I use a laptop a lot for work, i'm either out visiting clients or at tradeshows. However, it is such a waste of time and battery to boot up a pc if all i want to do is check email or look up a contact etc. However, a laptop is essential for writing up notes and generally working out of the office.

my question is this. palms, clies, and pocket pcs are similar in components, if not specs to laptops. does anyone know if there is such thing as palmtop for laptop software that will allow a laptop to open instantly and control certain parts of the machine (eg wlan, pcmcia card slot, et) without booting into windows or spinning the harddisk? this may sound like a strange solution (just buy a palm!) but why do that when i already have the hardware necessary?

apologies if i am being completely incoherant