¿Tengo Internet?

¿Tengo Internet?

Such a question, phrased in Spanish, would inquire as to the availability of an internet connection. In the Ameicano vernacular, TengoInternet now refers to a growing company that provides internet wifi services to RV parks across the US.

It didn't exactly start out with a boom. In 2002 when TengoInternet founder Eric Stumberg tried hawking wifi services to RV park owners, many found him plumb loco. "It was a very hard sell at the time," he says. "Most of the owners were independent operators. They weren't technically savvy themselves, and they viewed WiFi as a technology versus an amenity. A lot of them were concerned about its obsolescence."

My how the tide has turned. Today Strumberg's company has servers in 300 RV parks, and the money is flowing in: Nearly two and a half million dollars in 2007. What makes the market go? It's those young dollar-bearing folks. Baby boomers are making the RV market grow, and Gen-Xers are seen by many in the industry as a growing salvation. Boomers and Xers have a perfect addiction to the internet, and TengoInternet sees itself as the supplier.

Users typically purchase airtime at a participating RV park. However, visitors to the TengoInternet site can also purchase time online. Rates? They start at $4.95 per day up to $29.95 per month of service. Yep, you can find wifi service free in some cafes--but it won't take long to drink up that much in lattes. For a map of enabled RV parks, visit here.

For more on the rise of TengoInternet, visit bizjournals.

Multiple Computers - One Internet Connection

Even though I'm the one who relies on a computer to earn our living, my wife spends her fair share of time online as well. In the past, we've shared a laptop. It's been less than convenient, but we've worked out our schedules so that we both get enough time at the keyboard. But this year we bought a second laptop so we could both do what we needed, when we wanted.

One problem with having multiple computers when on the road is that both computers need internet connectivity. If you're lucky enough to be in a campground that offers (and delivers) free Wifi, you're in good shape. But I can't count on that. Most of the time I end up paying a fee for access, or using a cellular connection. Both of those options mean that I'm only going to have a single connection to the internet.

Synet's Windy31 fixes that problem. It's just exactly what I need to let both of us connect through a single internet connection. The unit connects to the USB port on the laptop that's connected to the internet (actually, you can connect it to a desktop just as easily), and becomes a Wifi access point and router... just like the one I have at home. The difference is that it's small and routes through the laptop to create a private wireless network.

I plugged the Windy31 into my laptop and the software loaded from the USB device... no CD was needed. I'm guessing the software is stored in memory in the USB unit. When I turned on my wife's laptop, it scanned for Wifi networks. It found the Windy31, connected to it, and was online in a few seconds.

I'm sure there are plenty of other uses for the Windy31, but this will do for me. Sorry, but it only runs on Windows XP and Vista computers, but of course any Wifi device (Apple, Wifi phone, etc.) can connect through it. Retail price is around $60.

Printing on the Go - Without a Printer

I take a lot of photos when we're on the road. I store them on my laptop, back them up to my desktop at home, and upload them to Flickr.com where I can share them easily. I also carry a small Epson photo printer so I can make prints and give them to fellow travelers. But sometimes I want prints that are larger, better quality, or just plain different.

I've used a variety of print services ranging from local pharmacies to specialty print services offered by the likes of Kodak's EasyShare service. But I recently tried RocketLife as a way to create both a calendar and a coffee-table photo book, and the results are stunning.

RocketLife offers to help you create a variety of print products including the calendar and photo book I made, but also including greeting cards, posters, photo collages, mousepads, puzzles, and more. But this isn't just your standard "print this picture on a calendar for me" kind of service.

RocketLife makes your finished products different by automatically arranging your photos on pages in interesting ways, combining photos and backgrounds. What's more, if you don't like what RocketLife produced automatically, you can ask the system to try again, producing different results, or you can take control and manually rearrange (as well as add or remove) photos on the page.

What makes RocketLife great for us folks on the move, is that it lets us create our designs wherever we are, then ships the finished product to our selected location. That means we can create gifts for delivery elsewhere, or ship to our current, or even next location.

I got great results from my projects. The photos were printed on high quality, heavy paper and looked like professional print products you would buy in a book store. My 12-month, 8.5 x 11 calendar cost $20, and my 20 page hard bound 8.5 x 11 book was $40.

I enjoy using RocketLife for these printed products because it delivers high quality, and does something I can't do on my own.

Phone numbers for where you are

There are times when we are traveling and would like to have the folks we are visiting be able to reach us via a local phone call. There are also those times we want to give out our phone number, but really don't want to receive calls from the folks (most usually a sales operation) after a certain period of time.

For those situations and more, I've been using a service called Vumber. When you sign up for a Vumber phone number, you can select pretty much any area code in the US, and a number is assigned to you. That number is then redirected to your existing cell phone or land line number.

So far, that's not all that unusual since there are lots of services that can do that.

What sets Vumber apart is its range of features.

• For one thing, you can request your number be changed at any time, making it convenient to use for those "temporary contacts."
• You can also set up your preference for how caller ID is shown, both on inbound and outbound calls, so that your calls appear to be originating from your Vumber.
• There is, of course, a voicemail account for each Vumber, and messages can be sent to your email account.
• But one of my favorite features is the ability to have multiple Vumbers. This means that I can have a Vumber in multiple area codes, and call from and receive calls to all of them at any time.

Of course, there are costs to using Vumber. The basic charge is $9.99 per month for one Vumber. You can change your Vumber twice at no charge, but there is a charge thereafter, as well as for additional Vumbers.

WiFi now available at Four Louisiana State Parks

Louisiana State Parks is now offering free wireless Internet access to RV enthusiasts and other campers. Sites participating in this new service, and the overnight accommodations available, include:

* Bayou Segnette SP (Westwego): group camp, campsites
* Fairview-Riverside SP (Madisonville): campsites
* Fontainebleau SP (Mandeville): campsites
* Poverty Point Reservoir SP (Delhi): cabins, lodges, campsites

State Parks guests with a laptop that possesses wireless accessibility (i.e., a wireless card) should detect the signal automatically while on park grounds. Guests are advised that technical support for the wireless service is not available at these sites.

The addition of this newest guest service is a pilot program, to determine the feasibility of offering wireless Internet at Louisiana's State Parks. Having information, such as lake conditions or weather forecasts, can add to the experience of the visitor. In addition, Internet access can provide an alternative activity for family members who are less inclined to participate in outdoor recreation.

Over-the-Road Wireless For Dummies Learn how to get connected on the road. Covers WiFi, choosing equipment and services, protecting data, managing your business and personal affairs, enjoying online entertainment and more.

Turn Your Cell Phone Into a GPS

For those of us gageteers who'd love to add a GPS unit to our holdings, but find we already have too much stuff, can't afford it now, et al, will be pleased to hear the news: You can turn many cellphones into a GPS unit with Fugawi Touratel. Sounds a lot like some kind of sushi, but its actually internet-based software that can play on a lot of different cell phones.

For a $3 a month fee, Northport Software will let you "tune" your internet accessing cell phone to its site. Your phone doesn't need Bluetooth to work. When you bring up the Fugawi Touratel site, you can "tap into" maps that will show your location on high resolution US Geological Survey maps, street maps, air photos, and more. You can use the software to find nearby locations and maybe get yourself out of trouble without pulling into a gas station.

Right now the software is compatible with cell phone models by LG Electronics, Motorola, Samsung, and Sanyo, from carriers that include Alltel, Boost Mobile, and Sprint . Northport plans to add support for additional carriers and cell phones in the near future. That'd be a blessing for us Verizon users! You will need to have internet access via your cell phone, so beware, if you get into a spotty coverage area you'd best keep those old style paper maps handy. For more information, check out this website.

Finding for Finding's Sake

As part of my work with GPS systems, I have been using a DeLORME Earthmate GPS PN-20. This is not your typical dash-mounted, or even shirt-pocket GPS. Rather, it is a ruggedized handheld unit specifically designed for hikers, backpackers, and others who rely less on paved surfaces and more on understanding the layout of the terrain.

There are a few features that make the unit largely unfit for use while you're driving, but spectacular for walking. It has a smallish color LCD and a cluster of controls you can operate with your thumb... no touch screen. It holds its data on a memory card rather than on a hard drive, and doesn't come preloaded with maps of the entire North American continent. The device connects to a computer (in my case, a laptop) and receives maps and directions from DeLORME's Topo USA software. Topo is like Street Atlas in many ways, but it is more focused on geographics than on driving.

But what is so interesting about the PN-20 is its use for a pastime called Geocaching. If you haven't heard of geocaching, first know that the hobby is perfectly suited to folks like us, who drive around the country visiting places we know nothing about, but would like to see more of where we are.

Geocaching can be described as a sport or as a hobby depending on the exuberance you approach it with. Either way, the point is to find a hidden object (the 'cache') using its GPS coordinates. Of course you need a GPS device that lets you enter, or better yet, download the coordinates, then carry it with you as you trek, stumble, climb, or just walk to the location. The PN-20 is perfect for this, though it is by far not the only unit that supports this kind of activity. Take a look here, for a nice description of how the PN-20 supports this sport.

There is a whole subculture of geocachers who go around the world hiding "caches" then posting the positions and a few clues online at www.geocaching.com. Of course these people also participate in finding caches and posting their finds online.

The reason geocaching is great for RVers is that no matter where you are, or will be, it's likely you can find caches nearby. And the fun is in following the directions on your GPS unit to a place you've never been, then finding the sometimes very well hidden object. It's a great way of discovering the places you visit beyond the campground and local restaurants. The folks who hide the caches are generally out to provide you a good time and often, a little knowledge of the local history.

For me, it beats driving around, looking at the local shopping mall, and some of the caches can be quite a challenge.