THE WRITING LIFE: Cafe Writing

Mobilepro 900 - the perfect writer's companion?

Because I work from home, I often get bouts of cabin fever (particularly during winter months). Fortunately, I live near many excellent cafes. My main criteria for a good cafe-writing setting are: square tables, optimum light (not glaring, but not gloomy either), soft music, and good java (of course). If there's wi-fi access, I consider it a bonus, but not a necessity -- I'm there to write afterall.

Writing in a cheap spiral notebook (or one of those moleskin books if you're rich) works well in cafes, but there are times when a computer is needed, like when I'm editing. Which leaves the question: what computer is best for cafe writing?

IT'S NOT A LAPTOP

I love my Macbook -- it's easily the best platform I've ever used for writing -- but it's a tad big. As well, I've got a lot of valuable data stored on it, like photos, emails, research, and current projects. It's definitely a part of my life I don't want busted or pilfered. Luckily, I've had a handheld PC for awhile. I ordered a used one from eBay a few years ago for $100. These gadgets run an archaic version of Windows CE (which itself is a cut-down, incompatible version of Windows 95/98). Their internet capabilities are abysmal, they don't have large storage capacities or large screens, and what little software that's available is relatively ancient and limited.

Yet, for writers, these are excellent companions. My Mobilepro 900 (pictured) runs for a good 8 hours before shutting down. Size-wise, it's just a wee bit longer than a VHS tape and weighs less than two pounds. But my favorite feature is its instant-on capability -- and I do mean instant-on. These devices have zero boot-time. You press the ON button and boom! There's your desktop and your work. It's absolutely gratifying to whip out my Mobilepro from my satchel, open the lid, and start writing immediately. And that makes it as convenient as my old spiral notebook.

WRITER'S TOOLBAG

The Mobilepro comes with a cut-down version of Microsoft Word (or an enhanced version of Notepad depending on your point of view). External storage is handled by the same compact flash cards you use in digital cameras and makes transferring documents from my Mobilepro to my Mac as easy as using a flash reader. For more ambitious writing, I use Softmaker's TextMaker, which is just as capable as full versions of Microsoft Word. For notes, I've installed Tombo, which organizes entries in a tree-like fashion. Since reference books are always handy, I downloaded the free Mobipocket Reader and bought electronic versions of the Oxford dictionary and thesaurus. The whole setup really is a self-contained writing studio.

My recommendations:
NEC Mobilepro 900
HP Jornada 820 (particulary with the 12-hour extended battery)

Both systems can be found on eBay for no more than $150 and look wonderful sitting beside a cup of coffee.

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