Which PDA Should I Buy?

May I (Personally) Assist You (Digitally)?

The first step is to determine what you want to do with the PDA. Do you want to use it to store addresses, phone numbers and to-do lists? Do you want to be able to play games on it? Do you want to be able to access the Internet and e-mail with it? What about word processing and spreadsheet applications? Do you want it to be a phone as well? Should it run Windows? All of these options exist, in varying price ranges from under $100 to over $600.

As PDAs become more advanced, they also become more feature-rich. If you just want a PDA for simple tasks like address book and to-do list management, just about any low-end PDA on the market will work. I recommend that you stick with devices that run the PalmOS operating system, both to keep costs down and to ensure compatibility with your computer. Palm is the leader in the PDA market, and provides excellent support for its products.

If you need the ability to transfer Word and Excel documents to your handheld and carry them with you, either a Windows Mobile device or a mid-range PalmOS device will work well. Windows Mobile handles these documents natively, but Dataviz offers an excellent product for PalmOS called Documents To Go that allows PalmOS-based PDAs to create and edit Word and Excel documents, as well as display Adobe PDF files.

It Slices, It Dices, It Has a Dialtone

If your needs run more in the communications vein, the range of options becomes even wider. At the low end of the spectrum is the Blackberry series of devices by Research in Motion, which is designed around the idea of short text messaging. If necessary, these devices can also double as a phone, but if you need phone communications as well as text messaging and true e-mail access, you would be better served by the so-called convergence devices running Windows Mobile or PalmOS.

At the time of this writing, the leader in convergence devices is the Treo series by Palm. Palm offers Treo models on both PalmOS and Windows Mobile platforms. The Treo combines a cell phone with email, an organizer, messaging, and web access. The QWERTY keyboard is a step up from the clunky keypads on most cell phones, and Bluetooth technology lets you connecting wirelessly to other Bluetooth devices such as headsets and car kits. It also sports an MP3 player, a digital camera that captures video, and a full-color screen. For many active professionals, the Treo has replaced the laptop as a must-have carry along device. Friends of mine who have the Treo 650 rave about it, and say that by comparison, the newer Treo 700 doesn't look as good.

Whether you are looking for a simple electronic address book that you can synchronize with your home computer, or an all-in-one cell phone and home office, there is a PDA to fit your needs. Research, compare options and find the best deal on the Internet to find the PDA that's best for you. Here are some links to help you in that search:

Palm PDA Products - http://www.palm.com
Palm Treo - http://web.palm.com
Blackberry - http://www.blackberry.com

Mobile Tech Review - http://www.mobiletechreview.com
Epinions - http://www.epinions.com
PriceWatch - http://www.pricewatch.com