Mobile Computing Tips: Work From Your Car

Feature: Keep Your Hands on the Wheel

With so much uncertainty in the air, it's likely many business travelers are opting to drive instead of fly. If it hasn't happened already, the nation's highways are about to be riddled with harried executives with a mobile phone in one hand and a bucket-size cup of coffee in the other, steering with their Brooks Brothers-clad kneecaps.

In the interest of public safety, here are a few suggestions for being productive on the road.

Go Hands-Free

It's easy to keep both hands on the wheel while you yak--and in New York state, it's the law. I recently tested three hands-free mobile phone cradles that plug into a cigarette lighter and feature external speakers and microphones: the $60 Navigator Plus, the $130 Sharper Image Car Cell Phone System with Hear-It-Again Digital Recorder Technology, and the $90 Dock 'N Talk.

Unlike professionally installed phone cradles, these devices are portable, so you can use them in, say, a rental car, then pop them into your own car when you return from your trip. They're also less expensive than professionally installed cradles, which cost around $225, including installation. The best of the lot was the Navigator Plus. It's relatively small and easy to carry, and it ingeniously uses your car speakers as its own (you simply tune your radio to an FM station to listen). If you're looking for a low-cost way to put your mobile phone within easy reach, the Navigator Plus may be your best option.

These devices have some serious drawbacks, however. They don't stay firmly in place as you drive, most are cumbersome to carry, and their audio quality is fair to poor: Most people I spoke with while testing these devices said they had trouble hearing me. As a result, your best bet is to spend the dough for a professionally installed cradle if you confine much of your mobile phone use to the car. If you move around a lot while on the phone, get an ear bud instead. They're inexpensive (often about $20) and slip easily into a pocket when not in use.

Go Wireless

If you spend a lot of time on the road, consider a wireless device such as a BlackBerry, Pocket PC, or Palm VIIx. You might also want to consider a Web-enabled phone such as a Sprint PCS model.

You can send and receive e-mail and do some limited Web surfing with each device (but not while driving, please). The least expensive option is a Palm VIIx ($199) and the wireless Palm.net network (monthly fee: $10 to $45). But cellular networks such as Sprint PCS wireless offer the widest coverage areas.

For the latest news on handhelds, go to the PCWorld.com Handhelds and PDAs page.

For the latest on wireless devices and services, visit the PCWorld.com Wireless page.

Buy an OnStar-Equipped Car

If you're in the market for a new car and plan to drive a lot for business, consider investing in wheels that come with OnStar. General Motors subsidiary OnStar is an in-vehicle safety, security, and information service that uses GPS and cellular technology. OnStar grabs your e-mail, news, weather, and other information off the Internet and reads it to you. However, experts question the safety of using these devices while driving. For more on this subject, see "GM Says OnStar System Is Safe." OnStar offers a list of vehicles that include its technology at its Web site.