PC's That Are a Lot Smaller Than a Breadbox

[Don't you just want one? It's so cute.]

Chris DiBona's work as manager of open-source programs for Google takes him on the road, where laptops grow heavier with every gate he passes in the airport. So he has been experimenting with piecing together the ultimate lightweight PC. The FrogPad can be operated with one hand. The most common letters require only one keystroke, others two or more. At the core of his ensemble is the OQO-01, a full-featured PC running Windows XP that is not much bigger than a pack of 3-by-5 index cards. It's measured in ounces (14), not pounds."I use both this and my cellphone in the same manner," he said. "They're read-only devices. I can do cursory work." The OQO comes with a built-in keyboard that can be tapped by the thumbs.

When he wants to do more serious work, he unpacks a full-size, foldable keyboard from Think Outside that is scarcely bigger than the OQO when he packs it away. Mr. DiBona says he types as quickly with the folding keyboard as he does with a normal one. The 5.6-ounce keyboard connects with the OQO wirelessly with the Bluetooth standard.Mr. DiBona is not the only one exploring replacing a laptop with a combination of cellphones, hand-helds and foldable keyboards. The folding keyboards have been around since the introduction of some of the first palmtops, but they are playing an increasingly viable role in laptop replacement as the combined elements become more and more capable.Many of the latest palmtops will run all the software needed to browse the Web, exchange e-mail or even drive a projector to give a presentation. A Palm TX ($299, 5.25 ounces), for instance, can let you handle most basic editing chores with files created in Microsoft Word, Excel or PowerPoint. link