Snafu!

Hi everyone – I'm actually posting this from my iPhone if you can believe it. I drove 550 miles today, and then spent two hours tonight trying to get the hotel's Wi-Fi to work! No such luck. Tomorrow I'm down, but hopefully on Sunday I'll have workable Wi-Fi. See you then? (You can tell I'm not confident.)

--Mike, from a hotel in Erie Pennsylvania

P.S. Sorry about the broken link, which should be fixed now. Also I am getting what I think is called a comeuppance–did I complain about moderating comments? That's because I never had to do it on an iPhone before! Makes me laugh. Glad I don't have to do it this way every day. I will go sit in the corner now.

Comments

[The Lazy Aussie]

For Wordpress blogs, moderating comments is easier than on the computer. In fact I prefer blogging from the tablet than anything else. Don't have to sit in an uncomfortable computer chair for a start.

[Francis E]

You can make your iPhone be a "Personal Hotspot" so it appears as a wifi router to your iPad, laptop etc.:

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4517

Obviously you'd still have the high cellular data charges, but you'd have a more comfortable screen and keyboard. And you don't need to have a cable with you.

[Ben]

Use your iPhone as a "hotspot" for your ipad if ours stuck without wifi.

Good luck!

[Roger]

I take a TP-Link wireless access point on my travels. Handy if hotel rooms have wired and wireless Internet. Significantly more reliable than any hotel's wi-fi. They're cheap and almost tiny. Very handy.

http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-WR702N-Wireless-Repeater-150Mpbs/dp/B007PTCFFW/ref=sr_1_7?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1411828050&sr=1-7&keywords=tp+link

[Stephanie Luke]

You are such a trooper, Mike. Thanks for all the effort. But enjoy your trip. I'm sure there are many of us who won't forsake you just because of a little hiatus. We'll be waiting, patiently...

[Ben Rosengart]

As Francis said, you don't need a cable to use Personal Hotspot, but in my personal experience, it works best with one.

[Mark K Lough]

Although you are not having any fun, I'm glad for your report on your dismay at having to do your work on a phone.
Long live the desktop. They evolved in pretty short order into the very best way to get many forms of work done. Then, the manufacturers realized how much more money they can make switching everyone over to smartphones. "Smart"?
Your testimony will help assure people that desktops are best for work, unless you really do need to do the work from the restroom in a local bar with wifi.

[Speed]

I've met many people who have "been to" Erie, "driven through" Erie or "stayed in" Erie. Few have been more than a half mile from I-90 which passes well south of Erie proper.

Sorry about the Wi-Fi. There is a very nice public library on the lakefront with a good view of the lake, functional Wi-Fi and comfortable chairs and tables. Maybe on your way home.

[Peter Croft]

How I envy you being able to do a driving trip like that. In my state of Western Australia, three times the size of Texas, there's only one big city (and it's a big one, 2 million+) but only three others between about 5,000 and 50,000. I've seen 'em all many times and they're not that interesting. To me anyway.

Our state is dry, dry, dry and getting dryer and hotter every year. I wish I could drive through mountains and mists and lakes and quaint towns with autumn colours and small seaside harbours. Even in rain. But I'd have to drive three thousand km to see anything nearly like that. I should, could move, but you get locked down, don't you. Sigh.

[Kent]

Yes, mobile hotspot is the way to go. I use my Android phone to connect my iPad or MacBook Air to the net when I'm away from Wi-Fi all the time. Apple via Android sounds kinda counterintuitive, but it works like a charm. I have a 3 gigabyte mobile data package, and the way I work I have never even come close to maxing it out.

[Tom]

Hi Mike:

I hope you got away from the Wi-Fi and had a chance to see the sunset. The linked shot was taken that evening in Dunkirk, NY, about 40 miles from Erie.

Happy travels,

Tom

https://flic.kr/p/pp9YrA

[Kye Wood]

You've been patient Mike, so guess what? Your new camera (cheap, black and white sensor) is finally coming - http://photorumors.com/2014/09/28/samsung-is-rumored-to-announce-a-new-nx-achromatic-black-and-white-mirrorless-camera

[Ed]

I am reading this on a Raspberry Pi.......a small single print computer that can even double as a camera. The coolest little overclocked computer.

Greets, Ed

(and enjoy the scenery)