PDA
You’re busy and always on the move. You desperately need a personal digital assistant or pocket pc to effectively manage all your business/personal contacts, schedule appointments and at the same time be connected to the internet to surf as well as receive/send corporate emails. With so many choices, you’d rather have some of the best PDAs that suits your busy lifestyle and at the same time effectively manage all your work tasks.
PDA Buying Guide
1) Operating System
Palm operating system (OS) has its roots way back in 1996 and runs on all Palm devices. Being such a stable OS, it’s suitable for use on PDAs that run on low CPU speed and memory. Palm PDAs have basic contact & calendar management software included but if you need to run Microsoft Outlook & Microsoft Office applications, you need additional 3rd party software to run.
Windows CE & Windows Mobile powers most of the pocket PC handheld devices used nowadays. Besides the usual contacts & calendar management functions, most newer models of pocket PCs comes equipped with Microsoft Office (pocket pc application version) namely Pocket Word, Excel & Powerpoint as well as Outlook e-mail. Some pocket PCs even include built-in Windows Media Player for multimedia capabilities.
2) CPU Speed & Memory
Regardless of which operating system you choose, be it Palm OS or Windows CE/Mobile, the general rule is that the more applications that you intend to run fast and efficiently, the more CPU speed and user memory the PDA needs. As a minimum, PDAs should be installed with at least 200 - 624 MHz CPU and 64 - 128 MB RAM if you want to run applications, storing contacts and/or playing audio/video files on your pocket PC or Palm. It is also good to go for a PDA that has an external expansion slot that will accept removable media such as Compact Flash, Memory Stick, Secure Digital or Multimedia Card memory cards for expanded versatility.
3) Display
While color screen use up battery faster than that of monochrome screen, one of the advantages is that it enhances your PDA user experience and productivity. As with any LCD color screen, choose one with higher resolution (at least 320 x 240 pixels) and color depth for better viewing experience. As you may often need to use you PDA outside most of the time, it is therefore wise to pick one that has excellent backlighting as well as color contrast adjustments so that the screen can be seen clearly in bright sunlight as well as in dark environment.
4) Connectivity
Since you’re always on the go, useful features to have include:
a) Built-in Wi-Fi for accessing wireless networks such as 802.11b/g so that you are able to connect to the internet at hotspots such as coffee outlets and airports.
b) Bluetooth-enabled so that you can exchange information with other bluetooth-enabled devices.
c) GPS so you always know your whereabouts.
5) Size & Weight
Just like the cell phone, portability is a big plus here. Who would want a personal digital assistant which is bulky and heavy hence difficult to carry around?
6) PDA/Cell Phone Combo?
While even the most advanced personal digital assistant that can handle contacts / calendar / internet functions is more than sufficient for most users, some would also want to use it as a cell phone as well. The advantage is of course practicality - all in one PDA/cell phone combo instead of separate PDA & cell phone but the downside is of course the expensive price.
** We would recommend that you buy a Smartphone instead.
PDA Reviews & Ratings
We found the best PDA reviews from CNET, Consumer Reports, Mobile Tech Review, PC Magazine. Expert reviewers there tested some of the best PDA models from famous and reliable makers such as Dell, HP and Palm. PDA ratings based on ease of use, battery life, display, convenience and in sync determines the best PDAs in their class.
Best PDA (Palm)
PDA Reviews #1: Based on extensive PDA reviews from experts and consumers, our top pick is the best rated Palm TX PDA. Created for consumers always on the go, this sleek Palm PDA boasts many features designed for constant connectivity. This best PDA from Palm features fast 312 MHz processor with 128 MB flash memory (with expansion slot) for quick & easy access to important documents and information. High resolution 320 x 480 pixel transflective TFT LCD color screen with backlight allows for sharp and clear viewing every time. Built-in Bluetooth ensures constant connection with office PC while Wi-Fi allows for mobile browsing at hotspots. Thousands of 3rd party software awaits for added versatility and functionality including Word, Excel & Outlook. At just 3.08" x 0.61" x 4.76" and weighing 5.25 ounces, it fits nicely in the pocket.
Best Pocket PC
Pocket PC Reviews #1: Receiving generous pocket PC reviews from consumers and experts is the best rated HP iPAQ hx2795 Pocket PC. Performance is the objective and that’s what you get from this HP Pocket PC. Powered by Intel PXA270 624MHz processor and 384 MB memory (with expansion slot), this best pocket PC from HP is blazingly fast for quick access to all important applications. Featuring Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system for seamless access to Excel, Outlook, Powerpoint and Windows Media Player and Word. 3.5" transflective TFT 64K colors LCD screen with backlight allows high-definition viewing, even in direct sunlight. Built-in Wi-Fi allows connection to internet for mobile browsing. Includes unique fingerprint reader for added security. At 3.01" x 4.71" x 0.65" and 5.8 ounces, it’ll be safe in your pocket.
Best PDA (GPS)
PDA Reviews #2: Getting rave PDA reviews from consumers and experts is no other than Garmin iQue 3600 PDA/GPS. If there’s truly a "Super PDA", then it has to be this Garmin PDA. Combining the strength of Palm OS 5 with rock-solid integrated Garmin GPS technology, this best PDA from Garmin brings multi-tasking to a whole new level. Features 200 MHz processor with 32 MB DRAM memory for easier access to downloaded maps and other applications. With 320 x 480 pixels resolution in large 2.16" x 3.24" LCD color display, viewing is sharp and clear. Measuring 2.8" x 5" x 0.8" and weighing 5.25 ounces, it’s a great traveling tool.. You won’t get lost with this Garmin PDA!
Resources: Personal Digital Assistant (Wikipedia)