ZZXF
09-23-2008, 14:20
[Disclaimer: For those of you who think hiking should mean isolation from electronics, stop reading now. I both agree with you and disagree with you, but I'm not interested in starting a debate.]
Ok, so this is a dumb question that will reveal my cluelessness about technology. Is it possible to send e-mail or connect to the internet (say, to check the weather or connect to a webcast of a ball game) from a handheld device (such as a blackberry or iphone) on the trail? If so, is there a product that works better than the others?
I understand there are data networks that differ from traditional cell phone networks, and that different companies use different data networks. And I've been in fairly urban areas where my cell phone worked but my blackberry wouldn't connect to the internet. This all suggests to me that there would be no internet connectivity in the woods. But then there are all those ads that claim "the internet can't hide anymore" so maybe I'm wrong.
Anyway, the reason I ask is because, if I'm contemplating carrying a cell phone and mp3 player anyway, why not get one of the devices that will do both plus 18,000 other things? But, of course, it's pointless to spend the extra dough on something like that if it's usefulness would be limited.
Ok, so this is a dumb question that will reveal my cluelessness about technology. Is it possible to send e-mail or connect to the internet (say, to check the weather or connect to a webcast of a ball game) from a handheld device (such as a blackberry or iphone) on the trail? If so, is there a product that works better than the others?
I understand there are data networks that differ from traditional cell phone networks, and that different companies use different data networks. And I've been in fairly urban areas where my cell phone worked but my blackberry wouldn't connect to the internet. This all suggests to me that there would be no internet connectivity in the woods. But then there are all those ads that claim "the internet can't hide anymore" so maybe I'm wrong.
Anyway, the reason I ask is because, if I'm contemplating carrying a cell phone and mp3 player anyway, why not get one of the devices that will do both plus 18,000 other things? But, of course, it's pointless to spend the extra dough on something like that if it's usefulness would be limited.