Why not a Tablet PC?
I'm another former architect that has gone into the computer industry. In fact, I made the transition 11 years ago from CAD end-user to trying to take on the role of a product manager for a CAD software company. I helped to spec a portable CAD software product that was going to be an As-Built drawing input system, storing dimensional and angular constraints to snap everything into place. At any rate, besides other factors, we were a number of years premature with this idea, because what it really would have needed was a decent mobile platform to run on.
I played around with PowerCAD a few years ago, and while it is very capable, I think the workspace limitations of a 3-4" LCD screen would not make for a productive work tool.
In my own opinion, what you should really be considering is a Tablet PC. I think a Tablet PC has just about the right compromise between portability and usability. In addition to that, the tool options are going to be whatever you can run on your desktop or laptop PC.
That being said, I love my Pocket PC, and the form factor of a Tablet PC just doesn't fit my current needs. But if I had to be productive in CAD in a mobile environment, I think I'd have to go that route.
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