A discussion is provided of new tools that may catalyze lab informatics. They are global positioning system (GPS), radio frequency identification (RFID), tablet PCs, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and cellular. GPS units are a boon when traveling, and RFID could soon be used passively or actively in the lab on samples, sample bags, and instrument racks. Active RFID chips have onboard power, while passive RFID chips have to have a transmitting unit activation in the field. Passive tags will be used to track samples, but the lab researcher would like RFID to automatically track movement of samples throughout. The best implementation would have antennas dispersed throughout the lab so that a sample could be located within a few feet at any time from any location in a laboratory information system (LIMS) or like application. However, currently, dozens or more samples close to each other cannot be distinguished easily when activated by the induced field of the antenna. Tablet PCs are useful as laptops, but for tablet mode, there are few applications available. One good application that does run on the tablet PC is SmartLab Compliance Management System from VelQuest, which has a scripted process for entering information on testing via a tablet device. PDAs still need improvement in the area of operating system (OS) compatibility cellular network speed. Networks that use GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) have an enhancement called EDE that increase the data transmission speed to 144Kbps, and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) networks have increased their data speeds with 1xRTT to 144Kbps. The upgrade for CDMA is via 1xEV-DO, and the coming REV A EV-DO speeds EV-DO networks to 1.8Mbps upstream and 3.1Mbps downstream. Cingular also provides UMTS (which has a feature for users who do not want to be cut off from making and receiving calls while on the Internet with laptops) service in a few cities.