Metro search = Traveling light

According to today's Washington Post, security officers on the city's subway system, Metro, are beginning immediate random searches of backpacks, purses, and bags. Metro officials say that next week's election and the upcoming inauguration are prompting them to take additional security measures.

While it sounds like a major hassle and time-sink for many Metro riders, for those of us who are paperless, mobile, and a little organized, it should be no big deal. Armed with my PDA phone and a tiny key-chain wallet, I'm usually set for the day for meetings and visiting clients. With a few extra pockets in my coat, I can even avoid carrying a bag or briefcase completely, if need be.

This is a paperless time-saving advantage I'd never even contemplated before...

On the Road, Part 1

Being on the road this week has demonstrated to me again just how convenient having a paperless, digital world can be. One thing that continues to amaze me is how much of "home" goes with me wherever I came, thanks to digital access. For road warriors, having a sense of consistency and routine can make things a whole lot easier on the run.

I'm always trying to refine my tools and approaches, so here are a few "new tricks" I've incorporated into things recently that change things on the road:

• Personal VPN for access to my home desktop -- Since I'm using OneNote more, I've also started using LogMeIn's free Hamachi VPN service so I can keep my tablet and desktop OneNote files synchronized via the Internet. As an added benefit, this also gives me access to my desktop's files and folders -- no risk of forgetting to sync some file.

• Remote desktop control through LogMeIn -- Another free service from LogMeIn gives me the ability to see and control my desktop (or other computers) through Firefox or IE. I found a great use for this today when I needed to use Photoshop -- a program I don't have on my Tablet. I fired up Firefox, logged onto my desktop at home, and made my changes on that computer, just as if I were sitting in my office. The file I changed synced instantly to my Tablet via Foldershare. (Not quite working "in the cloud," but pretty darn close.)

• Slingbox -- Technically not "new," since I've had it since last Christmas, but I still marvel at having the ability to watch my home Tivo from anywhere, on my laptop or PDA phone. It's not exactly "enriching" amusement, but it's nice to be able to watch the shows I actually like when I'm relaxing in some hotel room.

• Laptop lock -- For years, when I stayed in hotel rooms that didn't have in-room safes, I ended up dragging my laptop with me when I went out to dinner (or wherever). Then some clients turned me on to a much better solution -- lock it up in the hotel room.

• iGo charger -- Rather than traveling with separate chargers for my PDA phone, laptop, and wireless headphones, I bought an iGo multiuse charger. Right now, I'm charging all my devices off one cord simultaneously.

• PDA phone as my alarm clock --Spb Time turns my PDA phone into a great alarm clock -- even has the same ring as my home alarm clock.

• Streaming radio -- I've created a shortcut to the radio station I normally listen to in the mornings at home, so, assuming I'm in the same time zone, I get the same shows as always.

Where possible, I even try to set things up the way I have them at home, with clocks, water, and other "essentials" just where I always look for them.