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Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)

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Specifications: Find a photograph of a PDA - Wikicommons would be a good source

The PDA is the smallest of all computers. Their main task is to maintain a diary and keep contact lists. On many you are able to make use of a word processor or spreadsheet, but, because of physical constraints, the amount that can be done is far more limited than on a PC. PDAs vary considerably in the features they contain. Top of the range cell phones now contain a PDA.

Usually, all the components of a PDA are solid state - they do not contain any moving parts. Some of the larger PDAs, often called subnotebooks, may contain a miniature 1'/" hard drive. One feature that distinguishes a PDA from a subnotebook is that the latter has a built-in keyboard whereas the PDA makes use of a light pen and character recognition for data input.

Most PDAs are able to connect to a personal computer so that data can be exchanged. A common feature is synchronisation where software on the PC automatically updates both the PC and PDA at the same time by using the most up-to-date data on each.

Capacity and speed: PDAs have much less storage capacity and are slower than personal computers. They were designed with convenience and low power requirements in mind rather than power.

Cost: Usually a PDA is less expensive than a personal computer, but top of the range PDAs can actually be more expensive than an average personal computer.

Typical users: Typical users are those with high mobility who need to keep track of their agendas. These would include managers, representatives and doctors.