Overview

After years of sluggish growth, mobile computing is finally emerging as a practical business tool. Among the trends that are elevating mobile computing to mainstream acceptance is the increasingly diverse form factors for computers laptops, notebooks, and palmtops. Laptop and notebook computers continue to evolve to incorporate the same capabilities as desktop computers; in fact, a big driver in the growth of notebooks is that they have grown as powerful as most desktops.

The big surprise is that palmtops are headed in the same direction. Today's palmtops deliver the processing power and functionality of desktop computers. The size of a checkbook and weighing less than a pound, these devices feature a 32-bit operating system running on a RISC processor and offer a Windows-style interface, office software applications, PC connectivity software, and Web browser to provide total integration and compatibility with office and home computer systems. Some units provide a full VGA-width backlit screen, a pen for navigation, a touch-type keyboard, and up to 8 MB of memory. More memory can be added through industry-standard flash cards. There are palmtops that run for up to 35 hours on two AA batteries. Costing less than $600, palmtops offer a compelling alternative to laptop computers, which cost anywhere from $1500 to $5000.

The diversity of form factors also applies to communications devices among them, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and data-capable cell phones. The mainstream acceptance of mobile computing is aided by the increasing choices in which users can communicate wirelessly. In addition, the ubiquitous...