What are my options for using my laptop in areas like Brazil or Canada (two spots I often travel). Tell me about wireless cards--and give me baby steps, because I am new to this! I read some information on Sprint web page, and also looked at T-mobile, but I don't have a basic understanding of this at all. Any help is appreciated.

Wireless cards? They have the same standards all over the world.
If you need info about wireless access points the only company I know of that works with that in Brasil is asas http://asas.brturbo.com/img_wifi/br/home/index.htm

There is usually free open wifi in the better hotels in Brasil - just hang out at the bar.

Edit: Are you talking about wireless as in access the net over the cell phone system?

I know that you can use a lap top wherever you can get a signal, like at a library, coffee shop, hotel etc. But there is something new (at least I think it is new) that allows you to use this card thing, In think the acronym is PCMCA and I think it is also referred to as Personal Direct Internet Access. There is the card that you hook into the slot on your lap to, and that allows you to get a signal so you can use the internet virtually anywhere---but there has to be a cell phone tower--that's how you get the signal..from the tower, through the card gadget, and then to your lap top. What I am finding is that you can't do this in places like Brazil because there technology is not up to speed with ours. -And I think that if your cell phone doesn't work there (or work reliably there), the "card" wouldn't allow you access to the internet either, and even if it does, you are paying roaming charges.

Ok - got you now.

First to clear some stuff PCMCIA is just the standard for cards that plug in the laptop - there are different types of gadgets that use it among those cards that allow you to use the cell network to connect to the internet.
In Brasil they use GPRS and EDGE in major cities for data and GSM (mostly) for voice calls - there is one carrier that has still a CDMA network.

There are also usb modems for connecting to the internet via GPRS or EDGE but one of those thing runs about 300 US in Brasil - dunno about abroad.

The data rates are next to ridiculous anyway.With my (brasilian) contract they screw me out of around 70 US for a 1 gig `promotional package` if I would buy it.
Roaming isn`t going to improve things on the cashfront I`d figure.

In short - if you are paying (as in not your employer) forget about it.

Anyway - I use a Nokia E61 right now that works worldwide and can also be used as a usb modem for internet access (of course only with MS me thinks - didn`t get bored enough yet to try with Linux but there seems to be a way) plus it works also with wifi.If you travel a lot you can`t beat a cell like that for connectivity.

Just check the specs of your cell - it might also work as modem.