Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) have become the mobile generation's Swiss army knives. Whether they look and act more like a cellphone, Walkman, or Gameboy, palmtop or handheld computers are a far cry from the appointment book replacements they once were.
These days they tackle tasks like GPS navigation in automobiles or act as remote controls for stereo systems, even as a new breed of smart phones have blurred the line between computer and cellphone. Yet those looking to buy one of these pocket giants should think carefully about what kind of device they need.
"The classical PDA is in danger of extinction. Smart phones are the trend right now," says Sony's Myriam Hoffmann. Newer Smart phones can do everything a PDA can while replacing the old fashioned cellphone.
Yet customers need to think about whether they want one device for everything, or whether they'd be better served with several devices that do their jobs supremely well.
This means, for example, that the average cellphone users doesn't need to carry around a virtual briefcase when the working day is done. Size plays an important role here, since some of these devices are big enough to leave a bulge in your jacket pocket.
"Intelligent cellphones" have already moved past the PDA on the market. The share of smart phones among mobile devices in Europe climbed in the first quarter of this year from 35 percent to 63 percent compared year to last year, according to the British marketing research firm Canalys. The percentages for handhelds sank from 40 percent to 29 percent during that same period.
That's no surprise, since smart phones are being offered for steep discounts by cellular service providers. Users who sign a service contract can receive one for little more than the service contract itself.
Sony has been one of the first to react to this trend, halting production of its Clio line of PDAs on the European and North American markets.
The modern crop of palmtop computers are genuine multimedia do-it-alls, says Steffen Hinze, a sales associate at the German electronics chain Mediamarkt.
Current handhelds can run office applications in the place of notebook computers, he notes. Many models also offer dictation devices. Pop-out keyboards such as on the Nokia Communicator 9500 and expandable displays, as with the Tungsten T3 from PalmOne, make usage even easier.
More than a few handhelds also offer a built-in digital camera for taking snapshots and video sequences. Many of the devices also serve as an MP3 player for music on the go.
Even video playback is possible: With the proper software, DVD films can be compressed into handheld computer format.
There is also a wide range of games available for PDAs. Fans of Lara Croft of Tomb Raider fame can guide her through handheld-sized labyrinths.
With processor speeds of up to 400 megahertz and high-resolution displays with color TFT touch screens, the playing enjoyment is comparable with that of a PC, Hinze says. Toshiba's e800 even offers VGA resolution on its PDA monitor.
PDAs run the gamut in terms of price and options. Introductory models like the Palm Zire can be found for under US$100. Multimedia functions appear in devices for as little as US$250. But there's seemingly no limit to how high prices can go. The magnesium casing on Panasonic's CF-P1MK2 is intended to survive falls, dust and splashing water. To pay for all that technology, the device retails at more than US$1,900.
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