damian 0 Posted June 24, 2006 Share Posted June 24, 2006 I got a Vodafone 3G data card - basically a network card that gives me 2MB broadband. It really is wireless: 1 laptop + 1 data card = internet access. And it is quite cheap, but the monthly fee of 25 euros only gives 5GB of up and down traffic. After that the metered fee kicks in: not cheap. 5gb is quite a bit per month, hopefully enough. I browse with the usage monitor open and each time I click on a page I see a couple of hundred kbs getting used for the month. This post will cots me a few. I have become a miser, not wanting to click on a link unless I think it is worth it. It is kind of fun to count and budget your internet bytes. I installed it today and so far I have used 2.9MB. Another 4997MB to go. Could people using images in their posts please link with low volume thumbnails. Thank you. Link to post Share on other sites
damian 0 Posted June 24, 2006 Author Share Posted June 24, 2006 that post cost me 25.01kb Link to post Share on other sites
joshnii 2 Posted June 24, 2006 Share Posted June 24, 2006 Why don't you connect to a proper connection most of the time? You can afford it. Link to post Share on other sites
nzlegend 1 Posted June 24, 2006 Share Posted June 24, 2006 you got it buddy! You should go to your preferences and set avatars to hide, that will save you to. If you use Opera to view the net, its really quick and easy to disable images on a page or show only cached images etc or view in author mode with no fancy graphics - that'll save you alot on bandwidth too. I guess bit torrent is off your agenda Link to post Share on other sites
frannyo 2 Posted June 24, 2006 Share Posted June 24, 2006 Doesn't sound like fun to me! Good luck though. Link to post Share on other sites
damian 0 Posted June 24, 2006 Author Share Posted June 24, 2006 s-glider: to save volume I have set it to auto-compress image files on web pages, which includes rendered heading files (like the long narrow blue strip at the very at the top of the sj.com forum). The quality is not good, but that doesn't change the factual utility of the data. If I want to see a picture ion full quality then I re-load the page with compression turned off. I spent most of the last 7 months using a 56k dial up connection each weekend and was amazed to find that it was good enough for most of my worthwhile internet needs. To me, the vast majority of the internet is junk, toys and games. I don't download music, play games, watch movies or browse photo albums and video clips from people I don't know. I don't even own a telly so am certainly not going to be watching tv on the internet either. Flash sites are highly uninformative rubbish that generally appeal to other flash geeks and no one else. Blogs are popular and don't use much space.... but they are to say the least lacking in useful or interesting and original content. Blogs are the macdonalds of the internet world: way too popular for what is inside the box, but a reflection of the mind of the masses. What is the use of data and information if you can't actually do something with it to improve your day? If you say that the latest Mission Impossible movie fits that data category then.... Really, I post on this forum and research things of interest to me (BC touring), check my email and that is about it. Even downloading software installers only typically uses 10mb of volume. I am making a website for family and friends etc to keep up with my stories and pictures etc and uploading that stuff adds a bit of volume. After I have finished building then it will be not much of a drain. I am tired of paying for stuff that I don't need and then not having it when I need it. Come winter, I can now get avalanche and weather bulletins the morning of a BC tour, translated into English, from a hotel, campervan, tent, where ever I am without having to walk 15 minutes both way to the nearest internet cafe that only opens 5 minutes before our required tour departure time. And moving houses doesn't require the usual hassle of transferring your broadband connection. One downside is not being able to connect other desktop machines (rather than a laptop with a datacard slot). That would have been a hassle as I was a multiple machine person. But I am replacing my backup desktop computer with a backup laptop so no problems. In my opinion, the day of the desktop box is long since dead. Laptops may be more expensive, but they are unobtrusive and small. And from a technology perspective this data card works cleanly and easily, unlike every broadband installation process, router set up, modem issues, configuration software with an array of meaningless network acronyms, Ethernet wires that should be twisted not straight... or is it the other way around, phone line splitters, line checks to see if your local telephone exchange and wires can handle broadband.... and so it goes on. A data card on the other hand has a sim card in it (unfamiliar to the Japanese mobile market) and I just plug it in to my laptop. I don't even need a mobile phone, or an electrical socket. It is the future of internet communications, just like the mobile phone has replaced the home phone connected to a wall socket. The internet has quite seriously never been so easy. This is not a rant, I am just quite amazed at how efficiently functional it is. I am half tempted to get a mini sized robust laptop and carry it with me all the time. It would work in the same way that people carry their mobile phones with them everywhere. This would have les appeal in Japan where a mobile is close to a mini computer with email. But in the rest of eh woprld mobile technology is lame and expensive. If governments did the clever thing and installed free wireless stations all over the country then this data card would be un-needed. But that wont happen soon. Link to post Share on other sites
xxx 2 Posted June 24, 2006 Share Posted June 24, 2006 spud, I have just signed up to willcom after only finding out about it on here not so long ago. http://www.snowjapanforums.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php/topic/8/5859.html It's the same kind of thing but perhaps not as fast. I'm so pleased with it though, fast enough for me. I can use 25 hours a month, any volume of data and they do a plan of totally unlimited data as well (I think). http://www.willcom-inc.com/en/service/data/index.html Highly recommended to anyone wanted to access the internet wherever they are without wires and just a small card. This is the card I have Sorry for going a bit off topic maybe! Link to post Share on other sites
damian 0 Posted June 24, 2006 Author Share Posted June 24, 2006 That's on topic. Mobile internet cards, same thing. Mine doesn't have an antenna though. The alternate basic plan to mine is unlimited traffic but only 60 hours per month. There are other plans for other needs as well, but they get increasingly complicated and harder to work out of you are being ripped off. And the vodafone catalogue is full of very good looking girls that all look so happy. Link to post Share on other sites
scouser 4 Posted June 25, 2006 Share Posted June 25, 2006 Must be good then. (In Japan Vodafone is soon going to be Softbank isn't it?) Link to post Share on other sites
sunrise 0 Posted June 25, 2006 Share Posted June 25, 2006 I have a painting blog where I post artworks, I don't consider that a waste of time. Saves me from having to keep updating my website all the time. Quicker and easier. I also often write a bit about the story behind the artwork. Maybe that's a waste of time Link to post Share on other sites
damian 0 Posted June 25, 2006 Author Share Posted June 25, 2006 Sorry sunrise, I didn't mean to offend. Blogs are very good for getting info to the people you want to communicate with rather than making a website. That is not a waste of time. I was generalising about the flavours of popular content on the internet these days and feel that these seemingly endless streams of blogs are a waste of time to browse and read. I am making a website and dont feel it is a waste of time either. I could have chosen to make a blog but for the life of me I didn't want what is important to me to be mish-mashed up in the vast sea of cheap and easy blogs out there. A blog would be much easier, but website would be mine. Link to post Share on other sites
sunrise 0 Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 You can also put a blog on your website. Of course I"d be hoping that you make a BC and travel blog for all your adventures, though not doubt that's at least one of the things you have in mind. (I'm thinking of moving my painting blog over to my site). PS - no offense taken Link to post Share on other sites
damian 0 Posted June 26, 2006 Author Share Posted June 26, 2006 Quote: Originally posted by sunrise: Of course I"d be hoping that you make a BC and travel blog for all your adventures.... I have a back country journal on my website, but I wouldn't say it is very bloggy. Come next season I am thinking about using some embedded blog software for my daily weather and avalanche conditions diary. That is an easy way to add a quick entry each day. If you want to see the journal then please do visit my website. www.accumlationzone.com It is still a bit of a draft and I am changing and updating it all the time, fixing errors etc. You might recognise a lot of the stuff on there from my posts here. I re-used a lot of images and text to save time. Link to post Share on other sites
sunrise 0 Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 Kool! I've bookmarked it and will look at it later when I have some spare time. Link to post Share on other sites
Goemon 0 Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 Nice to see your BC reports all assembled in one site now. Link to post Share on other sites
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