What is it?
An affordable gizmo. Not one of the future gizmos coming
sometime soon. PDA's are here and now and under $500.
They move away from the desktop, where we take the job to the
tool. They move us toward embedded computers, where we take the tool to the job.
The personal digital assistant (PDA) or Web-enabled device is a
hand-held or even shirt-pocket-sized computer. The operating system is
especially designed for managing personal information: calendar, contacts,
schedules, appointments, task lists. It can run all standard office productivity
and Web browsing software. To the extent that people in families and work
organizations need to share and synchronize personal and professional
information, these functions will become Webtop
services.
The PDA is designed to complement a full-screen computer,
not replace one. It will become more popular as the device gets:
Web-enabled.
It will be able to send and receive email and music.
voice.
It will converge with the larger group of cell phone users.
broadband.
It will be able to send and receive video for things like remote
diagnosis.
Other than speedy obsolescence, the main drawback to a PDA is
the small screen and, to some extent, the clumsy text input with a stylus.
Voice-to-text software will help the input. If history is any guide, nothing
will slow obsolescence though you are likely to break or lose a PDA before then.
Maybe we can embed large screens into walls and tables and bring
the PDA to them. Then we wouldn't even need to take the PDA out of our pocket.
Now that would make an impressive sales presentation.
Sounds like a business opportunity to me! Call it PDA Screams,
Inc.
How Personal
Digital Assistants (PDAs) Work
by Craig C. Freudenrich, Ph.D.
Handspring's Treo 180
($399) - handheld organizer, cell phone and Web browser
Skills
hardware
entering
data
synching with a PC
adapting to a small
screen
software
managing
personal information
performing
job-specific tasks such as remote data entry
enjoying leisure
activities such as music and games
Tools
hardware: hand-held or even smaller palm- or pocket-sized device
such as 3Com's PalmPilot
peripherals:
software: personal information manager such as Microsoft's Outlook
Resources
ZDNet's Handheld
SuperCenter
ZDNet's PDA Beginner's Guide
SmartComputing's Handhelds
& PDAs (May 2000)
Wes Salmon's PDABuzz.com
for gadget lovers of all types, regardless of their PDA
platform of choice, ... user reviews, daily news, tips & tricks, and the
AvantGo channel
Happy Palm
Hardware
Echoing the Mac / Windows situation for desktops, there are two
major operating systems for PDAs. While the Palm may be "better" in
some ways, PocketPC has deep pockets, Microsoft's, so I wouldn't bet against it.
Palm-sized
Palm, licensed by Acer, HandEra, Handspring, Kyocera, Nokia, Palm,
Inc., Samsung, Sony, and Symbol
PocketPC,
licensed by Casio, Compaq, HP, and @migo. See pictures.
Hand-held
The data and voice-enabled BlackBerry 7230™
on the left features phone, email, SMS, browser and organizer applications in a
single wireless handheld.
About.com's section on E-Book Readers
Microsoft's TabletPC
Webpads such as the Aqua
PenComputing's reviews of tablets,
clamshells, and slates
Pen computers running Windows are used primarily in vertical
markets such as utilities, insurance, health care, transportation, government,
and sales force automation.
Symbol Technologies
Fujitsu PC
Fujitsu-ICL
MicroSlate
WalkAbout
Xplore
Melard
Panasonic
Intermec
Itronix
Peripherals
aka add-ons, for the Palm OS only
(www.handango.com)
Springboard module technology for Visors
expansion pack technology from Compaq.
Software
search for personal information manager at C|Net's Download.com.
Handango boasts of 10,000
software titles for every hand-held OS. Check out their online
software demos.
for Palm OS
You can use the free Palm desktop software as an
alternative to Microsoft's Outlook even if you don't have a Palm hand-held.
Look at the huge array of software categories at
PalmGear.com. Most of them, such as the Time and Chaos time management
software, cost $.
Freeware for Palm
for PocketPC
Tips, reviews, and contrary views
If you use a PDA or PIM, here's the place to share your
knowledge.
I'll take the best ideas from the MBA 504 Bistro Forum on this
topic and put them here, crediting you, of course.
Personal Digital
Assistant
