed the beastie (joking) now I am going to be out looking for disc drive that runs on the USB .. I have an external disc drive but it also has an external power supply.. all of that was just too clunky..it has been easier to just switch to the bigger laptop

 

[gypsydreamer]

edited<br /><br />

 

[ice_maiden]

Gypsydreamer... I value my eyesight more than that...for as much time as I spend looking at a screen.... that 3.5 screen is out of the question... I read way to much for that.&nbsp; Besides my phone is on a family plan with 2 other iphones. Each of those phones cost right at 100 dollars a month if no one goes over their data plan, which they often do and they have the largest plan available.&nbsp; With my combination it costs me nothing if I go over, And my phone cost 30 dollars + taxes each month. Smart phones are great if you are a limited internet user.....they would not work for me. Besides iphones are <span id="post_message_1274845317">proprietary</span> to Apple.&nbsp; I don't use anything that is <span id="post_message_1274845317">proprietary.</span> There are many good products out there that are less expensive and work as well or better than their <span id="post_message_1274845317">proprietary counterparts that keep you tied to their product.</span><br /><br />Punk hippie... they make a hand held scanner that is about 3" by about 8"&nbsp; I don't remember them being all that pricy. I think I have even seen them at the occasional Walmart.&nbsp; They also make a small (just bigger than a kleenx box) printer.&nbsp; But those are way pricy (about $380.) I have one of those that my son got for me in a barter deal. But like you I only need to print something on a very rare occasion.

 

[Seraphim]

<strong>Minimizing Your Electonics</strong>

<br /><br />Ipad.

 

[ice_maiden]

<span id="post_message_1274849238">

Ipad.

= </span><span id="post_message_1274848912"><span id="post_message_1274845317">proprietary</span> to Apple<br />won't rip a dvd or cd, won't do all the things I need it to.<br /><br />I agree with punk hippie ... I don't do I-anything.&nbsp; I buy nothing that is proprietary to it's parent company... this also applies to nook and kindle <br /></span>

 

[stillcan]

Could other people join in and explain what they have for smart phones, computers, Internet (ISP) and WIFI&nbsp;. We need to do an upgrade of some sort to continue downsizing and simplifying. <br /><br />Thanks in advance for any and all input.<br /><br />Stillcan

 

[sidat202]

I dont have much knowledge on computers.<br />I have an acer computer I bought a few years ago on closout for 270.00. It has a 19 inch screen. &nbsp;I use it for internet, watching movies, and music. I plug it into my car stereo for decent sound. I have a photo quality printer/scanner thats about the size of a shoe box. I think I paid around 60.00 at walmart. And I have an outdated cell phone that is prepaid. It cost me about&nbsp;300.00 a year. Now with skype that will be less. I use wifi for internet access. I can pickup the signal in my truck from the parking lot. Home depot has the best wifi that I have found.<br /><br />It's not much but it works for me.

 

[stillcan]

gypsy dreamer<br /><br />hum......you caught my tongue in cheek verb age.<br /><br />However I do find it interesting what others have for communication and their costs. What one pays $50 a month or less for another may pay $300 month or more for the same thing just configured different. <br /><br />With all the plans out there today what&nbsp;has the&nbsp;best features&nbsp;for the least cost?&nbsp; <br /><br /><br /><br />

 

[ice_maiden]

Stillcan that's a hard question to answer outright because it all depends on what you want to DO with it.<br /><br />If you just surf the web occasionally, answer a few emails, text a bit and talk to family and friends. Even watch a movie. Then all you need is a phone.&nbsp; Now how well it does any of the above depends on the plan, device and features you choose.&nbsp; Personally I hate phones, I hate that tiny screen.&nbsp; They are just to aggravating and limiting to me. So I have Unlimited mobile to mobile. $10 mo, Unlimited text $10 mo, I share 700 land line minutes with 2 others and Unlimited internet $10 mo (unlimited internet is deceptive) Deceptive because it is on a quick messaging phone and doesn't work as well as a smart phone. But I can get basic web info when I need it.<br /><br />For mobile internet of your own, I have done the research, there are only two choices for unlimited internet. They are millenicom and virginmobile.&nbsp; Anyone else is going to give you around 5gb... I can blow that away in a few days.&nbsp; I chose VM because it is pay as I go which means when I am busy I don't have to renew it ... sometimes saving myself the cost of a week or two... this adds up over a years time. Also VM is $20 a month cheaper than millenicom.<br /><br />The only draw back to VM is if you are frequently in areas not covered by Sprint.&nbsp; Millenicom offer plans on Sprint and Verison when I last checked<br /><br />

 

[stillcan]

ice maiden<br />So If I get a millicom plan&nbsp;tied into Verizon. Verizon has the best coverage from what I found. I would have unlimited yack, net and data at a reduced cost?

 

[ice_maiden]

Nope... Millenicom would be your mobile internet... you would still need a phone to talk unless you used skype or Internet based phone... but if you have unlimited MOBILE internet you can skip the expensive LIMITED data plans and fancy phone most phone companies are offering right now. You can still have internet on the phone, it will just be very basic.

For example my brand new 21 day old Garmin GPS quit a couple of days ago while I was on the road. It was past the 15 day walmart return so I typed "garmin contact" into my phone internet and got the number..called and got a 30-35 min wait time. Going to the garmin website is too limited on a quick messaging phone so I pulled out my netbook and hot spot and went online to fix the problem.

Some could have just done this on their phones... but data plans on phones are at a premium right now and people who want that much simplicity are going to pay for it. And pay big! We have two such users on my plan now.... each of their phones base cost is just over $100 a month. If they go over the highest data plan we could get (which they frequently do) it costs an additional $10 per gb. That can add up quick for a heavy internet user.

I personally am always going to try and have a computer and internet for it so the cheapest way for me to go was to go with a cheap phone plan and better mobile internet.

Like I said earlier ... it depend on how much you use something, and what you do with it when you've got it. The OP is just what work best for me since I do so many different things with computers and such.

 

[stillcan]

Thanks ice maiden and casey<br /><br />I'll keep the laptop with WIFI&nbsp;I have and persue an updated smart phone. <br /><br />Thanks

 

[ice_maiden]

ROFL .... no I won't tell you that.... I think it's great that you have discovered how well e-readers work for this lifestyle.... You are not the only one to be drug into the 21st century kicking and screaming..... my daughter's mother-in-law flat refused to use the one my daughter got for her until she could not get the latest Sue Grafton book at the library. (I had it and loaded it for her)&nbsp; Now she won't leave home without it. &nbsp; If you and your daughter read the same genre... you can always share books too.&nbsp; It's what my daughter, her mother-in-law and I do. Although none of us use a <span id="post_message_1274869944">proprietary e-reader..</span>