In past columns, I've expressed my support for those people you've probably seen silently staring at their cell-phone screens, furiously typing away or intently scrolling. I recently joined their growing number. I think of it as a test drive; others might call it an occupational hazard. At any rate, I wanted to see what this wireless world is all about, and NTT DoCoMo's i-mode seemed like the quickest ticket. (I know it's not the only game in town, but the voluminous i-mode content makes DoCoMo king).

Even though I joined the nomadic i-tribe only a few days ago, I still find myself grinning at the thought of such a fast and easy Net connection, always on, always available. I've sampled online restaurant listings (with maps!), movie listings, club listings, and I've got much more packed into my pocket. So far, so good.

My brow usually furrows, though, whenever I actually input anything into my keitai, be it a Web address or an e-mail message. The thought of real-time text-chat gives me palpitations.