Need some advice on mobile purchase

[randr]

Wife and I are planning a trip to Fl in a few weeks. We share a desktop at home that has our business files, email accounts, and her facebook (I don't do facebook). We have several email addresses. I go directly to my gmail account through firefox, she uses chrome to access her gmail account, and we use thunderbird for our business emails. This may be complicated and I am open to suggestions to improve.
My main question is what should we look for in a mobile system if all we want to do is stay in touch and access the web? Could this system be used for her facebook so I can remove facebook from the home desk top? Cost and durability are issues.
I would also like to have the mobile system to take on job sites. Can I interface my home and mobile systems?

[steve2470]

1. a few thoughts:

Wife and I are planning a trip to Fl in a few weeks. We share a desktop at home that has our business files, email accounts, and her facebook (I don't do facebook). We have several email addresses. I go directly to my gmail account through firefox, she uses chrome to access her gmail account, and we use thunderbird for our business emails. This may be complicated and I am open to suggestions to improve.
My main question is what should we look for in a mobile system if all we want to do is stay in touch and access the web?


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Could this system be used for her facebook so I can remove facebook from the home desk top?

The above system could, yes.

Cost and durability are issues.
I would also like to have the mobile system to take on job sites. Can I interface my home and mobile systems?

Your home system ? Could you tell me more, please ? Do you want to connect directly with your desktop at home via something like VPN or SSH or GotomyPC.com ?

[pokerfan]

2. An Android phone and Google mobile apps

I don't have an Android phone yet (need to wait a few more months on my current contract) but even this non-smart phone supports Google mobile apps such as Gmail, Google Calendar and Google Docs.

http://www.google.com/mobile

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_%28operating_system%29

[canetoad]

3. Depends how much total cost is a factor

If you think you will have use for it after the trip, I'd suggest a low cost notebook computer or a netbook, combined with a pay-as-you-go usb broadband modem.

If your business email is through your ISP, you would probably have a web interface, or you could configure Thunderbird on a new machine so you still have your normal access.

In any case, make your decision soon; give yourself time to set up and configure the programs you wish to use. If you need to access your business files while you're away, you could always leave your home desktop turned on and running Hamachi which means you can access it remotely.

[Old and In the Way]

4. A few suggestions...

(1) You could load Thunderbird on your mobile laptop with the same settings (POP3/SMTP)as your home PC and continue getting your business e-mails while away from home. You could move the e-mails back onto your home PC when you return to have all of them in one database. Your gmail accounts are already mobile in that you can access from any device. T-Bird runs on Windows/Linux OS...not sure about Apple or Android.

(2) Again, Facebook is an internet application that can be accessed from device. If you have a Facebook client that you use to access Facebook, rather than the browser, you'd need to load that on your mobile device.

(3) I use Teamviewer on my laptop/Office PC to allow access to the desktop of either machine. The only drawback is that the machine you are trying to access has to be 'awake', otherwise TV won't be able to make the connection.

(4) Check out Dropbox. You can store files in a single folder that is accessible from any computer. I use the Dropbox utility that puts an icon in my start menu location for easy access. Android has a Dropbox application that does the same thing.

[randr]

5. Thanks to all for the help

Using all your suggestions I have a better idea of what I need. I did not mention that I have another desktop in my shop that networks with my home office. It is somewhat problematic. I am checking out Dropbox and Teamviewer and may use both for my needs.
I found this laptop available, tell me what you think:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/HP+-+Pavilion+Laptop+/+AMD+Phenom%26%23153%3B+II+Processor+/+17.3%26%2334%3B+Display+/+4GB+Memory+-+Pewter/3184708.p?id=1218384143330&skuId=3184708&st=hp%20probook%204530&cp=1&lp=1

[canetoad]

6. Seems like very good value

Nice big screen, so you should get a lot of use from it after your trip.

Most new laptops (HP especially) come with a payload of pre-installed crap. This will help you get rid of it:
http://pcdecrapifier.com/

[randr]

7. Thanks again

I think I will run the program you suggested on my existing HP pavilion desktop while I am at it.

[canetoad]

8. Another thought about your business emails

As soon as you get Thunderbird up and running on your new machine, go into email account properties, server settings and tick the box 'Leave Messages on Server'.

This means that emails from the one business account will be available for download on your desktop when you get home.

Keep in mind how much server space your ISP provides for emails; you don't want messages being returned with a 'Mailbox Full' message.