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How Does It Work? Understanding How To Use Your PDA and Pocket PC

Neato! So what does it do? A handheld PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) has many features. Although PDA's were originally designed as little more than personal organizers, (performing basic calculations and note taking) today's PDA's are high tech and more comparable to a home PC than a calculator.

How Do PDA's Work?

There is a great deal of PDA software, including PDA phone wireless connectivity, which allows users to check their email and browse the web. There are many PDA games; in color and fast moving, not just simple card games anymore. You can also run word processor and spreadsheet programs. Finally, there are GPS (Global Positioning System) devices, which allow a user to find a location anywhere in the country and even use the wireless connection to localize maps. Best of all, a lot of PDA software is actually freeware, that is, free of charge to download and use.

What About Pocket PC's?

Pocket PC's are similar to PDA's. In fact, Pocket PC's are a type of PDA, or handheld computer. While PDA's are commonly associated with Palm products, they can also refer to devices made by iPAQ and Dell Axim. Pocket PC's specifically are PDA's that meet particular Microsoft standards in hardware, and more specifically, in the operating system.

Pocket PC Programs

While there are several PDA operating systems available, such as Palm OS, RIM, GPE, OPIE, (based on Linux Kernel) and Symbian, the most popular and aggressively marketed operating systems are Microsoft Windows Mobile and Windows CE Pocket PC 2003. Windows allows easier access to various pocket PC themes and pocket PC phone features.

Controlling A PDA Or Pocket PC

Most PDA's will qualify as Pocket PC's, and thus will have a touchscreen, in which users can touch the screen for some controls, a directional or touchpad for cursor/arrow movement along with buttons, as well as hardware settings adequate enough to support common Microsoft programs. However, just because a PDA is not classified as Pocket PC, does not mean it is of inferior quality. Many PDA's by Palm have just as many features and connectivity as a Pocket PC does, with merely a different operating system.

Pocket PC's and PDA's are easy to use, just like a home PC. The only difference is it fits in your pocket and can be taken and used virtually anywhere!