Mobile Computing: Tips for Frequent Flyers

Notebook users who spend a lot of time flying should read this.

James A. Martin

The Best Airplanes for Notebook Users

In a recent newsletter, I bemoaned a recent cross-country trip with my notebook on a Delta Airlines flight. The coach seats on the Boeing 757 were terribly cramped, and I couldn't slide the seatback tray table toward me. So when the woman in front of me reclined, I had to sit the heavy (and increasingly hot) notebook on my lap, which forced me into an awkward typing position.

What's more, the Delta reservations agent had assured me on the phone that there would be power outlets in coach. There weren't; when my batteries expired, all hopes of productivity vanished.

For this week's issue I spoke with Aram Gesar, editor and publisher of Airguide for the Frequent Flyer. This magazine compiles all sorts of useful information for frequent flyers, such as which planes offer the most leg room, power outlets, individual video screens, seatback telephones, and more. Gesar offers guidance on finding the domestic U.S. coach seats most likely to be comfortable for notebook users. After all, in this economy a lot more of us are riding in coach than in business or first class.

I've also included some readers' notebook travel experiences.

Seeking Comfort

Some airline Web sites do a fairly good job of detailing onboard amenities for each aircraft. American Airlines' online aircraft maps show the location of individual power ports, for instance. But frequently, airline Web sites (as well as travel sites such as Expedia.com) don't provide a clear, concise, at-a-glance picture of what to expect regarding leg room, power ports, and so on. You often have to gather the information from several different places.

Also, the amenities available on one aircraft type (such as a Boeing 767) can differ by carrier or between planes destined for international flights or those that travel only domestically, says Gesar.

The solution: Pick out the best flights that match your scheduling needs. Then check the airline's Web site for power port availability on your flights. Exactly where are they located on the plane? Business and first class only? Throughout coach class, or only in certain aisles?

Another important consideration is seat pitch--particularly if you're flying coach. Pitch is the distance from the back of your seat (in blunt terms, where your posterior rests) to the back of the seat before you.

Usually, seat pitch in coach is about 32 inches, Gesar says, though some airlines (such as American Airlines) have stretched that to 35 inches on selected aircraft. By comparison, first-class seat pitch is sometimes as much as 60 inches, Gesar adds.

Seat width--the measurement from side to side--can also make a difference in comfort. A typical coach seat is 17 to 18 inches wide, compared to 19 to 21 in business class.

Rules of Thumb

Here are some of Gesar's suggestions for finding the best domestic coach seats for notebook use.

Power Outlets. Often, your best bets for power plugs are Boeing 777, Boeing 747 400, Boeing 767 300, and Airbus A 330 and Airbus A 340 aircrafts. Again, availability varies by carrier and aircraft type. For instance, American Airlines is among the few domestic carriers offering data ports (via Verizon Airfones), power plugs, and individual video screens on Boeing 777 aircraft in all three passenger cabins.

Not surprisingly, your worst bets for both comfortable seats and power plugs are bargain carriers such as JetBlue and Southwest Airlines.

Leg Room. Delta is among the industry leaders for leg room in domestic-bound coach cabins. Delta's Boeing 767 200, 767 300, and 777 aircraft offer at least 33 inches or more.

American Airlines has made much ado about extra leg room on its aircraft. The extra space on American's Boeing 777 aircraft "makes all the difference," writes newsletter reader Nancy Ferrell of Seattle. "Even when traveling without a notebook, the extra space lets you stretch your legs, cross your legs, and get past your fellow passengers on the way to the aisle with much greater ease. I always look for these jets when booking a flight and am willing to pay more to fly them."

Among smaller regional carriers, Midwest Express gets kudos from Gesar for offering a standard 36 inches of leg room.

Don't Forget the Train

Of course, airplanes aren't the only mode of transportation in which you can use your notebook. For those who are fortunate enough to live or work near an Amtrak station, the train can be a much more pleasant alternative to flying, writes Michael Chaggaris of New Hampshire.

Last fall, Chaggaris booked a business-class seat on Amtrak train no. 166 from the Route 128 station south of Boston to Baltimore. The seat was wide and comfortable, and a power outlet enabled him to run his notebook. "It was an enjoyable and relaxing ride," he writes, and looks forward to riding the rails again.

Resources

Airguide for the Frequent Flyer contains detailed flight information regarding seat pitch, power plugs, meals, entertainment, and more. Subscriptions cost $25 a year for four issues.

Platypus Computing Rental Service provides a list of airlines that offer power plugs and data ports. The list is fairly complete in that it features most airlines, though the info it provides may be somewhat outdated.

NOTEBOOKS & ACCESSORIES

News: E-Mail Access on United

United Airlines recently announced plans to begin offering in-flight e-mail access on all U.S. domestic flights by year end--a first for a U.S. airline. The e-mail service is part of JetConnect, the in-flight telephone service already provided on United flights by Verizon Communication's Airfone subsidiary. JetConnect e-mail will cost $15.98 per flight, plus 10 cents per kilobyte of data over 2 kilobytes, according to United.

Reviews: Desktop Replacement Roundup

Can a notebook truly replace a desktop computer? To find out, PCWorld.com notebook diva Carla Thornton compared six heavyweight portables. Her conclusions:

• The Dell Inspiron 8500's wide-aspect screen is best for viewing spreadsheets and DVD movies.
• The 6.6-pound Acer TravelMate was the lightest competitor.
• The Gateway 600X's dual internal bays made it the most expandable of the group.
• Carla loved the big, beautiful, 17-inch wide-screen version of Apple's PowerBook G4.

While no one portable was the best desktop replacement for all users, Toshiba's Satellite 2455-S305 came closest. It was the lowest priced notebook reviewed ($1899), received a very good PC WorldBench 4 score, was comfortable for typing, and looked pretty stylish, too.

News: Sharp's First Tablet PC

Sharp recently introduced its first Tablet PC, the PC-TN1-H1W. It's based on Intel's Centrino package of Pentium M processor, Intel chip set, and Intel wireless networking adapter; and it has 256MB of memory, a 30GB hard drive, and a 12.1-inch display. The Tablet PC weighs 4.2 pounds and promises up to 5 hours of battery power. Sharp will sell the device in Japan, followed later by overseas markets.

News: Intel's Mobile Pentium 4

Intel has added a third mobile processor line, the Mobile Intel Pentium 4. According to Intel, the chip is designed to deliver desktop-caliber performance to a mobile computer. Initial clock speeds are 3.06 GHz, 2.8 GHz, 2.66 GHz, and 2.4 GHz. The chip can switch to a 1.6-GHz mode that draws less power from the notebook battery. Among the first desktop-replacement notebooks using the chip is Dell's Inspiron 5150, with a 3.06-GHz Mobile Intel Pentium 4 processor. The Inspiron 5150 is designed to be a home multimedia machine that is also portable.

HANDHELDS

Reviews: Power PDAs From Palm, Toshiba

Palm's new Tungsten C and Zire 71 went head-to-head against the Toshiba PC E755 in a review by PCWorld.com Yardena Arar.

The Tungsten C ($499) and the Pocket PC E755 ($599) both feature built-in Wi-Fi (802.11b) networking. But Arar sometimes had trouble getting either device to detect and/or establish Wi-Fi connections. Ultimately, Arar favored the Tungsten C "for just about any well-heeled traveler wanting to take advantage of Wi-Fi's increasing ubiquity in hotels, airports, and coffee bars."

Palm's multimedia-oriented Zire 71 ($299) has a built-in camera that captures images worth e-mailing but not printing. Music played over a headset sounded good. And the Zire 71 is a decent pocket-size video game player, complete with a tiny joystick. Bottom line, says Arar: If you want a midrange PDA that also serves as a leisure-time toy, the Zire 71 is tops.

Go to the PCWorld.com Product Finder for the latest prices on the Tungsten C, the Toshiba Pocket PC E755, and the Zire 71.

News: Sony Handhelds on Sale in the U.S.

Sony's newest Clie handhelds are scheduled to go on sale in the U.S. in July. The Clie NX80V will cost $599, while the NX73V will go for $499. Both are Palm OS 5-based multimedia devices, with built-in cameras and screen resolutions of 320 by 480 pixels--among the highest-quality PDA screens yet available, Sony says.

WIRELESS

World Class Winner: Sidekick Wins Product of the Year

PCWorld.com's favorite portable wireless Internet device is T-Mobile's color Sidekick. With its small but useful QWERTY keyboard, sharp color screen, and useful browser and other software, the Sidekick is the first wireless gadget that feels truly capable of putting the Web in your pocket. The $300 price is reasonable, too.

Suggestion Box

Is there a particularly cool mobile computing product or service I've missed? Got a spare story idea in your back pocket? Tell me about it.

Sign up to have the Mobile Computing Newsletter e-mailed to you each week.