Mobility matters

Laptop sales continue to grow and to increase as a percentage of PCs sold; about three in 10 PCs today are portable.

Features of PDA and mobile phones - and smartphones that combine both those categories - continue to advance.

Wireless communications are bringing fast links, and more websites and software are being developed with mobility in mind.

For a small premium over fixed desktop products, mobile computing offers the ability to work remotely, at home or in remote offices or virtually anywhere in the world.

But the sheer number of device categories and types of communications make the mobile sector a minefield for the uninitiated.

With a little basic research, however, the advantages and disadvantages of various products and technologies can be understood quite easily.

Mobile PCs: on the road with all the features
Until mobile phones merge completely with handheld computers, laptop PCs will be the most important category of mobile computers.

The reason is pretty plain: only with a laptop can you stay close to the no-holds-barred performance and features of a desktop PC.

Other categories may be lighter, trendier or more novel but laptops bring screens of up to 16in, processors that are close to the fastest desktop PC chips, plenty of storage and a vast array of connectivity options.

And the good news is that there has never been a better time to buy a laptop. Until a few years ago, laptops commanded a significant premium over desktops but that margin has shrunk considerably with cheaper components such as LCD screens and mobile processors. Today's budget laptops cost from £600 and are perfectly serviceable for most needs.

For firms that need to equip staff with access to office applications such as spreadsheets, databases and word processors when on the road, laptops make the most sense and even some longstanding issues are being resolved.

In particular, the shoulder-crushing weight is giving way to more svelte models, especially for those who don't need the biggest screens.

Handhelds: getting smarter
What is the difference between a PDA and a smartphone? The truth is that it's an increasingly hard question to answer as handheld devices take on communications capabilities either built in to the hardware or through add-in cards.

Most handhelds today can be transformed into a mobile phone or web access device.

Smartphones tend to have computing and communications capabilities integrated in one device whereas phones with additional features such as colour screens, extra personal organiser software functions and integrated cameras are often dubbed 'feature phones'.

Confused? There's no need to be: it's really just a matter of horses for courses. If staff only need access to a phone and electronic organiser, a feature phone could be fit for purpose.

If access to, or basic editing of, office applications is needed then PDAs are a good answer. If you need to do all of the above, a smartphone could be for you.

Communications: the missing link
Wireless capabilities are having a revolutionary effect on the world of mobile working.

Whereas employees were forced to make connections via a clunky modem sticking out of the side of the computer, or align the device to the infrared eye on a GSM phone, today's smartphones and add-in cards offer faster links.

The jargon and depth of technical detail can be off-putting but, simply put, GPRS offers a faster connection that is 'always on', i.e. there is no need to make a dial-up connection.

This is quicker for the user and can be more convenient in that billing is usually more predictable because it is based on pricing bands rather than calls.

So-called third-generation, or 3G, services are even faster and available in the same always-on, banded-billing format. However, 3G coverage is likely to be patchy until at least 2005.

Wi-Fi, sometimes known as 802.11, is another beast entirely. This is a way for laptops and other devices to make wireless connections to fast communications links.

Wi-Fi hotspots that connect users are springing up everywhere, in hotels, train stations, airports, bars - indeed anywhere that large numbers of people congregate.

With huge names like BT and Intel backing the technology so strongly - look for the Centrino badge on laptops showing that Wi-Fi support is integrated - it will be a major surprise if Wi-Fi is not a big part of the way we work for several years to come.

Securing the kit
One of the biggest concerns regarding mobile computing is security. It is certainly true that unprotected mobile computers are eminently attractive to thieves, and that insecure data found on devices can embarrass companies.

However, security lessons are being learned: no firm today should invest in a fleet of laptops without at least formalising a policy that demands regular backup of data and applications to an external storage device or online location.

And having a 'lock-away' policy which demands that laptops are stowed or tethered to desks should be a minimum requirement.