What This Book is About

When you get right down to it, just about any portable computer or cell phone will do the job for most Global Mobile travelers. Even entry-level models of these devices are usually more than you really need to send the occasional email or make a simple phone call. But then, you're not really the entry-level kind of user, are you? You probably opted for one of the better laptops available at the time and a cell phone that probably has enough bells and whistles to keep you entertained for hoursand you probably haven't even scratched the surface of what superpowers you have available to you.

This book is about helping you explore the powers you probably already have and making the right choices to expand them. Essentially, it is a book about connecting the dots. In this case, the dots are your laptop computer, your cell phone, and wireless and Ethernet broadband network connections. Let's face it, you're a busy professional and you don't have time to geek-out. That's where this book comes in.

Global Mobile doesn't try to educate you on nuances of the various technologies you have in your possessionrather it educates you on how to get them up and running in the quickest way possible. For example, you've heard you can connect to these Wi-Fi hotspots, and assume it's probably easy…and it is. But you've never actually done it. This book will take you through the steps, tell you what to expect, and have you connected in no time.

I take a "day in the life" approach to explaining things. You'll learn what you should be thinking about before you even start packing your suitcase all the way through to when you've finally arrived at your destination. But I don't stop there; you also get the low-down on Wi-Fi: what it is, what it can do for you, and where it's probably going. Bluetooth may be a term you've heard quite a bit lately; I explain what it is, what it isn't, and why it's a good thing.