portability in the 1980s, portability, or mobility, meant trading off computing power and convenience in return for smaller size and weight. today, however, we are close to the point where we don't have to give up anything. as a result. experts have predicted that small, powerful, wireless personal electronic devices will transform our lives far more than the personal computer has done so far." the new generation of machines will be truly personal computers, designed gir our mobile lives, " wrote one journalist back in 1992. " we will read office memos between strokes on the golf course and answer messages from our children in the middleness meetings." today such activities are com and smartphones are taking on other functions they bring is that, unless we're careful, work will invade our personal time.