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Small business - Taken From the Road

Wordbnd.com - the time will probably come when you'll need to leave the office and go out "into the field." It's no bad thing to stay connected while you're away from the office. In this chapter, we'll discuss some of the options you have in this regard, as well as the use of I.T. in an outdoor environment.

Staying Connected

Regardless of what equipment you're using, the first thing you'll need in Internet access. If your equipment is set up for wireless and you're in a "wired" city that has numerous "hot spots" (locations where one can access wireless Internet), you'll have few problems in this regard. In addition, numerous libraries are now featuring wireless access.

The other alternative is to visit an "Internet Café." Numerous coffee houses (typically in a university or college district) offer Internet access for a nominal hourly fee (you may need to bring your own Ethernet cable). If you're on an extended business trip, many mid- and upper-range motels offer high-speed internet in their rooms at no extra charge as well as do airports.

Of course, staying connected while on the road requires a laptop, or at the very least, a PDA. The pros and cons of the laptop were covered in Chapter Two, however if you do a great deal of traveling or field work, you'll be hard-pressed to get along without one - and make sure you have a wireless networking card installed.

The Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)

The modern PDA (referred to in an earlier section) is the latest in a series of attempts by the computer industry to create a pocket-sized or handheld device with the functionality of a laptop or desktop computer.

Today's PDAs allow you to send and receive e-mail, enter data and do word processing, record image and even video, create and use spreadsheets, browse the Web, and even play video games (including multi-player online role-playing games). In essence, it can do most of what a laptop computer can do. In addition, many newer PDAs can access the Global Positioning System (in case you're ever lost) and have cell phone capabilities as well.

One enters data and interacts with a PDA using a touch screen, and - for those of us with sausage-fingers - a stylus. Some even have letter/word/number recognition that - in theory - allows you to actually write in data by hand. Unfortunately, this particular technology has not fully matured, and works about half of the time - which is why you're far better off using the virtual keyboard.

PDAs also have memory cards, allowing you to store additional data, although many of them have ports that allow you to use a jump drive (see Figure 6) via a USB port.

Wireless access is achieved through the use of Wi-Fi or Bluetooth technology. While both share the same radio frequencies, Wi-Fi actually provides a stronger connection, a greater range and more secure connections. Like an Ethernet network, you'll need to some configuring to set up file sharing and transmit files. Bluetooth is used in many cell phones. It requires less bandwidth than Wi-Fi, and actually makes networking and file sharing easier when multiple devices are in close proximity.

As to the best PDA for you, it is recommended that you consult the reviews on Consumer Reports (http://www.consumerreports.org) or Consumer Search (http://www.consumerseach.com) prior to purchasing. Like most computer equipment, PDAs vary widely in terms of cost, function, reliability and price.

Accessing The Office Computer

There'll be times you'll need to access data sitting on your hard drive back at the office. By now, you've probably heard of numerous services that will assist you in accessing your home or office computer remotely for a fee (of around $20 per month) as well as software applications that will do the same thing (priced between $50 and $90). The fact is, this functionality has long been available for free to those who understand how to use it. Zolved (http://www.zolved.com) is an online community and referral website for computer technicians. Currently, they offer free remote access; visit their website to learn more. (Note: at this time, their service is compatible only with Windows-based machines.)

I.T. In The Great Outdoors

It is possible that your business interests may take you into outdoors environments that could range from a local construction site to a place far from civilization (and Internet access). If this is your case, you absolutely cannot do without a PDA. The drawbacks to a laptop:

- They are delicate machines. Stumble, fall, drop one on the rocks or the ground, or get it wet and chances are it's end of your machine - and any data on it.

- Batteries go only 4 to 6 hours between charges. There are, however adapters that will allow you to plug a laptop into the lighter socket of your vehicle.

- You'll find that even the lightest-weight laptop can get extremely heavy after carrying it a few miles - especially if you're carrying it correctly inside a heavy-duty case.

A PDA fits readily into your pocket or backpack, and even in a protective heavy-duty carrying case, weighs very little and takes up almost no room. Even a top-of-the-line PDA at $300 represents a far smaller investment than a laptop - and a PDA battery can go for 24 to 48 hours between charges. Add a 1 GB jump drive, and a good PDA becomes the ideal I.T. solution for anyone whose business takes them into the bush, the outback or the wilderness.

If you're business requires you to be a "Road Warrior" you simply cannot afford to not have a PDA.
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