My Technology: Life in the palm of my hands

Bonnie Tyler tells Jennifer Rodger that she'd be lost without her Psion SMX. It contains all her treasures, even her late mother's voice

I decided initially to get a Psion because I was bored of being sat on the tour bus while half of my crew were typing away on their palmtops. Yet having a palmtop has become so important to me that the SMX is my fifth Psion.

One I had was damaged when an air steward spilled a drop of orange juice on it, and another was stolen from my hotel. Because I have always made copies of all the information on the Psion and use Password Protect, loss or damage hasn't been too disruptive, and I've just transferred everything.

I preferred my first Psion, an earlier version, because it was easier to use. I don't use any of the new tools on each advanced Psion, so, strangely, the one complaint I have against this version is that it doesn't have the game Patience. Because I do a lot of waiting around, especially in airports, the game was a great distraction. Perhaps someone has an old Psion with Patience that they've never taken out the box, and I could buy it from them?

I have all of my songs stored on the Psion SMX: business contacts, favourite restaurants, shops, hotels and, of course, my diary (everywhere I've been since 1991). It's a machine that's right for me because I make a lot of lists and I've entered lots of different files: my diet file, things to do first, shopping lists, favourite make-up suppliers, last year's Christmas shopping list. It's also excellent for information that I'm likely to forget, like, for example, if I'm asked in an interview what my favourite songs are?

I often wonder what I did before I had a palmtop. It's always kept in the same place, in my handbag. I use my Psion instead of a pen when I'm drawing a quick sketch, or jotting down some song lyrics. It's possible to write in any type size, which is great because I can adjust the type size rather than reach for my glasses. The Psion SMX is useful when I'm touring, for instance, because I include information like the lengths of songs, and I can then make set lists. Or the diary for remembering birthdays, which are easily forgotten if I'm out the country.

My most treasured file is an audio clip of my mother singing, so I can take her voice wherever I go. Because my mother passed away very recently, it's particularly special and I do find it quite hard listening to it while also being very glad that I have a recording of her voice.

It's a bit embarrassing to confess, but a very good outcome of having a palmtop is the fact that using its basic programs, for example, the World map, spell check and country dial tones, I can appear pretty knowledgable. It's easy to use after I'd read the instructions and received some advice, and, like riding a bike, easy once you know how, though it's amazing how many people are really impressed.

My other favourite piece of technology is my Sure Beta 87 microphone. I like its tone, and I always take it wherever I go because it makes a big difference to my voice.

The technology I dislike is the headphones that live performers wear for hearing playback. I realise it can help the performer to get a good mix, but I feel it isn't like performing live, somehow.

'Bonnie Tyler – Greatest Hits' is out now on Sanctuary Records