Goin to Oz. NeedMP3 player, and other gadget advice.

[-Leigh-]

Right. I am going to oz in about 4 weeks. I have quite a long time sat in a sardine can, and chatting up the FA's will only ammuse me for so long.

I am taking my Nintendo DS, I take it you can't put MP3's on them?

I was looking at buying this MP3 player here which should do ok?? Or is there better to be had? I normally use my phone, but don't want to run the battery down on a 23 hour flight, as will need it when I get over there.

Also, is it worth me taking my laptop with me?? It would be handy to download pictures onto at the end of each day, can use the net and email in the hotel room, and can watch DVD's and listen to music off it also. Just don't know if it's worth it incase it gets half-inched?!?!

If I don't take it, I will need another memory card for my camera, as I only have 1gb card in my camera, and i'm there a month.

Any other gadgets that would help me pass time? I think a DS and MP3 player will suffice, and hopefully I will have some kind of IFE, though Qantas have been having troubles with it, and it may not be working.

 

[Moz168]

Looks alright that mp3 player although for a little bit more you can get a nano and fit more music on. The software you get with sony is crap imo aswel. Dunno about the DS though.

I would definatly take you laptop, im going to China for 2weeks in the summer and gunna take mine, gunna be taking way more that 800ish pictures.

 

[Brasseye]

I use the creative 1 gig which uses one aaa battery so no recharging to do..

maybe buy a few 1 gig cards and watch your resolution of pictures.. this should allow you 600 6mil pix pictures....

or failing that could you take a lap top and download when your card is full?

 

[-Leigh-]

My camera is only 3.2mp so maybe I will have plenty of room lol.

 

[Brasseye]

well just buy online some 1 gig cards they are so cheap now

 

[Peter.K]

It would be a good idea while over here to take your card into a camera/photo shop and get all your shots copied onto CD’s.

Make several copies of them, it’s relatively cheap considering how much money your spending to get over here.

Laptop is a good idea but you’ll be worried about it every time you leave it in your hotel room.

As for the flight, if your flying Quaint-arse alcoholic drinks are free.

When you get here have fun but look out for spiders, snakes, lizards, kangaroos, koalas, the Aussie magpie, emus, more spiders, flies (big and small) mosquitos and lots of other insects that bite.

Oh and don’t forget the sun it has a penchant for fresh English flesh.

Pete

 

[-Leigh-]

Don't mention the creepy crawlies. I'm dreading going to sleep incase theres a spider under the pillow lol. Am only in a hotel for 10 nights, then the rest at my Aunts house, and the hotels i'm staying in (Travelodge) say they have safety deposit boxes at reception that will accomodate a laptop, so hopefully it should be ok.

Alcohol free. Jolly good. Don't like drinking much on planes though, only 1 or 2, as it just messes with my head, especially long haul. Plus I'd like to be sober when I have to walk around Singapore airport for 2 hours, otherwise I'll get lost.

 

[Peter.K]

Which part of oz are you going to

 

[unofficialPete]

Taking a phone? Stick all your mp3's on that?

 

[sn00p]

Take your laptop with you.

All long-haul flights on major carriers have free drinks. The guy I sat next to last month on the way back from oz was getting properly tanked. The FA's were just bringing him a can of VB everytime he pressed the button. He was singing beatles songs to me in the end! Luckily it was on the short part of the journey from Sydney to Singapore.

2 hours isn't an awful lot of time in changi airport anyway, It's enough time to grab a shower in the lounge before heading back to the departure gate.

Creepy crawlies aren't too bad. It's the nasties in the sea you really want to watch out for! Blue ring octopuss, Irukandji jellyfish, Box Jellyfish etc!

Qantas AVOD is crap beyond belief. It freezes/resets/crashes all the time. I still don't think I've managed to watch an entire film the whole way through yet without some drama happening to it.

 

[-Leigh-]

Peter.K, I'm going to SYD, MEL and ADL. Will be spending most of the time looking things like nice places to live and jobs, as my Aunt & Uncle are trying to persuade me to move out there. My Uncle thinks he can get me a job over there in his company whenever I want, and sponser me.

I am taking a phone, but the battery won't last that long on it, and can't charge it on the plane as I'm flying in whY class!! Have to fly cattle class as the g/f coming. Another reason why I won't be able to charge laptop.

sn00p, any reason why you say take the laptop lol. Yeah the Qantas AVOD has been getting bad comments recently. I'm on BA from SIN to LHR on the way back though, so there's should work. Regretting flying QF now, but had to do it on the cheap. Wanted to fly Singapore Airlines.

Any other recommendations for mp3 players?

 

[Peter.K]

Depends on how much time and where you intend to stay in the water. Majority of your time is going to be on land.

Personal insect repellent is a must, its very useful not only does it keep insects at bay but you can also use it to remove paint from your skin and clothes.

If you’re lucky enough to have a club card then you could have a shower, but if you haven’t then you’re destined to walk around Singapore airport aimlessly for 2 hours like all the other unfortunate punters.

Never mind! you’ll be on the wrong side, take them up on their offer you won’t regret it.

Pete

 

[Peter.K]

Back to the original subject, I never travel without my ipod, make sure you can get an external battery pack for the version of ipod you pick.

 

[White16valver]

http://www.samsung.com/sg/products/audio/mp3player/yp_z5fqb.asp
allegedly a 38 hour battery life!

Amazon reviews put it nearer 24 but still quite good

Plus, imo, 4gb should *just* see you through the flight. I like to have lots of choice though so I'd be looking for a bigger capacity one! That 1gb sony one you linked to would drive you nuts after 6 hours, surely - you'd have listened to everything on it!? lol

 

[-Leigh-]

Plus, imo, 4gb should *just* see you through the flight. I like to have lots of choice though so I'd be looking for a bigger capacity one! That 1gb sony one you linked to would drive you nuts after 6 hours, surely - you'd have listened to everything on it!? lol

Mmm, true. Maybe 1gb wont be enough? But I only have 1.92gb of music on my computer lol, so a 2gb will be enough as I can't put any more than what I have on it.

I take it I can just do that? Transfer the mp3's from my comp onto the mp3 like I do with my phone?!! Can I do that with an ipod or do I have to download everything again from that itunes bollox??

 

[White16valver]

I believe that ipods will only take stuff ripped using itunes, whereas everything else is just a drag-and-drop type scenario of your already ripped mp3s.

I wouldn't get an ipod for that reason!

 

[-Leigh-]

Ok, I think I will steer clear of the old ipods then. Will look into others around 2-4gb. I actually quite like the look of that one you posted up.

 

[mwatts_tci]

Quantas Video on demand seems to allways work for me, but people to have problems, my bro complained and got aome money off his next flight, spiders creepy crawleie, no need to warry, snakes, unless you live near a migration routew and its the migrating season, as long as your not walking around without looking wher eyou step you should be okay, you will normally hear them before they strike, blue ringed octopus, box jellyfish, sydney, possibly, north cost deffinitally, melbourne not a chance, but you will get lots of jelly fist, just look before you jump, and if your out in the deep, like in the ocean, wear a wet suit, on the beach you will be fine, sea snakes, they dsont bother you. The Video on demand is very good, but if it breaks ask them to reset it, dont just sit there, and drink a couple of drinks before you get on, and stay up as late as you can the few nights befor eyou go, i dont normally sleep the night beofre as thats when il pack, and it's great cos you gewt on the plabe, have a bev, crash out and wake up in singapore.

singapore has cheap PS3 in the airport! but memory cards will be cheaper here before you go.

 

[-Leigh-]

Cheers for the info. Maybe I will bring back a PS3 lol.

My flight leaves LHR at 12.30 lunchtime. Arrives in SYD at about 18.30 their time, so I should be able to go pretty much straight to bed. I think I will goto bed about 3 the night before I go, as I have to get up about 6ish to get to the aiport in time, so I should be pretty tired on the plane.

 

[mwatts_tci]

no worries, sorry for the crap spelling, just re- read it!

 

[Peter.K]

Mwatts wrote! You will normally hear them before they strike.

Out of interest what kind of noise do they make before they strike, maybe a cough to clear their throat, or you may hear their big size ten boots as they’re running towards you.

My first post on this thread was tongue in cheek humour however if you plan to stay indoors and not see any of the fantastic sights in oz then don’t concern yourself with all the wildlife out here, if on the other hand you do decide that you would like to have some fun and some memorable moments be careful, go with someone that knows the area you intend on exploring, this is a great country and its got lots to offer.

Enjoy your trip:clap:


Pete

 

[sn00p]

Actually the drought is forcing snakes into residential areas, there were a couple of attacks while I was out there january, one fatal one in sydney. (Eastern Brown, #2 on the worlds deadliest land snake list!)

As peter said, it's a fantasic country with lots of amazing breathtaking scenery and a million and one things to do. You just have to make sure you don't do stupid things (like swimming in creeks up north or swimming outside of netted areas, or go walking in the undergrowth in the bush).

I'd take my laptop because of convenience - although it's not very convenient at the moment with the "one piece" of hand luggage rules!

 

[-Leigh-]

Ok, I have been looking at mp3 players, and there's a few. Can anyone give me a hand deciding on the best one. I have gone for 4gb, as that will be plenty. I have purposely not included the ipod nano, as I don't want all that itunes rubbish. I also want an FM tuner, as it will be nice for when am out surveying.

Creative Zen V+ 4gb £88.50

Samsung YP-K3 4gb £99.99

Sony NWS706 4gb £129.99

SanDisk Sansa e260 4gb £91.50
Now I really like this one. The only downside is that it doesn't have a FM tuner in europe, but it's just been disabled in the software, so I presume that there should be some fix for this?? Also, you can insert microSD cards to up the capacity!! Smart.

So which would be best? I really think that the SanDisk one is best, but lack of FM Tuner?? Maybe I can do without. If not my second favourite is the Samsung YP-K3.

Any suggestions??

 

[Deeg]

I really like the creative stuff, v.easy to use and the software is good, and they are pretty hard-wearing.

I would recomend getting a portable dvd player if you can get one cheap or borrow one, and getting a couple of TV series', makes the time fly.

Get 24 or summet, and the journey will fly by.

But flying bores the hell out of me, I get restless on 2 hour flights, lol.

 

[-Leigh-]

I think it's going to be between the creative and the samsung. The creative is probably better (and cheaper) but the samsung looks much better lol.

I can't take too much with me on the plane, what with phone (switched off), nintendo ds, mp3 player, and laptop, I will have no room!!

 

[White16valver]

Creative Zen Micro is what I've got - good, as already mentioned, but the headphone socket on my particular model goes tits up after a while. Not tried that one you've posted though but they are nice to use!

 

[mr_merc]

www.google.co.uk

 

[sn00p]

Xzibit,

When do you go to Oz? I have a Qantas club pass (AKA Qantas Pub) which would allow you entry to the lounge once, I'm not going to use it as I can use the lounges anyway. You are more than welcome to it. Let me know when you head off/back and I'll let you know if it'll be in date for you!