Reader Feedback: How Road Warriors Stay Connected

Technology Rant Continued... My February 12 Dispatch on mobile connectivity triggered some interesting responses from mobile warriors on how to stay connected to the net. ... Jeff Hipschman at Studley and Robin Web at Arvida Realty Services both mentioned Laptop Lane, which is available in many major airports (but not San Francisco!). And I agree. It's cool. In fact, I don't mind getting delayed in the Chicago airport any more. Laptop Lane provides you with a small office, a computer, a phone and high-speed Internet access for only $40.75 per hour.

David Soucy at Spaulding & Slye Colliers International recommends setting up a third-party Amexmail account, a service of American Express, to act as your "e-mail hub." You can then forward this to your Palm VII or read it over the web at an Internet cafe (see www.cybercafe.com for a list of cyber cafes). ... Paul LaFave at NAI Progress West in Omaha loves his Sprint phone with web access for checking his e-mail. But he battled valiantly and without success to get his ACT database synched with his Yahoo calendar and address book. He recommends that you "be selective and choose wisely. ... Only spend productive time on the stuff that will help you produce more."

But perhaps the most expensive answer came from Adrienne Rice at Eastdil: "There is no foolproof way to stay connected to the Internet ... The most effective approach is to be lucky enough to warrant having a reliable Administrative Assistant. Then you only have to make one phone call and your Assistant handles the responsibility of getting you what you need, when you need it. ... Your Assistant is your back-up plan." ... Hey, where's my assistant?

PikeNet Forum Update... Check out the latest list of speakers and Pike's Picks. Eileen and I have tried to design a program that will answer your practical questions: What really works? What are my peers doing? What's the right Internet strategy for my firm? ... Hamid Moghadam, CEO of AMB, says it best. "PikeNet is the most unbiased and up-to-date source of information and market intelligence in the business." Invest your company's money wisely; attend the PikeNet Forum.

--Peter Pike