portable computer

coolcats

Have very little idea about technolgy. To me a phone is something to talk or text, a computer is the big thing that sits on the desk with a wire to get online. Although I'm aware this is old fashioned now!

I'm looking at options for a computer thats suitable to come away from home and can get online with. Thought about the phone option as a possible, but net book is also a good option.

But how do I do this? And where to look/buy to get best value. And what to buy. It will be used away from home, mainly emails, facebook and banking. Also for young kids (netbook better here?)

Any help is gratefully recieve as will need this option soon. And not sure that conecting to the net will be possible.

kwikbreaks

You'll need a WiFi or 3G connection to the web.

Free WiFi does exist but I personally wouldn't rely on it unless I knew for sure I could gain access where I intended to be.

With 3G you need to decide on a dongle or portable WiFi access point and which supplier and that again depends to some extent on where you are going because coverage isn't universal. You'd also need to decide on PAYG or contract.

Netbook, tablet, or phone depends on just what you want to do and what compromises you are prepared to make.

There are so many ways to do what you've said you generally want to do it's difficult to recommend anything specific without fuller details.

coolcats

Its mainly to take to hospital as my son has to regular attend, the local and childrens hospital. Been told that could be for weeks rather than the odd day. So its mainly for those times, home is the desktop. Mainly for banking, entertainment for him, likes justins house only available on youtube, facebook and catching up with friends, email.
Like the idea of pay as you go, mobile is. I think o2 is ok here, have orange currently and that can be hit and miss.
Dongle the thing that goes into the computer like the memory stick? Had thought phone would be the best option, but thinking netbook will be more practicle.
No idea what portable Wifi access point is

flashg67

I'd consider a tablet -great for games, facebook etc. Very portable, but not so good for typing long documents. I'd suggest getting your hands on a few devices in a non pressure environment? Personally, I've found the larger Tescos have a good range and you don't usually get some spotty oik trying to baffle you with science - well , not in my local Tescos anyway - they end to leave you alone if you ask.

esuhl

coolcats wrote: »

Its mainly to take to hospital... Mainly for banking...

I wouldn't use someone else's wireless network for banking. It would be easy for someone else to set up a "rogue" access point (AP) with nothing more than a laptop. You connect to that (instead of the real AP) and the "man in the middle" has your bank username & password.

http://www.ethicalhack3r.co.uk/wireless-man-in-the-middle-mitm/

You can even buy ready-made devices designed specifically to do this (which certainly surprised me!):
http://hakshop.myshopify.com/products/wifi-pineapple

NiftyDigits

Netbook: MSI Wind U180 £133.94

Laptop: Toshiba Satellite C850-101 £203.98

12 months of mobile internet(500 MB of data every month and unlimited browsing) £23.09

Matching USB modem £9.99

Should add that 500 MB per month is probably not enough for regular YouTube usage.

So you could possibly look at a one month contract with Three, giving notice to cancel the contract at much the same time as signing up.
That way, you can use the allowance for the first month and then revert to using a PAYG SIM.

Example: Huawei E5331 Value MiFi
Black Mobile Broadband 5GB 1 Month contract

£25 cashback available via Quidco and TopCashBack.

So it means you will only pay £21 for 5GB of data to be used in a month and a MiFi(mobile WiFi Hotspot) unit.

coolcats

Bit rushed reply but thanks for the answers, will look properly later.

Not sure 3 is very good here, but will have to check on that.

Its the banking bit that bothers me, remebering the numbers as well, so even if there computer access for that part I want my own net option and computer.

Youtube would as needed to have a change, can only do 20min at best of times of programs.

kwikbreaks

coolcats wrote: »

No idea what portable Wifi access point is

They take a 3G SIM card and produce a personal WiFi access point.

They can be used with tablets that have no 3G, with Netbooks, or a smartphone if you need to preserve its data allowance. You can even turn the last bit around as many smartphones can be set up as a personal WiFi access point but you could fall foul of teleco usage rules as most don't allow tethering which this would class as without paying extra.

I'd suggest a tablet may be the most convenient for you. That would mean either a 3G tablet or using it with a personal access point - usually called a MiFi. Although that term was coined by Three I think there are others and certainly with an unlocked one they work with any data SIM.

Youtube can eat bandwidth and that doesn't come cheap on 3G unless you get an unlimited data phone contract.

NiftyDigits

kwikbreaks wrote: »

They take a 3G SIM card and produce a personal WiFi access point.

They can be used with tablets that have no 3G, with Netbooks, or a smartphone if you need to preserve its data allowance. You can even turn the last bit around as many smartphones can be set up as a personal WiFi access point but you could fall foul of teleco usage rules as most don't allow tethering which this would class as without paying extra.

I'd suggest a tablet may be the most convenient for you. That would mean either a 3G tablet or using it with a personal access point - usually called a MiFi. Although that term was coined by Three I think there are others and certainly with an unlocked one they work with any data SIM.

Youtube can eat bandwidth and that doesn't come cheap on 3G unless you get an unlimited data phone contract.

So, suggest some.

kwikbreaks

NiftyDigits wrote: »

So, suggest some.

With no budget mentioned that's not possible. You could spend £800 or more on a 3G iPad or you could get a budget Android tablet + secondhand unlocked MiFi for less than £200. Both will do what's asked but the quality won't be the same.

NiftyDigits

kwikbreaks wrote: »

With no budget mentioned that's not possible. You could spend £800 or more on a 3G iPad or you could get a budget Android tablet + secondhand unlocked MiFi for less than £200. Both will do what's asked but the quality won't be the same.

If the OP is writing about Netbooks and phones, I think £200 is a sensible figure.
They mention looking for good value. So I think that we can rule out a new 3G or 4G iPad.