[vcf-midatlantic] portable terminal preferences

[☼ wil lindsay ☼]

I've found myself continually searching for a portable (preferably backlit)
dedicated terminal/telnet device for various projects.
It looks like historically, the portable terminals like the TI Silent 700
series were basically superseded by portable computers (please correct me
if I'm wrong). I only see a few examples of the in-between devices such as
a  Travelmate LT220 or a screen add-on for the Silent 700.

My current go-to is to repurpose netbooks with linux and an FTDI cable or
over wifi to some hardware connection. This still seems like overkill, but
seems like the most usable solution.
Clearly, I can just strike up a console on my main laptop, but I like to
use something other than the laptop I use for work, paying bills and other
dull affairs. This should be fun, right?

I'm curious what everyone else uses to connect to their various machines.
Straw poll? Thoughts?