Remember the TRS-80 100?
That slim, sturdy machine, first sold through Radio Shack in 1983, had everything a road warrior really needed. The computers had a modem, a good, chunky keyboard and the ability to write up to 11 pages of text. And it only weighed 3.1 pounds.
By contrast, many of today's laptops are a step backward. Sure, they can play some video games, surf the Web and handle modern e-mail and calendar software. But they're big, they're heavy and they're easy to break. Rather than making their users more mobile, some laptops are merely weighing them down--and causing traffic jams in airport security.
Intel (nasdaq: INTC - news - people ) and Microsoft (nasdaq: MSFT - news - people ) finally get it. The two companies are pushing for a new class of machines that combine the power of a personal computer and the portability of a personal digital assistant.
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Microsoft began its latest effort in 2006 with Origami, pushing gizmo builders to create a new class of devices dubbed Ultra Mobile Personal Computers. Chip maker Intel is now putting its heft behind the trend as well, launching a new class of processors it calls the Atom, designed to bring PC processors to ever smaller devices.
Intel rivals VIA Technologies and Advanced Micro Devices (nyse: AMD - news - people ) have similar plans to cram PC chips into ever smaller gizmos, edging toward a clash with the swarm of chip makers already cranking out processors for smart phones and other gadgets.
What will these devices look like? Just ask San Francisco startup OQO, founded in 2000. It's already cranking out devices aimed at workers who want to take carry full-fledged business gear in little more than a pants pocket or a purse. "We're glad they finally listened," says Bob Rosin, senior vice president for marketing and alliances at OQO, of Intel's push into mobile devices. "We've been telling them for years they need to get on the bandwagon."
The OQO Model 02 crams a scaled-down keyboard and Windows XP into a one-pound gadget you can carry in your pocket. The devices start at $1,299--not including the cost of a good wireless connection--but pair one up with a foldable keyboard and you're ready to dole out the heavy-duty documents wherever you go.
On the more traditional laptop front, Apple's MacBook Air-- introduced in January--is a good example of the progress being made at the high end. It sports a sturdy aluminum shell, built-in wi-fi and a full-size keyboard, and it weighs just three pounds. The biggest problem is the price: At $1,799 it's a bit much for rough, road-bound use. But for that price, users get a machine with the power to grind through Microsoft Office with ease.
At the low end, cheap gear such as the Eee PC offer a small form factor at a nice price. But the early versions of the machines, which start at $349.99 on Amazon.com (nasdaq: AMZN - news - people ), are also underpowered, sport tiny, seven-inch screens and don't run Windows.
But they're quickly growing more capable. The Eee PC 900, introduced this month, comes with Windows XP and a larger, 8.9-inch display. It will likely go on sale in the U.S. for roughly $500.
Smart phones are emerging as another choice. Not every smart phone will do: Apple's iPhone, for example, lacks the ability to cut and paste--a must for even light-duty editing and writing. Moreover, its touch-sensitive keyboard, while slick, won't cut it for more than a quick e-mail. But pair a Windows-friendly smart phone--such as a Palm Treo 750--with a foldable keyboard, and you're almost in road-warrior nirvana.
Devices such as the OQO, however, point to a third option. OQO's machines are powered by processors from Intel rival Via. With its new generation of Atom chips, Intel is hoping to spark a boom in the development of smart, pocket-friendly devices.
In mid-April, Intel announced more than 20 customers for its new chips, including long-time laptop makers Fujitsu, Lenovo, NEC, Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp and Toshiba (other-otc: TOSBF.PK - news - people ).
The new processors will run at speeds of up to 1.83 gigahertz, cranking out performance comparable to a 2004-era notebook while using only modest amounts of power. The result will be a new class of pocket-sized, battery-powered gizmos, which Intel says will begin shipping later this quarter. Intel will sell a kit including its latest chip starting at $45 and figures devices built around its new offering will go for $500, plus or minus $100.
OQO won't say if it plans to adopt Intel's new processors. Rosin, at OQO, would only say that the move provides the company with "more options." The result, however, will be good news for road warriors. One fringe benefit: Security guards who open laptops for inspection for every passenger now waive the tiny OQOs right through--since they consider them personal digital assistants.
