Megan Fox

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P D What? An Introduction to PDAs (personal
digital assistants), Palm Pilots, and other
handheld computers
Megan Fox Web Electronic Resources
Librarian fox_at_simmons.edu JumpStart May 22, 2002
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• What are PDAs and handheld computers?
• What are the advantages of a PDA?
• What are PDAs most commonly used for?

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What are PDAs and handheld computers?
PDA Personal Digital Assistant A small computer
that literally fits in the palm of your hand.
More limited than a desktop computer, but useful
for calendars, address books, and increasingly,
other applications
Handheld Computer term sometimes used
interchangeably with PDA, palmtop, or pocket
computer may imply a device in between a laptop
and PDA more memory, more features
The Palm m505
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The HP Jornada 567
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Stylus / Pen
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On-screen Keyboard
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Graffiti
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Collapsible Keyboard
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Beam
Using the infrared port, can share information
with other users, called beaming no wires, no
direct connections
Convenient for sharing business cards or calendar
events, trading applications, and more.
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Sync
Synchronization of your data from the PDA to your
desktop. Compares data entered on the PDA and on
the desktop and makes one new, complete record of
data in both places.
Most often sync through a cradle, which connects
through a cable to your desktop computer. Also
through a modem (dialup), an Ethernet connection,
an IR port
Hot Sync Button
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Peripherals/Accessories
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http//www.margi.com/
PDA into a projector
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Common PDAs

• Palm Pilot IIIc, V, VII, m100, m130, m515
• Handspring Visor Pro, Edge, Prism
• Compaq iPAQ H3760, H3870, H3850
• HP Jornada
• Sony Clio

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Key Differences in Devices

• Physical Characteristics
• size/weight (1.4 oz to 1 lb)
• grayscale/color (up to 64K colors)
• Power
• Memory (2 MB to 64 MB)
• Battery Life (AA or rechargeable)
• Cost (99-700)
• Peripherals (modem, memory, expansions cards,
  etc)
• Operating System/Application Availability
• Palm OS (considered easier currently more
  applications)
• Pocket PC (version of Windows includes
  watered-down Office)

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Comparisons and Recommendations

• Excellent synopsis from University of Iowas
  pilot project http//www.its.uiowa.edu/cs/sp/pda/
  pda-comparisons.doc
• http//palmtops.about.com/library/content/aatp1122
  01.htm
• Handheld computers
• Palm OS Handheld computers
• PocketPC Handheld computers
• http//computers.cnet.com/hardware/0-1087.html?tag
  dir
• Mix and match any list and get comparisons
• http//www.microsoft.com/mobile/pocketpc/hardware/
  compare_devices.asp

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What are the advantages of a PDA?

• Mobility (On-the-go, 24/7 access)
•   Simplicity (Ease of use and understanding)
•   Functionality (Perform an assortment of
  activities)
•   Organization (Keeps schedules, tasks, e-mails,
  documents and other forms of information
  consolidated and coordinated)
•   Low Cost (Extremely cost-effective relative to
  other forms of computer technology)

http//www.dmacc.org/west/handheld.htm
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What are PDAs most commonly used for?
Calendar/Date Book Address Book/Phone
Book Memos/Notes To do/Lists
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Calendar
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Address Book
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Memos/ To Do Lists
Desktop (Palm)
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Traditional Documents Word, Excel, Powerpoint

• InstallBuddy from BlueNomad.com (converts files
  to PDA readable format)
• Documents To Go (word processing and spreadsheet
  editing, presentation viewing)
• Pocket PC or Windows CE devices have mini-Office
  applications

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Desktop (Palm)
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Even PowerPoint!
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Other Fee or Free Applications

• Software warehouses
• Handango
• Tucows
• For example
• Brain Forest (project mapper/manager)
• Due Yesterday academic scheduler

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PDA does not equal Wireless!
Dialup modem/ISP Same as for a regular computer
about 10-20/mo Wireless modem/ISP About
60/mo Infrared to Network
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Clarinet Systems IrDa Infraredwww.clarinetsystem
s.com
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Tribeam http//www.tribeam.com
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Web Content on a PDA

• Offline Web Clipping
• Coola (find content on desktop Web clip it
  for later reading on Palm)
• Avantgo (pre-selected channels of content, e.g.
  NYT, dumped on sync)
• Streaming/Browsing
• Live, using a browser such as Internet Explorer
  or My Palm
• Web Sites Palm Friendly (WAP, WML)

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What web content looks like on a PocketPC
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What web content looks like on a typical Palm
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What PDA-friendly content looks like on the
desktop
http//web.simmons.edu/schwartz/pda http//www.si
mmons.edu/libraries/pdaindex.html
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Locating Web Content for the PDA

• Search Engines
• Google
• All the Mobile Web
• Mopilot

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http//mobile.alltheweb.com
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http//beta.mopilot.com/
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Providing Content for a PDA Many Content
Conversion/Service Providers, for example
NearSpace (http//www.nearspace.com/) and Town
Compass (http//www.towncompass.com/) manage
event lists, directories, and other handheld
application used by many academic institutions.
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How easy is it to manage a Palm or PocketPC?
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Desktop (Palm)
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PocketPC - Just Another Drive
Desktop (PocketPC)
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PocketPC Basics
Its Windows!
Opening Screen
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Primary Uses of PDAs in Academia
Personal Productivity address books, calendars,
email, calculators, simple word processors (to do
lists, memos), spreadsheets Informational
Content news and events, hours of service,
directory information, how-to and instruction
guides (including PDA help, location of syncing
stations), portable e-books, dictionaries, and
similar reference tools, library
content Instructional Content provisions of
syllabi and assignments students take notes
while in class and record notes, laboratory data,
observations, etc. in the field faculty and
students share documents from a networked folder
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PDA Projects in Academia
Hear more tomorrow 10-11 in L-102
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Future

• Compatibility
• Convergence

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Pros Easy navigation Palm or Pocket PC look and
feel lots of storage beamable. Cons No
desktop synchronization requires PDA for
upload bulky. Company Fossil
Phone [phone] Price 145
Fossil Wrist PDA
http//www.techtv.com/products/consumerelectronics
/story/0,23008,3362300,00.html
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http//www.halfkeyboard.com/order/
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Presentation and links available
athttp//web.simmons.edu/fox/PDA.html
Megan Fox Web Electronic Resources
Librarian fox_at_simmons.edu Jump Start, May 22,
2002