Just got back from a month in France. All hotels I stayed in, in many parts of the country, had free internet connectivity, mostly WiFi, in all rooms. Telstra Roaming had issues with congested networks in Paris, i.e. every day from noon to 6 pm my iPhone would have no service, fine every where else in the country. (Telstra have had no sensible or intelligent comment on this issue.)
If you have an iPad take that otherwise if you have the fortitude and the space, take your laptop, a laptop is the most convenient option for managing your photos, posting to web sites, etc. Don't plan on buying an iPad in France unless you want to pay more, as they are more expensive there than here. If your phone is unlocked you can easily get a prepaid SIM from Orange or an other carrier in France, there are three carriers. You can buy an unlocked iPhone 4 in France right now. hope this helps. regards, Robin On 26/06/2010, at 1:18 PM, Daniel Kerr wrote: > > Um. Not entirely correct I'm afraid. Not all iPhones are sold "unlocked" by > default. If you buy the iPhone on contract then some of the phone companies > lock them to their network, and you have to pay to get it "unlocked". > Certainly if you buy the iPhone outright from some places, then yes it is > unlocked for any network. But you have to make sure before you buy it. > The iPad is unlocked for any network. > > If you're mostly looking at the email point of view Chris, then I think > you'd be fine with an iPad. It will handle your email perfectly and they > work very well. And you'll find you use it more and more for lots of other > things as well. > Either the WiFi model would be fine (depending on situations) or if you > wanted to cover all your bases then the WiFi+3G would be better. That way, > as other have said previously and here also, you can buy a local SIM to keep > your costings down. If you're in a hotel or café (or anywhere) that has > WiFi, then that's always your best option as it will be a lot cheaper. But > if you're out and about and wanted to just double check something, or send > an urgent reply then you know you've got the 3G to cover that as well. > > They are very lightweight and compact, yet the larger screen makes it much > easier for emails etc. The iPhone is good, but for some things, the iPad is > just that much better. > > Your other option also, if you're watching your costings, is to just use > webmail. Most hotels (or internet cafés) should have computers that you can > use for a little cost, then log into your webmail to check emails and reply. > Yes, you don't have the convenience to do it when you want to (or as private > or back in your hotel room etc), but it's one less cost. So that can be an > option as well. And sometimes easier as you then spend more time on your > "holiday" and less time always "just wanting to check that one last time for > an email". (Or maybe that's just the work-a-holic in me,...) :o) > (Besides,..remind me again,..what's this thing you call > a,...um....a...holiday?) :o)) > > Hope that helps. > > Kind Regards > Daniel > > > > > On 26/6/10 1:04 PM, "Alexander Hartner" <a...@j2anywhere.com> wrote: > >> >> You are in luck. iPad and iPhones in Australia are sold unlocked, so you can >> always get a local sim card with some data on and use that then the expensive >> hotel wifi. >> >> Really depend how many emails you got to send / receive. The iPhone is great >> for on the road, but not ideal for daily work. The iPad and the Air are >> better, but obviously much larger. While traveling you might be tempted to >> take some photos, again here the iPhone is very nice. The iPhone 4 is already >> available in Europe and should be coming out in July (maybe. who knows) here >> as well. >> >> Definitely go with a local sim card as it's cheaper and also works outside >> the >> hotel. >> >> Alex >> >> On 26 Jun 2010, at 12:49, Chris Burton wrote: >> >>> >>> Good afternoon muggers >>> >>> We are heading to France and Italy for a first time holiday in September >>> with >>> some friends, all of whom have never been there. Should be great however... >>> >>> I am worried that I wont be able to keep up with work commitments back in Oz >>> via email over there, and would like some advice from some seasoned >>> travellers about how I can best do that, by either taking a light weight mac >>> laptop (Air), or perhaps an iphone or ipad? >>> >>> At the moment I use Mail on a macbook pro (10.5.8) but am not sure if an >>> ipad >>> would allow me to use that software? Im thinking I will need something light >>> to carry around, and not be an obvious target for those pesky thieves ie an >>> iphone or ipad or possibly the Air? Or just take my trusty MacBook Pro and >>> use in hotels when ever I have internet. >>> >>> I see from some previous posts there are pros and cons with using a phone >>> overseas. Some recommend actually buying a local Simm card to put in the >>> phone. >>> >>> I just dont know which would be the most convenient and effective way to >>> proceed on this. >>> >>> Thanks for any suggestions and kind regards to all. >>> >>> Chris >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- >>> Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> >>> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> >>> Unsubscribe - <mailto:wamug-unsubscr...@wamug.org.au> >>> >> >> >> >> -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- >> Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> >> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> >> Unsubscribe - <mailto:wamug-unsubscr...@wamug.org.au> >> > > --- > Daniel Kerr > MacWizardry > > Phone: 0414 795 960 > Email: <daniel @ macwizardry . com . au> > Web: <http://www.macwizardry.com.au> > > > **For everything Macintosh** > > > > > -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- > Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> > Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> > Unsubscribe - <mailto:wamug-unsubscr...@wamug.org.au> > -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- Archives - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml> Guidelines - <http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml> Unsubscribe - <mailto:wamug-unsubscr...@wamug.org.au>
