Web/Tech

The Experiment: Accessing Internet in Bermuda

Royal Naval Dockyard

You can even access Wifi from the tip of Bermuda!

While I personally opted to not use ANY data while on my trip, I was definitely tempted to think of ways to access it. I’m used to free WiFi being available in Canada, but that’s not the case in Bermuda.

What is interesting though, is that since the Island itself is a mere 20 square miles, which means the whole Island itself is a hotspot. You can access WiFi essentially anywhere on the Island, provided you pay the price of the plan of course.

The one good thing about being data-deprived is that I was constantly paying attention to the data/WiFi offerings around the Island. As tourists crowded the areas, it was easy to spot out the WiFi locations with good offerings (people literally sat on the grass with their laptops to access the WiFi and stayed for long hours at a time – no picture available for this unfortunately, but it was a sight to behold). If you happen to be that person who has a lot of work to accomplish while on “vacation” then you’re probably going to be scouting out these WiFi places yourself.

Although Brightroam offers amazing deals on data plans with Mi-Fi devices, these services aren’t offered in Bermuda just yet! For those who aren’t familiar with Mi-Fi devices, they are essentially portable routers that you can slip your SIM card into to access Data services. Since your SIM card is inserted, all the data charges are essentially to your phone plan. You might be wondering, why use these at all when you can use access your phone’s data services and create a hotspot? The difference is in capability. Mi-Fi devices have the capacity to connect multiple devices without crashing and provide a secure stream for your usage. Additionally, since they are portable routers after all, you can bet that your internet speed will be slightly higher than using your mobile hotspot.

That being said, purchasing a Mi-Fi device will still prove to be extremely useful for the average working adult while on vacation. Brightroam does offer these devices, so you check them out on our site. As for the data plan that comes along, since we don’t offer a Caribbean package, I’d suggest purchasing a local plan from one of the two retailers “CELLONE” or “DIGICEL.” As previously mentioned, both CellOne and Digicel offer basically the same rates, the difference is in your usage. Both offer packages for pre-paid use whether you want to focus on a voice plan or data plan is up to you.

If you’re staying in the more metropolitan areas such as Royal Naval Dockyard, Hamilton or St. George, you may not need to purchase a plan from CellOne or Digicel at all. The reason is that most restaurants and cafes do offer Free WiFi – with the catch of a prior purchase of course. Some of these eateries simply demand a small purchase while others demand a minimum of $10. Regardless, utilizing these eateries is a way better plan for accessing Internet then purchasing a costly plan. It was the norm seeing people camped out on tables with their laptops, whether it was a cafe or even at a local beach park.

Horseshoe Bay

On a sidenote, if this is what a Bermuda beach looks like during a rain storm, imagine how beautiful this place would be in the sun!

If you’re planning on staying connected 24/7 while in Bermuda though, then it may be more efficient to purchase a Mi-Fi device and plan. This is because you obviously can’t access WiFi very easily from eateries and the likes at the beaches.

Wrapping up this post, if you happen to be someone who needs 24/7 connection, absolutely get on that Mi-Fi device and purchase a plan abroad. If you happen to be someone who will definitely need WiFi abroad, but not constantly, stick with camping yourself at eateries (you get to enjoy both local food and Internet – what’s a better deal than that?). If you’re a light user, only checking e-mails once a day, you can still get the Brightroam Caribbean SIM + plan which offers a small amount of data available to you. And no matter what type of user you are, ABSOLUTELY STAY AWAY FROM CRUISE INTERNET SERVICES! They will always amount to at least double the price of what you could be paying, so be very wary of them! Hopefully you’ll have found this post comprehensive and helpful to determining your data needs.

Oh The Places You SHOULD Go (Before It's Too Late)

As the weather swelters to 30 degrees+ this week in Toronto (not to mention the muggy air and humidity!), it’s clear cheap cialis online that Global Warming is making an impact to our environment. But not only are our cities getting more cloudy, top exotic vacation spots are on the verge of disappearing!

An infographic study from Daily Infographic shows the places that you should plan to visit before it’s too late!

Travelling is usually termed as a ‘tech detox’ but as the digital age continues to gather our attention, it’s near impossible to resist the urge of Social Media, and all things Internet. With the Taj Mahal set to disappear in less than 5 years time, media around the web will be the only remaining thing to capture the landmark.

If you’re planning or starting to think about travelling to these places before it’s too late, remember that your trip doesn’t have to be devoid of technology. Brightroam offers coverage in quite a few of the places listed below with much more reasonable rates than your telecom moguls.

When you’re travelling to different continents, it’s all about cutting costs and saving every penny, so look into Brightroam’s products/plans and Happy Travelling.

(Also, it’d be a great idea to reduce your carbon foot print to keep these beautiful places alive longer!)

From Daily Infographic

From Daily Infographic

 

Destination Unknown – Cleveland, Ohio, USA

In honour of our newly launched USA SIM Card & Cell Phone Bundle, we’d like to explore a few American destinations that are the perfect place to visit this fall!

Located about five hours driving distance from Toronto, Cleveland is often overshadowed by other close-by trip favourites like New York City and Chicago; it’s really too bad, because Cleveland has just as much culture, cusine and as many fun attractions as any other major US city!

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Things to do in Cleveland

1) Rock out at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum

Probably the biggest tourist attraction in the city, there’s good reason why – boasting permenant exhibitions about The Beatles, Films at the Rock Hall, and Treasures from the Vault (including artifacts from legends like Tina Turner, Led Zeppelin and The Bee Gees), plus a cool roster of visiting exhibitions like Women Who Rock: Vision, Passion, Power, there’s something for every music fan.

2) Take part in a Taste Cleveland Food Tour

If you’re passionate about food, this is the sightseeing tour for you! There are several tour types to choose from – our pick is the Westside Food Market, for its array of treats from artisenal cheeses to an olive oil tasting, plus the city’s best falafel is said to be there.

3) Thrill seek at Cedar Point

With all there is to do in and around Cedar Point park and resort, it’s no wonder it’s a top-rated attraction in the USA. From rollercoasters to Challenge Park (which has activities ranging from go-karting to RipCord), you can indulge your fear factor – and maybe even conquor it – with a trip to Sandusky Island.

4) Treat your ears to the Cleveland Institute of Music‘s student orchestra

Every year, the renowned CIM Orchestra performs (usually at no cost) at the gorgeous Severence Hall. The repetoire ranges from symphonic works to concertos, and spans generations of compositional talent.

5) Behold the Holden Arboretum

You can imagine how beautiful this 3,500 acre outdoor museum is in the fall! There are several tours to take part in (including a tram tour), and until late October, their Leaf Trail is out of this world. It’s also the only place in the Arboretum where leaf collecting is permitted!

Stay connected in Cleveland with Brightroam’s USA SIM Card or Cell Phone Bundle, which include wireless data services.

Talk Freely When You Travel To The USA

With so much talk about high roaming rates from service providers, Brightroam puts it in plain sight! Check out the comparison chart for our new USA SIM Card vs. the rates provided by Rogers.

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Learn more about our new USA SIM Card & USA Cell Phone Bundle, and how you can save big when you go anywhere in the States.

Destination Unknown – Leipzig, Germany

It may not have Berlin’s notorious nightlife or Munich’s museums, but Leipzig is known for its historical happenings and famous past residents (including Bach and Geothe).

Just a few hours south of the bustle of Berlin, this fast-growing city has it’s own cultural cache, including the Thomaskirche (the church where Bach played organ), and Spinnerei Gallery. The gallery used to be an old cotton manufacturing plant, and its tagline, From Cotton To Culture, demonstrates the shift in Leipzig from industrial town to up-and-coming metropolis.

Screen shot 2011-09-08 at 12.44.53 PM Photo from germany.travel

5 Things To Do in Leipzig

1) Attend Bachfest

Indulge in some high culture at the city’s renowned festival to honour perhaps their most famous resident, Johann Sebastian Bach. Not just for hardcore classical music lovers, the festival also includes programming for children and families – a great way for everyone to enjoy the day!

2) Visit the Church of St. Nicholas

Visually stunning, the Church is not just an iconic religious symbol; it holds great significance in the 1989 demonstrations against Communism that began in East Germany and lead to the fall of the Berlin Wall. Their motto is now “Open To All”.

3) Take in the Leipzig Festival Of Lights

Another mesmerizing emblem of the peaceful revolution in Leipzig, the day-long project illuminates the route taken by protesters in 1989, and includes concerts and art installations.

4) Experience Amazonia

As if the beauty of Leipzig weren’t enough, the Asisi Panometer will surely astound you! The world’s largest 360 degree panorama, Amazonia is Yadegar Asisi’s “magical picture of nature”. At a scale of 1:1, the representation of Brazil’s rainforest is unique and quite unbelievable.

5) Spend the day at the Belantis Theme Park

With roller coasters, water rides, and a castle to boot, Belantis is a huge attraction ready to receive guests from children to the young at heart. Get your Segway driver’s license for an added sense of adventure!

Stay connected in Germany with Brightroam’s Germany SIM card, which includes wireless data services.

Be Prepared For Back-To-School Abroad

206345xclt71tkg Photo courtesy of graur razvan ionut/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Now that the Labour Day long weekend is over, all parents’ thoughts have returned to back-to-school mode. Some of us have kids who will be studying abroad this year for homestay programs, exchanges and more. How can you prepare them for a successful year of studying? With a cool care package!

1) An international outlet plug will aleviate the stress of replacing current electronic items.

2) A subscription to their favourite magazine, sent to their new address, is always a nice surprise (who doesn’t like receiving mail?).

3) Find out what the hottest boutique in town is, and purchase a gift certificate for your child to indulge in a little retail therapy.

4) A variety pack of teas is a greaty way to help your child de-stress or re-energize. Green tea is full of antioxidents, and peppermint calms an upset stomach.

5) Buy “airline safe” clear bottles and package up some of your child’s favourite products to bring with them.

6) Brightroam’s World SIM card can be used in over 200 countries, and will keep you and your child connected while they’re away.

It’s never easy seeing your kids off to school, whether it’s just down the street or halfway across the world. Just remember, absence makes the heart grow fonder!

Brightroam SIMs Can Save You Thousands

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Photo courtesy of Ambro/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

There have been many articles published recently about the outrageous bills people have received upon their arrival home from a getaway or business trip. In her article for The New York Times, Michelle Higgins recounts the story of Jeff Gardner, who racked up an $11,000 Verizon bill while in Jamaica for four days. Jim Eagles of the New Zealand Herald talks about two friends, who together faced roaming charges of about $800 traveling to France and Spain, each sending only a few texts and making a handful of calls.

In both cases, the articles mentioned the simplicity and spendthrift advantage of SIM cards. Brightroam’s SIM cards work in over 200+ countries, and the service is post-paid, meaning you’ll never use up your minutes before you’re finished your trip – and the cost per minute is very, very low.

One of our customers, Steve Connolly of New York, gave this testimonial about his switch to Brightroam: “My partner and I have switched to your service from pre-paid SIM cards. We pre-order, they arrive on time and it’s less hassle when we’re in-country. Amazing service that saves us money.”

Sounds a lot happier than Jeff Gardner, doesn’t he? Read more of our testimonials here, and remember Brightroam for all your communication needs while traveling.

Brightroam is giving away Free SIM Cards!!!

To start your summer off right, Brightroam is offering a FREE SIM CARD when ordered on or before July 31, 2011.

Your SIM card will remain active for 90 days and an extension can be purchased if you need one in the future.

Just follow the link provided and enter the promo code “FREESIM11″ at checkout for your discount. www.brightroam.com

World SIM Card

If you find yourself traveling overseas a lot, then chances are you have a huge phone bill. Perhaps you have already heard about International SIM cards and how you can switch the SIM card in your unlocked cell phone for a local country card every time that you travel saving you a bundle on roaming fees.

Maybe your even a step farther and have a cell phone that you use only for International travel by buying a SIM card for that trip for that country. You are certainly ahead of the game if you travel one country at a time. However, if you spend a lot of time in several countries or even several continents – you are spending unnecessary time and money by constantly switching your SIM cards.

The World SIM Card from Brightroam is the ideal solution for international travelers roaming through more than one country. It covers over 160 countries and still gives you 50-80% savings you expect from Brightroam International SIM cards.

So if you’re an international jet-setter who travels everywhere all the time, your worldly knowledge has expanded to saving valuable time and money with one SIM card to keep you in touch.

Timezones

Yes it seems simple, time zones are pretty straight forward. But when you’ve travelled 23 hours and have no idea what time it is, it can be difficult to know what time it is back home or in another country you need to call. I used to have a fancy little business card that had all the time zones on it and a moving circle to line up the zone you’re in and the one you’re calling. In today’s world of technology, it’s a lot easier to find the info you need online.

Here are some handy time zone converters:

Here’s how I keep track of it at home:

I have the time difference (in hours) between my home town and the time zones of my friends and family recorded in my Outlook address book. For example, my friend Ema lives in Bahrain, in her contact information, I have a note – 7 hours ahead of Toronto. That way when I look up her number, I always know what time it is in Bahrain. You can do the same thing on your cell phone address book.