The DigitalRV Blog

This morning I read one of Rich Luhr’s latest posts with interest. He’d written on his mobile office, and the post’s inspiration came from a recent article entitled “Business in a backpack.”

Both the CNN article and Rich’s article are completely in keeping with the Digital RV concept. With the latest in portable equipment you can work from almost anywhere, and in a variety of industries.

This isn’t a new concept, but it’s new to many readers, and to many companies. While corporate America is aware of the latest technology they have often failed to leverage the technology. Often times companies today do not use technology to it’s full capacity due to fears regarding over site of employees. What do I mean by that? Simple. They want to see you in your cube from 8 - 5. Having a virtual office just doesn’t set right with many bigger companies.

But in some instances it works well. I’ve known for well over a decade that most of my work in wireless telecommunications could be done from anywhere. Each night I’d return home from work, and normally I’d get paged regarding one system disaster or other. I’d take my company laptop, connect to the Internet, and in a few moments I’d be online with the offending system and working on restoring it. This would all be from the comfort of my living room, usually on my couch.

Hand in hand with the Digital RV

Being a Digital RV’er allows for so many possibilities, just like the article “Business in a Backpack” points out. In the book I point out entertainment, communications, and business possibilities with the right systems. At this point in time you can work “virtually” from most any corner of the US. And the article Rich Luhr read points out that you can work from most anywhere in the world if need be.

So, working while on the road and touring the country can actually go hand in hand. Sure, you can be a workamper and take on site hosting responsibilities most anywhere in the US. But how about running your own business instead, or working for a larger organization that allows for virtual office roles? That’s now opened up to RV’ers who’ve gone digital.

What do I do, and what do I carry with me?

In my case I’m currently managing my own business from the road. Each day I work with multiple web sites, updating content, managing databases, and doing generic internet work. My e-mail is one of my lifelines for communicating with family and friends as well as conducting business. Job searches, client updates, and even online conferences.

Here’s the list of items I do every week, from the road in my own mobile office:

• Send and receive e-mail.
• Update 4 different web sites.
• Manage SQL Databases.
• Update client web sites.
• Process new photography.
• Process digital video, create and upload podcasts.
• Submit photography to stock photo sites.
• Manage book sales.

There are certainly more things I could do from my mobile office, but those are the highlights from my personal mobile office.
Let’s not forget, the second edition of the Digital RV was produced while on the road. With my wireless network I was able to upload the latest version of the book, deal with edits, resolve issues with the publisher, and get the book produced.

So, what’s in my “tech grab bag”? Not a whole lot honestly. You don’t need to load your rig up with every gadget under the sun. A few select items will have you all squared away, and like the article “Business in a Backpack,” what you have in your RV doesn’t have to be much.

The key items for my mobile office are:

• A Macbook Pro 15 inch laptop.
• 2 Lacie Firewire portable hard drives (100GB each).
• A Verizon Wireless EVDO card (to access the internet).
• Kyocera KR1 WiFi Router (works with the EVDO card).
• Canon SD550 Elph Camera (can fit in your pocket).
• Canon EOS 30D Camera (a larger SLR digital camera).
• 60GB Video IPod (entertainment mostly).

There are a few other random items here and there, but that’s the bulk of my equipment that gets used every day.  And with the exception of the 30D camera, everything else fits neatly into a small bag.  Just like the author of, “Business in a Backpack.”

So, when you’re considering the Digital RV concept, keep in mind, there’s a lot you can do with a little equipment.  And remember, beyond business needs, the latest mobile technology can save you a ton of space in your RV and expand your entertainment options as well!

Recently I signed up to Blog Carnival. It’s a site that let’s you select categories on what you blog about, and submit your articles to the particular category that interests you. So, I submitted 2 articles from the Digital RV blog regarding mobile tech, and they were approved and added to an interesting “Blog Carnival”. You can see the page at http://odds.endsofthecontemporary.com/2007/07/techblog-carnival-jul-5/

The concept behind Blog Carnival is that you will increase your traffic and the traffic of others through interlinking of blogs. And usually that’s what happens.

I’d suggest to mobile and non-mobile bloggers alike check out blog carnival. If you’re blogging about a particular topic, you might do well linking up with other bloggers who have a similar interest. Go to Blog Carnival and look for yourself.

Recently there’s been more chatter about DRM and the media content we all consume. First off though, what is DRM?

DRM stands for Digital Rights Management. DRM technologies are used to keep consumers from making many copies of their favorite CD, DVD, MP3, or MP4 and sharing them with friends. In other words, it’s copyright protection. Nothing wrong with protecting the rights of artists, I’m in total agreement with it.

The stick in the mud here though is that your rights as a consumer also get put aside often. If you want to make a copy of your favorite movie DVD as a backup, shouldn’t you be able to? How about backing up your ITunes library? How about restoring your ITunes library if your computer fails, but your IPod has everything on it? Well, you can’t easily do these things!

While the controversy around DRM continues, there’s one easy suggestion I have for getting DRM free music. Radio Shark & XM.

With my XM radio I have access to so many different types of music and talk radio. It’s great! XM’s “Fred Radio” is a favorite channel. They play “Classic Alternative.” Can’t believe they’re calling music I listen to Classic.

The XM I own has an FM transmitter built into it. So, while in the Airstream I can listen to the XM over my radio. I can also pick up the XM radio with my Radio Shark. What does the Radio Shark do exactly?

Radio Shark is a USB antenna that you can plug into your Windows or Mac system. It comes with a software package that allows you to listen to AM & FM radio through your computer. Pretty cool. It also allows you to pause, rewind, fast forward, and record whatever you’re listening to over the airwaves.

The key to this article is the word “record”. You can record whatever you’re listening to over the airwaves. In my case, I record what comes across my XM. Digital radio gets recorded to my laptop, and when I’m done recording I can export to my IPod.

What that means to me is I can add to my music library through my XM subscription.

Now, this type of recording is also a big issue. But it’s been a big issue for a long time. People can record shows to their Tivo and copy them to their laptop. During the 80’s we all ran around with cassette tapes, recording our favorite songs off the radio (what a pain that was). VHS recorders captured TV content we missed. The list goes on and on.

However things play out with DRM and copyright issues for today’s latest recordings, there’s one way you can record the music you want. The Griffin Radio Shark.

Just don’t record and redistribute what you’ve saved. That’s where the law is clear, and you’ll have trouble on your doorstep!

Being a Digital RV’er means you have more options while on the road, right? Well, yes, it does.

Digital RV’ing also opens you to some issues as well. Your data can be exposed via WiFi networks, shared networks at parks you visit, and more. But you can control that pretty simply.

• Get a good firewall running on your system.
• Use Anit-Virus software.
• Secure your wireless network. Always use a WEP key.
• Backup your data regularly!

There’s the simple steps. But there’s more, and your exposed every day, not by your computer and digital technology. You’re exposed just through your existence!

You’ve probably heard the stories often on the TV or Radio news. Large corporations, the federal government, state governments have lost data. 60,000 employees data gets out into the public. Hackers have gotten into credit card clearing house databases. The list goes on and on. And none of it has to do with your personal digital security measures!

What can you do?

For this author I paid attention to a recent advertising campaign. Life Lock caught my attention, and I researched them, and finally signed up with them.

Now, do you really need an outside service out there to protect your credit and good name? Yes, absolutely. From a friend’s direct experience I became concerned and protected myself with Life Lock.

My friend, “Mr. J” was a full-time RV’er for several years. He and his wife lived aboard a Class A for two years before building a new house. Their travels were very short, and they didn’t do coast to coast as I have over the past year. As a matter of fact, they stuck close to “home”. All the familiar stops, shops, and service spots.

During their time aboard their RV Mr. J’s identity was stolen. A knock came at his door one afternoon, the local sheriff had come with a warrant for his arrest! He was accused of writing bad checks all over town.

With a little research Mr. J found that a person had opened an account in his name. The person opened credit cards too. And he was running a muck with Mr. J’s identity. How did it happen?

9 months earlier Mr. J had his RV serviced at his local dealer. The dealer’s nephew did some work in the rig, and while working in the rig, copied Mr. J’s driver’s license information and registration information. The dealer’s nephew was the criminal. No computer use, no hacking, just someone coming across your hard documents is all you need!

One year later Mr. J is still cleaning up his credit reports.

Knowing his story I’ve remained concerned since I hit the road. When I came across Life Lock I was thrilled. For under $150 a year they promise to keep my identity safe! The service is simple and easy to setup. The peace of mind it offers is priceless.

Life Lock is not a sponsor here.  I paid for their service just like anyone else.  They are a service I’d recommend.  I’d suggest you research them on your own and make your own decision.  For me, they provide extra piece of mind while I’m on the road.  That simple!

Oh, Mr. J is now a Life Lock customer too.

In a surprising move, Apple launched Safari 3’s Beta for both Macintosh and Windows.  Why would Apple do that, given Firefox exists?

Over the past few years I’ve been using both Macintosh & Windows.  The browsers provided by each of the software manufacturers have never been as good as others available on the Internet.  Both Explorer and Safari always fell behind the curve.  And unfortunately, Safari for Windows (and Mac for that matter) still doesn’t measure up.

Apple claims speed increases in the latest inception of Safari over Explorer and Firefox.  Hunting the web you’ll find many groups that have already done benchmark testing to see if it’s true.  So far, the reviews seem to be mixed.

What is clear regarding the latest version of Safari is simple.  It’s no Firefox.

Fortunately, the latest version of Safari displays XHTML and CSS properly.  After a recent change to Gadget’s Airstream Chronicles I received several complaints from Windows users who browse the web with Internet Explorer.  Amazingly enough, Firefox, Netscape, & Safari could read the new version of the site perfectly.  Explorer choked, and it seems it was dying on the updated Style Sheets.  Geeze, Microsoft still can’t get it right, even if industry standards comply with the updated site.   Safari on Windows does in fact display the updated site properly, so there’s a plus in Apple’s favor.
Why the big software vendors think it’s necessary to create their own browser is beyond me.   My simple suggestion to everyone out there.  Get Firefox, enjoy your web browsing experience!  Sorry Apple, sorry Mircrosoft……you’re still not getting it in the browser space, and that’s fine, there are other people who do get it.

Need to read some reviews?  Here you go:

http://blog.wired.com/cultofmac/2007/06/wwdc_safari_3_o.html 

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070612-afirst-look-safari-3-on-windows.html 

Take it from me, both Windows & Mac users:  Stick to Firefox!

While WiFi is popping up everywhere, relying on it as your only means for internet connection while traveling might not be advisable. After a year of travel across the country, this author has come away disappointed in the reality of WiFi hotspots, their availability, and finally associated costs.

During the past year of my personal travels I’ve made an extreme effort to have some form of internet connectivity. The primary means of connecting to the internet for me is a Kyocera KR1 with a Verizon Wireless EVDO card. However, even with my own personal portable WiFi setup, I’m always watching out for available high speed WiFi connections when pulling into the next new town.

Unfortunately, the case has been the same at most any RV park you stop into. WiFi is advertised as part of the package, but WiFi isn’t available 80% of the time. There are several reasons why this occurs, and they’ll be listed below. The bottom line for most Digital RVers (a term coined in the book, The Digital RV) is that WiFi is not a reliable option if you’re looking to remain connected the majority of the time.

Stopping in Salem, OR - WiFi service disappointment number one
During the course of my year long travels the International Airstream Rally popped up on my list of to-do’s. Of course, I arrived in the area a week and a half early. One friend had suggested a high end RV resort, and that’s where I went prior to the rally.

One of the key features that caught my attention was the WiFi service that was available at the park in question. The Kyocera and Verizon service had been functioning well, but a higher speed connection meant I could do some server maintenance that had been neglected while on slower speed networks.

The park’s WiFi service was a fee based service. Fortunately the cost was reasonable, so I signed up upon arrival. With pay for services you need to log in with a password provided by the park, and then you can connect to the Internet. Many parks offer free services, but the list of pay for WiFi parks is growing.

While parked in Salem, OR, I was happy to have my own WiFi
That should be a plus. It means the parks have a service provider monitoring the system, tracking billing, and working on network issues. The reality is quite different though.

During the course of my stay in Salem I would see the network signal from the park’s WiFi system. There were 2 different access points to pick from, and each was named for the park. Number one and number two.

My first try left me scratching my head. I connected to access point number one, and tried to get on the network. Nothing. No luck. Ok, switch to number 2. Once connected to number two I was asked for a password, and supplied the one on the card I’d been given when I purchased my WiFi service. The password was accepted……then nothing. E-mail didn’t work, the web went nowhere. Finally, I hooked up my KR1 and downloaded my e-mail.

A visit was paid to the office later that day to ask what I was doing wrong. The woman behind the counter answered honestly. Nothing. They’d been having issues with the service for over a week. The access points kept going up and down. A call had been put into the national WiFi carrier they had servicing the park, and they were “working on it”.

Over the course of my time at the park I used my Kyocera almost exclusively. I’d check on the park’s WiFi. Sometimes one access point was up, while the other was down. Sometimes both were missing. Sometimes both were up, but I still couldn’t get on the internet with them.

In the end, I was glad to have my own setup. Depending on this park, at $32 per day + Internet access payment, would have left me unconnected the entire time I was there.

Gunnison Colorado’s disappointing internet access

Two months after my experience in Salem I found myself in Gunnison Colorado. Lovely spot. And a busy RVing spot to boot. There’s a ton to do in the area, and it was hard finding an RV park with open sites. The local KOA had openings, and they also had WiFi service included.

At the time of my registration I met the owner / operator of the park. Nice guy. And he was very excited to hear what I did for a living (building national wireless networks). He explained he’d been having quite a time with the park’s WiFi service, and wanted me to take a look at his setup.

After settling in to my site, booting up my computer and finding no WiFi signal I plugged my KR1 in once again, and took a walk to the office to speak with the owner. He happily showed me through his setup, where the directional antenna was mounted, and his router equipment. So many mistakes in the system, and so easy to correct.

The primary cause of his network issues was an unreliable DSL connection. Keep in mind, the WiFi gets you to a router. The router must connect to the internet somehow. In the case of this park, a DSL connection was used to get park residents on to the internet. In Gunnison, there were regular DSL issues.

Beyond the fact that the pipeline from the park to the Internet was questionable there were other issues. Even when the DSL was working, the owner pointed out that many campers couldn’t even see his WiFi signal. The cause was simple. The antenna mounted on the roof of the KOA building was a DIRECTIONAL antenna. What does that mean? Simple, the signal was sent in a specific direction. It didn’t fan out 360 degrees. It went along the path the antenna was pointed.

One camper uses satellite to get on the Internet while at the Gunnison KOA 

It turned out a local “IT guru” had installed the system for this park. He sold them on a particular router, a particular antenna, and the DSL service. He was also a very busy consultant, and often hard to get ahold of.

For the size of the park I recommended a repeater to solve some of the problems. Also I suggested another directional antenna pointing at the rest of the campers, or an antenna that did 360 degrees. I showed the owner a few web sites with the recommended equipment, and it was clear quickly he didn’t want to invest a couple of thousand to do it right. My one argument against such thinking…..he had the local tech over each week at a pretty steep rate. Long term, he would have saved money.

Anza-Borrego State Park - AT&T WiFi service….where was it?

On a very recent excursion into California I was lucky enough to spend time in Borrego Springs! What a wonderful place.

While planning for the trip, a friend pointed out that Anza-Borrego State Park offered AT&T WiFi service. I tucked that thought into the back of my mind, and traveled out to the high desert park. I completely forgot about the AT&T service, and I’m glad I did. I liked the park so much, and the WiFi service was such a disappointment that it would have detracted from the experience.

My first week in Borrego Springs I used my Kyocera and Verizon service. I’d totally forgotten about the AT&T service. However, when I set up in a new spot I always scan for wireless networks. The only one that came up was my Kyocera.

After enjoying several days at the park I moved on. A week later I returned to meet several friends at the park once more. This time when I scanned for wireless networks the AT&T service popped up. It was surprising to me, and I wondered why I hadn’t seen it the week before.

During my “second stay” I spoke with one of the park attendants regarding the WiFi service. She told me that it was down the week before, and was pretty inconsistent. How disappointing.

Looking up information I found regarding AT&T’s WiFi service I became very happy that I brought my own. Monthly service charges, limited hot spot locations, and from what I saw in Borrego Springs, inconsistent service. Of course, the park attendants know nothing about the service, how to repair it, etc. So when it goes down you’ve got to wait on AT&T to get it going again. In this particular situation that meant almost a week. Would you really want to pay monthly service fees for something you can’t use in many places, or for that matter can’t use because it is out of service? I wouldn’t.

Here’s the breakdown from AT&T’s site regarding the subscription fee:

Primarily for non-AT&T Internet access customers, providing unlimited access to any AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spot starting at just $19.95 per month with a one-year term commitment.

One year contract? Not for me.

There is a bright side to WiFi

The WiFi story isn’t all gloomy. But the 3 samples above should illustrate pretty clearly, there’s a long way to go in WiFi if you’re looking for regular connectivity.

So, what’s really positive in the WiFi world? From this author’s perspective, small private hotspots and libraries. Local cafes offering free WiFi always seem to have service working. And every single library I’ve visited in a year of travel has had WiFi available to the public for free! Fantastic!

The author using the Victor Idaho public library’s WiFi Hotspot

Where the fee based services fall down, the free hotspots seem to shine. Cafes advertising WiFi always have functional WiFi. Same case with the libraries. What is it the cafes and libraries know that the RV parks don’t? I’m not sure. Whatever it is, seeing that high speed WiFi signal when pulling into a library is always a joy in my book!

Bottom line with WiFi Hotspots while being a Digital RVer

So, what’s the bottom line?  Simple, WiFi hotspots can help you get connected while traveling, but relying on them solely will leave you extremely disappointed.  The only way to guarantee 100% uptime on the Internet while on the road is to go satellite.  Anything else will leave you with less than 100% coverage.  And when it comes to hotspots, if you’re covered 30% of the time you’re doing well.

That doesn’t imply you should discount WiFi hotspots.  It just means you should not depend on them.  I’ve heard time after time from other RVers, that advertised hotspot services haven’t worked out.

Well, you know that things are going somewhere when Amazon jumps into the fray.

Today I got a notice regarding Amazon’s new Unbox Video service.  Movies & TV shows downloaded to your computer.  Skip the DVD altogether.  You can download and own the fully digital version, without having to have the standard storage media (the DVD).

Interestingly enough, their selection feels familiar.  What do I mean?  Take a look at the ITunes Store.  Then look at the Amazon Unbox Video store.  Hmmm…

In addition to purchasing video, you can also rent movies.  I have yet to try this feature, but it is there.  Now it’s getting interesting.  One thing when small startups get into a market.  A whole other when some of the big names of the net really get into it.

How long before your local Blockbuster starts feeling the pinch?

If you’ve been looking around the site over the past few weeks you’ve probably noted several changes.  The overall look of the site has changed, and the finishing touches were put on today.

So, what’s new around the Digital RV?

• The Main Page, DigitalRV.net has a new look.
• The main site, the tech blog, and the podcast site now all have the same format.
• We’ve launched the Digital RV Podcast site now.  Going forward both video and audio podcasts reviewing new tech, showing tutorials, etc., will be available at the podcast site.  Take a look.

Sorry this blog has been quiet for a few weeks.  Time has been spent on the new podcast site, and the redesign of the main site as well.  Plus there’s been some new work on Gadget’s Airstream Chronicles as well.  Pop by there too.  That site still has it’s original look, and I’m not sure it will change.

In the next few weeks we’ll have some new reviews up here and on the podast site.  What will they be on?

1. The Invisible Shield:  An interesting product that will help protect your IPod.  Also created for other devices as well, but we tested one for the IPod 60GB Video model.
2. Sony’s latest hard drive camcorder:  If you’ve followed Gadget’s Airstream Chronicles you might have noted a change in the video quality…..
3. Wordpress:  Many how to’s on utilizing wordpress beyond blogging will start to be posted on the podcast site soon.
4. Many more fun items coming soon……

That’s all for today.  Check back soon!

Finally, after a small test trip, a few weeks at the beach, lawyers, doctors, and tons of preparation, my rolling tech fest is getting ready for “the big trip”. About time too!

For the techno junkies out there, I thought that a list of what rides in the truck with me might be of interest. The gadgets listed below help with navigation, entertainment, communications, and remaining connected with the world. Maybe my list is over-kill, but I am a confessed gadget junkie. To my knowledge there are no rehab centers for gadget junkies, so I guess I have to cope with it on my own.

The Truck List:

• Garmin 2610 GPS: Keeps me on track, and informed. I know where upcoming exits are, what services are there, etc. Also helps find that last minute camping spot when I’ve gone too far for the day.
• XM Radio: Entertainment & News. What would I do without my XM. I shudder to consider the possibility.
• Verizon Wireless Motorola Cell Phone and Blue Tooth Head set: Great way to stay in touch with friends and family, call to fix a tire, or for emergency purposes.
• Apple’s Ipod: With 7.5 days of music on my Ipod I’m certain I won’t get bored immediately. Maybe I’ll listen to the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy again!
• Phone charger and Ipod Charger: Pretty obvious what these are for.
• Digital Camera, Canon SD 550:   Taking photos along the way.

Well, that’s the list of the digital gear in the truck. So far all of it has served me well on shorter trips. You’ll notice, the computers aren’t listed. I don’t need to distract myself with a laptop while driving. Got enough other stuff thanks!

Ok.  The Digital RV Blog will remain mostly about tech.  The personal / full timing journals will pop up over on Gadget’s Airstream Chronicles.  If there are “cross-over” entries I’ll post them on both.

There, that was an easy decision.