Testing

This short note is purely for testing the viability of my new miniature laptop which I shall use for writing my log when aboard my sailing boat.

Last year I used my expensive Fujitsu Siemens laptop which was a bit risky in view of the proximity of much water. It was considerably larger than my latest acquisition which is an Asus 'EEE' Surf laptop with a tiny 7.5" screen. This ingenious machine has a miniature keyboard just large enough for touch-typing. The disadvantage at the moment is that I can only access the Internet while at home or in the vicinity of a 'Hotspot', which means I shall not be able to upload my Cruising Log until I'm ashore. Hotspots can be found at most marinas, MacDonalds, Internet cafes and large hotels; BT and 'T' Mobile have their own Hotspots strategically placed in many towns.

A small solid-state computer such as the Asus uses minimal electricity and it can be charged from a 12 volt source quite rapidly, whereas my larger laptop takes forever to charge from the boat's battery. I have already fallen in love with the tiny machine which has 3 USB connectors and a port for an SDIO card. I have yet to test the WIFI at a Hotspot.

Providing I can keep the Asus away from water, I believe it will be an ideal tool for use aboard the boat. I think I could even use it as a digital chart plotter, but as I have a Lowrance Expedition 'C' GPS with NauticPath charts, there would be little point in doing so, except to display the charts on a larger screen.