Have Tools, Will Travel

Not too long ago, on a trip to Chicago, I found myself lugging around no less than five computing devices: a nine-pound laptop, a three-pound handheld computer, an old PalmPilot, a palm-size PC, and a tiny electronic organizer. Clearly, I didn't need all of that stuff. What wasn't so clear was the one go-to gadget that I do need.

Ranging from $200 personal digital assistants to $4,500 full-blown laptops, mobile computing devices are almost too numerous to keep track of. But, despite the many options available, road warriors will find that every machine involves trade-offs: A mininotebook, for example, is sleek and eminently portable, but its midget screen and its diminutive keyboard can make for a less-than-ideal work environment.

If you're a buyer-to-be, the challenge is to know what you gain -- and what you give up -- with each device. So, just for you, the demanding Fast Company reader, I have evaluated dozens of options that fit various work styles. Whether you're a day-tripper who hates hauling a laptop or a marketing rep who's always on the road, we'll help you figure out which mobile computer is right for you.

You Need: An address book for day-tripping

Check Out: The Rex Pro ($199)

The tiniest electronic organizer on the market, the Rex Pro is no bigger than a business card. It holds up to 6,000 entries, and it offers four basic programs: an address book, a To Do list, a note taker, and a clock. If you hate having to worry about charging batteries and carrying cables, then the Rex Pro is for you. It will run for months on a single battery charge, and it weighs a mere 1.4 ounces.

Geek Factor: Unlike a little black book, the Rex Pro can incorporate updates from the contact-management software on your desktop computer. Just set the Rex in its cradle, connect it via cable to your PC, and use the software that's bundled with it to transfer appointments and contact information from popular PC-based contact managers like Microsoft Outlook, Lotus Organizer, and Symantec Act!

Weak Factor: Entering names and contact info into the Rex while you're on the road is a huge time sink: You have to click on the Rex's minuscule arrow buttons to select each letter of each name.

Coordinates: Franklin Electronic Publishers, www.franklin.com

You Need: A contact manager and calendar Check Out A palm-size computer ($299 to $519)

This category of mobile computers was popularized by the best-selling PalmPilot. Now there are several versions of the Palm machine, as well as imitators that use Microsoft software. The main advantage of palm-size computers is that they synchronize easily with leading desktop-computer programs.

Palm Computing (a division of 3Com) offers an array of models -- including the company's most recent release, the Palm V ($449). Targeted to fashion-conscious buyers, the Palm V has all the functions of the Palm IIIx, but half the memory and twice the sex appeal.

The main competition to Palm's little organizers are similar-looking devices that use Microsoft's Windows CE operating system. Made by companies such as Casio and Everex Systems, these digital divas feature screens that are generally a little sharper than the Palm models, and they typically carry more memory than their Palm counterparts.

Geek Factor: The Windows CE computers can record voice memos; the Palm models cannot. On the other hand, there are thousands of applications available for Palm computers, including travel software and games.

Weak Factor: You can't get email on any of the palm-size computers without adding a modem -- which makes the devices too big to fit in your pocket.

Coordinates: Palm Computing, www.palm.com; Casio Inc., www.casio.com; Everex Systems Inc., www.everex.com; Hewlett-Packard Co., www.hp.com; Compaq Computer Corp., www.compaq.com

You Need: A device with a keyboard and email capability (for overnight stays)

Check Out: A Handheld Windows CE Computer ($699 to $999)

If your on-the-road computer needs are limited to exchanging email and filing a few notes in your hotel room, then a handheld computer with a built-in keyboard and a modem should fit the bill. The main options in this category run on the Windows CE Handheld PC (H/PC) Professional Edition operating system.

Among the top models in the Windows H/PC Pro category are the HP Jornada 820, the LG Phenom Express, the NEC MobilePro 800, and the Vadem Clio. Although they look like laptops, the H/PC units are really oversize PDAs. They lack a hard drive, a CD-ROM drive, and a floppy-disk drive. And even though they look like Windows machines, they aren't Windows machines. The CE Pocket versions of Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, and Internet Explorer that come with each system let you download files from their desktop namesakes, but you'll lose some formatting, and your work options will be limited. If you need to create a slide show while you're traveling, Pocket PowerPoint won't come through for you.