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The morning alarm sounds. No, it’s not from the alarm clock on your bedside table. (Come to think of it, you might have already thrown that away!). Getting out of bed, you quickly peruse through today’s schedule. No, you’re not reading from a paper diary. You remember that you need to do the shopping so you dictate your shopping list. No, you are not talking into a voice recording dictation machine.
You are doing all these things with your cell phone. No pens, no paper and no worries!
Whether it’s a Palm, iPhone, Samsung, Motorola or Blackberry (if you wanted to be go presidential – Obama has one!), many cell phones now come with PDA technology.
PDA stands for personal digital assistant – and is a collective term for a device which manages/stores contact data, schedules and reminders and also has communication capabilities (wireless, PC compatibility etc).
PDA technology has now come to cell phones. In these hybrid cells, called PDA cell phones, wireless phone functions (calling, photo capabilities, messaging, Bluetooth, wireless online connection) is merged with the PDA functions of managing/arranging complex data. This has necessitated an exponential growth in phone memory capabilities, better battery life, touch screen capabilities and quantum improvements in phone software.
The PDA cell phone is the pinnacle of the cell phone tree of evolution.
Geared towards the professional, the business person and the serial organizer, the PDA cell phone is sprouting the following benefits for its user:
- Making other devices obsolete (throw out the alarm, the dictation machine, the redundant cell phone, the portable music player, portable gaming units, the camera, maybe even that heavy laptop notebook!). The PDA can do it all!
- Bringing PC capabilities to a new portable level. With its PC (or Mac) compatibility, wireless connectivity plus increasing storage space and growing number of software available, the PDA cell phone is virtually a PC that fits in your palm! PDA phones are typically not much larger and heavier than a normal cell phone.
Before you rush out and buy one, research the brands on offer properly. The six things to look out for when choosing a PDA cell phone are:
- 1. Reliability
Is the touch screen or keypad reliable? Is the operating software designed to do what you need or is it going to crash a lot?
- 2. Compatibility
Is it running the same software to your PC? Can you transfer work/personal files and information back and forth without pulling your hair out and having to load new software?
- 3. Installation
Is the PDA cell phone easily put together and easy to hook up to your computer and other devices?
- 4. Maintenance
Does it need regular maintenance and does the supplier provide this and other backup/service options?
- 5. Efficiency
Does the PDA cell phone have a battery that can last through the day and through long meetings? Does it function quickly without freezing up? Does it have enough memory to store your client information and all your daily emails?
- 6. Features
Does the PDA cell phone have all the gadgets included that you need? Does it have the right software, right accessories and games that you want?
PDA cell phones are relatively new as it is a hybrid of ‘traditional’ technologies. It is also still evolving as new software and hardware companies get on board the gravy train to support the PDA functions. Therefore it is essential that you do your research to ensure that you find a PDA cell phone that suits your requirement and thus not put a big hole in the hip pocket.
Perhaps you will still decide to keep your relatively new cell phone, as well as a couple of other devices to act as your PDA. You might decide to allow the PDA cell technology to evolve just a little more.
You might be like me. I like that nice big red snooze button on my ancient alarm clock!
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