I have taken my laptop in the past (it was a mininote so about half the size of a normal laptop) but this time i was actually using my nokia which many of the newer ones (well the e series and some of the n series have wifi bulit in) so basically i could download my emails from various accounts to my phone and read if required or when stuck in yet another mall.
Sadly i have to keep an eye on my emails due to my work and was handy for calling back home for various reasons. Was also useful for keeping an eye on any filght changes etc and checking in online if you have no access to a pc in phill

Id be careful logging onto peoples wifi sites or atempting as someone in england two people were arested for doing so!! I think it was about a month back i heard it on the radio.

I tried some of the coffeshops in ATC and they mainly wanted to charge you but even the charge was quite cheap and about the same as going to a netcafe surrounded by all the kids playing ragnook or whatever it is called
But i know some of the hotels in manila we have stayed in have wifi areas so you could use your voip feature on your phone to ring home andor call family/friends in phill. For instance if i had my truphone connection on my phone others with truphone or using googletalk could call me or be called for free ula skype.

The technolgy is fairly new now but people were like why do i need mobiles and pcs a few years back.