Another worry (we travelers do worry, don't we?)...I've been told that 220v. d.c. current will recharge my Imac perfectly well. Does this match the experience of others here? <BR> <BR>Are there any other current/telephone concerns I should be aware of? <BR> <BR>I lost a day of Tokyo trying to get online.

Is your only need for your iMac to retrieve your email? Otherwise, I'd recommend just going to a cybercafe like Cafe Orbital or Cybercafe Latino. Nice fast connection and friendly people to enhance your trip!

Hello Pat, <BR> <BR>Unless you have a lot of info on your laptop that you need, I would go to a Cyber-cafe in Paris. We just bought an apartment in the Latin Quarter and have been there 3 times this last year. Everytime we were able to check our email in a cyber-cafe just a block away. It only cost about 10 or 15 francs each time, ie about $1.50. <BR> <BR>I did need to do some number crunching and process some digital photos so I did use my laptop some and had no trouble recharging it using a standard converter. <BR> <BR>You would probably waste more than a day trying to figure out how to get Dial Up Networking up and running in France. <BR> <BR>Hope this helps. I guess I would be interested to see if others have been able to go on line in France and how much trouble it was and what is the cost. We thought about setting up a computer in the apartment but we're still having touble with the Building Association and the Syndique with cable or satalite tv. <BR> <BR>Ciao, <BR> <BR>Randall Smith

If I only wanted email, I'd probably go to the cyber cafe, which makes a lot of sense, but I was hoping to download photos (without that option my camera is sort of useless), keep a journal, play C.D.s, noodle on the plane, etc. <BR> <BR>I thought France was more digitally sophisticated, Randal. So a dial-up like AOL, using your own phone line is hard? What a shame. <BR> <BR>I was amazed that a country on the bleeding edge of technology like Japan was so i-net un-savvy, but it was. I hear Ireland is very wired, although the last time I was there I didn't take the computer, so I didn't notice. <BR> <BR>Hardest part of computer travel is carrying the bloody thing. It's heavy! <BR> <BR>Thanks for the electricity advice. I think I'll get the Eddie Bauer 'smart' adapter. It reads the appliance's voltage needs and adjusts itself to suit.

Ummmm.... please explain why you can't so the things you described using either disks or memory sticks at an internet cafe?

From my perspective, this is not an either-or question. <BR> <BR>Take your Imac - - for writing, for answering e-mails OFFline, for dealing with your digital pics - - just don't limit yourself (eats up so much time and money) with dealing with tele-connecting - - especially in hotels! <BR> <BR>I find a laptop very useful for lots of things, but I carry a floppy into a cyber cafe and walk out with one - - and I don't bother with trying to get online with my laptop. On a three week stay in France (in 1998), I wasted countless hours trying to get online with Compuserve, then ultimately found it was so much easier to get online by a transoceanic phone call to an American ISP - - only to come home to a $500 phone bill! <BR> <BR>

From S. Fowler: "Ummmm.... please explain why you can't so the things you described using either disks or memory sticks at an internet cafe? " <BR> <BR>Pleaseplease tell me if you know something I don't know, S. I could use the advice. <BR> <BR>I have an Olympus with a Smartmedia card, a tiny card that is read by a 'Smartmedia Reader' when I'm at home. I can plug the camera right into the computer if it has the software to download the pictures from the camera, but at a Cybercafe, how would they have such software?

To Rex: <BR> <BR>Yep, Compuserve was my downfall in Japan--and I really needed to get online for my work. <BR> <BR>I ended up doing an endaround just like you, only within the country, thank God. The long distance to Compuserve's tech support was about $50., but it was worth it!

I think Rex has the right idea (floppy+laptop),especially as so many hotels have net access, but if you insist in going online with your own laptop you will need: <BR> <BR>1) a modem adaptor lead. <BR>By convention all modems worldwide have standard US-style sockets.Many European counties (eg UK)have differently shaped phone plugs. <BR>Buy the lead in France, it will simply be the standard modem lead there.You can probably get one at the airport or any electronic/computer outlet. <BR> <BR>2)A local ISP, unless you want to call the USA.Many ISPs give free trials - disks available in computer mags.This may be least hassle option due to 3) <BR> <BR>3)Somewhere to plug into. <BR>I don't know about France, but local calls are not free in UK, so the net costs money - you pay by the minute.People are thus understandably careful about letting others use their connection. <BR>Easier if you intend to use an 0800 number.(free trials) <BR>If you can find someone with unmetered access this isn't a prob. <BR>NB:Your hotel line in your room might not work as its part of an exchange. <BR> <BR>NB:note that in hotels & cybercafes the browswer menus will probably be in French!