Mobile Computing Tips: Take a PDA Instead of a Notebook
Tips and tools that make a handheld device as useful as a notebook.James A. Martin
Feature: Traveling With a PDA Instead of a Notebook
Business travel shouldn't automatically result in a side trip to the chiropractor. Instead of dragging along a clavicle-crunching, spine-misaligning, 5-to-10-pound notebook computer with all its bulky accoutrements, consider this: With a PDA, you can travel light and still be productive.
You can't do everything on a PDA that you can on a notebook, of course--forget about opening multiple Excel or Word files at once, for instance. And a handheld screen is nowhere near as big as a notebook display, making PDAs impractical for long work sessions. Nonetheless, a properly equipped Palm device or Pocket PC can handle many of the same jobs as a notebook, from checking e-mail to editing Word files to crunching Excel spreadsheets--at a fraction of the bulk and weight.
The following is a guide to PDA tools that can set you free from the Herculean task of traveling with a notebook. In next week's newsletter, I'll provide tips and resources for taking a business trip without packing--gasp--any gadgets whatsoever.
Productivity Applications
Pocket PCs and most Palm PDAs ship with applications that handle common word processing, spreadsheet, and other tasks but aren't as full-featured as their Windows OS counterparts. With either platform, you can download important files to the handheld, edit files on the road, and upload them to your Windows machine upon return.
Pocket PCs have an edge here over Palm OS devices by including pocket editions of Microsoft Word and Excel that look and feel like the Windows versions. Using those programs on a Pocket PC seems instantly familiar for Microsoft Office users (which means just about anyone with a computer and a job).
For Palm OS devices, DataViz's Documents To Go 4.0 Professional Edition is the best overall Office-style application suite I've used. Documents To Go lets you easily exchange Word and Excel files between Palm PDAs and Windows computers. You can view, but not edit, PowerPoint slide shows as well (more on that in a second). Documents To Go apps don't have as many tools as Microsoft's Pocket PC programs; you can do word counts and zoom into documents in Pocket Word, for instance, but not in Documents To Go. Still, it's an essential productivity tool for business users with Palms. Documents To Go 4.0 Professional Edition ships standard with all current Palm models except the M105 and is available online for a free trial or $69.95 purchase.
And now a heads-up for PowerPoint junkies: Neither Pocket PC nor Palm OS devices come with an application that lets you create, edit, and view PowerPoint files. As I just mentioned, Documents To Go Professional Edition for Palm OS devices includes a utility that lets you open and view PowerPoint files, but not edit them. Pocket PC 2002 devices lack pocket versions of PowerPoint entirely. But there is a third-party program that can help: Conduits' Pocket Slides lets you create, edit, and view PowerPoint files. It's available online for a free trial or as a $39.95 purchase.
Internet Access
Most likely you'll need to keep up with your messages while you're on the road, and the majority of PDAs now ship with e-mail utilities. Pocket PCs come with Inbox, for instance, a mini-me edition of Outlook e-mail, while most Palm devices include a version of MultiMail. (MultiMail was originally released by Actual Software, which Palm acquired in 2000.)
You've got several options for getting e-mail on a handheld: a PDA equipped with a wireless modem and wireless service; a PDA with built-in wireless connectivity, such as the Palm I705 or the BlackBerry two-way pager; a mobile phone connected via cable to your handheld; or a PDA equipped with a dial-up modem and a landline connection. This topic alone could fill an entire newsletter, and I'll be exploring these options in more detail in future issues.
For now, though, a couple of points are worth making. First, each of these options lets you surf the Internet as well as check e-mail, to varying degrees. But surfing the Web with a handheld can be like driving cross-country in a Pinto with a cracked windshield--painfully slow and monumentally irritating.
Second, keep in mind that wireless modems and PDAs, coupled with wireless network service, are the most convenient way to go online--as long as there's service in your area. Wireless access is also the most expensive option. For instance, the Novatel M500 wireless modem for Palm M500 devices lists for $369, and unlimited wireless Internet service plans typically cost $35 to $40 a month. Some wireless providers such as EarthLink offer discounts on wireless modems when you sign up for their service, however--the Novatel modem goes for $269 when you subscribe to EarthLink's wireless Internet service ($33 a month with an annual prepaid plan) for Palm M500 models.
External Keyboards
Tapping keys on an on-screen PDA keyboard or using the Palm's Graffiti handwriting recognition is okay for making quick notes, but truly abominable if you've trying to write a report or memo. I've tried a number of external PDA keyboards, and my favorites are the Targus Stowaway, a full-size, foldable keyboard that feels almost as comfortable as a desktop version, and the new Logitech KeyCase, the cooler-than-cool cloth keyboard that also serves as a protective Palm case. The Stowaway is available for select Compaq, Handspring, Hewlett-Packard, Palm, and Sony PDAs for less than $100; get the latest prices from PC World's Product Finder.
Look for a review of the $99.95 KeyCase in an upcoming newsletter. In the meantime, you can read more about it in "Logitech Shows Cloth Keyboard for PDAs," and check out current prices on PC World's Product Finder.
Acrobat Reader
Today many complex documents that contain graphics and charts are distributed as PDF files because this format compresses documents while retaining their formatting and fonts. Viewing PDF files requires the Acrobat Reader, and Adobe Systems (maker of Acrobat software) has developed Pocket PC and Palm OS versions of this program. But beware: Graphics-heavy PDF files are a challenge to read on tiny handheld screens. Free downloads are available from Adobe.
Backup Storage
You back up regularly at the office, don't you? So why not back up your important files on the road? You can accessorize most current Pocket PC and Palm OS devices with a storage card such as Compact Flash. The type of cards you can use depends on the PDA. An HP Jornada Pocket PC lets you store files on Compact Flash cards, for instance, while a Sony Clie Palm OS device uses Sony's proprietary Memory Stick. Keep in mind, however, that the use of storage cards sucks up battery power.
Notebooks
Tip: Faster Processors Aren't Necessarily Faster
In general, the performance you'll get from a notebook with a new Pentium 4-M mobile processor isn't worth the extra money, based on our test results. PC WorldBench 4 tests reveal that 1.7-GHz P4-M notebooks perform no faster than 1.2-GHz Pentium III-M equipped models, yet cost $200 or $300 more. So save your money and opt for a 900-MHz or 866-MHz Pentium III-M CPU instead. For more notebook buying tips, see "How to Buy the Best Stuff."
Review: Sony's Big-Screen Debut
With its 16.1-inch display, Sony's new VAIO PCG-GRX570 desktop replacement now has the biggest notebook screen. (That honor previously went to the Gateway Solo 9550xl, with its 15.7-inch display.) We evaluated a preproduction unit of this $2500 notebook and were impressed by the bright display's colors and text. With its native 1600 by 1200 resolution, however, desktop icons made us squint more than Clint Eastwood in a spaghetti Western. Also, larger screens tend to drink battery juice the way a long-distance runner sucks down sports drinks--and true to form, the VAIO's main battery succumbed after only 2 hours, 11 minutes.
For a review of the big-screen Gateway Solo, see "Top 15 Notebooks."
Review: Compaq's Wireless-Ready Evo
The new Compaq Evo N600c features Compaq's MultiPort bay in its lid, which in our review unit contained a sporty, silver 802.11b wireless module--pretty cool. The $2799 notebook is expensive by comparison to a similarly equipped Dell Inspiron 4100 ($2199) but it has some slick features, such as the ability to swap out an optical drive, a Zip 250 drive, an LS-120 SuperDisk drive, a second battery, or second hard drive in the MultiPort bay.
You can find the latest prices at PC World's Product Finder.
Handhelds
News: Restaurant Reviews on Your Palm
"Whoops" is one word that comes to mind when you take clients to what you think is an L.A. wine bar, and it turns out to be a biker hangout. Avoid such career-limiting faux pas in the future with the Zagat Survey 2002 card for Palm OS devices with the Palm Expansion Card slot. The card contains more than 18,000 Zagat restaurant reviews in 31 cities and 1000 bar and club reviews each for New York and Los Angeles. It's available for $34.95 from LandWare.
Review: New Cassiopeia Sports Good Looks, Battery Convenience
Casio's Cassiopeia E-200 Pocket PC features a striking tri-toned metallic case and the ability to swap out the rechargeable battery for a $45 spare. The handheld also features Compact Flash and Secure Digital slots, which can be locked to prevent cards from accidentally escaping. But at $545, this is a fairly pricey PDA. There's no voice recorder, and at nearly 0.75 inch thick, the E-200 is a bit bulky.
Review: Handspring's Visor Prism Is Bright, Priced Right
The Handspring Visor Prism Palm OS device debuted a year ago at $449 and now goes for about $260 or $300. The Prism features a bright color screen that displays 65,536 colors. It's easy to read in low light, but difficult to read in the sun. Like other Handsprings, the Visor Prism features a Springboard expansion slot for adding MP3 players and the like.
Get the latest prices from PC World's Product Finder.
Wireless
News: IM for Business Users
Sure, you've used your PC to trade instant messages with your 13-year-old nephew in Toledo. But if Sprint has its way, instant messages might be popping up on your handheld--and from your boss, no less.
Sprint's E/Solutions group recently unveiled Sprint Enterprise IM, an instant-messaging service for corporate customers. The service is network- and device-independent, able to run over any wireless or wired network, and accessible from a variety of gadgets, including Palm OS PDAs, BlackBerry devices, mobile phones, and notebooks. Enterprise IM is a hosted service delivered by one of Sprint's Internet data centers or housed in a corporate network. It's available now; the cost depends on an organization's size and other factors. Read all about it at Sprint Helps Business Get the (Instant) Message."
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