Thursday, December 10, 2009

Tips when you're computing in the car


Never drive while you're computing in a car. If I'm computing in a car, I'm not driving. Because I do some work-related traveling in the car, I find myself pulling out my laptop, tablet, or ultra-mobile PC to stay productive while I'm on the road. Here are some tips I've learned over the years:
  • Never expose your computer or computer bag when you're parked. You're inviting theft.
  • Carry a DC charger (or preferably an AC/DC charger) that has an attachment for a cigarette lighter adapter. This way, you can stay charged up while you're in the car.
  • Use an active laptop cooling pad that has a built-in fan.
  • Carry an extra battery.
  • Tether using your smartphone to get online. Or, use the built-in WWAN. Broadband cards are a nice option as well.
  • Carry a USB-powered keyboard light if you think you'll be riding at night.
  • Plan to use maximum screen brightness when you're riding during the day. This will eat up your battery life, so make sure you have plenty of battery or DC power.
  • Get on Traffic.com and check your local traffic.
  • Get on Weather.com and check your local weather.
  • Offer to navigate if necessary. If your computer has a GPS, then you can easily navigate using your PC.
Finally, make sure you don't distract the driver in any way while you're computing.

1 comment:

  1. Using computer while driving is really not advisable. It will not only attract theft but your life will also be in risk. This is one of the possible cause of increasing number of car accidents.

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