Thanks for the links. I am stuck on a mil base in england, waiting for my trooper flight to Afghanistan. Only my MBPro and ‘fat tony’s’ extortion racket - otherwise known as orbit8 wireless access (24hrs access for a mere $10!!) is keeping me sane.

I’ll be sitting in the The ‘Ghan when Leopard is released… rats! Oh, well, it should be smooth as butter by the time I get back home to Scotland in March.

Even tho’ I’m taking the MBPro, I got my some neat little Moleskine buff cahier notebooks. Foolproof, particularly in areas yet to be visited by civilisation. Apparently the base has wireless access tho’, so I’ll be able to keep up with things and vid conference with the family.

Really like the new format of guest posters, brings all sorts of new perspectives.

Hope that family of yours is going well.

Slainte!!

“Cool tool” link no work.

I’ve used rubber skateboard griptape on my phones and laptops for years. Harder to find, but kinder on your pockets and bag linings.

I looked at the alphasmarts - too expensive ($500 AU) and clunky and I don’t like the tiny screen.

I picked up an NEC MobilePro on Ebay that, together with postage and the Australian power supply, cost $100 AU. It runs Windows CE, has a touch screen and a great keyboard, and fits in my handbag. It’s an older model with no wireless or bluetooth - I use a spare flash card to transfer files, or IR them to my PDA. It has a built-in modem and Explorer, if I cared to plug it in, but no tempting wireless internet - at least until I cave in to temptation and get the wireless card! I was lucky that this one has a good battery that holds a charge well, but new batteries aren’t that expensive.