Addicted to Toys

I've gotten over chat rooms and Jennicam, but there's a new Net-induced drain on my productivity: virtual window shopping at Japan Palmtop Direct's insidiously addictive Web site. As the proud owner of a shiny new laptop, I'm not going to be in the market for a replacement for years, but somehow I can't seem to drag my browser away from JPD.

These folks have one crazy business plan: They scour the Japanese market for sub-3-pound notebook computers that haven't yet crossed the Pacific. It used to be that gadget-hungry Japanese consumers got first crack, and sometimes the only crack, at nifty high-powered toteables with huge screens, built-in videocams, and loads of other goodies. But JPD buys the computers in Japan, reloads the hard drives with an English version of Windows, and, thanks to the magic of global ecommerce and FedEx, gives anyone in the States a chance to buy one for as little as $2,000.

The guys at JPD obviously love gadgets and gewgaws as much as I do, and it's their finely detailed descriptions and comparisons that keep me coming back. Where else could I learn that Panasonic's latest 2.2-pound beauty is built using a patented aluminum mold developed originally for wheel spokes on ultralight bicycles?

More important, JPD offers all the relevant stats and 16 snapshots highlighting the Panasonic unit from all sides and up close. The mouse was better on earlier versions, it warns, but the new built-in videocam lets you capture hundreds of pics or up to three minutes of live footage. I dream of starting my own webcasting channel until the $2,700 price tag brings me back to earth.

I come back a few times a month to read JPD's updates. Laptop makers play a constant and fast-paced game of leapfrog - before my eyes, new features appear, screens grow, and prices drop. Ah, all is right in geekdom.

- Aaron Pressman

Japan Palmtop Direct: www.jpd.com.