Using a laptop in Italy - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

GoinAllTheWay · 09-22-2009, 11:18 AM

Just want to make sure I have this right. Going to Italy on Thursday and want to bring my laptop.

Reading through a pamphlet fromt the travel store describing what I need to run my laptop is a little confusing as it seems they contradict themselves a bit.

I have a plain jane run of the mill HP laptop. The power cord has one of those boxes in it that I'm pretty sure is a transformer of sorts that says 110/220v. So I'm guessing all I need is an adapter for the plug only as that box on the power cord is indeed a transformer and will step down Italys 220v to the 100v my laptop uses, correct?

sureLoss · 09-22-2009, 11:23 AM

Correct as long as the brick says 110V/220V than all you need is something to fit their funny shaped sockets

Barnes · 09-22-2009, 11:35 AM

It is called the fagotini adapter. Just go into London drugs and ask for one. They'll know what your talking about.

GoinAllTheWay · 09-22-2009, 11:44 AM

/\/\/\

Ya, no.

I-Hate-Hulse · 09-22-2009, 01:22 PM

I was just there 1 week ago. Very little free wifi there. Not that many places for wifi period.

GoinAllTheWay · 09-22-2009, 02:07 PM

I have heard the same. We are renting an apartment (which is right across the street from the coliseum) that has interenet included.

4X4 · 09-22-2009, 02:10 PM

If you're bringing your laptop because you need it for personal writing, then by all means, do so. But if all you really need is internet, I recommend leaving it at home. There are so many internet cafes, it's almost sad.
If you're staying in a hostel, beware of leaving it unattended. It might not be there when you get back from sightseeing.
If you do leave it and then decide to rely on internet cafes, you need to learn about the 'alt gr' button. It's (IIRC) down by one of the shift keys and it's the same concept as shift, but it'll activate the symbol in the top right hand corner of the button. You'll need it because the @ symbol is not above the 2, it's on a button that requires alt gr.

If you take your laptop, I'd still recommend buying a good converter. One with a voltage dial that you can adjust. You'll need the converter for all your electronics, so it might as well be a good one. A good one is about $25 at a place like Radio Shack.

4X4 · 09-22-2009, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

I have heard the same. We are renting an apartment (which is right across the street from the coliseum) that has interenet included.

How long are you staying there?

GoinAllTheWay · 09-22-2009, 03:03 PM

Number one reason to bring a laptop for me is boredom breaking on the plane. For some reason I simply can not fall asleep in a sitting position so I want to bring it for movies and maybe some games for during the flight.

On top of that, we use the laptop to back up pictures we take each day just in case something happens to the camera, we have it all backed up. Also I think I will have to do some money transfers while I'm there and am leary about logging into my bank account using an unknown computer.

We will only be there for a week unfortunatley but the price we paid to fly there and stay at a private apt was the same price we have paid in the past for all inclusive vacations in Mexico. It was to cheap to pass up.

awildermode · 09-22-2009, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

Number one reason to bring a laptop for me is boredom breaking on the plane. For some reason I simply can not fall asleep in a sitting position so I want to bring it for movies and maybe some games for during the flight.

On top of that, we use the laptop to back up pictures we take each day just in case something happens to the camera, we have it all backed up. Also I think I will have to do some money transfers while I'm there and am leary about logging into my bank account using an unknown computer.

We will only be there for a week unfortunatley but the price we paid to fly there and stay at a private apt was the same price we have paid in the past for all inclusive vacations in Mexico. It was to cheap to pass up.

most planes now have private screens for entertainment (movies, radio, tv, games). they will also have a power adapter for your electronics.

most hotels now will have north american outlets, but get a converter just in case.

i was just over there in italy and eastern mediterranian. i brought my laptop to download pictures off the camera. yet wish i had a smaller, lighter laptop to bring along for that. luckily, i only hauled the 7 pound brick to and from airport as i left it in the room.

4X4 · 09-22-2009, 03:21 PM

You must have been posting while I was composing otherwise I wouldn't have bothered with the first post.

A week in Roma... That's the way to do it. And late september/early october is a damn fine time of year to do it.

GoinAllTheWay · 09-22-2009, 03:41 PM

/\/\

Don't think so, I posted almost an hour later

A week is almost a tad short for my liking. If we had to pay much more I don't think I would bother. I have been once before but only for a couple days so there is a ton of stuff still to be seen and a lot of things I would like to see again, St. Peters is a perfect example.

We are going to Pompei as well so that will be my first time seeing that area. Pretty excited about that part.

Should be a great time of year to go, it's supposed to be 27 above the whole time we are there so it seems the weather is on our side.

Ya, most planes do have screens in the seat but I'm a pretty avid gamer, playing a game makes time fly by for me. I just want as many options as possible to keep me busy. Love flying but hate being stuck in the seats for hours on end.

4X4 · 09-22-2009, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

/\/\

Don't think so, I posted almost an hour later

Oh, I meant about post 7

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoinAllTheWay

A week is almost a tad short for my liking. If we had to pay much more I don't think I would bother. I have been once before but only for a couple days so there is a ton of stuff still to be seen and a lot of things I would like to see again, St. Peters is a perfect example.

We are going to Pompei as well so that will be my first time seeing that area. Pretty excited about that part.

Should be a great time of year to go, it's supposed to be 27 above the whole time we are there so it seems the weather is on our side.

Ya, most planes do have screens in the seat but I'm a pretty avid gamer, playing a game makes time fly by for me. I just want as many options as possible to keep me busy. Love flying but hate being stuck in the seats for hours on end.

I'm so jealous.

Don't forget to check out some of the not-so-touristy things there. The porta portese market on sunday mornings is pretty insane.

GoinAllTheWay · 09-22-2009, 04:26 PM

HUGE fan of getting off the beaten path. All the best places to eat and the coolest things to see are very often outside the tourist areas.

I'll google that market and see if we can fit it in. I think that may be the day we are doing pompeii though.

Jimmy Stang · 09-22-2009, 06:01 PM

A small tip on Pompeii: While the site itself is amazing and definitely worth seeing, apparently most of the good artifacts and body casts are at the museum in Napoli. We only allocated enough time for the actual site, and didn't have time for the museum.

That was one of my small regrets from when we went, so if you're into museums and such, you may want to try to squeeze in both.