Ol`gita Major: International Economic Relations Status: Workygirl I am fond of chocolates, flowers, friends, loud music, watching movies, taking pictures and traveling!!!

How to Take a Laptop Overseas
Olya Bezvushko

Do you know that you can take a true friend with you while traveling abroad? Your laptop computer may be an important and very important tool in most kinds of trips.

Before bringing your computer along you’d better ask yourself realistically if you will really have time to use it. Remember, that there are a number of common threats that your laptop may face with when taken overseas. , such as power surges, theft, climate factors, damage from wear and tear and so on. If you want to keep your computer from damage, consider just taking important files on an USB storage device. While studying in the USA, Europe and many other places, it’s not a big deal to find an inexpensive good computer or to work at Internet cafes. 
 
In case you decided to take the laptop with you, you have to figure out how to prepare it for the challenge that wait for it overseas.

If you know that you will probably use it to access the Internet, you have to make certain that there are the latest security updates and a firewall installed in it. They will guard against intrusions and adware from outside computers.

Make some copies of the important files and burn them on CD’s or DVD’s. Moreover, it is better to delete everything that you do not need overseas. Keep your reserve CD’s separate from your laptop.

Besides, you can encode all your files on the computer to make them inaccessible for those who use wrong password.

You can also take some measures for preserving your information from danger, by not taking it with you in trip:

     - you can back up files to a secure on-line service, like Google Docs & Spreadsheets, Evault.com and backup
     - you can retrieve important files from your computer at home through remote access by connecting to your home computer with the help of home IP address. You can do this from anywhere in the world by prior adapting your home computer for allowing remote access and setting up a login and password.

Bring a backup CD of the operating system, backups of important software and a repair CD, which will be necessary for starting up computer if there is a need. 

It is a good idea to get a power adapter for an airplane, unfortunately power outlets are rarely found in economy class. If you are sure that you will use computer for a long time while aboard, get one more battery with you that way there won’t be a need to bring a power adapter.

Laptops do not require an electrical transformer to work overseas, in contrast to other electronic devices. Usually, laptops are very practical for traveling as their power adapters can convert voltage from 110 to 240. The only thing you will need is a plug adapter to adapt the modification of electrical plug to the one, which is used in your destination. Check the input voltage range of your unit by labels on the power adapter.