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[P221]Personal Digital Assistants Pdas

by Neo Nashville, Neo

Although the palmtop computer, also known as the PDA(personal digital assistant) has been with us since the early 80s, it is only in the last few years that they have become a popular mass market product. The reason for this has been the convergence of mobile phone and computer technology, exemplified by products such as the Blackberry and the Nokia N97, which are basically small, internet capable multimedia PCs that can also be used as mobile phones.

The first true palmtop computer, released in 1983, was the Casio PF3000, which was able to replicate all the functions of a paper based Filofax or Rolodex in one portable, battery powered package. Throughout the eighties and nineties, a number of similar items built by firms such as GO and Psion were marketed as digital personal organisers.

The term PDA was first used by Apple to describe their new digital organiser, the Newton, in 1992. The marketing hype described it as The Computer of the Future, which in some ways it was, as it did away with the keyboard to make way for a large touch sensitive screen and a small plastic stylus.

The public were initially blown away by the concept, but in practice, the machine was a good deal less useful than it seemed in the demonstrations. The handwriting recognition was not in the slightest bit reliable, and with no alternate input device, this made the machine less than useless for most of the people who bought it. More PDAs arrived with a similar concept as the decade wore on, the most successful of which was the Palm Pilot, which used a system of designated strokes to represent letters rather than claiming to be able to read handwriting.

However, when some bright spark decided to combine a cellphone with a PDA, a monster was born. That monster was the Nokia 9000 Communicator, which came out in 1996 and instantly struck a chord with the occupants of business class on trains and planes, becoming the biggest selling PDA ever made up to that point.

Most modern PDAs feature a combination of input devices, including touch sensitive screens, tracker balls, and small QWERTY keyboards. Other common features include a memory card slot, the ability to connect wirelessly to the internet and to other PDAs via technologies such as Bluetooth and WiFi, and the ability to download software applications to increase the functionality of the machine.

An important feature of the modern PDA is the ability to connect it to a computer and share data such as email addresses, documents, and diary entries, at the touch of a button, ensuring that you have at least two copies of this information and that you don't have to enter anything twice.

Modern PDAs can do virtually everything a PC can do, such as run office software, surf the web, play video and audio files and act as satellite navigation systems, and new applications are being developed all the time. Not bad for a technology that is less than thirty years old!

A personal digital assistant (PDA) is a small wireless device capable of transmitting and storing pages, data, and voice, as well as fax and email messages. It is also called a palmtop, pocket or handheld computer. This device can function as a cell phone, web browser and a personal organizer. Its many important uses make PDAs increasingly popular in the event of digital advancement nowadays.

Most PDAs make use of a stylus (pen-based device) and touch screen technology that can integrate handwriting recognition features. Newer versions have voice and touch screen features for easy access of the device. PDA can function as a cell phones, web browser and media player in one.

The data in PDAs should be synchronized in a computer. Whatever happens to your PDA, the data in your computer will serve as backup files.

PDA can handle many personal tasks to help you be more organized. It can store contact information including names, addresses, emails and phone numbers. It can also help with your to-do lists and in taking down notes. It can function as a calculator or alarm clock.

Many PDAs are fixed with differential global positioning system. It provides real-time automobile navigation as a standard for new cars. GPS can display routing, traffic conditions, along with mobile radar guns. TomTom, iGO and Garmin, are in fact, the most popular software in America and Europe.

Enterprise Digital Assistant is also called as ruggedized PDAs for mobile data applications. It has been used for many businesses and government organizations. Other applications include package delivery, warehouse supply chain management, parking enforcement, accounting, security and access control, meter reading, capital asset maintenance, wireless waitress applications and record keeping. All these applications integrate devices like smart card readers, RFID and barcodes.

Many students of medicine are now using PDAs. It is a suitable tool in providing information for a “just-in-time” basis. PDAs improved the quality of patient security, quality care and health care accessibility.

PDAs can also aid in diagnosis, studies and the selection of drugs used by patients in order to effectively improve communication with hospitals.

Educational institutes started the trend of integrating PDAs into teaching practices. It is being used in classroom to increase and maximize portability of technology. PDAs have become a vital learning tool for students and teachers for a shared learning experience. This allows digital note taking, spell check and class notes modification. Electronic textbooks and class materials can be uploaded to meet instructive needs.

Additional functions of PDA have incorporated simple programs such as thesauri, dictionaries, encyclopedias, word processing and digital planning lessons.

PDAs are also used for pre-flight planning of glider pilots in order to assist navigation for cross-country competitions. GPS is being used to show tracks, map displays, airspace hazards and other strategies. It can also be used by music enthusiasts to play file formats like MP3 players during exercises. Road rally enthusiasts can use PDA for calculating speed, distance, time and GPS navigation.

People with disabilities have been beneficially provided with organizational and task management functions. Persons with hearing, speech, vision and mobility impairments can use PDAs with limited capabilities.

Many people are looking forward to the convenience and innovative uses of PDAs. More and more features are being studied to enhance its capabilities according to today's needs.

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Both Neo Nashville & David H. Urmann are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Neo Nashville has sinced written about articles on various topics from Phones, Mobile Phone Reviews and Phones. Vodafone stock a large range, including