Flipping Out in Italy

August 11, 2008 6:08 PM

Internet Access & Video Upload Abroad (Rome, Capri, Taormina, Palermo)

I'm going on vacation (YAY!). And I want to bring my Flip video camera and upload stuff to YouTube etc. as I go.

How difficult will it be for me to find internet cafes in Rome, Capri, Taormina, and Palermo?

Also, will my USB connectors be compatible with Italian USB ports?

Are there any other potential barriers to my upload plans?

Thanks!

posted by GIRLesq to technology (5 comments total)

There's no such thing as an Italian USB port. All USB ports are the same all over the world.
posted by damn dirty ape at 6:58 PM on August 11, 2008

Most Italian cities have numerous internet cafes. Rome even has (or at least had) its own city-wide free wi-fi. Surprisingly, Italy is sometimes ahead of Europe and North America in some respect: it had excellent ADSL over fiber seven or more years ago (Fastweb up to 10Mbps) and video cell phones took off (and then died away as the fad waned) 4 or 5 years ago.

Depending where you stay hotels may offer connections also. I've never been to Palermo but I would imagine it is much the same there as Rome and Florence.

As an alternative you may be able to set up a reasonable data connection plan with your wireless provider. (I find t-mobile's international plan to be very competitive.)

And what damn dirty ape said re. USB.
posted by NailsTheCat at 7:56 PM on August 11, 2008

Avoid ridiculous hotel rates and 1999 computers most small hotels keep in the lobby, and you'll have internet access pretty much anywhere (which means, everywhere you're going) in internet cafes and similar places.
posted by _dario at 7:44 AM on August 12, 2008

Rome even has (or at least had) its own city-wide free wi-fi.

Well, sort of. They started off with the parks in 2005 & then came the infamous anti-terrorism law which put the breaks on free (city sponsored) WiFi for a bit. Looks like they've started back up, but you only get one hour per day per user.

As noted in my previous response (first link), you'll probably be asked for your passport in Internet cafes, whether it's a cafe in the hotel or one off the street.
posted by romakimmy at 8:09 AM on August 12, 2008

Internet cafes are plentiful in Sicilian cities, and I have never been asked for my passport. Pretty much all camera and computer stores will also burn the contents of your camera's memory to CD or DVD for five Euros or so.
posted by gum at 2:18 PM on August 13, 2008