More and more people are working away from the office or home office. And digital nomads are everywhere. They're traveling and hammering their keyboards in an airport or a hotel. Or, they're closer to home at a coffee shop, a coworking space, or a library.

You can lead that kind of roaming, working lifestyle and carry with you just about everything you need to be productive. If you're a seasoned digital nomad or an aspiring one, here are a few of the things that you can use to make your portable computing easier and more complete.

Note: In case you're wondering, this TechTip was written over two days in one of my favorite coffee shops that offers wireless, and at a local public library.

Laptops

The laptop computer is the preferred tool of the digital nomad. Back in the early 1990s, the average laptop had only a fraction of the grunt of a desktop computer. But not any more. Whether you're using a MacBook, a laptop running Windows, or one powered by Linux, you can do just about anything with a laptop that you can do with a desktop.

When looking for a notebook, consider getting the most RAM, the biggest hard drive, and the best graphics adapter that you can afford. And check out this TechTip to learn what you should look for what buying a laptop.

One option that's becoming popular with digital nomads who want to travel really light is the netbook. A netbook is a small laptop computer, usually weighing two pounds or less. A popular one is the Asus Eee PC. Besides being ultraportable, netbooks let you get your essential work done quickly and easily. And they don't take up a lot of space – you can use them anywhere.

Wireless

Just about every portable device out there has great wireless support. So, you probably won't need a wireless adapter. But what about detecting a wireless hotspot? The software that comes with a laptop or a wifi-enabled device is usually pretty good at doing the job. Sometimes, though, things get missed. That's where a hotspot detector comes in. It's a little gadget that fits in the palm of your hand which checks for the existence of a signal and its strength. A couple of the more popular devices are the Digital Hotspotter from Canary Wireless and the TRENDnet adapter with hotspot detector.

In the previous paragraph, I wrote that you probably won't need a wireless adapter. But the geek in many a digital nomad likes to be on the cutting edge. With wireless, that's wireless-N. Wireless N is an enhancement to the 802.11 wireless standard that improves the rate at which data flows through the network. While wireless N is still a draft (it's expected to be released in 2010), several networking gear manufacturers have put hardware on the market using the draft specification. Three of the biggest of these names are Linksys, Belkin, and D-Link.

There are a lot of wireless hotspots out there. Some of them are free; many aren't. As you move around, chances are you're jumping between hotspots. Using for-pay hotspots can quite expensive – $5 to $10 an hour. And juggling several accounts with those hotspots is a headache. Boingo Wireless makes using multiple hotspots easy. With Boingo, you have access to over 100,000 hotspots worldwide. You just log in using your Boingo account and you're ready to go. The price isn't too bad – $21.95 per month for use within North America. It's definitely worth it if you're a frequent user of wireless.

Bags

While working on the road, you'll be carrying more than just a little gear with you. A good bag or case is essential. What makes a good bag or case? One that will hold all of your gear, of course, while keeping it safe and well organized. The average notebook case, though, just doesn't cut it. You need something a little bigger and a lot more versatile.

If you're a digital nomad who frequently flies, then you might want to check out a laptop bag that's approved by the TSA. Those are the kind that (theoretically, anyway) don't require you to remove your laptop or anything else from the bag while moving through an airport security checkpoint. To be honest, neither I nor my digital nomad pals have any experience with these bags. But this article looks at eight of them.

Power

Laptop batteries, as we all know, don't hold power forever. And they tend to run down at crucial moments – like when you're in the middle of typing an important email or saving that spreadsheet. On top of that, you never really know if you're going to be near an electrical outlet to plug in. Having worked in a few libraries, coffee shops, and airport departure lounges, I can tell you that outlets are often at a premium. Anyone who gets the outlet jealously guards it.

Carrying an extra laptop battery can be essential. It's a bit of an inconvenience – one more item in your bag, and a little extra weight – but well worth it when your main battery runs down.

Other Gear

Is there anything else a digital nomad should consider carrying? Here are a few things that I like to have with me whenever I'm working away from home.

Since I often spend time aboard public transit, an MP3 player is a must. The music blocks out a lot of the noise, and gives me a chance to rest my brain by listening to something pleasant.

Finally, a paper notebook and pen. Sometimes, you'll find that you can't avoid going the analog route. This is especially true if you need to jot down a note or a phone number and your notebook computer is packed tightly in its case.