Using skype while we're in Italy to see our Boys online

Most internet cafes (cheaper than most hotels unless they offer free internet) have Skype.check if they have a webcam or you may need to take a small one with you its a lot lighter than a laptop. You need to have a Skype account. & you can use it to phone home etc via the internet aprox 2 cnts a minute . I have used it for my travels in Europe.

Your hotels probably have a computer in the lobby that you
can use.

We just Skyped from Turkey and it was easy peasy to contact
our kids.

Do yourselves a big favor and go to Costco,Sam's Club or Best Buy and treat yourselves to a netbook from Acer(aspire one) for around $295.Is is very light and can be carried in your purse;has a long lasting battery and comes with microphone and webcam built in,etc. for skype usage.

I have been using mine since April and it payed for itself on my first trip. I now take it with me overseas everyweek for work.Most hotels have either free Wifi or discounted and it is so nice to have it at night over there in the privacy of your room to chat. You also can take it with you during the day for free wifi in various cafes. Personally, I think that it is a pain to look for an internet cafe to check emails and skype whether it has been in South Africa or Rome.
We just replaced my husband's Dell with the bigger version of Acer at home and the whole family loves using it. It has gotten great reviews for the brand.

First of all, you need to make sure the grandparents have a computer with Skype installed, a webcam hooked up, and a good internet connection. And they need their own Skype account, which should be logged in so when you Skype from Italy, it will "ring" on their computer so they can answer it. You also need a Skype account and a computer with webcam. Test this all out before you leave for Italy.

Make sure the grandparents know how to use Skype and the web cam, etc. How will they know when you will Skype? If the computer is on and on the internet it will "ring" but if the computer is off - ? Will you call them first? Or set a preselected time when they can expect a Skype call? (You can call a regular phone from Skype for a few cents a minute - buy $10 credits as needed - but Skype to Skype on a computer is free if it doesn't involve an actual phone.)

The Netbook idea is a good one - I also recently bought an Acer Netbook and took it to Europe with me. Worked out great, very convenient. But it's just an option - you can certainly find "Internet Points" (as Internet cafes are known in Italy) and most of them have computers with Skype; some have cameras. If you only wish to Skype a few times on your trip an internet cafe might make the most sense, but a little netbook to check email and travel arrangements (and even make phone calls) can be super convenient, without needing to go find an internet cafe. Check with your hotels to see what internet costs, but as others have noted there may be decent free options around (e.g. McDonalds).

There was a thread on this Forum some time ago on this subject. The deal was to just take a thumb drive with the Skype software installed. Plug it into a computer in an internet cafe.

http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/skype-on-a-stick-cheap-easy-global-communications.cfm

I took an Acer with me - at only 2 pounds it's easy to carry
and I found WiFi in cafes in Greece and Turkey.

Thanks so much to everybody that took the time to respond!

I used to use Skype too, but have now switched to Logitech Vid, which is MUCH simpler to use if you have a netbook with a webcam. I don't know if they have a "portable" version to take on a USB stick, though.

On the connectivity side, Starwood and other hotels you mentioned use internet as a key revenue source, so you will pay accordingly. Whether it gives you the value you are looking for is up to you. I need a connection back to the U.S. when I travel, so I always sign up for an internet connection. I include the internet charge when I compare hotels.

On the device side, there are lighter laptops, if the weight or the bulk is the concern. I take a netbook with no personal data on the hard disk. I leave such data on my home computer. What little personal data I carry with me is on a removable SD card. I just played with a Sony Vaio X demo unit at a local Sony Styles store. It is a 11inch screen unit weighing 1.6pounds. Alas, it is a pricey device.

FYI, Greg, not all Starwood hotels charge for internet use. I stayed at two on my recent Europe trip that had free internet either in the room or in the lobby (or both): in Zagreb, Croatia, all the Starwood hotels there I checked (including Westin where I stayed) had free internet in the room. The Paris Airport Sheraton charged for internet in the rooms but had free wireless in the lobby and the lounge. So you really have to check per hotel to see whether they charge or not. I have a T-Mobile data plan in the US and can roam on some wireless networks in Europe; at the Le Méridien Gallia in Milan, I was able to use my netbook just briefly in the lobby, roaming via my T-Mobile account, for 12 cents/minute for two 10-minute sessions.

I am reading everything and forwarding it to my DH, thanks so much! I will check with our hotels about the internet...my husband wants me to take my laptop (I have a VAIO, not very heavy, but again, it's going to be me taking care of it...) He let me know that he's not buying me a netbook (would have it be nice though.. He also says that he doesn't want to waste time looking for an internet cafe (since our stay in Italy is not very long and we had a lot to see and do)I was just trying to economize since I know that I'm going to want to be talking (and seeing) my boys forever!

Don't forget to bring a power plug adapter for your VAIO's power adapter. Almost certainly the VAIO's adapter will work on 220 volts but the American plug won't fit into the Italian sockets. Just get a little adapter that slips over the plug - costs about $3USD if you buy one before you leave.

You dont say where you are going in Italy.
Depending on where you are there may not be very many internet cafes or places with wifi - I thnk this trend may have peaked as italians themselves got home computers and connections, Although we did see a couple of internet places in the touristic center of Rome, I wouldnt have dragged my laptop around to get to one. In Naples I identified a few south indian run telephone joints and one wellknown internet cafe but none of these were convenient to our apartment.
We had hoped to be able to pick up wifi signal in our rented apartments in Naples and Rome but such was not the case. In Naples, the one free signal we picked up was secured; in rome, the walls were too thick for the signals (if they were there) to be detected.
I think italians must be all wired up just as we are now and not relying on the public venues or on the ability to hook onto free wifi. the skype on a thumb drive is a good idea in case you find internet cafes, but you are lucky to have potential access to hotel facilities.

I am a starwood platinum member, depending on your membership level they may give you free web access. Another option is to ask how much it will cost to access the hotel's executive suite - these usually come with a number of computers for free use, appetizers, drinks, etc. May be worth the upgrade price.

bookmarking

Book marking along with the original post about Skype. Lots of good info.

Warning: Experiment with how your BOYS like Skype before you waste too much time. My mother-in-law and I thought Skype would be a great way for her to keep in touch with my young daughter. Alas, my daughter, even now at age 6, has no interest in sitting there. I hold her in my lap and bribe her to say "hi" and that's about it. And that's even with my MIL holding their new puppy up to the webcam!