PDA Services
PDAs or Personal Data Assistants are small handheld electronic devices used to store and retrieve personal data. The devices came about as a solution to the paper predicament many business people found themselves in with the advent of cell phones and pagers. Consequently the PDA itself has been forced to evolve as a result of the very device it was designed to accompany: the cell phone. The great grandaddy of these devices, the Apple Newton, broke ground by being one of the first portable devices capable of recognizing handwritten letters. This ability was later translated into the fast type recognition used by the Palm devices. This system of inputting individual letters has since become the most popular of the input methods because it requires only a small space to work.
Current models of PDAs are split into two categories: the stand alone PDA and the PDA phone. Stand alone models are usually the cheap PDA choice. The lack of wireless means inexpensive parts and usually a more comprehensive package of programs. One of the most sought after and useful feature is the ability to use WiFi over the PDA. The HP iPac is the most well rounded and often the best choice for a PDA. Most of the newer models incorporate wireless internet into the device from the start while most of the older models, the cheaper ones, have upgrade cards available to enable the feature.
The newer models of the Palm Treo handhelds are available with WiFi out of the box. The Palm Treo is more of a PDA mobile phone than a traditional PDA. These devices stand at the crossroads between the dying breed of the stand alone devices and the forthcoming and often heralded pocket PC PDA or Smartphone as they are so often called. Cingular is one of the leading providers for these devices as their partnership with both Palm and the European cell phone maker HTC enables them to offer a wide variety of PDA cell phones.
Choosing the right model can be tough. Web sites, such as CNet.com, www.cnet.com, offer reviews and comparisons of the best PDAs available. They also offer links to a wide variety of online stores where you can buy the PDA that they reviewed. Ebay is also a great resource for buying a PDA as many of the auctions offer antiquated and thus cheap PDAs, such as the much sought after and still remarkably useful Newton, for a much more reasonable value than many of the contract phones offered by providers.
Whatever your decision it is important to compare the PDAs before making a decision. Think of the features you want and actually need. WiFi may be tempting but ask yourself if you are around enough Wifi hotspots to justify the added price. You may want a PDA cellular phone for the device integration- less devices equals more rrom in your pockets. However most of the PDA mobile phones are much larger than traditional cells and may prove too bulky to be practical. You may also wish to consider a UMPC or Ultra Mobile Personal Computer. These devices offer everything but cell phone calling and are equivalent to a moderately powered home computer. Whatever your decision you will find that a PDA can become your best friend among all of your electronics.
