Notebook Alternatives

My "Computing in Coach Class" articles generated several reader responses about the virtues of flying with a wireless PDA or smart phone instead of a notebook: "Computing in Coach Class, Part 1" and "Computing in Coach Class, Part 2." And with Palm's new LifeDrive ($499)--a PDA with an internal hard drive--you've got another option for leaving the notebook at home.

But is a well-equipped handheld really better than a notebook? Here's an update on the pros, cons, and bottom line.

Pro: Lose Weight, Gain Time

On most flights, you get only two carry-on bags. Unless you've got a teensy notebook, or you've packed your laptop in your checked baggage (bad move), your notebook bag is one of those carry-ons.

By comparison, a PDA and its accessories can easily slip into a backpack or other bag. So without a notebook, you can carry more on board, which means you may be able to avoid checking a bag. And avoiding baggage claim saves time when you land.

Pro: Fly Through Airport Security

All airplane travelers must remove notebooks from their bags and route them separately through airport security--a hassle that slows you down. No such requirement exists for PDAs. So your passage through security will be faster--unless Courtney Love sets off the metal detector in front of you, of course.

Pro: Keep the Juice Flowing

A typical PDA's battery will outlast a typical notebook's, so you can keep working longer. For example, one reader, a journalist in Australia, told me that his AlphaSmart Dana allows him to work nonstop during his frequent Australia-to-California trips.

With their full-sized, built-in keyboards, the Dana ($379) and Dana Wireless ($429, with 802.11b networking) are compelling notebook alternatives. I've reviewed them in years past and found both to be excellent notebook stand-ins. But both models use the long-in-the-tooth Palm 4.1 operating system and haven't been updated in quite a while. For more info, go to the AlphaSmart site.

Pro: Start Working Right Away

PDAs turn on instantly; notebooks start up at their own pace. When you need to check e-mail in a hurry, booting up a notebook just doesn't cut it. Of course, you can put your notebook in standby mode for fast access--but that consumes battery power.

Pro: Check E-Mail on the Go

RIM BlackBerrys, Palm Treos, and many smart phones let you easily grab e-mail and surf the Web anywhere you can connect to a cellular network. By comparison, the vast majority of notebooks provide built-in Internet access via Wi-Fi, which works only when you're near a hot spot, or Bluetooth, which requires a Bluetooth-enabled cell phone to act as the modem.

Con: Typing Is Tiresome

Except for the aforementioned Dana models, PDAs and smart phones lack a notebook's full-sized keyboard. That makes it painful to work on documents for any length of time, unless the device is connected to an external keyboard. But even that option can be limited (see the next "con").

Con: Typing Is Tiresome--Even With a Keyboard

Full-sized, external keyboards for PDAs and smart phones make it feasible to use a handheld as a notebook alternative for document editing. But as has been the case since I last looked at notebook alternatives, external PDA keyboards have some notable limitations.

External keyboards for handhelds come in two variations: models that attach directly via the cradle connector and models that communicate wirelessly with the device via infrared or Bluetooth connections. (For example, Palm has a $70 Universal Wireless Keyboard that uses IR, while Think Outside sells a $150 Stowaway keyboard that connects via Bluetooth.) Wireless models can work with a variety of PDAs, while wired devices are designed to be attached to the cradle connector for a particular PDA or line of PDAs. Both styles of keyboard fold up for easy travel.

Unfortunately, many of the latest keyboards are wireless and require their own AA or AAA batteries to run. The wireless connection drains your handheld's battery, too. And because you're not supposed to use wireless devices during most flights, you shouldn't use the external keyboard when traveling by air.

Bluetooth keyboards must be manually paired with Bluetooth devices, which is an extra step. And PDAs don't fit snugly onto a wireless keyboard's stand, though that's not the case with keyboards that attach directly to the PDA's connector. The result: The PDA can wobble or even fall off its stand when you type on a wireless keyboard.

Con: The Screen Is Too Small

A PDA screen--usually no more than 3.5 inches, diagonally--is far smaller than a notebook display. Could you stand looking at a spreadsheet on a 3.5-inch screen for an entire cross-country flight? I didn't think so.

Con: You May Not Be Able to Open a File

Most PDAs include applications that allow you to create, edit, and view Microsoft Word and Excel files (and in some cases, PowerPoint files). But what if someone e-mails you, say, a Microsoft Publisher file to view? What if you need to make some quick changes to your Web site on the go? With a PDA, you're probably out of luck.

The Bottom Line

My advice about using a handheld devices in place of a notebook hasn't changed much in the past few years.

If you're going on vacation or a short business trip, and you have limited needs for document viewing and editing, a PDA or smart phone (and possibly a keyboard) may be all you need.

If you'll be gone for two or more business days and/or expect to work for several hours on documents, however, take your notebook. The limitations of a handheld alternative can be just too, well, limiting.

One other option to consider is leaving the laptop at home in favor of carrying along a USB drive, such as PowerHouse Technologies' Migo or Lexar's JumpDrive Traveler. Both devices include synchronization software that lets you easily use your Microsoft Outlook e-mail, Web browser bookmarks, and other files on another computer--such as a PC in an Internet cafe, for instance. For more about notebook alternatives, read "The Problem With PDAs."