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I have just discovered DocsToGo for my iPhone, and it is an incredibly useful app.
It enables me to edit MS Word files on my iPhone and then synchronise them with my computer, so I can now write on the train or in a cafe, or even in bed at 3 am (my most creative time). Unlike a laptop, unless people get very close, it is completely private. Sure, typing is not that fast on the iPhone, but it's fast enough for my brain. And you can always tidy it up when you transfer it to your computer. It even handles password protected files - another important feature for me.
A couple of problems I've found so far: it has to have a wifi connection with your computer, so it only talks to my laptop, not my desktop. The spellchecker doesn't always work, I think it's mainly when using quotes that it gets confused.
But I'd recommend it for any writer who wants to extend their writing day.
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WiFi Connection
Try a search at Amazon.com or Microcenter.com for 'wireless usb adapter'. Both sites have devices as cheap as $10. Be sure to check user comments on any device you would want to get. If you shop Amazon often you could even find bargains with free shipping.
Rosie
Rose
I thought ...
... when I saw the heading it was an application (I refuse to write 'app'!) to get medical advice on the move :)
Long ago, in a working life, I used to design electronic gadgets, but the thought of struggling to type on a tiny keyboard with a tiny vdu horrifies me. My eyes are not sharp enough nor my fingers tiny enough but if it brings another Charlotte Dickles story nearer to posting then it can't be all bad. :)
Robi
Not so difficult as you might think
The heading actually referred to the latest cuts in the Health Service!
Obviously, your glasses need to be suitable for close work, and if you have a medical condition such as arthritis you won't be able to do it, but otherwise it's a lot easier than using, say, a TV remote control or mobile phone.
Sure, it takes practice, but the qwerty keyboard is the size of a Post It, and all you have to do is tap the right area. Some people turn the phone sideways (whereupon the screen magically turns through 90 deg to form a landscape shape with a longer keyboard) and use both thumbs, but I prefer using my index finger.
I have to say I was cynical about it too, until my friend got one, and I was gobsmacked by it. It's incredibly convenient - you can use it almost anywhere except the shower (I shall get out of bed in a minute) and it has made emailing and writing notes like this so much easier. Instead of going to the computer, the computer is with me. In the past, I'm afraid I have rather despised the enthusiasm of Apple users. I now have to admit their products are pretty good.
Mind, it's not perfect. I've just read through this before posting to see my title said, "Nit so difficult". But then, lots of people make that kind of a mistake on a normal keyboard.
And yes, it's only 7 am and I already have two hour's writing under the belt towards my next story.
I have it on both my iPhone
I have it on both my iPhone (or will as soon as I replace it...) and on my BlackBerry that I'm getting ready to chuck into the nearest trash can. I actually find the iPhone version to be easier to keep things in sync with, as it will actually sync. The other thing I use is something called SimpleNote, which my writing software will sync with as long as I don't change the ID's for the files on the go.
Samantha