Handheld Buying Guide 

Need information on the go? Keep yourself informed, organized, and entertained with a handheld computer, also called a personal digital assistant (PDA). Handhelds are mobile computers that manage your calendar, contact information, and to-do lists. Some provide a voice recorder and note taker, and others even let you read e-mail and information downloaded from the Internet.

Overview

Handhelds are small portable computers, usually handheld or pocket-size, that organize data, such as your schedule, appointment calendar, address book, and to-do list, and often include connections to your desktop PC or to the Internet. Once the domain of early adopting gadget lovers, handhelds now organize and update millions of mobile business professionals. They're ideal for anyone who needs portable information but doesn't want the size or expense of a laptop computer.

Handhelds are usually designed to work with your desktop PC. First, you connect the two devices with a serial or USB cable. Then you use the handheld's included software to manage tasks on your desktop PC and to synchronize tasks with the handheld.

When shopping for a handheld, start by identifying your needs. Do you want just a basic electronic pocket organizer with personal information management (PIM) functions? Will you need to coordinate your information with others who are connected through a network? Will you need to download e-mail and other information from the Internet to your handheld? Will you use your handheld to jot down notes during meetings? Will you need a larger handheld with a bigger screen and more memory, or will you want to travel with your handheld in your pocket?

Knowing what tasks you'll use your handheld for will help you decide what body size, display type, memory, operating system, handwriting software, power source, and other amenities you'll need.

Handheld body sizes

Handhelds range from the size of a credit card to a notebook computer. The number of features and the computing power increase with the size.

Credit-card-size units typically offer only basic PIM functions and have about 512 KB of RAM. Because the units are so small, the screen may be difficult to read, and there's little room for buttons, so entering data can be tedious or require you to connect to a desktop PC and to use the PC's keyboard. Still, these handhelds can sound an alarm before your appointments and keep track of your business contacts, addresses, and phone numbers in a tiny, convenient package.

Palm-size computers are the most popular handheld body style. In fact, may people consider "PDA" or "handheld" and "palm computer" to be synonymous. Smaller than a paperback but larger than a deck of cards, palm computers fit easily in the palm of your hand. The units are too small to include a keyboard, so you enter commands and data by pressing surface-mounted buttons or by tapping the display with a stylus. Most handhelds also let you "write" text and include some sort of handwriting recognition software; a few recognize spoken commands.

Larger handhelds range in size from a thick checkbook to a small notebook computer. These units have room for more memory and expansion slots, a half-height or even full-size VGA display, and a keyboard with touch-type capabilities. With increased size, you get increased computing power and versatility, but you lose the advantages of pocket portability. These larger units also usually cost more than smaller ones.

Operating system platforms

The Palm OS has long dominated the handheld market, with Microsoft's Windows CE running a somewhat distant second. The launch of Microsoft's Pocket PC OS in the spring of 2000 marks the retirement of Windows CE and the advent of a retooled, more powerful Windows handheld.

The Palm OS not only appears on Palm's Connected Organizers but has also been licensed to third-party handheld manufacturers such as Handspring. Which platform is better for you depends on your needs.

Devices based on the Palm OS tend to be smaller, significantly lighter, and less expensive than their Pocket PC counterparts. It's a minimalist approach of doing just a few tasks, but doing them really well. The Palm OS seems to be lighter on its feet--starting up faster after you turn on the device, running applications and finding data faster, and so on. Palms have a reputation for being easy to set up, learn, and use and have a long battery life. They're also known for their popular personal-information-management (PIM) systems and extensive support from third-party developers; there are thousands of software, shareware, and freeware titles to choose from. The PIM applications include Date Book, Address Book, Mail, To-Do List, Memo Pad, Expense, and Calculator, along with Security, Games, and HotSync technology (which synchronizes data with your PC).

If you like the Palm platform but want more choices in memory and case configuration, you might consider a product like the Visor from Handspring. The Visor, which is based on the Palm III design, licenses the popular Palm OS and is fully compatible with the thousands of Palm applications that are available from third parties. Products like the Visor often enhance the Palm OS with features such as advanced date books, calculators, world clocks, and support for built-in floating point math. The Visor also has an external expansion slot which lets you insert modules that add optional software and hardware (Handspring calls the modules "Springboard modules"). There are Springboard modules for an MP3 player, pager, modem, GPS receiver, video games, and more, and each one transforms the Visor into an entirely new device.

In general, devices based on Microsoft's Pocket PC OS have more memory and functions than Palms. The new Pocket PC units are far smaller and sleeker than their Windows CE predecessors, and the software, including the handwriting recognition, is a lot more mature. Pocket PCs still tend to be a bit larger, heavier, and more expensive than Palms, but they have narrowed the gap on these fronts while keeping a big lead in power. Some of the latest Pocket PCs have also added whole new functions, including the ability to work as MP3 players, e-book readers, and digital voice recorders. A wide variety of third-party software, from MPEG movie players to cursive handwriting recognition, is currently available. Like Palms, Pocket PCs can synchronize with your personal computer, usually via a docking cradle.

The Pocket PC OS comes with a large set of standard applications, and its graphical interface is a variation of the familiar Windows desktop. The standard applications are Microsoft Pocket Outlook, which includes Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, and Inbox (which sends and receives e-mail); ActiveSync, which synchronizes data with your PC; Calculator; Channels, which downloads information from the Internet; Connections, which provides Internet access and communications; Note Taker; PC Link; Solitaire; and Voice Recorder. The handheld manufacturer may add other applications as well.

Although the Pocket PC and the Palm OS overwhelmingly dominate the handheld market, other manufacturers use their own operating systems or license them from third parties. This is especially true for simple electronic pocket organizers that include only basic PIM functions and for entry-level handhelds designed to appeal to niche markets. For example, the Fuga eDiary uses its own VuOne operating system, designed specifically for users seeking to replace printed-paper planners. Other manufacturers may try to compete more directly with Pocket PC or Palm OS. For example, Psion, which makes higher-end handhelds, such as the Psion Revo, uses the Epoc operating system, licensed from Symbian Systems. Psion's Epoc handhelds have been popular with European users, and the devices hold a small fraction of the North American market as well.

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Display types

The types of displays used in handhelds are smaller versions of those used in notebook computers. Because handhelds are small, the display usually covers most of the front of the unit, so it's the most visible feature. It's important to have a display that's as bright and legible as possible on a handheld that is within your budget.

A typical palm-size handheld has a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels with four shades of gray; more expensive color models can offer more than 65,000 colors. Nearly all handhelds have a liquid crystal display (LCD), backlit touch-screen with a stylus for tapping commands, selecting items, and writing text.

Monochrome LCD is the least expensive and most energy-efficient choice, providing grayscale images and text.

Passive-matrix is a type of LCD color display on mid-level units that provides good color images when you view it straight on. There are three types of passive-matrix displays: double-layer supertwist nematic (DSTN), color super-twist nematic (CSTN), and High-Performance Addressing (HPA). Recent improvements in CSTN make it a great low-cost alternative to active-matrix.

Active-matrix, also called "thin film transistor" (TFT), is the brightest, sharpest, clearest, and most expensive type of LCD flat panel display that is practical for handhelds.

Memory

All those great applications and all your important data are stored in RAM. Handhelds normally ship with 512 KB of system RAM in credit card models and up to 32 MB in larger models, often with an option for ordering more. Some models also provide expansion slots for more memory.

The operating system and built-in application programs are stored in ROM. For upgrading purposes, some manufacturers place the operating system in a socketed ROM module--a module you can remove from its socket and replace with a new one. Other manufacturers use flash memory--a type of memory that can be erased and reprogrammed but that doesn't erase when the power is disconnected.

Some handhelds include slots for CompactFlash cards. These 50-pin cards are similar in function to, but much smaller than, the 68-pin PCMCIA PC cards that are so popular in laptop and notebook computers. CompactFlash cards provide up to 96 MB (and growing) of data storage, but their small, light, energy-efficient design make them ideal for handhelds. (With an appropriate 50-to-68 pin adapter, a CompactFlash card can be used in a PCMCIA Type II slot.) There are two types of CompactFlash cards. Type I cards are 3.3mm thick, and Type II cards (also called CompactFlash Plus or CF+) are 5mm thick. Type II slots accept both Type I and Type II cards.

Finally, some larger handheld handhelds include PCMCIA slots for PCMCIA cards. There are three types of PCMCIA cards and slots: Type I, Type II, and Type III.

Type I cards are 3.3 millimeters thick and are used mostly as additional ROM or RAM. Type II cards are 5.5 millimeters thick and used mostly as modems. Type III cards are 10.5 millimeters thick and used mostly as virtual disk drives; however, most handhelds are not large enough to accommodate these.

A Type I slot holds one Type I card; a Type II slot holds one Type II card or two Type I cards. A Type III slot holds one Type III card or one Type I and one Type II card.

Infrared transceiver port

In addition to transferring data to your desktop PC through a serial port, many handhelds can communicate with each other through an infrared port. These ports use the same technology as the remote control for your TV or VCR but with a higher data transfer rate (about the same rate as a parallel port). The infrared port on a handheld should conform to the IrDA standard specified by the Infrared Data Association. Any two handhelds running the same operating system, in close proximity, and in a straight line of sight to each other should be able to exchange data through their IrDA ports.

Text entry and handwriting recognition

Only the larger handhelds have actual keyboards, so most handhelds require you to enter information through the touch screen with the stylus. Most systems let you tap letters on an on-screen "keyboard" or write letters on an on-screen tablet. Both Palm OS and Windows CE come with handwriting recognition software--Graffiti and Jot, respectively--that lets you print letters individually. You must form your letters precisely according to the software's rules, which take some time to adjust to.

Other handhelds may come with, or may permit you to buy and install, natural handwriting recognition software. Instead of following the software's rules for writing letters, you train the software to recognize your own handwriting. The advantage is that you don't have to learn the handheld's writing rules; the disadvantage is that natural handwriting recognition is less accurate, although the accuracy may improve with training.

Power supply and batteries

More memory, CompactFlash cards, color screens, voice recording--there are many cool features and accessories for handhelds, but they need battery power to work. Most handhelds come with either alkaline batteries (usually AAA size) or a rechargeable battery pack. Many also include a small backup battery to protect the memory when your main batteries run out.

One set of alkaline batteries usually lasts a few weeks with normal use; rechargeable battery packs typically last several hours between charges. And not by coincidence, the handhelds that come with rechargeable battery packs usually consume more power than those that come with only alkaline batteries. Many handhelds have power-management settings to help the batteries last longer. For example, you can set the backlight or the handheld itself to turn off after a few minutes of idle time.

The most common types of rechargeable battery packs are nickel cadmium (ni-cad), nickel metal hydride (NiMH), and lithium ion. A larger handheld may have a smart battery pack that provides the handheld with information about its power status so that the handheld can conserve power intelligently.

E-mail and Internet access

Many handhelds are designed with the assumption that you'll check e-mail through your desktop PC and download the messages to your handheld for future reading. You can also download Web magazines, audio programs, and news subscription services if your handheld supports these features. However, some handhelds include a built-in modem or a slot where you can add one, allowing you to send and receive e-mail directly.

Setting up a handheld to work with an Internet Service Provider's (ISP) e-mail server can be a tedious, time-consuming process--especially if you've never done it before--but you should only have to do it once. One reason for the added time and complication is that the communication software on many handhelds is less sophisticated and has fewer automatic setup conveniences than the corresponding software on desktop PCs.

Before setting up the handheld, you need your e-mail address, password, ISP's dial-up telephone number, and the following information about your e-mail system: your protocol to receive e-mail; your incoming-mail server name; your outgoing-mail server name; and your primary and secondary DNS name server addresses. You may also need to know if your ISP wants you to use IP header compression or to enable software compression.

You can find this information on your ISP's Web site or by contacting its customer service department. Among the handhelds that support e-mail directly, most work with POP3, IMAP4, SMTP, and LDAP protocols, with POP3 being the most common.

Larger handhelds based on Pocket PC or Windows CE may include Pocket Internet Explorer, a slimmer version of Microsoft Internet Explorer. Tapping your stylus on a touch screen that's running Pocket Internet Explorer is a convenient and fun way to surf the Web, but don't expect to watch streaming videos or to listen to sound clips; these functions are not yet supported.

Price range

Handhelds range in price from about $100 to $1,000. On the low end are pocket organizers with some PIM functions--little more than electronic address books. On the higher end are handhelds that look like notebook computers without disk drives and that include full-size keyboards and VGA screens. Most palm-size handhelds with standard functionality are in the middle, between $250 and $550, with memory and display type primarily determining the cost.

~This buying guide is courtesy of Amazon.com and was written by Mike Brown, a consumer electronics editor for Amazon.com , covering phones, PDAs, printers, scanners, and other products.