From iPhones, to Blackberry's, MBP's and MBA's and now the iPad on the horizon there's lot of options. It get's tiring typing so much on an iPhone ... bigger laptops are cumbersome to pull out anywhere....
If you where handing 100 emails a day, what device(s) would you use, from a Windows Netbook, iPhone, MBA/MBP, Blackberry etc.
Or to say it another way, "what's the ultimate/best device for handling email anywhere".
I'd say a netbook is out straightaway. Because most of my clients are far, far away from our offices, I often need to travel while remaining connected, and I thought that an iPhone + netbook would save me the hassle of hauling my MBP everywhere. It didn't. The keyboard was awful, the screen was mediocre at best, and the ergonomics of the tiny laptop model caused no end of discomfort. I had to return the netbook.
A laptop isn't a great option, either, since it is cumbersome to use on the go, and when I am forced to fly economy or on a regional jet, I can't use it at all. Again, the ergonomics of a laptop away from a desk leave quite a bit to be desired.
I'm hoping that the iPad works out for exactly this reason. You can use it anywhere without weird balance issues or lack of space, you don't have to be hunched over a tiny keyboard or position yourself awkwardly to use the keyboard when there's no desk or table around. The iPad and the Bluetooth keyboard together occupy no more space than a netbook--and you can use the on-screen keyboard when it's impractical to sit down. A slate-style tablet should fit the bill exactly, combined with your email-enabled phone of choice to get instant updates and send quick replies while your tablet sits a bag or briefcase.
Unfortunately in my case, it won't replace an actual computer when I need to do any drafting or pleading, given the limitations of Pages, but just for email and document review, it's worth it for me. If the iPad isn't your cup of tea, there are surely some decent Android alternatives coming out eventually, and maybe the HP will amount to something, too.
Obviously you are looking for a higher degree of comfort, and unfortunately it can't be found in a netbook.
I wholeheartedly agree.
You are looking for a featherweight laptop with a full keyboard, long battery life, and lots of connectivity options.
This I'm not so sure about. If you want to be able to use email in as many places as possible, a laptop isn't really ideal. A notebook is portable, but still meant for use on a table. It can be used on a bed or in a chair, but awkwardly. I'd almost prefer the slow-typing madness of the iPhone to being hunched over a laptop in bed or trying to use one as a car passenger.
