Best friend or mortal enemy? Keeping in touch wherever you are can be a lifeline or your worst nightmare, but having a light portable machine at least eases the back pain in the airport terminal. Here are Hotique’s suggestions for portable computing heaven.

Best Lightweight Laptop
Sony Vaio VGN S2XP £1600.

It is rare to combine power and features in a small, light body, but what makes this Vaio every travellers best friend is its weight – at only 1.9kg you can tour the duty free shops without searching for a that rare trolley - or stretcher - to share the weight. Included is a DVD player/writer for backups, exporting holiday videos and there is even WiFi for connecting to hot spots on the move.

Hotique Verdict: Love your Laptop

Best PDA (Personal Digital Assistant)
HP iPAQ hx4700

If you don’t need all the laptop features, then a PDA should keep you up to date with emails and documents on the move quite happily. The hx4700 is isn’t as small as it could be, but the upside is a 4 inch screen, which is clear and easy to use. An optional keyboard makes typing a breeze and the Bluetooth and WiFi means you’re always connected.

Hotique Verdict: Powerhouse PDA