Big tablet

Quote: Pacomartin

You can still install Google Hangouts to your Apple phone, and make inexpensive calls back to Mexico when you have wifi.
https://support.google.com/hangouts/answer/3123355?hl=en

I really don't make many calls "home." I think last year I called three times.

A better question is this: will I be able to download Office 365 to the tablet using free WiFi?

Note to self: upon arrival at Vegas run, don't walk, to the nearest SDX stop. Purchase a 2 hour pass. Go to Town Hall and take a hurried look at the Windows tablets. Then go to the transit terminal and purchase the 30 day bus pass.

Don't mind me, I'm just leaving this note here for later.

Quote: Nareed

Note to self: upon arrival at Vegas run, don't walk, to the nearest SDX stop. Purchase a 2 hour pass. Go to Town Hall and take a hurried look at the Windows tablets. Then go to the transit terminal and purchase the 30 day bus pass.

The Strip and Downtown Express (SDX) stops are a long way from the airport terminal (well over 2 miles).

You can get a $2 one way ticket on the route 109 at the airport, and take it towards 109 Maryland Pkwy Southbound 5 min (3 stops) to the South Strip Transfer Terminal (SSTT). From there you can purchase a 30 day bus pass ($65) which includes the SDX. The SDX stops at the SSTT.

A three day pass is $20 so if you are there for less than 6 days you can purchase two $20 passes and save $25.

The shopping center is Town Square (not Town Hall), and there is a dedicated Apple Store and an HH Gregg. But there is no dedicated Microsoft Store.

SST: 6675 Gilespie Street, Las Vegas, NV 89119.

Actually upon arrival I'll take the shuttle to the hotel.

Then I take the SDX to Town Square (my bad), take a quick look (perhaps),ten continue to the transit terminal past the Outlet Mall. Once there I get the pass, which will last me the 2+ weeks of my stay (and I won't have to worry about it expiring).

I'd planned on doing that last year but simply forgot about it

Quote: Nareed

Then I take the SDX to Town Square (my bad), take a quick look (perhaps),ten continue to the transit terminal past the Outlet Mall. Once there I get the pass, which will last me the 2+ weeks of my stay (and I won't have to worry about it expiring).

Actually, you can purchase the 30 day pass at Walgreens 495 FREMONT ST 702–385–1284 (Southeast corner OF 4TH ST & FREMONT ST)
It's not necessary to go to the SSTT or to pay for your first ride.

http://www.rtcsnv.com/transit/fare-information/where-to-buy-a-pass-around-town/

If the Walgreen's charges an unacceptably high fee, you can walk to Bonneville Transit Center (5 blocks south of Fremont Street) where there is no surcharge.



Although it sounds like you have shuttle rides both going to downtown and returning, you may want to note that the WAX is the fastest public bus between downtown and the airport.

http://www.rtcsnv.com/wp-content/uploads/routes/2014/09/WAX.pdf

I'd no idea they sold them at Walgreens.

Quote: Pacomartin

Although it sounds like you have shuttle rides both going to downtown and returning, you may want to note that the WAX is the fastest public bus between downtown and the airport.

Duly noted.

You may want to consider a bus is not the best way to move one person, two full-sized suitcases, a carry-on bag and a laptop/travel bag from point A to point B. I'd rather pay for a shuttle ride at the airport.

Quote: Nareed

I'd no idea they sold them at Walgreens.

Walgreens and 7-11 are allowed to tack on handling charges. I don't think it is much, but if you don't want to pay it you can walk 5 blocks to Bonneville Center and buy one there. You don't have to buy a SDX ride to SSTT.

You cannot buy the long term passes from the RTC vending machines. I don't know why.

Quote: Nareed

You may want to consider a bus is not the best way to move one person, two full-sized suitcases, a carry-on bag and a laptop/travel bag from point A to point B. I'd rather pay for a shuttle ride at the airport.

Of course! But your bus pass won't be dead, so if you have no money at the end of your trip, you can always get to the airport.

Quote: Pacomartin

you can walk 5 blocks to Bonneville Center and buy one there.

I dislike walking outside of the Strip and Downtown, because the streets tend to be deserted (even so I've walked from the Atomic Testing Museum back to the Strip twice). I don't even like walking from the SDX stop at Sahara to the bus stop on Sahara Blvd around the corner (to catch the bus to Palace Station).

Quote:

You cannot buy the long term passes from the RTC vending machines. I don't know why.

They should be available, right? I suppose they aren't on the SDX/Deuce route machines because mostly tourists use them; and I've seen tourists eff up their ticket purchases. But you can get them at the vending machines in the SSTT

Quote:

Of course! But your bus pass won't be dead, so if you have no money at the end of your trip, you can always get to the airport.

If I have no money at the end of the trip, getting to the airport is not my biggest problem (perhaps the most urgent, but not the biggest). In any case, I plan to have plenty of money on me when I leave (by not spending it foolishly). But this is all academic anyway, as I always buy a roundtrip shuttle ticket (it's a bit cheaper that way).

BTW, I don't recommend Bell Trans for shuttles. In 2013 they stood me up for the pickup, and I had to pay for a ride on another shuttle. Fortunately you can buy a ticket from the driver. I much prefer Showtime. Last year their driver almost carried my bags all the way to the registration desk at the GN. I had to forcibly stop him just inside the hotel.

Quote: Nareed

I dislike walking outside of the Strip and Downtown, because the streets tend to be deserted (even so I've walked from the Atomic Testing Museum back to the Strip twice). I don't even like walking from the SDX stop at Sahara to the bus stop on Sahara Blvd around the corner (to catch the bus to Palace Station).

I called Walgreen's on Fremont street, and they said they don't add a surcharge, so 30 day pass is just $65 (same as Transit Centers).

What is hard to imagine is that you can print out an airline boarding pass from your computer, but you can't print out a bus pass from Las Vegas. I think they just want to make it difficult for tourists to save money.

It looks like Resort World is going to start construction.

Quote: Pacomartin

I called Walgreen's on Fremont street, and they said they don't add a surcharge, so 30 day pass is just $65 (same as Transit Centers).

Wow! thank you very much!

I visit that Walgreens nearly every day while in Vegas, but it was sweet of you to call.

Quote:

What is hard to imagine is that you can print out an airline boarding pass from your computer, but you can't print out a bus pass from Las Vegas.

As Larry Niven likes to say "we can put a man on the Moon but we can't a man on the Moon." ;)


Back to the tablet. I've been looking at 2-in-1 laptops as well. I would love an integrated keyboard and extra ports, but am wary of the added weight. And many seem to run Android. I saw a nice HP running Windows and with an SSD, but it has a Celeron processor. I'm not sure about that. What I'm sure of is I really, really need at least 4 GB RAM.