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Top : Laptop Computers : Page 4 Travel Tips: Laptop Computers|
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4 5 6 7 8 9 10 [Next] - Cycles are the number of times AC electric current 'alternates' each second. In the US, the rest of North and Central America, and some of South America, the current alternates 60 times per second, or '60 Hz.' In Europe and most of the rest of the world, the current alternates 50 times each second, or '50 Hz.' Most converters and transformers change voltage but do not change cycles in their conversion process. Therefore it is important to know whether the electric device will operate the same even though the AC current being supplied is on a different cycle. As a rule of thumb, the appliances that are affected by cycle differences are those with motors such as turntables and clocks. They will run faster or slower than they should depending upon the cycle difference. As with any rule of thumb, however, there are many exceptions. The only way to be sure is to consult the appliance's technical documentation or contact the manufacturer. Tim Matthews ID1500 - Modems are designed to operate on standard, analog telephone lines like those found in most homes. However, many telephones found in offices and hotels are PBX (Private Branch Exchange) phones. PBX systems installed in businesses or hotels provide a 'mini telephone exchange' within the building, which allows special features such as voice mail and intercom. PBX phone lines terminate in a standard RJ-11 jack, making it impossible to tell the difference between a standard line and a PBX line. Why is this a problem? PBX manufacturers are not required to adhere to the same restrictions on their inside PBX lines as the phone companies mandate for standard analog lines. Several PBX manufacturers have designed phone systems that deliver much more current to the phone than does the phone company on a POTS line. In fact, some PBX systems can deliver up to an amp of current to the inside telephones (which are designed by the PBX manufacturer, of course, and are made to handle such current). Your modem was designed to see no more than about 120 mA, or about 1/8 of the amount of power put out by some PBX systems. As a result, if you plug your modem into a PBX line, thinking that it's a POTS line, you could damage your modem with too much current and not even know it. Suddenly, your modem just doesn't work. If you're lucky, it will smoke a little bit, giving you a sign that something got burnt up. But most often it just dies a quiet death, leaving you without a working modem and no idea what happened. Tim Matthews ID1501 - If you only use your laptop in hotel rooms, remove the battery (and CD ROM) and the laptop will weigh significantly less. Grace M. Tanaka ID995 - While travelling with your laptop, ensure that it is entered in the passport or request for export certificate at the customs / immigration counter at the port of departure. Also have copies of invoice and a letter from the sponsoring organization that the laptop was assigned to you for official purposes. This should enable the individual to bring the laptop back without customs duty. Srinivasan Rajagopalan ID993 - Laptop computers and a growing array of other travel oriented devices are now 'dual voltage,' meaning they are designed to operate safely with either 110/120V or 220/240V systems. If a device is dual voltage, all that will be needed to operate it in a foreign country is an electric adapter plug, to convert the device's electric plug to the style of foreign electric socket. If a device is not dual voltage, it may need a converter or transformer to actually change the voltage it uses in the foreign country. To determine whether a device is dual voltage, look for a legend on its power adapter 'box' or on the device itself. The device is dual voltage if it says something like: The device is not dual voltage if it says something like: The easiest way to travel internationally is to carry dual voltage devices. However, if they are not available or your time or budget don't permit the purchase of new dual voltage devices, you can use a converter or transformer to operate your single voltage devices safely in foreign countries. See the Converter or Transformer? Tech Note on our website for a description of the difference between the two power conversion options and how to select the correct one. Tim Matthews ID1502 Would You Like to Add a Travel Tip?We welcome QUALITY travel tips from our users.Note: you will be required to enter the characters from a security image, so please make sure that you have your browser set to view images. (This measure was necessary to reduce spam.) You will be able to provide your URL, if applicable. Submit your travel tips and hints here. |
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