Drivers: Rather a Tablet or Touchscreen Laptop & Why? GPS?

My last year on the road I used a really cheap ($300) walmart compaq laptop. Did everything I needed. Today I can be found using either my built desktop, my Asus X555l laptop or my Insignia (Best Buy brand) Windows Tablet. I love both the laptop and tablet.

 

Keep in mind that most hot spots thru cell providers have a limit on the usage. Not sure how much data you use our need, but there is no limit on truck stop Wi-Fi.
I personally use over 1 TB/month and there is no plan out there that can meet my needs.

 

Well if you only stop at flying j's you can plug into the Ethernet port and it works well. Out in the lot you won't be doing any streaming in fact it won't work unless you are front row unblocked from the signal.

Id do the T-Mobile and verizion setup like the one guy does. T-Mobile is unlimited and only works in major cities but slows you down. Verizon smartphone with a couple gigs.

I did fine with an 8 GB plan but I used a lot of WiFi. It goes super quick.
Downtime at docks sucks balls. You can only have the same conversations and listen to drivers whine for so long. Wipe down the truck....BBQ a sheep....get a yoga and power lift in.

What else you gonna do for the other hours on a same day delivery? 6 hours of nothing is pretty common.

 

Once you are driving you will get so many points from fueling you can get a super-duper GPS for no cash.

 

I depend on the internet like you. I would get a Verizon cellphone or Jetpack-like device. Generally speaking Vzw is the most available carrier with ATT close behind. There may be specific areas where one smaller carrier is just as good and much cheaper.

Your best answer comes from knowing how much data you need. You can always find a plan/carrier cheaper than Vzw, but are they available everywhere you will be? Vzw plans now have unlimited talk/text and you select how much data you need each month. You can change from month to month, and you've alwasy been able to switch your smaller data plan to a larger data plan, no problem. Also those plans rollover unused data from the last month before unused data expires. There is no reason to sign up for a huge data plan just to experiment. Sign up for a small plan and as you approach the data limit, ask to increase to a larger plan.

Cricket has a $70 unlimited data plan, they use the ATT network. Some YouTube videos show it's possible to get that plan, and put the sim card into a pre-paid ATT hotspot device thus giving you unlimited data in a hotspot. You can use Google+ or WhatsApp to se your data for calling.

Lastly, you can lease someone's old Vzw unlimited data plan. Typically you can find them on Ebay. You pay some cash amount up front, and then prepay your monthly fee via Paypal to the account owner.

The key is know how much data in GB you will need. I watch tons of YouTube documentaries and just cut the quality way down when I'm not on wifi. Despite rumors from young people, your eyes will not burst into flames if you see non_HD video.

 

I recently got a Samsung tablet e 9.6 through Verizon for surfing, liked it so much I left the laptop at home. I just ordered a mount for the tablet so I can mount it on the dash so I can easily reference Google maps to check out street view.

I have an rm 730 for my main GPS routing so the Google maps is just for more detail and to double check the GPS routing.

 

I have an LG smartphone, and a Samsung Tab. I use Google maps and an atlas to get around. Satellite view of customer locations is great. Can see where the truck entrance is and such. I have both on a Verizon plan. Is a tad spendier than if like to pay, but works well almost everywhere.

 

I have a small laptop with a touch screen (Acer), and also a tablet Samsung Galaxy (hard to type on but great for searching).
So misspell reply's you know I am on Galaxy.

 

I bring my MSI GE62 gaming laptop and i USED sprint unlimited data and paid like 30 extra a month for 10gb of hotspot wifi via the phone. i also have a ps4 and a 26" samsung in my truck