Tandy's Zoomer lags, but Compaq's Concerto sings. (Zoomer personal digital assistant, Concerto pen-based notebook computer) (Hardware Review) (Evaluation)

Every time I use a PDA or pen-based computer, I find myself hung up on the handwriting recognition problem. The vendors keep telling me that handwriting recognition is not really important, but that's a bit like a carmaker telling me that driving is not important.

Although the Tandy Corp. Zoomer and Compaq Computer Corp. Concerto tempt me -- particularly the Concerto -- I still can't recommend depending on a pen-based computing device to anyone but a UPS delivery person or someone who fills out forms for a living.

UNRECOGNIZABLE. The best handwriting recognition I've enjoyed was well under 90 percent with Apple Computer Inc.'s Newton MessagePad, and even that level required me to focus on letter formation to the exclusion of the rest of the universe, which makes taking notes at a …