Business travel is a stressful
event. Between arranging flights, navigating through security, getting
enough rest and finding your way around in a strange city, the average
business traveler has little time left over to worry about his technology
needs on the road.But by following a few simple tips you can make your
business trip more enjoyable, and avoid the kind of technology disaster
that could ruin even the best business meeting.

“Traveling is stressful, whether for work or pleasure, but technology
should make your trips easier without adding to that stress,” said David
A. Milman, founder and CEO of RESCUECOM. “It can feel helpless when your
computer is not functioning properly on the road. It can seem as if there
is nobody to help you, which is why RESCUECOM has provided recommendations
to assist the traveling public when they travel with technology.”

The Technology Tip Sheet includes the following Do’s and Don’ts:

DO:

*  DO Power Up! Make sure you fully charge your laptop before
traveling.
      Bring all your chargers and adapters for your handhelds, computers
      and cell phones. If you have a spare battery, charge and pack it as
      well.

    *  DO Check Your Battery—Not just to make sure it’s charged, but
      whether it’s allowed on the plane at all. Some airlines, such as
      Virgin Atlantic, have banned certain Dell and Apple batteries on
      their flights, due to concerns about overheating and explosions.

    *  DO Encrypt. Ensure that your data is safe. Encrypt and password-
      protect sensitive files. Don’t conduct any confidential business via
      a wi-fi connection in the airport or at your hotel. Make sure
your IT
      department or computer support consultant has set up a Virtual
      Private Network for you to conduct e-mail activity on the road.

    *  DO Find the Outlets. There are electrical outlets on many airplanes
      (remember to pack that adapter). When in a coffee shop or a hotel
      lounge, look for outlets so you can save your battery life.

    *  DO Mix Business and Pleasure:  Make sure to bring your cell phone,
      movies, games, audio books and any other items that might provide
      entertainment on a long flight or during a layover.

    *  DO CALL FOR HELP. If your computer is acting up or your
blackberry is
      not getting your e-mails, who are you going to call? RESCUECOM is
the
      only national computer repair company that can be on-site in less
      than an hour in an emergency. And when you are 3,000 miles from your
      home or office (or your home office), and your computer breaks, that
      can be a disaster. Just dial 1-800-RESCUE7.

  DON’T:

    *  DON’T GET CAUGHT. Check your laptop, especially if it is a company
      computer, to make sure you have all the correct programs loaded.

    *  DON’T ASSUME that your hotel has high-speed or Wi-Fi access. Visit
      the hotel website or call ahead.

    *  DON’T FORGET to check with your wireless phone/PDA provider to
ensure
      you have voice and data access along your route.  Several cellular
      phone providers have come out with internationally compatible cell
      phones in recent years (most using the “GSM” standard), though many
      phones only work in the U.S., so some international travelers may
      have to rent an extra phone for their trip.

    *  DON’T DISTURB OTHERS. Use noise reducing headphones when working on
      your laptop or listening to the in-flight movie.

    *  DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT. Not your credit card, but your “thumb
      drive.” As the price of flash memory “thumb drives” has dropped
while
      their memory has increased, more and more executives are using these
      handy little drives to store and transport presentations, files and
      important documents.  These can be very helpful and even allow
you to
      leave your laptop at home in some situations, though it is important
      to password protect and encrypt your data, in case the drive is
lost.

RESCUECOM is the only national computer repair and technology support
company that offers emergency, one-hour on-site service from coast to
coast. That allows business travelers at hotels, retreats, off-site
meetings and long layovers to get the emergency computer repair they
deserve and expect.
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