Hi fitzgerald8207,
My understanding is that the options for *mobile web access* include smart phones (which have taken over from PDAs as they have calendar and email function, and support a data connection as well as phone), tablet (somewhere between a giant smartphone and a laptop with only a touchscreen), and laptop (with netbooks being the smallest most light weight version of a laptop). These devices advertise access to internet through words like "wifi" for wireless internet, or "3G" or "4G" for access to data or phone through the telecommunications network.
However, you are saying you simply want an electronic replacement for pen and paper to take notes on your gardening when outdoors? On something that can support the same software you use in the home? Then you don't need 3G or 4G, and may not need wifi unless you have a wireless internet modem in the home. While you can read documents on a smartphone (with a microscope) only tablets and laptops can *usefully* run programs like word, excel and so forth.
Key questions are whether you want a real keyboard or a touchscreen for the input of information; how good your eyesight is will determine how big you want the screen; and time outdoors will determine battery life.
Touchscreen vs keyboard choice will depend on whether you think you can type on a touchscreen or prefer real keys; also smartphone screen size is small and resolution either so good you need a microscope to read words, or so bad you can''t read them at all and need to zoom in so much you can't see a useful portion of your page. Tablets are as good as a laptop screen, but have other issues.
The choice may also depend on how dirty your fingers will be and if you are wearing gloves. A touch screen can be more easily cleaned, but won't work with gloves. Neither kind of device will be particularly waterproof, although you can get rubbery keyboard covers. A real keyboard will more accurately register keystrokes, particularly if you have large, cold or dry fingers, none of which are enjoyed by touchscreens. I've convinced myself you want a real keyboard at this point!
Battery life is the key issue here, I believe. A second hand device is most likely characterised by having a bung battery, because they don't last forever, and people often leave their laptops plugged in all the time which kills the battery very effectively. New batteries can be quite expensive to obtain - maybe $80-100 depending on the device, so potentially doubling your costs.
These days you can get small cheap laptops (netbooks) from many sources including JB Hifi, Harvey Norman, your local PC store - all with at least 12 months warranty, for somewhere under $500, especially if they are last year's model on special. You can also buy from our host, but I'd err against that unless experienced in what you are getting.
Netbooks will have USB ports and a network cable port, but no optical drive (can't read cd or dvd without an external drive plugged in). That last won't matter to you for this purpose, except if you need to install particular software. You aren't supposed to install your desktop software onto a second device in any case, but you can get some really good open source word processing, spreadsheet and database software over the internet - Libre Office for one. Open Office is also good, but has become extremely cumbersome with their last update.
My advice is to spend a little more money to get the warranty, new battery, and technical support. With that last in mind, I'd head for the nearest computer store *who will treat you with respect* (walk out of any one that won't), as you should get more advice on setup and use for the non-expert than from a kid in a department store, but you can never tell.
I hope this (essay) has been of some help.
Cheers,
heardata
IT nerd in training
