Handheld computers have become a handful. There are so many on the market that it’s hard to choose which one is right for you, especially since they are no longer just electronic organizers.
The devices, more commonly known as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), are verifiable mini-computers with the power to run thousands of software titles. They are also converging with wireless phones so that they can send and receive e-mail, and access the Internet.
PDAs run from about $150 to $1,400, the price of low-end laptops. So it’s no surprise that not all PDAs are created equal. They all provide contact management, scheduling, to-do lists and memo applications, and can synchronize their data with a desktop computer or laptop so that it’s the same on either device.
Most PDAs use handwriting recognition for data entry, though some work with add-on foldaway keyboards. A couple of devices like the RIM Blackberry and the new Handspring Treo have small integrated keyboards, wireless connections for e-mail and Internet access.
PDAs are divided into three types based on the operating system that they use: Palm Camp, the Pocket PC family, and devices that use other technologies.
Palm Inc. makes its own hot-selling handheld devices, but it also licences its operating system (called the PalmOS) to other PDA makers, such as Handspring and Sony.
Palm’s bottom end is the Palm m100. The $150 device has 2MB of memory. It runs the PalmOS-compatible programs, and lets you keep track of appointments, addresses, and to-do lists. It’s ideal for anyone that wants to experiment with a PDA without a massive investment.
At the top-end of Palm’s offerings is the Palm m505. The $630 device displays 65,000 colours, making it ideal for games, photos, spreadsheets and even video clips. An expansion card slot and the universal connector lets you expand the device. Early add-ons provide extra storage capacity or data backup. The slot will soon take wireless modems, GPS receivers, digital cameras and other new toys.
Handspring, which licences the PalmOS, has become a big player in the handheld market. Its line is affordable and stylish. The gadgets, which come in various colours, have really caught on with the youth market and women. The company’s Visor Pro, for example, has 16MB of memoryÑmore than any other PalmOS handheld device. The monochrome screen can be used to run videos or play games. Over 50 expansion options are available for the Springboard expansion slot. This can turn the PDA into a digital camera, phone or music player. The unit is rechargeable and costs about $449. Other Visors run from $299 to $459, including the top-end Visor Prism with a colour display.
Also in the PalmOS camp is the Sony CLIE (pronounced klee-AY). Launched in Canada last October, the CLIE comes in two versions. The PEG-N760C, Sony’s $799 high-end CLIE, features a built-in MP3 music player and a colour screen. The entry-level CLIE, called the PEG-S320, is $299.
Both use Sony’s Memory Stick, an expansion card technology which provides added storage capacity as well as plug-in, add-on devices, such as cameras and eventually wireless modems. The CLIE N760C also features a high-quality colour screen.
Then there is what’s known as the Pocket PC. This is a handheld computer that runs a mini-version of Microsoft Windows called Windows CE. The devices are made by Hewlett Packard, Compaq and Casio.
Pocket PCs tend to be more expensive than the Palm-powered PDAs. Marketed to business people, they include a calendar, contact, tasks, voice recorder, notes, and Pocket versions of Word, Excel, Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player (for MP3 music files), as well as a calculator, Solitaire and Microsoft Reader for eBooks.
At $899, the Compaq IPAQ H3850 is a Pocket PC with 64MB of memory and a processor which runs at a feisty 206MHz. It also includes a lithium polymer rechargeable battery.
Hewlett-Packard’s Jornada Pocket PCs are priced from $929 to $1,399. The units include 32 to 64MB of memory, 133 to 206MHz processors and a CompactFlash card expansion slot.
The third category is a mix of up-and-comers. Research in Motion Ltd. runs its own operating system on its Blackberry devices. These devices are primarily designed to give you a wireless connection to e-mail and text information from the Web. They also have organizer features and are popular with business people who want to carry one device for wireless e-mail, as well as access calendar and contact information. Unlike Palm and PocketPC units, Blackberry does not require an external modem for wireless e-mail. Blackberry units also come with a built-in, thumb-driven keyboard. They cost from $299 to $549, with a $25 to $50 monthly fee for wireless connectivity. Soon, Blackberry will roll out a device that can also be used for voice calls.
Perhaps the ultimate in mobile convergence is the Nokia 9290 Communicator, a stylish mobile phone that opens up into a full-fledged handheld personal computer with a keyboard that can be used for e-mail, to surf the Net, and to work with most Microsoft Office programs. It even includes a PowerPoint viewer. The Nokia 9290 includes a vivid colour screen, and it uses the Symbian operating system, which industry analysts point out is generally more stable than Windows. The device retails for about $1,000.
The Blackberry and Nokia 9290 affirm a trend in PDAs that wireless connectivity will be the norm in handheld computers.
Besides the Nokia 9290, there are two other converged phone and PDA combos on the market. There is Kyocera QCP 6035, which combines a digital wireless phone that can operate on the Telus and Bell Mobility networks for voice calls, Web access and e-mail. It also has an integrated Palm computer.
Then there’s the Handspring Treo 180, a 5.4 oz phone about the size of a Motorola StarTac phone. Even though it’s small, it has a built-in PalmOS computer with 16MB of memory. The cellular phone’s wireless connection also allows text messaging, e-mail and Web browser on the device. It runs on GSM cellular networks, so Rogers AT&T and Fido will be eligible to carry it. A version that runs on CDMA networks is expected sometime this year, so that Bell Mobility and Telus Mobility customers will be able to get their hands on a device. Initial pricing is $399 with wireless service activation through a carrier, or $549 without activation.
