Notebooks have all you need

Notebook computers are now more than able to replace their deskbound counterparts. There is now little that you can't do on a notebook. LCD screens are large and beautifully clear, and graphics acceleration for fast imaging power is usually included as standard. Intel's latest mobile processor, the 1.7GHz P4M, will do anything you like fast, as well as consuming less power and keeping its cool. Not only that, but according to a report authored by US research company Gartner, businessmen who spend 20 per cent of their time out of the office and use a notebook as they go make average gains of around $34,560 a year.

The decline of floppy disks and the rise of USB and Firewire connectors for attaching peripherals such as scanners and DVD drives has helped keep notebooks trim; even the small-est now incorporate stereo speakers, a socket for headphones and other associated multimedia paraphernalia.

They can still be pricy, but that is changing fast The models listed here are from the higher end of the price scale, but you can already find a wide range of decently made, well-specified notebooks from sup-pliers such as Hewlett Packard, Rock, Acer and Evesham for under £1,000.

Be aware of a couple of vital points: firstly, take manufacturer-quoted battery life with a pinch of salt, because the measurements are skewed to make the notebook look long-lasting. In general use, it's rare to find a mainstream notebook that goes for more than three hours without needing a top-up.

Second, beware designer notebook bags which tell everyone that you're carrying two grands-worth of something easy to steal. Like everything, portability has its downside.

The Lightweight - Sony PCG-SRX41P

Deliciously slim (at only 28mm) and part of Sony's new line for spring, the 1.26kg SRX is billed as "legacy-free" by Sony, fancy jargon that means it lacks conventional connectors for printers, scanners etc, but is full of more modern alternatives. Thus there's iLink for hooking up a digital video camera, USB for everything else, a modem and, most forward-looking, built-in support for two emerging technologies - wireless Local Area Networks (LANs) and Bluetooth, so that it can "talk" to both a compatible office network and a Bluetoothenabled device, such as a mobile phone, without cables. A combined DVD/CDRW drive is an optional, external extra.
Specification: 800MHz Pentium III processor, 256mb of memory, 30gb hard disk, 10.4 ins screen. Battery life: Up to five hours. Price: £1,849.45.

Tel: 08705 424 424.

The New Media Monster - PowerBook G4

Dubbed the "Titanium", the 2.46kg flag-ship of Apple's notebook range is one of the most desirable around. Beloved by web developers, Flash cartoonists, video editors and musicians - most of whom operate in Mac-land - the G4's landscape screen is also a natural if you like to slob out in front of a DVD movie; the built-in DVD drive is also a CD writer. Connection-wise, it can talk to DV and digital still cameras, printers and scanners, will plug straight into the corporate network and includes Apple's own wireless networking, AirPort, which, if you add a £248.99 base station, lets up to 10 computers network without wires.
Specification: 667MHz PowerPC G4 processor, 512mb of memory, 30gb hard disk, 15.2 ins screen. Battery life: To five hours. Price: £2,583.82. Tel: 0800 039 1010.

The Big Communicator - Toshiba Tecra 9100

The Tecra's slimline 2.3kg shape conceals the latest version of a long-standing corporate favourite; fitted with the fastest Intel mobile processor available, this devours databases and spread-sheets at speeds to leave your average desktop PC breathless. It has a wide range of connectors for a printer, scan-ner, DV and digital still camera, and includes features for connecting wire-lessly to an office network or a Blue-tooth device. The "SelectBay" can take either a DVD drive or a second battery for when you're on the road.
Specification: 1.7GHz Pentium 4M, 256mb of memory, 40gb hard disk, 14.1 ins screen. Battery life: 2.1 hours. Price: £2,583.82. Call: 01932 828828.

The Nippy Mini - Fujitsu Siemens LifeBook P-2020

Combines a keen price with great features, including a built-in DVD drive. You won't find fancy docking stations here, or a floppy disk drive, but there is a connector for an external monitor. The landscape format of the screen makes it good for movies on the go, and means the keyboard is comfortable to use. Connections for digital video cameras, scanners and printers complete this tiny notebook with big ideas.
Specification: 633MHz Transmeta Crusoe TM5600, 128MB of memory, 15GB hard disk, 10 ins screen. Battery life: two hours with standard battery. Price: £799. Tel: 020 7467 6050.