Are You A True Mobile Road Warrior?

[Ed Hansberry]

I am just wondering how many of us that are road warriors have completely or partially eschewed their laptop when traveling and just use their Pocket PC. If I am going to have a work session where I need a full version of Excel or Access, the laptop goes with me, but that is just a few times a year. Most of the time, my Pocket PC, complete with earbuds, memory cards of music, network connectivity and Stowaway keyboard are all I need. I even went to Germany last spring for a full week and never missed my laptop.<br /><br />With WiFi being more common in public places I can VPN into my network, ActiveSync remotely and even control and download Audible content by using Remote Desktop and Windows XP Pro. I can sync email via IMAP using VPN either through WiFi, a standard CAT5 connector, a 56K modem or via GPRS with my T68. Same goes for Avantgo news and, of course, my RSS feed to Pocket PC Thoughts. :wink: I get updates on stocks, weather, can send and receive all manner of files like Word, Excel, Adobe PDF files, images, etc. With the aid of Dex-Plor, I can even buy, download and unzip ebooks from Peanut Press directly on my Pocket PC. So let me know how the Pocket PC has changed your travel habits.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/hansberry/2002/20021122-hurry.gif" /><br /><br />Lets try to keep this poll pretty pure. If you never had a laptop or don't travel that much, this poll isn't for you. :) That would be a whole 'nuther poll on how the Pocket PC has changed your work habits since mobility entered the picture.

[scottmag]

I have eschewed the laptop on business travel for years now. Unless I have a specific need for document creation while traveling, a PDA or borrowed resources suit me just fine. I have gone so far as working at an Apple Store (free Internet access and no sales folks who leave you alone) when I needed a computer with MS Office to modify some documents (previously stored online of course). I also have used various phone-based services to check email, both with text-to-speech and WAP.

I don't want to pollute your poll since I do not own a PocketPC, but it is inevitable that I will shortly with Dell's pricing. PDAs have enabled me to get work done without a bulky laptop for a long time. And this dates back to my Newton Messagepad 100 with a a modem and software to access Compuserve.

During that time I've always had a laptop - this dates back to a 386sx running OS/2 Warp - and I've never liked traveling with one. They are much too heavy once you pack all the supplies and those ridiculous Targus bags that everyone carries are heavy even when empty.

Scott

[cscullion]

I'm a programmer, so until I can compile and debug a Windows 2000 service using DevStudio on a PPC, I'll alway need my laptop with me. There have been rare occassions when I have left the laptop at home, usually when attending trade shows or other non-technical trips. But even when I'm travelling to give a presentation, and I know I can show my PowerPoint slides from my handheld device, I always need the laptop for backup or to give that demo of the product in the lobby during the break.

I'm probably not a typical road warrior, though, eh?

[Ed Hansberry]

I don't want to pollute your poll since I do not own a PocketPC, but it is inevitable that I will shortly with Dell's pricing.
Nah, go ahead and vote. It was meant to be more PDA vs laptop rather than Pocket PC specific.

And Dude! Yer gettin a Dell! :lol:

[PhatCohiba]

I've used my ppc as you've described to access my Exchange inbox via vpn & IMAP over WiFi and my old 14.4k Cell phone via serial cable.

I've just upgraded my phone to a Sprint 3g(2.5g really) that can do over 100k but it connects via USB.

If the #$%%##)%( :bad-words: IPAQ Pocket PC support a USB Host, then I could connect. There was only one Sprint vision phone that even supported a serial connection, but its reception quality was much worse. So my choice has meant another year of lugging my laptop.

Maybe sprint will ship a CF 3g card that doesn't cost $100 / month and I'll hook on to that. But until that is WiFi or laptop / 3g phone.

-John

[palmsolo]

Like Ed, I try to leave my laptop behind as much as possible unless I need to work with or modify documents. However, the primary reason for my travel is to meet with clients or give presentations on projects. I use the MARGI Presenter-to-Go CF card with my Jornada 568 and this works wonderfully. With Pocket Slides I can even create/edit presentations if something comes up. Of course I load up with ebooks from Fictionwise or Peanut Press (Palm Reader) and take along a couple extra batteries. I even made a one week trip to San Diego without any ability to charge my device. You gotta love the removable batteries and I am extremely happy to see this feature being added to new Pocket PCs.

My road kit includes; Jornada 568, extra batteries, WiFi card, Presenter-to-Go card, Stowaway keyboard, earbuds, and CF/MMC cards. Even with all this gear, I am still much more mobile than with a laptop which alone takes up a full carry on.

[Carlos]

The poll doesn't have an option for my scenario. For much of the work I do, a laptop is required. I have to be able to run the application we sell and install, which doesn't run on the PPC. However, if I'm on a personal trip or if I'm just going to do a sales call or for whatever other reason don't need to run our app, I do go with just the PPC.

[Busdriver]

Work is travel for me and I never carry a laptop. I need internet access on the road and the company has set up web based email so I have everything I need via my PPC. I must admit, however, I rarely have a need for Word or Excel so I can't say if my PPC would suffice in case I did need to use those apps.

[55Kevy]

I haven't travelled by plane with my laptop in over 2 years. For local trips (my company has multiple offices here in the Bay Area) I'll take the laptop, sometimes.

I'm still using my HP 548 and travel extensively in the US and overseas (transatlantic 5 times this year). My 'typical' trip is 3 - 4 days in length (not counting travel time). I load up with Peanut Press books, Resco WordGame, and Bubblets (yep, still addicted) to while away the long flights. I use the Voyager VGA card for simple presentations, the Stowaway keyboard for note taking in meetings (that's gotten me some looks), and my trusty Pretec 56k CF modem to RAS into our server and sync remotely with my desktop for email, task, and calendar maintenance.

The only problem I've encountered is with our IT security folks. I work for a Fortune 100 (maybe 50) company and our IT group is a company unto itself. Last fall they changed our dial-in procedures: we now use an ATT Enhanced Dialer, BlackIce, and Cisco VPN (and of course the ever popular SecureID card). None of these is supported by PPC2000. And our brilliant guys couldn't get the PPC2002 VPN to work with our system at all. Not to worry - I just used my phone card and dialed directly into the RAS servers (glad I don't see those phone bills - would hate to see what 20 min of connect time cost from South Africa).

At the end of October this year, they pulled the plug on the RAS servers. So I've been unable to connect remotely for a month. Hallelujah, though - yesterday they set up a new solution for me (and others). So I'm back in the saddle again.

A little verbose, but this is almost my first post here.

Kevin

[Unreal32]

I am a software consultant for a publishing company (college textbooks) and we sell assessment software for instructors who want to test students on their knowledge of MS Office (2000, XP, and beyond).

Unfortunately, I can't run our software on my PocketPC, and instructors would want to see it on a laptop anyway. Plus I archive all my email (I get tons) on my laptop and PPC, and usually answer it on the laptop. Just easier that way.

I can't imagine leaving the laptop behind in my job. Although I would love to use my PPC for my Exchange email when I'm in an airport... but so far, haven't tried it. What has been people's experience with using Wi-Fi in airports, and what VPN product does everyone use? (We're using contivity VPN in my office... are PPC 2002 VPN products compatible?)

[Gen-M]

What's a desktop? Haven't used one of those since 1991. :D

Still use a laptop, though. :cry: Need the larger screen.

[roberto_torres]

I still carry two handhelds: a Tosh e310 and Clie SJ30.


The PPC for all the glorious stuff PPC does and the Clie for using Docs to Go (perfect syncronization can't be beat by Pocket office). And still there are programs specific to each platform like Ultrasoft money for palm (much better than Money for PPC) and Pocket Artist for PPC (the sony photo editor sucks).

Still this is more portable than carrying a laptop.

[vincentsiaw]

pda screen so small so need laptop to be more productive :roll:

[Wiggin]

As an IT/Mgmt consultant for close to 20 years, I have never used a desktop for personal computing. Over the years, I have owned & used many laptops, typically upgrading every 18 months. As a classic road warrior (my "real" office is where my client is... my "home" office is merely where my secretary works and where my mail is sent), everything in my life that is defined with digital info, both prof and personal, goes with me on my laptop. Because of the wide range of business activity that occurs on any weekly trip, a PPC is not going to replace my laptop anytime soon.

My road briefcase contains:
Winbook X1 1GHz laptop + extra battery + power cord + WiFi card
iPaq 3850 + USB power/sync cable + 1GB CF & Sleeve + 256MB SD
SonyEricsson T68i + serial cable for laptop connect
Leather Portfolio for written notes/meetings (I know, don't go there...)
Misc work papers (kept to an absolute minimum as I strive for a paper-free existance)

Everything is soon to change as I get ready to move off of the Laptop form factor and migrate to a powerhouse Tablet PC

Aren't times grand!! :way to go:

[Ed Hansberry]

SonyEricsson T68i + serial cable for laptop connect

No IR with your laptop? I use my T68 with my laptop via the IR port.

[Wiggin]

Nope :cry:
My Winbook does not have IR. It's about the only feature on the machine that was not included (go figure). Otherwise, it's a screamer of a puter.

[Mike Wagstaff]

My xda has saved me countless hours that a laptop never could. Train and bus journeys are now perfect opportunities to check my email (I get around 200 on an average day) and even perform simple website administration. The convenience of being able to put previously "wasted" time to good use means that I get a whole lot more free time at the end of the day, which is nice... :D

[woa1]

Interesting thread! When I travel for work, I take the work notebook. When I travel personally, I bought a CF Modem and used that with my HP545 (and previous Pocket PCs) to dial into the internet but found P.IE frustrating slow a lot of the time. So now, if I am traveling personally to a place without easy internet access I carry my Libretto 30 or Sony Ultraslim VAIO 505FX for internet access. If it is a short (one night trip), I use the WAP browser on my cell phone for email/news access.
Also never owned a desktop PC! My home computer has always been a notebook PC.
I have been using PDAs since 1994 and don't leave home without one. Main uses are pretty basic: PIM, Notes/ToDos, Financial stuff in a spreadsheet, some books (e-text) and Pocket Streets.
Tried MP3 on the PDA but am too lazy to keep copying files! So I also usally carry an MP3 CD Player (much cheaper media and I can buy a CD in a store while on a trip and play it immediately).
Oh, well I am beginning to babble .....

[Bob Anderson]

My laptop and PocketPC go with me on trips; whether they be short or long. I wish I could leave the laptop behind, but I can't... I need it to VPN into work (Contivity VPN from Nortel ... I haven't been able to get the Pocket PC to do hook up to the VPN yet.)

I could live without my laptop (sometimes :wink: ) if the Word and Excel programs on my iPaq were a bit more accomodating when formatting, etc.l Since they can ruin tables, and make editing next to impossible, I have to work with the laptop more.

But, in the off chance that my PDA will be the true mobile companion, I did buy a 3G PC Card that I can use on either my laptop OR my iPaq with the dual PC Card expansion pack!! I'm hoping the next version of PocketPC will rectify some of the Word/Excel quirks so that I can leave my 8 lb laptop at home!!!

[KyleC]

What's a desktop? Haven't used one of those since 1991. :D

Still use a laptop, though. :cry: Need the larger screen.

Or perhaps, given your avatar, you need a whole NEW screen :wink:

[PhatCohiba]

The next time you see "Memberlist" up in the top right corner, click it, then sort by total posts decending. Find your name - last time I checked, I was #418. What number are you?


#221.

[PhatCohiba]

The next time you see "Memberlist" up in the top right corner, click it, then sort by total posts decending. Find your name - last time I checked, I was #418. What number are you?


#221.

Now I'm 216...

Wait after this post I'll be 210 I think.

[Merlion]

I am just wondering how many of us that are road warriors have completely or partially eschewed their laptop when traveling and just use their Pocket PC.

There's a gap in your poll. You have 'no laptop (only PPC),' 'seldom laptop,' 'laptop even for overnighters,' & 'always laptop.' The last 2 are about the same to me. You need a choice for 'usually laptop unless can get away with just a PPC.' I didn’t vote coz I belonged to that missing choice. :) For an overnight trip, unless it’s absolutely necessary, I won’t bring along a laptop. The longer the trip is, the more likely I’ll bring my laptop. For overseas trips, I always bring my laptop along. As a software engineer, I need tools that are not available on a PPC, but even if there were, their limited resolution is not practical for me to do any real work. Even for non-development work like Word, Excel, etc., I hate to work with a resolution below 1400 x 1050. For portability’s sake I have to make do with the PPC’s resolution. If only PPCs came with VGA resolution (4” VGA LCDs are available for over a yr now), that’ll be great! We’ll be able to see 4 times more info than the current PPCs’ screen can display.

PPCs are great for retrieving info wherever we are (the higher the res though, the more info it can display esp. for PIM info, spreadsheets, etc.) {my #1 use of my PPC}, inputting data (e.g. taking short notes & filling data forms) wherever we go {my #2 use of my PPC}, & for other purposes where its portability is essential & its screen res is acceptable, like reading eBooks, alarm reminders, etc. For me, my PPC, laptop, & desktop computers are different machines for different purposes. But over the yrs, my PPC is replacing my laptop more & more, although it’ll never replace my laptop completely. :)