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Has the ideal notebook alternative already come and gone? That seems to be the consensus based on e-mails I've received recently.

First, let me explain. I recently wrote about the largely negative reviews Samsung's Q1 has received. The Q1 is the first handheld device based on Microsoft's new Ultra Mobile PC platform (originally known as Origami). Like many others who'd love a lightweight, compact alternative to a notebook, I was disappointed that the Q1 appears not to be ready for prime time.

I also asked readers to tell me about the notebook alternatives they're using. To my surprise, the vast majority of respondents wrote to rave about handheld devices that were either discontinued long ago or haven't been updated in years. Readers told me about their love for "palmtop" computers such as Hewlett-Packard's Jornada 720 and 728, Compaq's Aero 8000, and Sharp's PC-3000 (all discontinued), as well as AlphaSmart's Dana, a Palm OS-based laptop.

So why take up your time and mine with a newsletter about outdated technology? Two reasons: One, I've used some of those devices, and I believe they successfully filled a market niche that isn't being adequately or widely served by current products. Two, many of these devices can still be purchased online, used or refurbished, at sites such as Overstock.com or EBay. I'll focus on the HP Jornada 720, as it is more widely available.

HP Jornada 720

Like its predecessors, the HP Jornada 720 is essentially an ultra-compact laptop that runs on a PDA operating system: Microsoft's Windows CE Pro, a variation of what's now Windows Mobile. Among its advantages is that the device turns on instantly and has a long battery life; some users report 10 hours on a single charge. You can work on Microsoft Office documents and sync them with a PC; type on a reasonably touch-type-friendly keyboard; view documents on a 6.5-inch color touch-screen (roomy for a PDA but small for a laptop); and record voice memos with a built-in recorder. And, of course, you can easily carry it around. The Jornada 720 weighs 1.1 pounds and measures 7.44 inches by 3.74 inches by 1.34 inches; it's just a bit larger than a standard checkbook.

Though she is "constantly" looking for a "more modern" notebook alterative, Sandra L. Milo of Zelienople, Pennsylvania, writes that the Jornada 720 continues to handle "90 percent of my away-from-the-office needs." She uses the Jornada to schedule family and business appointments, store contact information, maintain a database in Microsoft Access, and even keep up on the day's headlines (with Avantgo installed).

What's more, the Jornada is a head-turner. "When I'm using the Jornada in public, so many people want to know what it is and I'm happy to enlighten them," she writes, adding that they're "shocked" when she tells them that HP discontinued the device years ago.

I can understand Sandra's enthusiasm. In the late 1990s, I owned a Jornada 820, which I used to write articles and take notes on the road. It was big enough to type on comfortably for a few hours, yet small enough to throw into a messenger bag. I sold it on EBay about five years ago, primarily to help pay for a new notebook, and I've often wished I'd held onto it. For example, just last week, while cooling my heels in a doctor's office, I wished I could pop open the Jornada and continue working on this newsletter. Tapping away at a Treo keyboard just isn't the same, and waiting for a laptop to start up doesn't cut it either.

The entire Jornada line was phased out following HP's merger with Compaq in 2002, says Mike Hockey, spokesperson for HP's Personal Systems Group. The merged company focuses instead on Compaq's iPaq line of PDAs, which does not include models with larger form factors such as the Jornada 720. HP continues to sell iPaqs with integrated keyboards, Hockey points out, but they are true handheld models rather than small laptops.

Even though the Jornada is discontinued, you can still find used and refurbished models for $250 or less online; originally the devices cost around $1000. The Jornada 720 appears to be the most widely available; I found it at Overstock.com, TigerDirect.com, and the PC World Product Finder.

If you're dissatisfied with the current generation of notebook alternatives, do a Web search on the devices I mentioned above and check them out. Spending a few hundred dollars now on outdated but still viable technology may be, in my mind, a better bet than spending $1000 or more on cutting-edge technology that still has some kinks to be worked out, such as an Ultra Mobile PC. Or, if you can wait, even better. It's a safe guess that the next generation of UMPCs and ultraportable notebooks will perform even better and cost less than current models.