Computer Shopper 1999: “Modem Madness”

Modem Madness

Computer Shopper — Pocket Guide to Online Travel

With your computer operational, the next trick is to get your modem to work. If you’re lucky, your hotel-room phone will have a data port that accepts the ubiquitous U.S.-style RJ-11 phone plug. But you’ll need a phone-plug adapter if you’re working out of an overseas office that’s not so equipped. Unfortunately, some 30-odd “standard” connectors are in use worldwide (some more odd than others), and some countries use two or more of them. For an interesting glimpse at the baffling variety, check out WalkAbout Travel Gear’s illustrations—and of course, ordering details—at www.walkabouttravelgear.com. Also scan its great collection of travel tips. You won’t find much information about gadgetry, but instead lots of “Why didn’t I think of that?” ideas.

Once you’ve made the physical connection, you’re still not home free. Among the obstacles are rotary-dial phones, and in the case of touch-tone dialing, a different set of tones than those at home. This doesn’t matter if you’re making a simple phone call, but if you need to press certain numbers to access voice mail or to reach an extension once connected, the home-office system won’t recognize the tones it hears, and you may lose the connection. The Phone Dialer applet in Windows is no help at all: It’s so “smart” that it listens for a dial tone and won’t work if it doesn’t hear one, making it useless when it’s needed most. For a convenient, low-tech, under-$20 solution, bring along a pocket tone dialer from RadioShack or another electronics store. Just hold it to the mouthpiece and punch in the required numbers.

If you occasionally misplace your business associate (“You said we were going to meet at the fountain!”), consider a pair of TalkAbout radio phones from Motorola (www.motorola.com/talkabout). Weighing less than

The Motorola TalkAbout helps you keep track of your travel companion.

Tips

5. Stay Current

Leave that clunky calculator behind—download CurrEx, a currency converter for your Palm device that lets you do your money math on the go. Download it free from ZDNet at www.hotfiles.com.

6. On Second Thought

Before you commit to any reservations with your credit card, always check out the company’s cancellation policy. Make sure you have enough time to back out without any charges if you change your mind.

7. Find It in Paris

If you’re going to Paris, find out where you’re really going at ISMAP (www.isweb.com/geo/apar.html). Just type an address or the name of a famous site, and you’ll get a map showing its location. You can download maps to your Palm handheld.

8. Cheat Sheets

MyTravelGuide.com has an easy-to-use currency converter, and you can get a “cheat sheet” that shows conversions for various dollar amounts. Save it, print it, and keep it in your wallet.

9. Security Blanket

Before you key in your credit-card number for anything—hotel rooms, tickets, airfare—make sure that you’re at a secure site. Look for a closed-padlock icon at the bottom of your browser window or an “s” after the “http” in the URL.

10. Underworld Maps

Jeff Boyer’s Travel, Metros, Mazes, and More site (www.geocities.com/Paris/6860) is a good resource for downloadable GIF or JPG maps of subway systems in London, Paris, Rome, and many other cities worldwide.

11. More Maps

Robert Reynolds’ The Subway Page (www.reed.edu/~reyn/transport.html) contains links to subway and other transportation-system maps. You’ll also find some city maps.

12. Not the Continent Again, Darling

If a European vacation seems so passé, try 1000 Travel Tips (www.1000traveltips.org) for great information on traveling to the Far East, Middle East, Central America, and Africa.