A greatly overlooked element of owning a PDA is that you actually need to take care of them if you want them to last. For most people this will mean two things – getting some software protection for your PDA and getting it a physical case to stop it getting knocked around.

As everyone knows, desktop and laptop computers need to be protected with firewalls and antivirus software. With so much malware, spyware and adware around it is pretty much a necessity. Unfortunately the same thing has to be done for your PDA. A good money saving tip is to search for software that can be used on both your computer and your PDA. There are tons of options available with Avast4 PDA Edition and Airscanner software both being very popular choices for protecting PDAs. Installing this software should be very high on your agenda when getting a new PDA as an unsecured device is just as vulnerable to attack as an unsecured PC.

The other thing you will need to consider is some physical protection for your PDA. The fact is that PDAs will get knocked around a lot in general use (even more if you are a PDA addict!). For this there are luckily an incredible amount of choices. You can go with a soft case or a hard case. The choice should really depend on how heavily you use the PDA – with heavier users perhaps being well-advised to stick with hard cases. Soft cases are fine for general users, but obviously they will not stand up to the same level of abuse as a hard case. Of course having a cool looking case is important too! Luckily there are no shortage of funky cases either!

By protecting your PDA both physically and from a software point of view you will extend its effective life significantly. As with any investment it is wise to protect it and get your money’s worth!

Rob Wood runs a PDA Accessory website at http://pda-assistant.info

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?PDA-Maintenance-and-Security&id=97923

***

I hope you enjoyed today’s installment of Your Personal Digital Assistant! Until next time…

Enjoy Your Assistance,

Kimberly Edwards

Technorati Tags: PDA, personal digital assistant, digital assistant, electronic gadgets, computing, computers

PDAs are well on the way to becoming indispensable devices for many people so finding the best pda for your needs is important. Their size and versatility make them attractive because of the convenience of having critical information right at hand in a small package.

As people become busier, keeping track of their lives can get quite complicated and relying on your own memory or a bulky agenda just doesn’t cut it anymore. Keeping calendars, schedules and contact lists on a notebook computer - or even worse, a desktop, rarely is as serviceable an alternative as the smaller PDA.

With the integration of cellular telephone capabilities, email and web browsing, the PDA is turning into an all-in-one device in a convenient size - and it’s changing people’s lives as well as reducing the sheer number of devices they need to lug around.

But, if you are a newcomer to the PDA market, it can be an overwhelming, upsetting, anxiety provoking experience to walk into a store and stare at all those PDAs while you’re being stalked by commission hungry sales people dying to sell you the model they get the highest commission on.

As a side note here, that model with the big commission is rarely the best PDA or the most reliable, but it almost always is the one with the biggest difference between the store’s cost and your cost. What all this means is that it’s time to do some sitting in a quiet place and a bit of work and then some research before you actually go out on a buying spree.

First off. Never buy on impulse. This is a serious device not a weird t-shirt to freak out your d weight, check how well it seems to be built, what the keyboard (if any) is like and how easyfriends or a new beer that sounds tasty. If you purchase wisely you will be using that PDA and storing critical data on it, perhaps using it in activities that involve your livelihood. So no goofing around, OK?

Take a pad and a pencil and sit down in that quiet place and list out all the things you think you might want to do with the PDA. Go ahead and list all of them, even if they’re far out. This is brainstorming. Put it away for a day or so, assuming you don’t actually need that PDA this moment.

Go back to the list and see if anything else has occurred to you. Your next step is to evaluate that list realistically. Which of these things would you actually do on a regular basis with your PDA. Which ones are the most important. Which ones might be nice but aren’t really required. And which ones can you deep six. You also need to identify your budget. Just how much are you willing and able to spend including any accessories you may need?

Since you now have a much more focused idea of what you’re looking for, it’s time to do some online research. I’ll usually start at Amazon.com to see the best selling models, get a feel for the prices, check out the technical specs (this is important, you want to be sure it will do what you need), look at what kinds of accessories people buy.

Then I’ll look for reviews, though you need to be careful and consider the source and the motives of the source. By now you should be starting to get a feel for which models may represent the best PDA for you.

Before you settle on a model, visit an offline store if you can find one nearby so you can actually see the device life-size, handle it, get a feel for it’s dimensions an or hard it may be to use. If you happen to find a knowledgeable sales person ask the questions that come to your mind but remember that sales people are there to sell.

By this time you should be down to at most 3 different models. Identify what accessories each will require, the cost of additional batteries, the type of memory and if it is expandable and how much that will cost. If your best PDA includes web and phone capability, be sure to find out if there are any limitations on the cellular services it will work with.

Now go shopping. Look for any discount offers or promotional offers either online or at an local store. Check prices through Amazon and other online sellers. Stay within your budget and don’t forget to add in any accessories you require. This process may seem sort of tedious when you read about it, but it will work for almost any significant purchase.

The sorting, selecting and eliminating is nearly automatic and it should lead you pretty painlessly to just one or two of the best PDAs which not only do the job, but do it within your budget and are products that you will be comfortable using and able to rely on. And now - finally - you get to indulge yourself in impulse and pick the one that simply appeals most to you for any reason.

Visit Alt Notebooks for a wide variety of articles on PDAs, the iPhone and Notebook Computers and accessories. Or go directly here if your interest is primarily in PDAs.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=E._B._Randall

Technorati Tags: personal digital assistant, pda, pdas, best pda, best pdas

PDAs—The Second Digital Revolution

Do you remember when computers were first coming out and changing the way businesses operated? Pretty soon, it wasn’t just businesses—computers and the internet have changed the way that people live their everyday lives.

The same thing is happening again with PDAs, or Personal Digital Assistants, are mini computers that fit into the palm of your hand. The capabilities of PDAs are practically unlimited!

In The Beginning

Personal Digital Assistants, also known as pocket computers or palmtop computers, did not always have such a wide array of features. When the digital instruments were first introduced, they were designed to be merely personal organizers. These personal organizers had a simple range of features, such as a notepad function, calendar, and calculator.

The Evolution Of PDAs

As PDAs became increasingly used for business purposes, more features were added to allow the user to have access to almost every form of communication available—right at their fingertips! Today, PDAs can access the Internet, receive and send Emails, play mp3 files, create spreadsheets, play games, record videos, act as cameras, and even act a phones!

Standard Features

There are a few features that every PDA needs in order to function. Typically, PDAs use a touch screen to enter data. A stylus is used to interact with the touch screen. For business use, PDAs typically have a full keyboard as opposed to a touch screen.

PDAs also have a memory card slot for storing information. Most early PDAs did not have a memory card slot, but it has become a standard feature. Personal Digital Assistants now typically have a Secure Digital (SD) or Compact Flash slot. Some even have a USB port to accommodate USB flash drives.

The final standard feature of a Personal Digital Assistant is Bluetooth or WiFi for connectivity. This is how the device is able to access email and the Internet anywhere, at any time.

Customizing Your Personal Digital Assistant

Just like your personal computer, there are many ways that you can customize your Personal Digital Assistant. Custom software is available for download, so you can download features and settings that meet your needs and preferences. Additionally, you can download your favorite games for your PDA as well.

The settings for the display on your PDA can be changed to allow for a custom picture, background, or sound. Additionally, you can purchase a wide variety of external accessories that will set your PDA apart from the rest.

Five years ago personal computers were the thing to have. Now, technology has provided a new tool for society to obsess about. Whatever will they think of next?

PDA Cell Phones Market Continues To Mature

With its recent entry into the PDA cell phones market, the highly touted and greatly anticipated release of the Apple iPhone was able to generate interest from the time it was announced to be on the way to market. Call it an exceptional marketing plan and the iPhone quickly became known as the must-have gadget of the present day industry. Bragging about having all of the electronic accessories users were after, many quickly forgot that PDA cell phones were already on the market and not limited to just one service provider.

While thousands of people were quick to jump on the bandwagon of the latest entry into the PDA cell phones market, others believed caution was the best course. It is, after all Apple’s first attempt at a cell phone. Its locked version only works with AT&T, formerly Cingular, for cell phone and web browsing service. Its ability to download and play Apple iTunes with its built-in MP3 player and touch screen navigation, it will have additional features in the future that will be geared more towards the business user.

PDA cell phones first hit the market in the early 21st century with units from Palm, Samsung, Nokia and now Blackberry and have an established history with the business world. The new generation of PDA cell phones such as the iPhone is geared more for the individual user to jump into the PDA market along with their coveted cell phone.

How Much Is Too Much In One Unit?

Many folks did not appreciate having to carry around separate units for their cell phone, Personal Data Assistant as well as an MP3 player for music. Having one unit that could do it all was the push by Blackberry into the business market than also enabled user to access their email accounts and use PDA, cell phones and instant messaging to remain in constant communication.

However, some are wondering about the need to have all of this technology in one place. Although considered highly convenient, watching downloaded movies on a small screen may not be something that everyone will want to do. The cost of the PDA cell phones continues to rise with the inclusion of more options and they still require a third-party service provider for cell phone use and web browsing.

Some even charge extra for instant messaging and text messaging unless it is included in an enhanced service contract from the provider. Downloading music and movies are also an added cost that will be consistent across most of the providers.

What Will They Think Of Next?

Jeff Fenske owns and operates http://www.addictedtomypda.com and Blackberry Need more information? Get all your questions answered and more thorough and complete information at http://www.AddictedToMyPDA.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Fenske

Technorati Tags: personal digital assistant, pda, handheld, Blackberry

Every year we make the same resolutions: we are going to exercise more, eat better, and above all get organized. Maybe you are like the thousands upon thousands of people who, each year, go out and buy a thick personal organizer.

You look forward to a new year of planning appointments and keeping track of friends and business contacts in your new notebook.

How soon into the new year, however, is the notebook cast aside, its pages empty? Perhaps this time you should consider something less cumbersome with more usability, like a Personal Digital Assistant.

A Personal Digital Assistant, or PDA, may resemble a communication device from an old science fiction series, but in reality it is fast becoming an important piece of hardware for businesspeople and anyone who wants to get organized. Depending upon the style of PDA, it is capable of doing many things.

It is a calendar, an address book, a word processor, and a memory bank for all sorts of data. Some PDAs may be built into cell phones, or double as an MP3 and/or video player. Other styles allow users to access the Internet and send e-mail or instant messages. For the person who needs to transfer data on the fly, a PDA is an indispensable device.

If you need to bring more structure to your life and work, a PDA can help. Once you have made the decision to purchase one, however, it will be necessary to do some research to determine which style is best suited to your needs. As PDAs vary by price and style, there are many factors one should consider:

Cost – Personal Digital Assistants may cost the user anywhere from just under two hundred dollars to nearly five hundred dollars. The low-end PDA, naturally, gives the owner the absolute basic functionality for organization and storage. Memory size will vary, though extra memory chips can be bought for certain devices.

Depending upon your line of work or need for a PDA, it is best to research what each styles does for the price. Determine if you really need the extras like phone access and video storage before you buy.

Compatibility – You want to be sure the PDA you choose will work with your computer’s platform and software, as you will use your computer primarily to download data onto the device. Make sure there will be an ease of transition with regards to documents, and that any ports can plug in easily without extra adapters.

Usability – Bells and whistles are nice, but when you purchase a PDA you want to be sure it performs the necessary functions without requiring extra modules. If you need a PDA for organization, check for a day planning calendar. If you take notes on the fly, check for good word processing. If you require constant accessibility, look for wireless capability.

Start the new year off right by getting organized with a new Personal Digital Assistant. The more you use one, the better trained you can become, and life and work will go much more smoothly.

Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer for The Computer Connection, military computer financing at affordable rates. She offers free SEO advice to authors and webmasters.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kathryn_Lively

Have Fun,

Kenney Jr.
Blog-n-Butter
Director

Technorati Tags: personal digital assistant, pda, pocket pc, palm, handheld, computer