On Sep 10, 9:08*pm, wrote:

Thanks for all the valauble info. * Sounds like I really need a
netbook. *If I want to use the Virgin Broadband month to month
internet access without using the external USB plug in device, can I
buy a net book that has an internal connection to the internet through
Virgin Broadband?

Generally speaking, that's exactly what the cellphone companies are
hoping you'll do, because you'll end up paying them significantly more
money over the next 3 years that way.

I'm up in Canada, so I can't speak too specifically about US cellphone
companies, but if you want awesome internets on your netbook, the best/
cheapest way is to make sure you have awesome internets on your
cellphone. If you're already paying $50-75/mo for your cellphone, why
pay another $50/mo for your netbook to have its own data plan?

Some netbooks have built-in bluetooth (MSI Wind is great, for just
this reason - it won't need a dongle to work with an external mouse),
and many cellphones offer bluetooth "internet tethering." Other
netbooks will need a tiny bluetooth dongle -- the one I have is
http://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-USB-...76181&sr =8-1

My phone is a Nokia e51 (Very similar to AT&T's e71). So, it gets 7MB/
s internet over the cell network, and shares that internet with the
netbook by either bluetooth or USB. Over bluetooth wireless, it slows
the data down to 2MB/s, but I get the full 7MB/s when I plug the phone
in to the laptop directly by USB.

This way, my 8MB/mo data plan can be used by both the cellphone and
the netbook! (Always work out your annualized costs and try to avoid
looking at the hardware purchase costs as much, that's how cellphone
companies are designed to trick people).

Since you're a glider pilot, you're likely both old and frugal, so the
"I don't need internet on my cellphone" argument might also be popping
up in your head. I can't tell you how much I enjoy being able to
check METARs/TAFs, and Dr. Jack from my phone, without having to find
a computer. My phone has a microSD card slot in it. . . so I posted
my last OLC from the phone, no netbook needed. It's also great to be
able to check my GMail and other stuff without having to open up a
netbook. Of course, the phone won't do SeeYou and isn't that good
with Flash websites.

The phone also regularly triangulates my position from cell towers,
and so long as it's within range of the cell towers, it uploads my
position to the internet every 10 minutes. Once I upgrade to the e52
later this year, it'll report back my GPS position instead of my
triangulated position. Since I always fly within cellphone coverage
areas, it's like having a half-assed SPOT tracking doodad for free.
Wanna see where I am now? Just click on http://avia.tion.ca/ (Of
course, I can manually override the reported position whenever I want,
so I tell the internet I'm at the local zoo's monkey house whenever
I'm visiting an acquaintance of ill repute.)

Sure, some people like to have a new monthly bill for their netbook,
and some people even have monthly bills for their car's GPS. I bet
you'll see digital cameras within a year that have SIM card slots so
that cell companies can sell you yet another monthly bill.

But, with the right cellphone, then you too can have a centralized
communications hub in your pants, and a single consolidated efficient
monthly bill for all the bits that your toys push over the network.

Downside: my crazy always-on lifestyle means that I usually carry one
or two spare phone batteries, but that'll get much better when the e52
comes out and I upgrade.