Power these up!

Cool Tools editor Keith Shaw picks five devices that can make you more powerful on the job.

Gadgets get a bum rap - often thought of as executive toys or useless trinkets that exist merely to boost young executive egos. What could be more annoying than watching these yuppies show off the latest Titanium-embossed gizmo that can play the theme from "Chips," as if they figured that owning the gadget will get them the corner office? Let them have those - here are five devices offering increased productivity, which we prefer over gloss.

Handspring Treo 600. When converged devices came out, the naysayers looked at their bulkiness and stuck with their tiny cell phones. After a few revisions, Handspring has come out with a device that is small enough for those "tiny cell phone" snobs, yet powerful enough for you to get your work done.

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Handspring Treo 600 Forward Solutions’ Migo Kanguru Wizard StealthSurfer APC TravelPower Case

Gadgets get a bum rap - often thought of as executive toys or useless trinkets that exist merely to boost young executive egos. What could be more annoying than watching these yuppies show off the latest Titanium-embossed gizmo that can play the theme from "Chips," as if they figured that owning the gadget will get them the corner office? Let them have those - here are five devices offering increased productivity, which we prefer over gloss.

Handspring Treo 600. When converged devices came out, the naysayers looked at their bulkiness and stuck with their tiny cell phones. After a few revisions, Handspring has come out with a device that is small enough for those "tiny cell phone" snobs, yet powerful enough for you to get your work done.

The Treo 600 offers a lot to like. It comes with an embedded keyboard that speeds up your data input, whether it's wireless e-mail or a new document. The keyboard is backlit, which means you can work in the dark. Like previous Treo devices, the 600 works on the Palm OS, our favorite mobile operating system. And the cell phone includes not only a speaker, but a conference calling feature that lets you patch in multiple colleagues at once.

The Treo 600 is available on the GSM/General Packet Radio Service wireless networks run by AT&T Wireless, and T-Mobile, but we preferred the Sprint model, which runs on the CDMA 1x network, because it offers more coverage for making cell calls and the data speeds are a bit faster. The Sprint version costs about $500 (depending on rebates), plus monthly voice and/or data service.

With the Treo 600 in your pocket, you'll become more productive - and productivity produces power.

USB Flash - the next generation.

In the past, USB Flash devices served as floppy disk replacements. Plug into a port, transfer files, move to the next computer, plug in and transfer files. But now, manufacturers are loading these devices with useful applications.

Forward Solutions' Migo device (between $150 and $200, depending on storage space) replicates the desktop of your notebook or PC, and stores a copy of your documents and data from the last 30 days. Instead of figuring out what files you need and moving them over manually to a USB Flash device, the Migo software does it for you during a synchronization process. Just move to another USB-enabled desktop (such as an Internet kiosk), and voilà, the look, feel and the last 30 days of your documents appears on the screen. You also can transfer Internet-based e-mail, and Migo is working on a method to provide Exchange-based e-mail users access to their e-mail. Stay tuned.

Another notable USB Flash device is Kanguru Solutions'  Kanguru Wizard ($50), which includes software that can make your data "disappear." When you install the device on a computer, you can move confidential data into a "virtual drive" on the PC. When you remove the Wizard device, the virtual drive disappears, and any prying eyes won't be able to find the files on the computer.

The third USB device we like is StealthSurfer's  StealthSurfer (between $50 and $130, depending on storage space). Its customized Netscape Web browser can be used on an Internet kiosk or other public computer. StealthSurfer will keep your private information from being left behind on that public machine. Like all the USB devices, you can also use the StealthSurfer for file storage and transfer.

All three of these devices let you leave your notebook at home while keeping your data with you (and secure). More power than that is hard to come by.

APC TravelPower Case. Nothing says power like being powered up at all times. If you're carrying around a notebook, cell phone, PDA, etc., then you are always worried about running out of power.

The TravelPower Case ($99 or $129, depending on model) from APC is an innocent-looking notebook bag that includes power adapters and cords for charging all of your devices through one power outlet (be that a car adapter, airline adapter or standard AC plug). The bag includes adapter plugs for most standard notebooks, and also can hold all your papers and other business paraphernalia. If you travel, this power bag will keep you charged up and ready to go.

Read more about wireless & mobile in Network World's Wireless & Mobile section.