Personal Digital Assistants What is it 4

Personal Digital Assistants

What is it? 4 Small basic handheld programmable computer ~ 3 x 5 x 3/4" in size, light weight (4 -8 oz), battery operated. 4 Screen resolution = 160 x 160 pixels, more on new models. 4 Prices range from ~ $125 - $1000 4 OS includes Calendar (Date Book), Address Book, To-Do List, Memo Pad & Calculator functions. 4 Palm Pilot 1 st really successful model. 4 Came into it's own with the Palm III series. 4 Thousands of programs available from mfgr's & 3 rd parties (usually cheap $5 - $30, specialized programs can be much more).

Why? 4 Small, convenient, easy to use, easy to update and edit (using graffiti or a built-in keyboard). 4 More convenient than a “Day. Timer” Notebook. 4 Internet Connection via Modem, Wireless or PC Conduit.

Who Uses One? 4 Anybody who has a need for the basic apps. 4 Real estate agents, insurance agents, Dr's, nurses, med students, salesmen, military, engineers, students, teachers, administrators, IT professionals, travelers, writers, lawyers, law enforcement, etc. 4 Inventory, kitchen , e-books, sports. 4 In short, anyone who has a need to carry information in a convenient form that’s easy to use, small, lightweight and easy to update.

E-Books

Manufacturers 4 Palm Pilot 1000 - 1 st really successful device (1996) 4 Palm III and clones - IBM, Symbol, Qual. Comm, TRG (1998) 4 Handspring - Licensed Palm OS and added “Spring. Board” slot. (1999) 4 HP/Compaq - Uses “Pocket PC” Windows OS 4 Sharp - Uses LINUX OS (2002) 4 Sony 4 Toshiba 4 RIM 4 Others

Operating System 4 Palm OS - 3. x, 4. x, 5. x - Works well and efficiently with small handheld devices. 4 Pocket PC Windows CE - Resource and power hungry. 4 Embedded LINUX OS - Unix operating system.

Power 4 AAA Batteries - 2 -6 weeks depending on usage. 4 Rechargeable Batteries - 1 -3 weeks. 4 Cradle recharge for rechargeable models. 4 Battery Life - Palm 2 -6 weeks, Windows <= 1 week.

Hot Syncing - PDA <=> PC 4 PC Hot. Sync via: 4 Serial cradle. 4 USB cradle (much faster) 4 IR 4 Beaming - PDA <=> PDA, can transfer programs and files over short distances.

Features 4 Gray Scale/Color. 4 Memory (0. 5, 1, 2, 8, 16, 64 MB). 4 Resolution (160 x 160, 320 x 240 pixels). 4 Programmable buttons 4 Expansion - Memory/Accessories. 4 Thumb boards - on some newer models.

Expansion Accessories 4 Memory/Backup 4 Rechargers Modules 4 Digital Camera 4 GPS 4 Cell Phone 4 FAX 4 Modem 4 Games 4 Sync cables 4 Carrying Cases 4 Stylus 4 Keyboards

Standard Applications 4 Calendar 4 Graffiti (Date. Book) 4 Address Book 4 To-Do List 4 Memo Notepad (4 k limit) 4 Expenses 4 Calculator 4 Mail 4 Preferences 4 Security 4 Sync 4 City. Time 4 Games

Freeware Applications 4 Avant. Go - News & Info prog, requires internet 4 4 4 4 connection Handy. Shopper - Data. Base Big. Clock - Clock/Timer Easy. Calc - Programmable Calculator Date. Wheel - Date Calculator Currency - Currency Converter Progect - Outliner Rise. Set - Sun/Moon Rise/Set Diddle - Sketching Program

Shareware Applications 4 4 4 4 4 Cplx. Cal. Pro - Programmable graphing calculator Fire. Viewer - Image Viewer Launch'em - File Organizer/Launcher Planetarium Mapopolis - Map Program Smart. Doc - Doc Reader Teal. Paint - Paint Program Pocket. C - Programming Language Hot. Paw Basic - Programming Language

Commercial Applications 4 Backup Buddy - Backs up everything to PC 4 Word. Smith - Text Editor 4 Mini. Calc - Spread. Sheet 4 Han. DBase - Data. Base 4 Mobile. DB - Data. Base 4 Think. DB - Data. Base 4 Teal. Info - Data. Base

Hacks - OS Extensions 4 Xmaster/ Hack. Master - Hack interface program, needed to manage and run hacks (OS Extensions) Ascii. Hack 4 Symbol. Hack 4 Multi. Clip. Hack 4 Switch. Hack 4 Pop. Up. Names 4 Phlegm Hack 4 Many Others Available 4

PC Desktop Palm Software 4 Desktop Software Does: 4 Calendar 4 Address Book 4 Memo Note. Pad 4 To-Do 4 Expenses 4 Some Palm apps have special “sync conduits”. 4 Palm OS Emulator runs on PC and allows you to try programs without first installing on your PDA.

Software Sources 4 Manufacturers - (Palm, Handspring, etc) 4 Palm. Gear - http: //www. palmgear. com/ 4 Handango - http: //www. handango. com/ 4 Palm. Open. Source - http: //www. palmopensource. com/ 4 Version. Tracker - http: //www. versiontracker. com/palmos/ 4 Free. Ware. Palm - http: //www. freewarepalm. com/ 4 Memoware - http: //www. memoware. com/ - E-Books & Reference Material

Other Resources 4 Palm - http: //www. palm. com/ 4 Handspring - http: //www. handspring. com/ 4 Sharp - http: //www. myzaurus. com/ 4 Palm. Info. Center - http: //www. palminfocenter. com/ 4 Palm. Zone - http: //www. palmzone. net/ 4 Palm. Boulevard - http: //www. palmblvd. com/ 4 PDAStreet - http: //www. pdastreet. com/ 4 Palm. Loyal - http: //www. palmloyal. com/ 4 Palm. Tip. Sheet - http: //www. palmtipsheet. com/ 4 ZDNet. Shopper - http: //zdnetshopper. cnet. com/shopping/0 -11013 - 1410 -0 -0. html&cobrand=29 - Palm device comparison pages

What’s Next? 4 Always on, always connected, multipurpose palm size device that does palm-like apps, cell phone, pager, text messaging, e-mail, digital camera, gps, mp 3 player, web browser, etc & costs <= $999.

Personal Digital Assistants Presented by Josh Cockey webmaster@fpcug. org August 8 th, 2002