PDAs, also called handheld computers, provide a tremendously flexible and easy way to keep tabs on your appointments. But they do much more than that. Some PDAs can be used to record voice notes, play videos, display digital photos, listen to music, or read a novel. You may even access the internet, via a Wi-Fi wireless connection, on many of the upper-end models. It's no wonder that many people, after buying a PDA, wonder how they had ever survived without one.
Most units work with a touch screen, on which a tablet (similar to a small pencil) is used. Most handheld computers fall into one of two categories: Pocket PCs or Palms. Palms generally use the Palm operating system, and are manufactured by companies such as PalmOne, Sony and Visor. Pocket PCs use the Microsoft Pocket PC operating system, a very limited version of Windows. The three major Pocket PC manufacturers include Dell, HP, and Toshiba.
Prices for Palm-based models range from $100 to $800, and for Pocket PC-based models, from $250 to $600. The choice between Pocket PC- and Palm-based models is the first one a buyer should make. This decision, and several others, should be considered carefully. See PDA Shopping for more information.
