What is a PDA? What's a PDA?

PDA is the abbreviation of personal Digital Assistant, literally meaning "personal digital assistant". This handheld device focuses on computing, telephone, fax, and network functions. It can be used not only to manage personal information (such as Address Book, plan, etc.), but also to browse the Internet, send and receive emails, fax, and even use it as a mobile phone. Particularly important, these features can be implemented wirelessly. Of course, not all PDAs have all of the above functions, and even if they do, they may not be implemented because of the lack of corresponding services. But it can be foreseen that the development trend and trend of PDA is computing, communication, network, storage, entertainment, E-commerce and other multi-functional integration.

PDAs are generally not equipped with keyboards, but with handwriting or voice input. PDA uses the operating system mainly has Palm os,windows CE and EPOC. The PDA's origins can be traced back to the Newton message Pad, which Apple launched in 1993. Shortly thereafter, a similar product was launched by the producers. At present, the price of PDA is still high, but experts believe that it will eventually go into the "ordinary people's home" and become a real "personal digital assistant." The above mentioned is a broad sense of PDA.

At present, there is a narrow understanding of the PDA. The narrow sense of PDA refers to what can be called electronic Notepad, its function is more unitary, mainly manages personal information, such as Address Book, Diary and Memo, schedule, note, calculator, recording and thesaurus function. And these functions are cured, can not be based on user requirements to add new features. The broad sense of PDA mainly refers to the handheld computer, of course, including other small digital devices with similar functions. The word PDA also has a different explanation. The narrow Pocket PC does not have a keyboard, uses the handwriting input, the voice input or the soft keyboard input. The broad sense of the handheld computer is both keyboard-free, but also includes a keyboard. However, in the Chinese market, almost all handheld computers do not have a keyboard.

Classification of PDA:

PDA should be subdivided into electronic dictionaries, handheld computers, handheld computer equipment and personal communications assistants four categories. Both are slowly converging because of technology and market development.

Electronic dictionary

This is the simplest of all PDA products. Its main function is to provide Chinese and English translation, telephone number storage, reading English words and other functions, it is characterized by all of its programs are cured in memory, so the storage capacity is limited, the function is also relatively single and does not have extensibility. But these products also have their incomparable advantages. If they are relatively strong, provide the required functions, such as games, calculations, notes and so on. In addition, it also has small size, simple operation and so on. The representative of this kind of electronic dictionary has the fast Translation pass, the celebrity, the Qu Xing and so on. Of course, now some new electronic dictionaries also provide the function of communication. With additional connection kits, you can exchange data with computers and similar products. There are also some electronic notebooks, which focus on chronicle and day-to-day business management. These products tend to have large storage capacity, but the nature of the same as the electronic dictionary, its program is solidified on the memory chip, the same does not have the ability to expand. The typical representative of this kind of product is our familiar business pass.

Handheld PC

In general, the digital world will only be this kind of handheld computers will be called PDA, also represents the true meaning of PDA. Because it has almost all the functions of a typical home computer. The biggest feature of palmtop computers is that they have their own operating systems, which are generally cured in ROM. Its use of storage equipment is more expensive IC flash, the capacity is generally around MB. PDA generally does not have a keyboard, the use of handwriting and soft keyboard input mode, but also equipped with a standard serial port, infrared access mode and built-in modem, for personal computer connection and Internet. The biggest difference between a handheld and a previous product is the scalability of its application. Based on their respective operating systems, anyone can develop the appropriate application using the programming language. You can also install and uninstall them on your handheld computer. Because its function is very complete, so in the operation is also more complex, not very suitable for the computer not too familiar with the novice users.

In the handheld part, it is also divided into palm and pocket, depending on the operating system. Palm OS systems are developed by palm, while Pocket uses a WinCE series system developed by Microsoft. Because of the difference in body performance and system, the two kinds of organism are quite different.

Handheld computer equipment

The English name of the handheld computer device is HPC, meaning hand held pc. This is a product between a laptop and a handheld computer. Why do you say that? Because it has a handheld computer's common operating system, it comes with a small keyboard. The external type is similar to the traditional notebook computer. It's more powerful than a handheld, but the same size and weight increases, so it's less portable than a handheld.

Personal Communications Assistant

Personal Communications Assistant machine in so many categories of products is the most fashionable one. The idea is to combine some of the benefits of a handheld computer with a cell phone and pager. The biggest characteristic of this product is that it abandons the general telephone line and adopts the wireless data receiving way, makes the product adaptability is stronger. Although in the case of a single, early product is a mobile phone as the starting point of the product design, its business function is significantly inferior to the average PDA, only equivalent to the function of general electronic Notepad, and currently based on wince system and palm development products, collectively known as Smartphone, Its function is flat or higher with the PDA, but also has the communication function and the wireless data exchange, more represents the future development direction of the handheld computer.