Category Archives: The Digital Life

Backup Your Computer Data! 3-2-1

The Digital Life, , , , ,
Image courtesy of Backblaze

Hey, this is a backpacking and camping website, right? So, what’s the connection between So, what’s the link between backing up your computer and these cool hobbies?

Most of us snap pictures during our backpacking and camping trips. Some folks even record videos. Others bring along music and other stuff to keep them entertained.

You know, we create a whole lot of digital stuff these days – photos, videos, computer files, music, and movies. Any data stored on tablets, smartphones, or computers is fair game.

Now, here are some questions to ponder:

Do you back up your data?

If you do, does your backup plan sound solid?

This post is all about backing up data, which raises even more questions.

Continue reading Backup Your Computer Data! 3-2-1 →

Fake News, Internet Trolls, and PopUpBackpacker

The Digital Life,

It’s big news today. Countries are hacking into sensitive websites, some media outlets publishing fake news stories, trolls on social media trying to influencing elections and generating discord among the populace. The liberals and the conservatives both agreeing our way of life is at risk. And yet no one asks the question, “Why is it that people can be influenced so easily?” Why are people not skeptical of things they hear, see, or read? Why don’t people do a little research instead of just accepting someone’s opinion or fake news report? Perhaps the problem isn’t fake news or trolls. 

Perhaps we have become our own worst enemies.

I was thinking about this when I realized that some of the popular posts on this blog reflect the same lack of skepticism or skepticism in the face of the facts. Continue reading Fake News, Internet Trolls, and PopUpBackpacker →

Wi-Fi Is Coming To Your National Park!

Camping, General Talk, The Digital Life, What's Up With That?,
Wi-Fi antenna at one of my recent NPS campground stays

What’s Up With That?

Back in October I saw that it had already happened at Lake Mead Recreational Area, one of the National Park Service (NPS) units. Instead of posting a rant about this technology on my return home, it seemed prudent to give it some thought and wrap my mind around a subject that twenty years ago I knew was probably going to happen. Sometimes it is best to let thoughts stew for a while in the brain, before dishing out opinions.

Continue reading Wi-Fi Is Coming To Your National Park! →

What We Can Learn From Our Children

The Digital Life, , ,

The Digital Life

Still feeling under the weather with this flu bug or whatever it is. Finally have a new roof on the house as of yesterday, so that worry is behind us. It has been cold and windy outside, so I have put most of my “man around the house” projects on hold for a while. This has provided some time for thinking, resting, and even catching up on some blog posts I’ve been kicking around for a while. The down time got me to thinking about my cost saving & budgeting crusade and some help I got from an unexpected source.

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Are Internet Forums Obsolete?

Backpacking, Camping, Hiking, The Digital Life

The Digital Life

dinosaur

In the last half of 2015 I didn’t post much here on PopUpBackpacker.com. Life was getting in the way of living – meaning work was interfering with my leisure time and backpacking and camping trips declined. However, I have corrected this deficiency in life. Let’s move on to the subject at hand.

Since you are reading this, you probably know what an Internet forum is, and I would venture to guess you have participated or presently participate on one. Forums or their ancient electronic relatives from the 1980’s and early 1990’s: bulletin boards, CompuServe, Delphi, or AOL were all precursors to what we now categorize as social media. All of this is leading to the question: Are Internet forums obsolete?
Continue reading Are Internet Forums Obsolete? →

Sony RX100 M1 Compact Camera

Backpacking Gear, Camping, General Talk, Hiking, The Digital Life, ,

Taking a camera on a backpacking trip can be a heavy burden, as I discussed in Backpacking with a Camera. But nowadays I take a camera on some of my trips so I can share them with my family, since I usually hike alone.

Sony RX100 M1
Sony RX100 M1

In June of 2012 Sony released a compact camera named the RX100. In December of the same year, Joyce bought me one for Christmas.

Continue reading Sony RX100 M1 Compact Camera →

The Digital Life: David vs. Goliath

The Digital Life,

Pebble vs. Apple

Tiny start up manufacturer Pebble entered the “smart watch” arena before Apple, although they knew Apple was going to become a player. What were they thinking?

My Pebble Watch
My Pebble Watch

For many years Apple was a computer company. Today Apple is a consumer products company, and to reflect this change, a while back they changed their name from “Apple Computer” to “Apple.” During this metamorphosis Apple became the most valuable company on the planet.

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The Digital Life: Gear Ambassadors

Backpacking Gear, The Digital Life, ,

Gear AmbassadorLet’s face it, the Internet, blogs, and social media are changing the world we live in. For the most part, I think it is bad – people hiding behind little itty bitty hand held screens, large mega-pixel screens, all potential barriers to real interpersonal relationships. As the digital world moves ahead at the speed of light, there is nothing I can do to stop it, nor should I try. I shall be mostly left behind. People have the right to do as they please, as long as they don’t infringe or obstruct another individual’s personal rights.

One of the effects of our digital world is the ability of small companies to reach thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions of potential customers for little cost at all. It is a marketing executive’s dream come true.

Continue reading The Digital Life: Gear Ambassadors →