I do a little of this, using a Dell D630 ATG (reasonable review: http://www.ruggedpcreview.com/3_notebooks_dell_ATG630.html) to supply screen visibility in full sunlight.

Programming while out of doors may not be as satisfying as you might think. One is still very sedentary for very long periods: hot weather feels hotter, cold weather much colder, and buzzing insects more annoying. You may miss having a whiteboard or your printed-matter library handy. Also, outdoor furniture typically makes a terrible substitute for proper office furniture.

On the plus side, eye strain is less of a problem given the built-in eye relief of long focus outdoor viewing. And trees and birds make very pleasant office companions who will always respect your privacy.

Ultimately, I find the out of doors better for reading (email, tech papers, the occasional HN link) or reviewing code than actually programming.

That is more than a reasonable review- they had a conference call with Dell about the screen!

Thanks for the thoughts. Ideally I would find a tablet with a great outdoor screen. This makes sense if reading is the preferred outdoor activity.

I find having a glossy screen on my laptop a bit of pain when doing that.