Advice To Compose Write Email Offline While Travelling?

P.S. My solutions to data loss in cafés is - either make sure you select all, and then copy the text before you submit - or, write in notepad and copy'n'paste when you're finished.

Thanks Lan for the tip about not losing email while writing. After I had this experience I began using Notepad and only copied and pasted once I'd finished.

The other option is to have a Googlemail account. The Google server does a "Save" automatically every minute or so which means at worst you might lose a paragraph. I have such an account (it is free) and find the auto-save option very useful.

Thanks also Luddite, I'll think a bit more about that option. Theorectically Bluetooth or Wireless should solve the problem but in my experience, cybercafes were very busy, used a wide variety of computers, some with Windows 98 and it wouldn't be wise to assume Bluetooth or similar technology.

Data loss due to power loss is not such an issue with the modern PDAs (2003 on-wards).

I use PocketPC 2003 on an ipaq. It has a secondary battery that retains all the program and user data. It has never let me down, and I've run it dry a few times. I'm not sure, maybe this is specific to the ipaq. I would guess that WM5 handles this even better, as supposedly that is one of the major improvements.

However, as pointed out it is still important to regularly back-up, as not only are these PDAs not 100% reliable yet, but being so portable it would be very easy to misplace it, drop it, or have it stolen.

Using a mobile phone may work, but I would find it slow going with such a small screen.

Unfortunately in my experience, the secondary battery rarely shows a warning if it's flat... Never understood why they don't automatically backup to flash - it would take only a few more $$$ and a fraction more time - but would actually result in a useable product. Last one I lost data to was a Sony Clié of some form or another. Having lost data to a selection of Psions as well, I just gave up on the genre.

Get yourself a Blackberry if email is all that you are doing overseas.

Why not use the new Google document system. They provide a fairly basic word processor - compatible with DOC files - and it is saved on the Google server and you can access it from any where else. When using it - just save every few minutes and then if the system goes fown - well you onlt have to retype a small bit. and it saves the need to carry any form of machine at all - you just need a working Internet Cafe.

To access it - go to Google.click on 'more', click on 'Docs & SpreadSheets

You have to sign up for initial use.

David

Winston:

Thanks also Luddite, I'll think a bit more about that option. Theorectically Bluetooth or Wireless should solve the problem but in my experience, cybercafes were very busy, used a wide variety of computers, some with Windows 98 and it wouldn't be wise to assume Bluetooth or similar technology.

The keyboard and mobile, although bluetooth, don't depend on the café having bluetooth.

The web page I linked to says you should pass your completed notes to the computer using bluetooth, which is why I explained another way using memory cards instead of bluetooth in case the café doesn't have bluetooth.

Cheers Luddite, I did understand that.

drdavidknibb - The Google document system is a winner here in the first world but still requires time spent on a keyboard in a cybercafe. For that matter, Googlemail does the job because it automatically backs up anyway as you type. And using Notepad, which virtually any computer has, to compose offline then cut'n'paste into email is a simple answer.

However all of these solutions require you to find a cybercafe in the first place, wait for a vacant terminal, then frantically compose your thoughts and type them out. Meanwhile friends might be waiting or you need to be somewhere else...................

It would be far easier to write stuff at your own time and pace, in your hotel room or in a park - anywhere - then take it to a cybercafe, and send it off. No time/connection pressures.

I used emails as a quasi diary/record and felt secure once they were sent. I usually spent an hour - hour and a half writing. I experienced power outtages and the net going down, thus losing my current work which was extremely frustrating. Many years ago my 8 months of diary was stolen in Mexico and I've never felt safe simply using a diary since. Email is a wonderful solution, there just needs to be a simple, cheap, lightweight way of writing at our leisure.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I have since noticed an earlier thread on the same topic, yet when I searched there was nothing obvious found. My hope is that we have collectively helped other people which is why I used the words email and offline in the title.