Being online while travelling

NetBook/ Tablet PC’s
Netbooks, such as Sony Vaio pocket PC is the best way to bring your laptop with you. Being smaller in size, they are easier to carry and handle while travelling. Though some of the Netbooks appear costly, the savings that it provides in carriage and handling makes it worth it.
These are best suitable for travellers who need to check their emails and use the internet. However they are not suitable to run big number crunching programs. If you want to buy a Netbook Check out Netbooks comparion article on Wikipedia and over at Laptopmatrix..


Mobile phones
Using your mobile phone to go online is very simple and has become popular over the past several years owing to the growth in 3G networks. This method of connection either directly through the mobile device or tethering it to your PC is recommended if you just need to check your e-mail, or continuous access to the web. However usage of the mobile device must be based on your Data plan. If your carrier charges huge amounts for data usage then it’s better to go for the alternatives given below.
International travellers must look out for the additional roaming charges. If you are staying for a long period of time, say an extended vacation, the better option would be to take a local mobile number and data plan from a local carrier (where you are having your vacation) to ensure you don’t give all your money in charity to your home mobile network provider.
Another point to consider is that 3G networks have not been rolled out in all countries. In most of the developing countries you may find mobile internet connections running on legacy technologies and internet speed over the network may be poor.

  
Internet cafés
With the requirement to be online and available constantly becoming common a lot of Internet Cafe’s have popped up. You can take your laptop to the local internet cafe and connect to the internet from there. If you can’t take your laptop or are travelling without one then you can use the computer provided at the cafe. You need to take care that you may not be able to access your documents unless you have uploaded them to Google docs or Zoho or other such online document service provider. In fact, the internet café is a very nice substitute for bringing your laptop.
The search engine at Cyber Captive has an excellent collection of verified cyber cafe in 160 countries.
Wi-Fi HotSpots
Modern Netbooks and laptops come with inbuilt Wi-Fi antenna, which allows you to search for and connect to Wi-Fi networks. Wi-Fi networks have become very common in places such as airports, resorts and other locations where travellers are known to frequent. Most Wi-Fi providers charge a rate for their services. However, you may also be able to locate free Wi-Fi hotspots using online directories such as JiWire. If you can’t find one or access the directory just ask fellow travellers or if you are in location with a help desk such as airport, ask the folks at the help desk counter, they should be able to help you. Also  WiFi Free Spot and Free hot spots should be able to locate free Wi-Fi hotspots.
Broad Band Connection
If you are planning to stay for a long time, like for more than a month, then the best way is to take a local broad band connection. For extended usage they are cheap, come with a service back up and are safer.
Most of the larger hotel chains now offer Wi-Fi/Broadband internet access in their lobbies, sometimes for free (Always check if the hotel provides free complimentary internet access) and sometimes for a fee. Some hotels also have Internet hook-ups in the actual hotel room where you can plug your laptop in and access the Internet in the privacy of your own room. In case you are staying at a hostel then you may find internet access available near the lobby.
Broad Band Cards
Most of the internet service providers offer three types of broad band cards. USB cards, Express cards and PC Broad band cards. These cards are easy to carry and use. The USB cards are of the plug and play variety. These cards can be useful if you keep shifting places while travelling. Check out for the availability of these cards and their fee for usage in places where you plan to travel. This article gives an excellent comparison of broad band cards in the US.