Small Size, Portability Make Pocket Pc A Gem

Since my occupation requires that I spend 50 percent of my time on airplanes and in hotels, I need a truly portable personal computer (Personal Technology, Nov. 26). I have found my dream machine in the form of the little-known Prolinear Pocket PC, a 25 MHz 386SX machine with 4 MB of RAM, up to 160 MB of hard storage on PCMCIA cards, a built-in modem, DOS 5.0, and a 1 MB version of Microsoft Works in ROM. It runs most DOS software and even Windows, and it weighs an unbelievable 1.2 pounds! At 9.5 by 4.5 inches, the computer is barely larger than a paperback book, but the keyboard is touch-typable.

I use the Works modules (word processing, database, spreadsheet and communications) for practically all of my work, including that at my desk, and its files are transferable to almost any office computer. In addition to Works, it comes with a complete set of personal information manager software.

I used to carry a powerful 4.5 pound laptop. Since laptops only run about two or three hours on a charge, I also lugged along a 2.5-pound battery and a 1-pound charger. Now all I carry is four extra rechargeable AA batteries and their 3-ounce charger.

Most people buy a computer for the power they want, not the power they need. They think they can't do without a 15 MB operating system, multiple 20 MB applications, a large color screen and as much hard storage as a desktop. To me, small size and portability is everything. My 1.2-pound computer serves all my needs. My desktop PC is out of sight and my laptop is reduced to occasionally backing up my palmtop PC files.

With the weight I save using the Pocket PC instead of a laptop, I also carry my own printer, a 1.5 pound Citizen PN-60 360-DPI Pocket Printer.

The Prolinear Palmtop PC is not sold locally. It is only available from Prolinear Corp., (800) 759-0881.

Scott Baumann Bellevue