However, I believe the issue of portability, which Rash touched on briefly, is even more compelling than that of cost. As in other organizations, a typical day for my company consists largely of meetings and presentations. At such gatherings, one can easily bring in a laptop without having to call the IT department to hook it up.
Portability is also important for warehousing purposes.
I wish to have a system of handheld computers to allow easy tracking of inventory into our database. This way, with the computer present at the time that parts are taken in or out of inventory, they can be added or deleted immediately to avoid the risk of forgetting to log the items later. My company builds petroleum mixture control units that constantly relay data back to a computer in a booth nearby. We're looking to make those wireless in the field. I still find myself making notes of Web sites to visit when reading trade publications, forgetting that my wireless laptop is right next to me.