Have Tools, Will Travel

Geek Factor: When you need to grab some data off the Web, just fire up Pocket Internet Explorer. No other PDA gives you that kind of reach.

Weak Factor: With very few exceptions, these devices limit you to one email option: Microsoft Outlook.

Coordinates: Hewlett-Packard Co., www.hp.com; LG Electronics Inc., www.lgphenom.com; NEC Computer Systems Division, www.nec-computers.com; Vadem Inc., www.vadem.com

You Need: The ultimate in portability -- with no loss in computing power

Check Out: A mininotebook ($1,599 to $2,299)

Mininotebooks (also known as "subnotebooks") are about the same size as Windows H/PC Pro machines -- that is, small enough to fit easily on an airplane's flip-down tray -- but they offer full computing power, and they can run standard Windows 98 programs. A typical model in this category is the Fujitsu LifeBook B112 ($1,599). It weighs a paltry 2.5 pounds, it runs Windows 98, and it has a 233-MHz Pentium processor with MMX, 32 MB of RAM, and a 3.2-GB hard drive. It also features a built-in 56-Kbps V.90 modem and an 8.4-inch active-matrix screen that's much crisper than anything on a Windows H/PC Pro machine. Because of the machine's small size, its floppy drive is an external model, and so is the optional CD-ROM drive.

One top-of-the-line machine in this class is the Sony VAIO C1 PictureBook PCG-C1X ($2,299). This 2.5-pound, 266-MHz Pentium computer has a razor-sharp display and a 4.3-GB hard drive.

Geek Factor: Mininotebooks sport features that allow for easy expansion, such as USB ports (for scanners and other peripherals) and PC Card slots (for network-adapter cards and other add-ons).

Weak Factor: The screen on a mininotebook is exceedingly small. If you need to do lots of detail work, this machine may not be right for you.

Coordinates: Fujitsu PC Corp., www.fujitsupc.com; Sony Electronics Inc., www.sony.com/pc

You Need: A lightweight computer that's built to handle a full day of work

Check Out: An ultrathin laptop ($1,800 to $3,500)

Thin is in, and there's a new generation of Windows ultraportables that are downright anemic. Measuring less than one inch thick and offering bright, full-size screens -- as well as most of the standard computing amenities -- these ultrathin notebooks weigh less than three pounds (the same weight as mininotebooks and Windows H/PC Pro models). Plus, they come with a nearly full-size keyboard, so you can work all afternoon without giving yourself a repetitive-strain injury.

Models from Sony, Mitsubishi, and Toshiba offer crystal-clear displays that measure more than 10 inches diagonally. These machines have sturdy magnesium-alloy cases, and most of them feature internal 56-Kbps modems, as well as enough processing power to handle standard business software. Sony's VAIO 505 SuperSlim Notebook PCG-505TX ($2,499) includes a powerful 300-MHz Pentium processor with MMX, 64 MB of RAM, and an ample, 6.4-GB hard drive. Toshiba's Portégé 3025CT ($1,999), which also has a 300-MHz Pentium MMX processor, is thinner than Sony's model but offers just 32 MB of RAM.

Geek Factor: Room for expansion: USB ports and PC Card slots allow for easy use of digital cameras, scanners, and other peripherals.

Weak Factor: Touch typists will find the keyboards on these machines to be less than user-friendly.

Coordinates: Sony Electronics Inc., www.sony.com/pc; Toshiba America Inc., www.toshiba.com

You Need: An economy-class machine that includes all the necessities

Check Out: A budget-priced notebook computer ($1,500 to $2,000)

Most lower-priced notebook computers use less powerful processors, such as Intel's 266-MHz Celeron chip or AMD's K6-2-333 CPU. Even so, the system performance of some budget models is just 20% slower than the performance of 366-MHz Pentium II notebooks that cost twice as much.

Most models last about five hours on a single battery charge, and most feature a 12-inch screen, along with built-in floppy and CD-ROM drives. There are a lot of choices in this price range, including various configurations of memory and processor speed. IBM's ThinkPad "i Series" portables start at $1,500, but you can spend up to $1,999 on a system like Toshiba's Satellite 4030CDT, which uses a faster (300-MHz) Celeron processor. Direct marketer Gateway offers a Solo 2500SE model ($1,599), which has a 333-MHz Celeron chip, a 4-GB hard drive, 32 MB of RAM, and a 12.1-inch screen.

Geek Factor: Budget-priced models exemplify both foresight and thrift: Any notebook that you buy today will be obsolete next month, so why pay more?