PPC and Vacation

[piperpilot]

I just started a 3-week vacation and already my iPAQ 5455 has gotten quite a work out. Yesterday, I waited at the airport for several hours to catch a 1-hour flight to New Hampshire. With my spare battery and two 256MB SD cards, I was able to listen to some music, catch up on the latest two issues of Pocket PC Magazine, play some Pocket EverQuest Episode II and use Contacts to call up all my friends in New Hampshire and let them know what time I was getting in. I tried finding a hotspot in the airport, but couldn't locate the ones that the hotspot locator site said where there . . . hmmm. Had a nice conversation with a private pilot about flight planning, checklist and navigation software for the Pocket PC.

Once I got to my grandfather's house, where I'm staying, I began unpacking all the gear--the AC adapter, the spare battery charger, the sync cable, the thumb keyboard, the stowaway keyboard and my cell phone. The gear requiring electricity is situated in several rooms because the wiring here is ancient and fuses will blow if too many things are plugged in at once. My parents, who are also staying here, brought their Sony Vaio notebook. It's old, it's slow and we're connecting to the Internet via old telephone lines, but it's better than nothing, I suppose. Have I said how much I miss my WLAN?!?!?! Anyway, got further use of the iPAQ last night--I checked Pocket TV Listings to see what was on TV, played Diamond Mine and made some more progress on Pocket Everquest Episode II. Today, I expect to do some work in Pocket Word--I could use the VAIO, but why do that when I went to the trouble of packing my Stowaway Keyboard?

If I was somewhere where I didn't know my way around, I would probably also use some mapping software, but that isn't the case here in New Hampshire where I grew up. But, as you can see, I am trying to make the most of my iPAQ while on vacation. How about you?

[trachy]

I was just up in New England (grew up in NH too) on vacation and used my iPAQ at least once per day. My battery sucks, so I didn't get to watch any movies, but I did refer to it often for phone numbers, my flight itinerary, and directions to the family reunion at my uncles cottage on the coast. My only complaint was that I had to carry it and my phone everywhere I went. As soon as I can get my hands on a CDMA SmartPhone I'll be tickled pink.

[Godsongz]

All three of my PDAs will likely be accompanying my family when we go off on vacation next week. We rented this big (HUGE really) beautiful house up in Vermont with 2 other familys that we are very close to. The place sits on a lake, has a nice lot, big hammock strung between some big ol' trees in the back, a spa, and a pooltable. I expect to spend many hours doing some leisurely eBook reading in that hammock.

[Jeff Rutledge]

For me it varies quite a bit. There are days I won't use it at all and days when I use it quite a few times. I know it sounds overly simple, but I use it when I need to.

I still use my calendar when on vacation as we're usually visiting family. So we need to make sure we don't get double booked.

Also, I listen to mp3's, read ebooks, play games and will occassionally pair with my T68 and browse the net (if I can get a signal).

Having said all of this, my iPAQ sits on the bedside table for most of the trip.
8) 8)8)

[dh]

I moved from New Hampshire to New Jersey a few months ago.

It's so much easier to stay connected here.

I never found any public WiFi in NH, certainly not at MHT airport.

There is very poor cellular coverage in most of the state as well, only TDMA and AMPS where I used to live, at least on a good day.

Oh, to get back on topic, on days when I'm not working, I still use my Axim everyday for reading and to check my mail. (Unless in NH of course).

[aroma]

On my last vacation, which was overseas here is the only use my PPC got:

Keeping flight schedule
Entertainment during flights (games and music)
Occasional currency conversion

Other than that, all my toys, with the exception of my camera, went away... it was vacation. If I wanted to sit around and play with my toys, I could have just stayed home. :)

- Aaron

[dean_shan]

I use in in conjuction with my digital camera. Phone book, email, MP3 player and voice recorder if I am going to seminars. If it is camping I just leave it in the car.

[CoreyJF]

Entertainmetn on flights. GPS directions if I am driving. Ebooks while sitting at the pool.

[nice_micael]

Gaming (ae of empires) , ebooks , movies and some ebooks. :)

[Don Tolson]

Our family tends to go tent-camping when on vacation. I've just started taking along my HPJ568 and cell-phone, so we can check in with ailing family members (use the Contacts for that) and to record phone #, addresses, email, etc. of 'friends' the boys (9 and 7) meet while camping.

Other than that, it pretty much stays in the van the rest of the day(s). Unfortunately, I can't seem to get the access to the internet working through my companie's RAS network. Laptop works fine, but when I attempt to connect with my Nokia 6360i and J568, the thing hangs up as soon as the connection is established.