The road warrior

**Perota** · 22-08-2013, 02:19 PM

I'm now without office. No more desk, no more secretary, I'm totally on my own.

The problem is I still want to keep a minimum of professional activity. Which means people should be able to contact me wherever I am and I should be able to work with basic documents, spreadsheets, texts, images and Illustrator files ... again wherever I am.

First question, how to stay in touch when traveling in a number of countries without spending a fortune in roaming and without giving people a two pages list of numbers to try before they are able to reach you ? The idea is to have an unique number, let say in Hong Kong, and the calls are forwarded through internet to wherever you are. I heard there are solutions with Skype but never really tried ? Does it work ? Any other solution ?

The second question is what kind of hardware is best suited for this kind of activity.

**harrybarracuda** · 22-08-2013, 06:13 PM

When I'm travelling, I take:

(1) The Work Galaxy S4 (the company pays the bill). I leave my SIM card in it so I'm always contactable.
(2) The (now) Personal S3, into which I put my Thailand SIM. I top it up with 3G from the AIS shop at Swampy.
(3) An ASUS Transformer TF700T for emails, browsing and watching movies.
(4) A Lenovo Thinkpad Twist S230U (Windows 8 Hybrid Laptop/Tablet) for handling work attachments and editing docs if I need to.

That pretty well covers all the bases and it all fits in hand luggage.

**Bettyboo** · 22-08-2013, 06:26 PM

Overkill 'Arry; could do all that with a Sony Xperia Z tablet in a nice case with keyboard and the right software (it's obviously 4g for your SIM).

OP, I saw on the plane a couple of days ago, browsing through the duty free brochure, that they had a SIM which claimed to keep the same number and work in 50+ countries at local rates rather than roaming costs; could have a UK or USA number if I remember correctly. Can't remember what it was called, sorry - but may suit your needs along with a smartphone and laptop (just tether to your laptop via the phone); of course, that's if this one size fits all SIM is also 3g, which I can't remember. Would solve your phone needs though.

It was Qatar airlines (probably every airline try to flog it); maybe they have an online version of their brochure?

**Albert Shagnastier** · 22-08-2013, 06:40 PM

Work in the clouds.

Even in the middle of nowhere these days there is wireless which you can link to. I would use google all out. Get a google phone, google documents etc etc. Easiest cheapest and most reliable. Get a paypal account to get paid.

**harrybarracuda** · 22-08-2013, 06:46 PM

It's not overkill, it's what I use.

**baldrick** · 22-08-2013, 09:26 PM

you could google "hosted asterix server phone number"

you will pay for a configured asterix PBX on a VPS and will run a VOIP SIP client on your phone.

people will ring the number and your sip client on your phone will ring
you will call out via your SIP client and hit the POTS from where ever they route you but with your phone number as your call ID

**sumrit** · 24-08-2013, 08:57 AM

Skype works fine. Just get yourself a skype number for everybody to call you on. Then put skype on your mobile, then wherever you are, providing you've got a local sim with 3G access or a wifi connection, all calls will come direct to your mobile.

**harrybarracuda** · 24-08-2013, 11:57 AM

I'm a big fan of Viber since someone called me the other day. The call quality was incredible, much better than I've ever had from Skype over 3G.

**david44** · 24-08-2013, 12:28 PM

I heard about viber will it work on Android Samsung Galaxy in Thailand

**baldrick** · 24-08-2013, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by sumrit

Skype works fine

just forgo any anti american rhetoric to minimise risk of drone strike

**harrybarracuda** · 24-08-2013, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by david44

I heard about viber will it work on Android Samsung Galaxy in Thailand

Dunno, why don't you try it and see?

**boatboy** · 24-08-2013, 01:22 PM

I have a Pantech Element tablet running on ICS

Waterproof (ip57)
4G enabled slot
GPS (without need for wifi or data)
8 inch screen
front and rear camera
usb and hdmi
16gb internal and 36gb expansion slot
1.5ghz dual core
1gb of ram
12 hour battery

I use skype with no problems (no headphone or external mike needed)
Use Kingsoft office for docs
and Gmail for email

Under $200 delivered to my door via ebay usa

**baldrick** · 24-08-2013, 05:30 PM

IP 57 is not waterproof as 5 means limited dust ingress permitted

IP 67 is the first immersed in water rating

IP Code - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**boatboy** · 24-08-2013, 07:54 PM

Originally Posted by baldrick

IP 57 is not waterproof as 5 means limited dust ingress permitted

IP 67 is the first immersed in water rating

You might want to try again
Its water proof like marine instruments are and the sony xperia is which is also ip57
I use it on the boat regularly and it is often in a puddle of water in the cockpit

Here it is swimming

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