So for those that would know, is there anything special that I would need to do to use Skype from my laptop at the Tamarijn in Aruba?


Also, my daughter Taylor wants to use wifi so she can upload pix to instagram, do I just rent the wifi cards at the Tam?

Thanks for any responses.

donnie... obviously, you need to be online to use Skype. You can buy a wifi card at the airport at the Setar kiosk for $35 a week. You rub off the number, and each time you go online, enter the number, and you're good to go. I'm not sure if the Tam sells the card.. ABC does.

This past February I used MIO, and it was wonderful.. no problems like I've had with Setar.

__________________

Thanks Elaine, I knew I could count on you for an answer! I heard that the Tam sells the card, but that it is inconsistent, at best, lousy at the worst. if I buy the MIO, can it be used anywhere on the island?

Mio can be used anywhere on the island and five devices within a 30 foot range can be hooked up, and used at the same times. The devise is free... it's the size of a half deck of cards that plugs into be wall, and can be battery used for about 4 hours. In fact we used ours as a GPS in conjuction with a smart phone. They pro rate your use, and will activate it every year for less than it costs for a wifi card.

When I bought mine, I also got a couple for friends, and when I return will have it activated for less than a Setar card.

I loved it.... turned on my computer,and it was just like I was using my PC frome home where I was right on my home page.

__________________

Thanks Elaine, I appreciate the help.

You're quite welcome, donnie. I should have said that you have to go to the MIO store to get the device, and if you're only there for a week, I don't think it pays.

__________________

Elaine, how much is it and where is a MIO store?

__________________
Aruba, no other place like it!

Suzie... it's pro-rated for the amount of time you use it. It cost me $66.00 for a month which included activation. When I go next February, there is no re-activation fee, and it should be somewhere around $40+ for the month.... a lot cheaper than the WiFi card.

It's really not far from the airport, and actually pretty much on the back road to the low/high rise areas.

I'll try and get you the exact directions which are somewhere on the ABC FB page or maybe Liz of NJ will see this post, and post them.

The MIO store moved, but only up the block from where they were. I went on a Saturday... the day I arrived, somewhere around 2, and waited in line for almost 2 hours, and it was mostly locals in there. Supposedly, in the new store, they have a more efficient way of servicing..

The good thing is that I won't have to go again... lol I also picked up devices for Mary and another friend whose husband had no problems hooking up both their service.

__________________

Well that beats $70.00 for two weeks of wi-fi. I might give it a try this year.

__________________
Aruba, no other place like it!

Elaine, I'm confused that you said that the MIO device was free. I purchased mine last year. I was charged for the device 49AFL ($28 US) and 69AFL ($39.42 US) for the monthly plan (they do not sell a weekly plan). Total $68.44 including tax. Since I have the device from last year, this year I only paid a re-activation fee of $36.81 tax included. As Elaine stated if you are only staying 1 week it's not worth buying MIO.

They did say they were planning to have an office in the new Super Foods behind La Cabana.


DIRECTIONS: At the roundabout before the airport – Go around the roundabout to the 3rd turnoff (1st is to the airport). Then you would make the 2nd right. If you miss the right you would be going back towards downtown. Up the road through a roundabout. A little further up look to the right for a Xerox store. MIO is directly across the street on the left corner.

HOURS:
Monday-Friday - 8:00 am-6:00 pm
Saturday - 10:00 am-6:00 pm
Sunday - Closed

Liz... the device is free..... there's a one time activation fee which must be the $28 you're talking about.

In fact, one of the timeshare owners at CDM who stays 4 months started using it in 2012, and couldn't stop raving about it since he has several devices, and was able to connect with all of them. He was the one who introduced lots of people from ABC and CDM to MIO, and everyone's loving it.

I just went back and reread his posts on the ABC FB page from 2012 and 2013, and he, too, said the device is free.

I think what you paid this year was a pro-rated fee for the time you used it because they told me there is no re-activation fee...

__________________

Liz.... is that where the new store is??? I know when I was there, they were getting ready to move a little further up the road.

Suzie would probably be better off going right from the airport so she'd leave the airport, and would almost be going right across the round about... kinda like 12 o'clock... right??

__________________

Coming from the airport: Not 12 o'clock - that would be going to downtown (Talk of the Town on corner). It's the 2nd right in the roundabout.

Liz.... these are the directions we followed out of the airport. The store, I believe, has moved up the street so I'm not exactly sure where it is now, but close to where it was before.

Easy directions from airport.

After exiting airport you will see a new roundabout. go around to 12o'clock (3 o'clock would take you to Sa Nicolas.9 o'clock would take you to town

... follow the back road to the next roundabout (about 1/4 mile) and again go 12 o'clock

Continue until you get to a dead end (about a 1/2 mile)and make a left.

follow to next roundabout about 1/4 mile and
again go 12 o;'clock. You will see a small strip center on the left in about another 1/4 mile

Mio is in the center of that strip.

__________________

We loved the MIO and were very thankful to Elaine for going to the MIO store and getting ours also. As Elaine said, our friend Bob hooked up his and mine. I am technologically limited. We all loved it. My family came to ABC while I was there and stayed in the apartment next door. They were able to use their devices from my device---through the wall. They were excited about that and didn't have to come to my apartment to access the MIO. As Elaine said, Bob used his MIO as a GPS when we were going to Gostosos.

__________________

So if I buy a wifi card then both Taylor and I can use it or do we each need a card?

As I said, I am technologically impaired!

donnie... yes, you can both use it, but not at the same time since you can only use one device at a time.

That's the beauty of MIO, if you're there long enough where it pays... you can have 5 different computers or devices all being used at the same time.

Just remember that your week starts as soon as you begin using it... For example... if you arrive on a Saturday, and go online at 7 PM, the following Saturday night at 7 PM your card expires. Other than that.. for the week, you can use it 24/7

__________________

A couple of questions.
After looking at the MIO site, the spec's say windows, Mac and Lynx, does anyone know if it works on a IPAD? The IPAD does not have a USB port.
Can you buy the mifi2200 here in the states to use in Aruba?
I heard that where I am staying, Paradise Beach Villas, that they no longer offer WIFI.
Thanks

Yes, MIO works on the IPad. I brought my I-Pad and laptop with me to the MIO store and they set-up both for me.
From what I read, it would be cheaper to use MIO than a personal hotspot that you brought in the U.S.

Well I will be there for two weeks, so I think it would be worth it to purchase the MIO. Especially as the wifi at the ABC is $35.00 per week. I would save some and be able to bring it back and only pay a reactivation fee. I do have a friend at the ABC who stays the following week, she may be interested in using it once I leave. She can just send it back to me.

I also have my cell phone I need to get reactivated, since it has been two years, I will have to get a new number which is probably still $75.00 if it hasn't gone up? and then pay for minutes. I was seriously thinking about using magic jack? I know there was a post about someone using it. Has anyone tried it? Or have any other suggestions?

__________________
Aruba, no other place like it!

Suzie... when you return to Aruba with your MIO, there is no reactivation fee. You'll only pay the pro rated amount for as long as you're using it. I'm not sure what plans they have, and if they have one for less than 30 days.

As to your cell, you just pay for a new Sim card with a new number, and pick whatever amount of minutes you want. It's no where near $75.

I bought an Aruban cell this past year since my old one died, and bought it from Setar. I was very surprised to read that the minutes were only good for 45 days... I had a lot of minutes left over since I topped off twice.

__________________

I might be mistaken, I think with the reactivation and the minutes I purchased it came to $70.00 for the cell phone. I might not get the MIO this year, as only my husband and I are going. But in years past I've had friends who have been with me and brought their latops. So it will be something to look into for future trips. Thanks so much Elaine, your alwasy a wealth of information.

__________________
Aruba, no other place like it!

Regarding MIO Aruba's office location.

As they grow other offices may be open or there may be a move away from the Cayena Mall.

With that said MIO Aruba was located in the Cayena Mall during our Aruba stay this past February.

The "Contact" page at thier website (//www.mioaruba.com or //mioaruba.com) still locates the business in the Cayena Mall.
.
Use the Wikimapia link below for a zoomed in view of the Mall's location on Aruba. Zoom out, pan about to get a good sense of where it is.
.

Wikimapia - Let's describe the whole world!

MIO closed the Cayena Mall location on Feb. 19th and opened the next day at their new location.