In the mid 1990s, about the same time the Internet became popular on a global scale, the mobile workforce started to become mainstream and is now quite common in virtually any line of business.

In the early days of mobile computing, techno-savvy companies as well as a few sales and marketing organizations were the first to seriously test the waters of wireless productivity and compare it with the traditional office setup. These organizations did not have to wait long to see their gamble on being mobile paying off – as mobile workers, given the proper tools, proved to be as productive as their office-bound counterparts.

Companies also soon found out that deploying a mobile workforce can do wonders in lowering overhead costs because the greater the number of people deployed outside the office, the lesser the need for real estate space and office equipment, among others.

The concept of being mobile is simple enough. Equipped with a portable computing device like a laptop computer, mobile personnel can use the office’s computer resources to communicate, coordinate, and interact with customers. Information can be tapped on company products and services, or even customer information, for instance, which can then be utilized for that all-important business deal. The advantage of having information that can be accessed in real-time can be pivotal for a successful business pitch.

Eventually, laptop-toting executives soon became a common sight on the road along with pager- and cell phone-carrying sales and field personnel. And with the emergence of newer, more reliable technologies in wireless communication, these road warriors now do not even need to look for data plugs or telephone lines to access the Internet or the company network.

The magic of miniaturization also paved the way for the road warrior to literally bring the office along with mobile printers and scanners, and minuscule hard disk drives, now available to complement the trusty laptop. And the executive need not walk like a sweating market porter lugging all these equipment because specialized and compartmentalized carrying bags are also now at easy disposal.

Technology further gave the moblie professional executive other tools to complement the laptop. At times where a laptop is not needed, a road warrior can always pull out a PDA (personal digital assistant), make an international call via a multi-band cellular phone or, for the ultimate in convenience, draw out a PDA/cell phone hybrid rather discreetly, to be used in an all-important dinner meeting with a potential client.

It is not all work for the busy executive though, as mobile gadgets, this time for entertainment, also abound. While idling around the airport lounge, the executive can listen to music via a 40-GB MP3 or play with a handheld game console to relax those nerves after a long-haul flight. To bring home mementos of a trans-pacific trip, one can also take pictures using a credit card digital camera.

The Road Warrior List
Here’s a rundown on the mobile productivity tools now becoming standard fare for the executive on the road.

Laptops. The way laptops are being designed and built right, most would think that a mad race is taking place among manufacturers on who will be able to make a laptop that will be more powerful than a desktop. The choice of what machine to use on the road is wide, be it an Apple G4 Powerbook, or the latest Pentium 4-powered laptop from Hewlett-Packard. Or, for the budget conscious executive, there are a slew of non-US brands to choose from, which are priced slightly lower than “western” brands.

Portable printer and scanners.
Small, lightweight, and slim, these peripherals will enable the road warrior to make presentations, reports, and analyses among others, and distribute them to potential clients in a snap. Think of any printer company — Canon, HP, or Epson — and they would probably already have mobile printers and scanners designed primarily to be carried and used while on the go.

PDAs. What is an executive without a personal digital assistants? Today’s PDAs have proven to be the small but mighty powerful predecessors of the laptop. While there are things you just cannot do without a laptop, consider that most PDAs now have the computing power of desktop computers less than a decade ago. Selecting what PDA to use could be tricky, considering that users need to know what particular operating system works best for what particular requirement, but generally, everything a mobile worker needs is packed in most PDAs regardless of brand and OS (operating system).

Cellular phones. Nowadays, manufacturers seem to ask consumers, “How do you like your cell phone? Want to have a phone camera with it? How about an MP3 player? Radio music perhaps?” Or, in the case of the Nokia N-Gage, perhaps a Lara Croft game while sending an SMS to your boss.

MP3 players. Most of today’s MP3 players fit snugly in a user’s hand, or, in the case of the ultra-slim types, they fit unobtrusively in your belt, pocket, even shirt collar. Don’t be deceived by these machines, though. The Apple iPod for instance can pack in 40 gigabytes of data, enough storage for more than 7,000 songs. Others, however, need external storage devices to extend their capacities. The good thing about today’s MP3 players and external storage devices is that they can double up as mini hard drives for one’s mobile PC. The magic of having a universal serial bus or a USB port means one can just plug these devices into a laptop and be ready to go.

Credit card cameras. Although most digital cameras are still a bit on the bulky side, some models out in the market already have credit card dimensions. While these credit card cameras cannot give you that professional-looking photo, you can carry it anywhere and forget about running out of film, provided you have external storage devices to augment the camera’s built-in memory.

Handheld gaming consoles.
It might be a bit of a stretch if you see an executive whiling away the time with a handheld gaming console. However, these toys are not just for kids nowadays. Handheld gaming companies such as Nintendo, with its Game Boy and Game Boy Advance, not just target the kids but the kids’ fathers and mothers as well.