Author Topic: What do you do on trains/commute? (Read 1379 times)

houston-nat · « **Topic Start:** October 05, 2012, 03:05:27 PM »

It looks like my new job might entail a long (45 minute each way) commute via train. While I'm very happy to be doing this by train rather than car after averaging 50 miles of driving per workday for the past year*, 45 minutes is a very long time to be on a train.

*yes, that's about $1,800 in gasoline for the commute alone

Since I wouldn't be driving, I'd be tempted to use this time productively. My parents offered to get me a new Kindle for Christmas. If I wanted to spend the time writing, and/or listening to music, should I take the Kindle Paperwhite off my wishlist and replace it with a tablet of some kind? If I want to type, touchscreen or stylus or both? Should I skip a tablet and go with one of those tiny laptops? Should I decide the hell with ambitions and get back to good old-fashioned book-reading? Are there other useful ways to kill time my technology-bound mind can't dream up right now?

So I guess ultimately my question for the general assembly is, if you had 90 minutes a day on a train, what would you do with it?

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #1:** October 05, 2012, 03:08:46 PM »

Dead tree newspapers. I hate reading on-line papers.

houston-nat · « **Reply #2:** October 05, 2012, 03:11:53 PM »

Quote from: JCA-CrystalCity on October 05, 2012, 03:08:46 PM

Dead tree newspapers. I hate reading on-line papers.

45 minutes IS about how long it takes me to get through the morning NYTimes.

lastobjective · « **Reply #3:** October 05, 2012, 03:19:50 PM »

Read - Novels or newspaper
Knit/Crochet
Audiobook (if you have an iPod)
Podcasts - NPR puts all their radio into podcast form.
Radioplays/Old Time Radio (OTR) - Dragnet is a classic.
Paper puzzles (eg. Sudoku)

Obed_Marsh · « **Reply #4:** October 05, 2012, 03:21:14 PM »

Kindle
iPod
Brainstorm

GburgNatsFan · « **Reply #5:** October 05, 2012, 03:23:38 PM »

You have the right idea, read like a fiend.

If you just want to read, a kindle is so much better than real books. So much better. There's one exception - graphics in kindle books suck. So if you are counting on looking at technical books, get a tablet so you can zoom in on graphics and see what they actually are.

Most newspapers have a kindle version you can subscribe to that downloads early in the morning. I liked the Washington Post, but I liked the print version better. It's time to end that, though.

Many trains have wireless. I think a tablet would be your best friend if you want to interact. A tablet makes a good-enough reader for 45 minutes, and you can interact.

I have a netbook. It's the worst of all worlds. Bad for reading (wrong screen orientation), bad for browsing (screens too small, and it's in the wrong orientation for mobile sites) and bad for work (screen is too small to do serious stuff like spreadsheets, etc. If you are going this route, get the smallest, lightest laptop with a full-size keyboard you can find. A 10" screen is just not big enough. Get at least a 12" display.

Just my opinions.

houston-nat · « **Reply #6:** October 05, 2012, 03:26:52 PM »

Quote from: GburgNatsFan on October 05, 2012, 03:23:38 PM

If you just want to read, a kindle is so much better than real books. So much better. There's one exception - graphics in kindle books suck. So if you are counting on looking at technical books, get a tablet so you can zoom in on graphics and see what they actually are.

I have a netbook. It's the worst of all worlds. Bad for reading (wrong screen orientation), bad for browsing (screens too small, and it's in the wrong orientation for mobile sites) and bad for work (screen is too small to do serious stuff like spreadsheets, etc. If you are going this route, get the smallest, lightest laptop with a full-size keyboard you can find. A 10" screen is just not big enough. Get at least a 12" display.

Just my opinions.

Thanks Gburg. Yeah, if I decide against reading on a Kindle, I'll want to be working - my side gig is to review classical music CDs, so I'd want something where I could write and plug in headphones without getting super-annoyed at the functionality. Thanks for the warning on netbooks. Do still have an iPod, got it in 2006 but that baby still works like new.

GburgNatsFan · « **Reply #7:** October 05, 2012, 03:32:27 PM »

The Aspire One 756 might be a good computer. It's got an almost 12" screen and a full size keyboard. But no CD drive. You'll need to be dragging along that hunk of ipod iron.

These are surprisingly powerful little computers. While my son's big-ass Acer laptop is in for repairs, my little AspireOne is driving his 23" monitor and serving all his school-related needs. Except gaming.

Quote from: houston-nat on October 05, 2012, 03:26:52 PM

Thanks Gburg. Yeah, if I decide against reading on a Kindle, I'll want to be working - my side gig is to review classical music CDs, so I'd want something where I could write and plug in headphones without getting super-annoyed at the functionality. Thanks for the warning on netbooks. Do still have an iPod, got it in 2006 but that baby still works like new.

mitlen · « **Reply #8:** October 05, 2012, 03:45:06 PM »

Hit on the woman in seat 11D.

spidernat · « **Reply #9:** October 05, 2012, 04:38:24 PM »

People have been known to get lucky riding the subway.

I have a fantastic story about missing my stop once but I'll save it for the turbo uncensored thread.

Ali the Baseball Cat · « **Reply #10:** October 05, 2012, 04:44:02 PM »

masturbate like a brain-damaged monkey

Frau Mau · « **Reply #11:** October 05, 2012, 04:47:04 PM »

Quote from: Ali the Baseball Cat on October 05, 2012, 04:44:02 PM

masturbate like a brain-damaged monkey

That'll get you some free room and board.

Count Walewski · « **Reply #12:** October 05, 2012, 05:32:56 PM »

I play games on my iPhone.

comish4lif · « **Reply #13:** October 05, 2012, 06:10:19 PM »

Dont waste your time with one of those "Netbooks" - they are small and short on power.

Personally, I'd go with an Android tablet. The Apple stuff is great, but 2-3 times the price and WNFF.net looks the same on either one.

I commute by bike a few days a week and by car the other days and love podcasts. Baseball Prospectus Daily Podcast is pretty good, I like the stuff from Freakonomics.com, lots of folks like NPR, but their tone puts me to sleep. I like the info, but it's laid back delivery I can do without.

Vega · « **Reply #14:** October 05, 2012, 06:15:16 PM »

I've never been on a train in my life.

Kevrock · « **Reply #15:** October 05, 2012, 06:19:37 PM »

I drive, so books on tape for me.

spidernat · « **Reply #16:** October 05, 2012, 06:32:02 PM »

Quote from: Vega on October 05, 2012, 06:15:16 PM

I've never been on a train in my life.

That hasn't stopped you from commenting on other things you've never done.

Vega · « **Reply #17:** October 05, 2012, 06:36:31 PM »

Quote from: spidernat on October 05, 2012, 06:32:02 PM

That hasn't stopped you from commenting on other things you've never done.

Fine. I'd imagine that it would be fun to have sex on a train.

spidernat · « **Reply #18:** October 05, 2012, 06:37:50 PM »

CALSGR8 · « **Reply #19:** October 05, 2012, 06:50:09 PM »

Can you recharge at work. I cant. No phones or tablets or ipods allowed. Is it an above ground train or underground? On metro rhe service is up and down. I see alot of people on e-readers (e-ink or paper like book readers). Whatever your method download the book, music, podcast etc. Then you wont need a signal.

Me? Smartphone. Wnff and Facebook with a zignal. Solitaire and Jewel Quest without.

blue911 · « **Reply #20:** October 05, 2012, 07:29:25 PM »

Bong hits

mitlen · « **Reply #21:** October 05, 2012, 07:37:13 PM »

Quote from: blue911 on October 05, 2012, 07:29:25 PM

Bong hits

... in the quiet car.

HalfSmokes · « **Reply #22:** October 05, 2012, 07:50:05 PM »

Ipod (podcasts) , free paper, Kindle (old fashioned kind)

blue911 · « **Reply #23:** October 05, 2012, 08:00:42 PM »

Quote from: mitlen on October 05, 2012, 07:37:13 PM

... in the quiet car.

... in seat 11C

Slateman · « **Reply #24:** October 05, 2012, 08:08:02 PM »

E reader

Or do work. I can bill for the time and leave work early.