Low cost, almost disposable terminals are in common use. Long term storage of information on an unreliable, breakable, stealable desk-top or portable computer would be considered eccentric today. Data is stored safely on servers, either owned by the employee's company or a contracted service provider. Data is downloaded as required over the network. PADDs range in size from a large brooch to an A4 clipboard.
People own several units.
Small PADDs, the size of pocket calculators are cheap and are really disposable. You can borrow someone else's PADD, enter your security codes and download your information from the 'net. All PADDs have video and audio built in and can operate as what a 1996 person would know as a mobile phone, radio, TV and video cam-corder. Smaller PADDs are used as digital keys and TV remote controls, as well as mobile phones. PADDs aren't likely to get smaller, as they would be too difficult see and to operate.