3G, Garmin, Dongles and the like!

Hi there
R there any computer techy nerds here? (I use the word nerds as a term of endearment not derogatory!)
I have recently bought myself a new MacBook and so I want to bring it with me on the Landy Rally so that Jay and I can update our team blog on our website and add photos en route. Apparently there is 3G coverage in the Alps woo hoo for my Iphone!
Also has anyone used the Garmin Mac Software and if so is it any good? Can anyone tell me anything about dongles and portable power packs etc.
Any info you might have that assists me in ensuring I don't stand on top of a mountain and scream ffs at the top of my voice cos I have a flat battery on the phone and lappy will be greatly received.
Cheers... oh I better post our still in its development website on the appropriate thread.

Try Andybloke. He kept a blog updated on LR2007.

Eh, what?

Oh, yeah...

I've not seen the Garmin software running on the macbook, but the City Navigator software on PC worked okay for editing routes, adding poi's, etc, and basic viewing of tracks.
There are some 3rd party and some free Track tools that allow conversion from Garmin to Google Maps formats ... again, I've only looked at the PC versions.

3G: Probably.... in the same way that the UK is covered (if you put an aerial in just the right position, you can just about get a signal, but it's usually not "broadband" speed). G3 Dongles? They have two advantages over data on the i-phone... You don't need to pay the silly fees some networks charge to allow tethered (laptop using iphone as a modem) access, and secondly you can use a USB extension lead and hang the dongle from a tree to get a better signal

Lapdog Power: A 150W inverter will happily recharge the macbook, BUT when you first get the inverter, plug it all together, and check that the laptop power supply doesn't get hotter than it does when plugged into the mains. If it gets hot, take the inverter back, get a refund, and try a different model.

In 2007 we ran 2 internet connections, vodafone had good coverage except in Switzerland, but due to a admin cockup it was billed by time not by bandwidth, so our sponsor ended up paying over 200 quid for less than 2Mb of traffic (In Mac terms, "half a song" of traffic). T-Mobile usually worked but roaming charges made it a bit expensive.

How's that?

Andybloke set up a blog page for us to update during LR 2008 which I did using a mobile phone and a pda both of which had internet access. The phone was Vodafone and had a signal throughout the rally, and the pda was on the Orange network and it had a signal throughout the trip, but for some reason neither of them could get internet access in Italy. It stopped almost as soon as we went into Italy and started working again as soon as we got back out of again

The only thing that I couldn't get to work was the photos which I eventually sent to andybloke via MMS which isn't recommended due to price!!!!!

Maybe not as technical as you are planning but it worked except for the time in Italy http://www.4chas.com/2008sblogdiary.htm

D

Well thanks so much for the responses. I need to fine tune my tree climbing skills if I am to be hanging dongles from the branches! Mind you I'd probably end up hanging myself with the USB extension lead! hahaha
I am hoping to get free coverage from my phone provider so hopefully if all else goes tits up including me, then my phone can save the day!

HI All, we are currently working on providing a WiFi hotspot from our vehicle that will be available throughout the event.

We have the system working we are just refining the access for public use !!

Neil

Team Intel inside Mental Outside.
http://www.intelmental.co.uk

intelmental wrote:

HI All, we are currently working on providing a WiFi hotspot from our vehicle that will be available throughout the event.

Dammit - that was gonna be one of my silly gimmicks for this year!

(MySQL based blog server, scp'ing to a live site every few hours)

Oops , maybe we should have kept that quiet !!

What's a blog?

intelmental wrote:

HI All, we are currently working on providing a WiFi hotspot from our vehicle that will be available throughout the event.

Oh well done you's, woo hoo. Seems like there will be some techy peeps on the rally (phew as Team Diesel Head breathes a sigh of relief).

Thanks for responses

What's a woo hoo?

Tom Mc wrote:

What's a woo hoo?

A woo hoo is a poor interpretation of a toowit toowoo and means something completely different.
Hope that helps




ps is there a message in your inbox?

Potti wrote:

ps is there a message in your inbox?

Is that a euphemism for something?

andybloke wrote:

Potti wrote:

ps is there a message in your inbox?

Is that a euphemism for something?

He was asking about a dongle

oo err Mrs!