Laptop replacement

[GlennWest]

The data coverage is critical for us. All our banking. 

[Smitty77_7]

Here is an example of the Verizon Samsung I referred to in my first post. Uses data like a phone would, LTE. A bonus if you have a Samsung TV, is it will link seamlessly to it. They don't call it a laptop, but the picture is pretty dang close to laptop looking:)! Windows 10. It seems to do what you're looking for.

Smitty

 

https://www.verizonwireless.com/tablets/samsung-galaxy-book/

[Pieere]

Double posted, Sorry the Internet is spotty today!

[Pieere]

I just put my thoughts down on Win/10 Upgrades and Updates in the Computer thread below! Yes, getting rid of my older MS Units and converting to Android, and the Use of my old MacBook Air, MS is getting worse just like all these Hi-Tech vehicles we can't work on!

[GlennWest]

Saw that Galaxy Book. More money than I paid for my laptop. That would definitely work. 

[GlennWest]

Found out why DW ran out of data this month. She got PC Matic . It is web based. Ran several deep scans.

[BlueLghtning]

5 hours ago, SWharton said:

Thanks for explaining the data pools. I have never read about 2 pool plans. Something to watch out for.

Technically it's 1 data pool it's just how you use it per device.

Verizion gives you unlimited data on their latest plan and it's use is calculated per device. However their version of unlimited differs vastly from the general public. They have 2 gotcha's in place on their unlimited plans which slow your data but don't limit it. For all intents and purposes, you have unlimited data, it may just not be usaable. For hot spot use per line, you are limited to 15gb at full unrestricted LTE data speeds. After 15gbs, you are "throttled" automatically to 600kbs/s. You still have internet, but it's basically useless except for the most basic stuff. The next tier is on device usage. Again, you have Full LTE data speeds until you hit 22gb at which time your on device data on that device/line only becomes subject to network management. This is different than throttling meaning it only happens if you are on a congested tower. You could never see any network managament and never experience any slowdowns. If however you are past 22gb and on a congested tower, your data gets pushed to the end of the line behind non network managed data. You actually may still get decent speeds and about every 10 mins and the towers recheck the tower congestion. Your data may get sped back up after 10mins or it may remain slower for the rest of the evening. However, if you access during a non busy time, you'll have full speeds again. 

AT&T does something similar with a 22gb network management threshold and 10gb hotspot limit on cell phones. Currently AT&T doesn't automatically throttle hot spot data on a dedicated mifi device, but that probably will change. 

T-mobile keeps evaluating their data restrictions and I think last I saw their network management didn't kick in until about 50gb which is way more than Verizon or AT&T. 

[GlennWest]

Yes, T mobile got best deal but when you are in 3rd place one has to be less.

[BlueLghtning]

1 hour ago, GlennWest said:

Found out why DW ran out of data this month. She got PC Matic . It is web based. Ran several deep scans.

Yep, that will definitely do it. 

If all your bankign is online and done through a web browser, you would probably be very happy with a chromebook keeping your current data setup. They have very little overhead and run great with minimal hardware, and don't nearly have the type of background updates that a windows laptop does. I personally have have the Acer CB5-132T which is a touchscreen chromebook that actuall is also able to run google apps from the google play store. IMOP this is the best of all worlds. You get a smaller footprint laptop like device that works with chrome to access any type of online sites including banking. You get a full keyboard. When do you don't want the keyboard, it flips behind the device and you can use it as touch screen tablet. Finally, you can run dedicated android apps on it like mapping programs, etc. Oh yeah the battery life is awesome too. 

Here is the one I have. You can still find it places, I just linked Amazon since it has some great pics and stuff. I've had a couple chromebooks and I love this one. BTW 4gb over 2gb ram in a chromebook makes a nice difference on the amount of tabs you can have open if that makes a difference for you. 

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Chromebook-Convertible-11-6-Inch-CB5-132T-C1LK/dp/B01J42JPJG

 

[Aggie79-82a]

For a laptop replacement and way to connect to internet without a MIFI or hotspot, I would recommend Apple's iPad Pro with cellular data.  I switched us from using Verizon's MIFI to iPads with cellular data due to the speed reduction after 15GB on the MIFI.  Got really slow.  Using cellular data on Verizon's unlimited plan does not have that reduction on cellular data.  Have not noticed any speed reduction using the cellular data.  I do use the hotspot feature on our iPhones to connect to the internet for my laptop and updates that require a WIFI connection.  Have always been able to stay within the 15GB hotspot limit per device since making the switch.  My DW's constant surfing of Pinterest caused me to find a better solution than a MIFI connection for our devices.

[BlueLghtning]

3 minutes ago, GlennWest said:

Yes, T mobile got best deal but when you are in 3rd place one has to be less.

T-mobile is still behind, but they will be ones to watch in 2018 once they get their 600mhz bands up and running and equipment that comes out can use it. They cleaned house on the 600mhhz spectrum and this lower band spectrum will vastly increase their rural coverage. However, very few devices can even use that spectrum yet and they are still a ways away from getting any kind of coverage with it, but it's coming. In the mean time, you might just have to continue with Verizon or AT&T until that happens. 

[BlueLghtning]

Just now, Aggie79-82a said:

For a laptop replacement and way to connect to internet without a MIFI or hotspot, I would recommend Apple's iPad Pro with cellular data.  I switched us from using Verizon's MIFI to iPads with cellular data due to the speed reduction after 15GB on the MIFI.  Got really slow.  Using cellular data on Verizon's unlimited plan does not have that reduction on cellular data.  Have not noticed any speed reduction using the cellular data.  I do use the hotspot feature on our iPhones to connect to the internet for my laptop and updates that require a WIFI connection.  Have always been able to stay within the 15GB hotspot limit per device since making the switch.  My DW's constant surfing of Pinterest caused me to find a better solution than a MIFI connection for our devices.

Just so people understand there is still the possibility of network management at 22gb per line using a device with it's own data, but yes there is no hard throttle at 15gb if you use a hotspot. You probably haven't been network managed or maybe not even passed the 22gb, but it's probably way less likely to happen vs throttling that always happens. 

[GlennWest]

Thanks for the link. We been looking at those. My laptop is a dinosaur. 

[SWharton]

I guess we have lucked out. We have always had mifi so never really encountered the pool problem. We use our phones as backup if needed. Now that we have the Mobley life is sweet. We inadvertently used 87G one month and never a slow down but then we aren't near any big cities either. We normally use 5-10G in a month but I feel we are getting sloppy with the Mobley.

 

T-Mobile sounds great except for no coverage. We had a T-Mobile phone and it rarely had coverage, stopped that foolishness. We now have one ATT phone and one Verizon phone, both MVNO.

[BlueLghtning]

21 minutes ago, GlennWest said:

Thanks for the link. We been looking at those. My laptop is a dinosaur. 

Unless you are going to spend decent money on a laptop to get good hardware and just need it to run programs that only run on windows, a chromebook can easily take it's place for much cheaper and you'll probably be much happier in the long run. They stay up to date much easier with each chrome OS update, they run faster and smoother on less fancy hardware, and just overall a nice package that works. 

[RV_]

Glenn,

This product is just now coming out and will solve two issues for people on the road.

1. The limitations of using the phone as a hotspot to WiFi to a computer

2. The problem of seeing the tiny screens.

A big plus is that you can get free Microsoft Apps for Word and Outlook as well as Excel in Android phones.

Read the below:

https://miraxess.com/

http://news.thewindowsclub.com/mirabook-windows-phone-android-phone-into-a-laptop-91029/

This is simply a fantastic way to do low impact data for those on the road.

It is NOT A LAPTOP! It is an attachment for your phone to see it larger, and have a nice laptop like keyboard.

Problem solved.

[RV_]

4 hours ago, BlueLghtning said:

Unless you are going to spend decent money on a laptop to get good hardware and just need it to run programs that only run on windows, a chromebook can easily take it's place for much cheaper and you'll probably be much happier in the long run. They stay up to date much easier with each chrome OS update, they run faster and smoother on less fancy hardware, and just overall a nice package that works. 

Blue,

You taught me something new the other day and now I can return the favor. For RVrs especially for the price of a Chromebook you can get this for your Android Phone next and eliminate the data throttling for hot spot use of phone data. Available May 2018 according to the source: https://miraxess.com/miraxess-news/

Click on the pre-order now at the top right of that page to see prices and variations in color. As well you can add micro SD cards to the device in addition to your Android phone.

[Chalkie]

18 minutes ago, RV_ said:

Blue,

You taught me something new the other day and now I can return the favor. For RVrs especially for the price of a Chromebook you can get this for your Android Phone next and eliminate the data throttling for hot spot use of phone data. Available May 2018 according to the source: https://miraxess.com/miraxess-news/

Click on the pre-order now at the top right of that page to see prices and variations in color. As well you can add micro SD cards to the device in addition to your Android phone.

Samsung has something similar right now with the Samsung DeX Station. I think I like this better. I am going to think seriously about pre-ordering it. Nice find!

[BlueLghtning]

1 hour ago, RV_ said:

Blue,

You taught me something new the other day and now I can return the favor. For RVrs especially for the price of a Chromebook you can get this for your Android Phone next and eliminate the data throttling for hot spot use of phone data. Available May 2018 according to the source: https://miraxess.com/miraxess-news/

Click on the pre-order now at the top right of that page to see prices and variations in color. As well you can add micro SD cards to the device in addition to your Android phone.

I saw that and definitely very intrigued by that. I still really like my chromebook, but I could see how that could definitely work, especially with the on device usage. My question is  when you visit most web pages on a phone, they send you the mobile version which usually isn't as pretty as the full desktop version. I know you can select to receive the full desktop site, but even then some refuse if they see the request is coming from a phone. Do you think this would allow the desktop version to be sent to the bigger screen? 

[RV_]

24 minutes ago, BlueLghtning said:

I saw that and definitely very intrigued by that. I still really like my chromebook, but I could see how that could definitely work, especially with the on device usage. My question is  when you visit most web pages on a phone, they send you the mobile version which usually isn't as pretty as the full desktop version. I know you can select to receive the full desktop site, but even then some refuse if they see the request is coming from a phone. Do you think this would allow the desktop version to be sent to the bigger screen? 

You will have to ask them about the forced desktop version. I can select it on all the websites I use. Also when we compose on the phone we are or can be offline, using the apps is not like composing/saving in the cloud. Correct me if I am wrong, my impression was that Chromebooks use more Data AFAIK. Nothing wrong with them or any device when you have unlimited fast data.

[RV_]

YW Gary. I hope it works as well as I think it will. I will inevitably get one too just to play with it.

 

[BlueLghtning]

48 minutes ago, RV_ said:

You will have to ask them about the forced desktop version. I can select it on all the websites I use. Also when we compose on the phone we are or can be offline, using the apps is not like composing/saving in the cloud. Correct me if I am wrong, my impression was that Chromebooks use more Data AFAIK. Nothing wrong with them or any device when you have unlimited fast data.

If you compare a chromebook to a phone, perhaps it uses more data, but I don't find it any where near excessive? It would just be the same as what ever you keep open on a web browser on a PC and I think it only really updates a webpage when you are on it, unless you allow push notifications which I generally keep off. It's certainly nothing like a windows laptop/desktop does. 

[noteven]

Just a note on Verizon prepaid unlimited data / phone plan - no phone hotspot is available - it is a one device plan.

Other plans may vary. 

[Biker56]

20 hours ago, GlennWest said:

Don't believe CoPolit even works on Mac.

CoPilot works great on a Apple iPad Air.

You need to get one that is cellar plus WiFi to get the built in GPS.

[Bill Joyce]

It will be a while before there are tablets on T-Mobile that use the new 600MHZ band, there are only two phones so far that support it (LG V30 and the Samsung S8 Active).  About all of T-Mobiles build out to increase their coverage will be on 600MHZ, so RVers should only get devices that support 600MHZ for the coverage they want.  We dumped T-Mobile as our backup network last February due to not having enough places it worked, in Washington, Oregon and California.  Now we have Verizon and AT&T and both have worked as we traveled across the Northern US and down to Florida.