In order to evaluate the potential of Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) or handheld computers to support initial teacher training (ITT), 14 science teacher trainees at the Graduate School of Education in the University of Bristol were given PDAs with mobile phone connectivity to use throughout the academic year. The following areas were identified by the ITT students as definitely being of support during their course; the calendar or diary scheduler for organising themselves, the spreadsheet of attendance or mark book for organising their pupils and the use of a word processor to make notes on information and events immediately they are encountered. However, Internet access via the portable device was the application that the students considered to be most helpful to both teaching and learning. It was concluded that having the Internet literally "in the hand" affords access to tools and information in a way that does indeed function as distributed intelligence. It also appeared to be a particular benefit that the PDAs could be kept hidden in a pocket or handbag, at the student teacher's side instantly when needed and returned to the pocket once the need was gone, unlike other information and communications technology (ICT) hardware that sits looming large in the classroom and demanding attention. (Contains 5 figures and 1 table.)