Authors are no longer chained to desks and typewriters. New advances in mobile technology make it easy to take your stories, and even Internet, on the road.
Pen and paper: the first mobile technology. While easily transportable and transferable, writing the next great American novel by hand can be slow, tedious, and a pain in the wrist. Luckily for modern day scribes, portable word processors and keyboards ensure you'll never be far from the page.
Laptops
They're getting smaller each month and come fully loaded with a ton of plug and play accessories. These are great for traveling, even if it's just from your office to your kitchen or back porch, and many allow you to take advantage of free WI-FI or cellular-based Internet services.
Palm
Many PDAs including the Palm sport increased memory capabilities, a full-size keyboard that folds into a compact case, USB ports, and Internet access. Since they are so small, they're easier to tote than a laptop, and if you just want to record a few short thoughts, you can use the screen keyboard.
Flash Drives
Small enough to fit on your key ring and (mostly) plug-and-play compatible, flash drives can help you transport your novel from one computer to the next. All you need is an open USB port, and most come either software free or will automatically load their user software onto the host computer. Your stories will go everywhere you do.
Voice Recorder
Typing isn't always convenient, and that's where digital voice recorders come into play. Available with a variety of features, you will find the ones that fit your needs. Check your local electronics store for memory, record time, flash drive, audio editing, and playback features. Turn driving time into a productive brainstorming and writing time.
Cell Phone based Internet
The new craze offering an alternative to wifi is phone-based internet service. With a contract through your mobile phone dealer and a simple USB cord, clients of most large cell phone companies can get access to the internet on their PC or laptop by connecting their phone to the computer. This allows you to get internet wherever you can get phone service, including that great little cafe down the street or the hammock in your backyard.
What do these tools mean for writers in the 21st Century? The ability to write in more places, the ability to write more often, and the ability to get to your finished product faster. Mobile technology need not be scary or expensive. Selecting the right combinations will actually help you reduce the number of gadgets you need and get the most out of each.
