Taking an iPhone as my example (Android and Palm Pres will be similar): this will cost you $200 for the phone, plus contract; the contract will cost you $70/mo for 24 months. Total cost: $1880.

A netbook can be had for about $200. Let's be generous and call it $300. If you're planning on having a cellphone anyhow, assume that you get a freebie dumbphone on a 24-month contract costing $40/mo. Total cost: $1260.

Obviously there are prepaid cellphones, which would be cheaper still, if you really want to chisel away at the price. Also obviously, there are pros and cons to each approach.

If you think you'd want to have the smartphone for the time when you're not touring, you can amortize that $620 difference out over 24 months instead of over the length of your tour, so you'd be at a penalty of $26 for a monthlong tour.