How to choose a right PDA
There are a few questions before buying a new PDA. You should consider
them carefully and choose a right product as there are too many
products in the market.
Question 1
Budget?
How much you are willing to spend will also be an important question.
The more you spend, the more that your PDA will act like a laptop. That
is not to say that if you spend little, that you cannot get much. The
$99 PalmOne Zire 22 is capable as a replacement to the paper planner,
as well as has the ability to play MP3s and carry large reference
materials via the SD (secure digital) memory card slot.
As a general rule, spending $100 will get you a basic PDA; up to $200
can get you a PDA with a camera, MP3 player, or included document
editing abilities; up to $350 will net you a midrange PDA that can have
wireless connectivity (wifi or Bluetooth) along with cameras, MP3
players, and full document editing; over $400 will get you enhanced
screens (higher resolutions than lower models), dual wireless
capabilities on some models, more included software, and much more
memory (up to 128MB internally on some models) than lower priced models.
Question 2
What to do with the PDA?
When looking to purchase a PDA, you will want to figure out what you
want to do with the PDA. Most people look at PDAs first because they
help you to organize your calendar, tasks, and phone numbers. All PDAs
do this well, and so other tasks should be looked at such as: carrying
large references, mobile email and Internet, gaming, music play, or one
that does all those things well. Once you have figured out what you
will do with it, you should analyze your budget.
Question 3
Need it as a mobile phone?
Some people do not like the idea of carrying around a PDA and a mobile
phone. They may like the functionality of a PDA, just in the form of a
phone; or, the functionality of a phone in the form of a PDA. If you
need to access the internet and would find getting email on the go as
making things easier, then a smartphone or wireless PDA would work best
for you. Many mobile phone companies offer smartphones with a discount
if you get a contract with it.
Question 4
Need a keyboard built in?
When purchasing a PDA, deciding how one wants to input data is very
important. Though all PDAs have some form of handwriting recognition
and a virtual keyboard, if you plan on sending a lot of email or
editing documents, then you may want to look at the PalmOne Tungsten C,
Treo 600, etc..(included accessory).
All PDAs can also accept input from keyboard attachments.
Question 5
Battery life?
Acceptable battery life is anything in over four hours of continuous
usage. That will translate to 3-5 days of intermittent usage. Many PDA
models will do this and better.
There are different factors that go into getting the most out of your
battery, such as: the screen resolution (the higher the resolution, the
more power that is needed to keep the screen on); how bright you keep
the screen; are you using the multimedia functions (they drain the
battery faster); are you using wireless technologies (bluetooth uses
battery power at a lower rate than wifi, though both drain the battery
more than not using them). How you will be using the PDA you choose
will determine how much of the battery that you will be using. Some
Windows Mobile PDAs use removable batteries. You could use one battery
while charging the other.
Question 6
Does your business support using a PDA with a camera?
These days, data security is very important within many organizations.
If you are looking to purchase a PDA to use within a work setting, make
sure that your organization authorizes its use, especially if the PDA
you want has a camera. Many government agencies, and some health clubs,
do not allow you to carry devices with cameras on them. Make sure that
you do clear it with the IT and senior personnel of your organization.
Hoping these few questions can help you choosing a right PDA
Author : Joe is a webmaster of PDA Accessory StoreAfter 5 Webdesign
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