Battery-charging: Best computer for touring & buffer battery for dynohub

[Danneaux]

Richie...

My Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone with folding Bluetooth keyboard, OTG (On-The-Go) cable, 3TB USB hard disk drive, and Anker 20,000mAh battery proved to be an ideal journaling solution and camera for me on my double transcontinental European crossing this summer. I used a single Joos Orange solar panel with integrated 5400mAh accumulator battery to recharge the phone at night, keeping the Anker for heavy usage and to extend my time between mains (re)charging, since AndyBG's bike was not equipped with a dynohub, charging interface, or buffer battery.

Mostly, I used a stylus and the SwiftKey Flow on-screen keyboard for writing and it all came out fine...or well enough to produce 283 single-spaced A4 pages of journal entries.

Now, I have the task of editing and transferring it all into an online daily blog, along with the 9,000 or so digital stills and full-HD videos, also taken exclusively with the phone. Things are delayed a bit as I whack down the tasks that accumulated in my absence; the most pressing has been painting the vacation cabin at the Coast so it will hold up against the coming 175kph storm winds of winter.

When it comes time to replace the phone at the end of my contract, I'm seriously thinking of going up a size to a "phablet" -- phone the size of a small tablet...I use it least for talking -- with something like the Samsung Note 4. The screen is just a bit larger, but may incur pocket-fitting issues that make it less suitable than the S4-size I'm using now. It will take some hard consideration, but I did find myself wishing occasionally for the Note 3's greater daylight readability, longer battery life and slightly larger screen, though not enough to splash out for one that isn't contract-subsidized.

I found it awfully nice to have so many truly useful gadgets in one small device...enough that I never used the other, dedicated devices I brought with me (excepting the Garmin GPS). Perhaps a smartphone would work well as your next on-bike computing solution, Richie. The voltage/current requirements sure make life easier than with a netbook. I'm putting my own very nice and barely used netbook up for sale for that very reason.

All the best,

Dan.

[Danneaux]

Dave asked...

Is this the item that you are testing?

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/cinq5-smart-power-pack-ii-prod32694/
http://shop.cinq5.de/Smart-Power-Pack-II/en

Yes it is, Dave, though mine differs in appearance by having a transluscent cover over the plug/front-facing white LED and also included the rubber mounting bracket, allowing it to be fitted to handlebars, a seatpost, stem or frame tubes.

Part of the reason for delay in posting my review is to wring it out in harsh conditions and to also test the claimed capacity over time and with a variety of high-draw, high-drain gadgets in actual touring use -- more demanding than my tests on the workbench at home.

As noted elsewhere, I am also testing for review the Tout Terrain/Cinq5 Shift:R trigger shifters for Rohloff hubs equipped with the external shift-box. Same rigorous testing applies there as well. These are really innovative products, and it will take awhile to see how all features work in practice over time and in a variety of real-world conditions. Most reviews I have seen were "impressions" based on handling the components indoors or using them on shorter test-rides. I want to see how they work in the real world, and on one of our Thorn bicycles.

Best,

Dan.

[jags]

Paval that woman is one weird dude.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBaqJK-w78U&feature=youtu.be

seriously could not be in her company for very long she would drive me insane.

anto.

[David Simpson]

Part of the reason for delay in posting my review is to wring it out in harsh conditions and to also test the claimed capacity over time and with a variety of high-draw, high-drain gadgets in actual touring use -- more demanding than my tests on the workbench at home.

Therein lies the value of this forum.  The opinion of a single person who has actually used a product is worth dozens of first-impression "reviews".

I look forward to your (usual) comprehensive and well-written review, no matter how long it takes.

- Dave

[richie thornger]

Cheers Dan,
I think their are two Richies.

One wants to be totally self sufficient in the event of a nuclear war. I own a Nomad so that's that covered, I can carry anything.
The other wants to be as uber minimal as possible. This second me is having a hard time coming out from behind the first.

I will soon be in the fortunate position (if all goes well) to be spending the next decade travelling in some form or another.
Because of this I will probably still be carrying a laptop with me, however I do want to go off on side trips and explore the other Richie.

I left all my stuff in Tehran when I went to Pakistan and India. Just one small rucksack, no laptop, only my point and shoot camera. It was fantastic, however it was also the only part of the journey that I lost photos and videos. Even though I backed them up to SD cards and posted them home the cards are corrupt and wont read. I've tried Recuva and all the other programs and the partition ones to get them working again but no joy. Of course these photos where my favourites of the whole trip! I have them in reduced size but not full. The videos have gone though

** if travelling to less developed countries take a stash of Original brand memory cards. Every card I bought in Pakistan had a problem.

[richie thornger]

Technophobes look away now


https://batmantorobben.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/dsc00800.jpg

[Matt2matt2002]

Nice collection.
Which bit did you take?
 

[jags]

Technophobes look away now


https://batmantorobben.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/dsc00800.jpg

wow thats unreal is there any of that lot out of date that  your throwing out if so i 'll have it.

jags.

[richie thornger]

By the end of the tour this is what I had amassed

[jags]

pretty impressive

[richie thornger]

this photo cam about this morning because my ex-girlfriend sent me a picture of a friend with a load of stuff laid out on the bed and she said it reminded her of me.
I then thought it would be funny to put all my stuff on the bed and send a picture back.

I then knew I could ruffle a few feathers on the Warmshowers Facebook page. There are so many opinionated people over there unfortunately

Just mention helmets, weight, or technology and people are just dying to tell you that your doing it all wrong
it was kind of an experiment and the opinions I got from all sides where as expected.

About half of the gear in the photo no longer works. And the other half was bought along the way, At my last country I did have 95% of this with me though. The rest I posted back at various times and I also gave a few things away and threw a few things away.

I thought it was as much a reflection on me as anything else.
and too any one who says you don't NEED this much stuff.
I agree 100%

BTW it except the Macbook it all fits in a small ortlieb front pannier and weighs about 10kg.
The camera I took the picture with isn't in the picture That doesn't fit in my TECH bag.

So nice to be back on the Thorn Forum where different opinions are observed and discussed rather than shouted at and seen as WRONG!

[in4]

That is a serious load of gear. I imagine that most eventualities were covered by it, apart the 'Back to the Future' stuff that is. Not so long ago you'd have needed a car battery and a herd of yak to have powered and pulled that lot. I've often thought that with regard to tech-type stuff we all make a bit of a trade off in terms of what we want in terms of functionality, portability and weight and what we feel  is most convenient and comfortable to use. I was rather liking Dan's minimalist set up but find myself drawn to chucking in an 11" Macbook air for good measure. Then there's the kitchen sink, my satphone, Batphone, Dr Who transponder, Thorn Tardis and......!   

[richie thornger]

I'm going to do a list and stick it up on the blog.
dan's smartphone and extra storage defo covers all the bases.
I havent read all the thread but I'm imaging a spare battery or two may help.

[jags]

I was brousing utube came across hubl2 look like a great bit of kit.but then again i still cant get the hang of my vista  >:(legend.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNQuhjFBapA

[jags]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJmhKT-Fe18.

this guy knows his stuff.