Introduction

In the modern world, everything flows and changes very quickly, the rhythm of big cities dictates its own rules and laws. A modern person, in order not only to keep up with the times, but not to lag behind it, must react to everything with lightning speed. To match it, more and more powerful devices are being created, the so-called “all-in-one”, a telephone and a computer, a music player, a photo and video camera, a satellite navigation, and so on... so on...

That's how they created it PDA(Pocket PC) (abbreviated P/PC or PPC) is a portable palm computer running an operating system.

Concept of PDA

Pocket personal computer (PDA) - This is a device with a touch display and a virtual keyboard, or (depending on the type of design) - a full keyboard, like on a regular personal computer keyboard. Control is carried out with two hands, which is less familiar, but also quite convenient.

PDAs run an operating system.

1.1 The concept of “Operating system”

Operating system, OS, axis (English operating system) - basic complex computer programs, providing control of computer hardware, working with files, input and output of data, as well as execution of application programs and applications.

When you turn on your computer, the operating system loads into memory before other programs and then serves as the basis for their operation.

There are two concepts: "closed" And "open" OS. These concepts are conditional and are introduced for greater clarity and understanding.

1.2 Processor

CPU is responsible for performing arithmetic operations specified by operating system programs and coordinating the operation of all devices of the mini-computer.

Processor power (performance) is measured in mHz. This is the “brain” of the device, its computing center. It is no secret that all the data contained in the PDA is stored in a digital format (a combination of ones and zeros); accordingly, there must be a device that “calculates” and calculates all this.

1.3 RAM

RAM, RAM (RAM - random access memory) is memory that is designed to temporarily store data and commands necessary for the processor to perform operations. Measured in Mb. When the device is turned off or the battery is completely discharged, this memory is “freed”; simply put, all temporary files are deleted. This memory is almost impossible to increase, so when choosing a device you need to pay great attention to the volume of this type of memory.

1.4 Permanent memory

Permanent memory Non-volatile, Flash memory (ROM - read-only memory) is memory that is designed for permanent storage of data and information; it is in it that the Operating System is installed. Measured in Mb. This type Memory can always be increased by installing a memory card in the device, so when choosing a device you can pay less attention to the amount of built-in memory.

1.5 PDA and its advantages

PDA- a portable mini-computer without a built-in telephone module (most often this can be fixed using external connected devices).

Advantages of a pocket personal computer:

· Higher performance- the ability to watch higher-quality videos, play 3D games, and use more complex programs for work and leisure.

· More convenient Internet- due to the larger display and high resolution - a larger area of ​​the page is displayed on the display.

· Program selection- a huge number of guaranteed compatible programs - under 5 Windows version Mobile is suitable for part of the “software” for Windows Mobile 2003 + everything that was written for the new version.

· Possibility to expand functionality- if the handheld does not, for example, have Bluetooth or a GPS navigator, and it supports working with external devices, you can purchase a separate plug-in module (inserted into the appropriate slot for memory cards)

· Operating time without recharging- more capacious batteries + adjustable backlight. In addition, on communicators you can turn off the telephone unit or display - and save a lot of energy - for example, for long-term operation of an MP3 player.

1.6 Benefits of PDA for employees

Employees who often have to work away from the office for long periods of time have never been better equipped than they are now.

Their pocket computers are increasingly approaching PCs in functionality, and notebook computers equipped with wireless communications are beginning to replace conventional cordless phones. This convergence of technologies provides a wealth of choice for IT managers concerned about equipping an ever-growing number of mobile users.

New developments in this area are being reported from all sides. In April, Advanced Micro Devices introduced new model, specifically designed for small portable systems, and in May Intel began producing mobile version 700 MHz Pentium III processor. When creating their new products, both manufacturers actively used energy-saving technologies to help extend the life of the notebook PC without recharging the battery.

Manufacturers of notebook PCs are not lagging behind chip manufacturers. In May, Hewlett-Packard demonstrated the next model of the OmniBook 6000 computer and at the same time announced a new initiative to expand the functionality of its promising developments. Its representatives said that soon the entire line of mobile PCs produced by the company will support both wireless LAN standards - Bluetooth and 11 Mbps 802.11b.

This development is of particular importance now, when so much is being said about new pocket platforms like the Palm of the same name and Microsoft's Pocket PC. Of course, the new generation of handheld computers cannot yet completely replace portable systems in a corporate environment, but managers information technologies increasingly they are beginning to look at them seriously. "For us, handheld systems like Palm have already become one of the main platforms and have reached the same level as personal computers," said Rob Carter, executive vice president and CEO of FedEx Corporation. The mail giant, like its biggest competitors, allows customers to track their packages using Palm devices.

Gaining more and more functionality and respect in information technology departments, handheld devices may well affect the level of sales of laptops, especially since prices for desktop systems are also falling at the same time. In such conditions, there is a high probability that corporations will give preference to equipping their employees with desktop PCs and handheld devices, abandoning the more expensive notebook computers.

True, International Data Corporation predicts that laptop sales will remain stable over the next few years, but the experience of Japan, famous for its technical equipment, makes us think twice about it. For two years now, the ratio between notebook PCs and desktop systems has been constantly changing in favor of the latter. According to Roger Kay, an analyst at International Data, this is mainly due to the relative cheapness of desktop systems.

"It's safe to say that notebook makers are under a lot of pressure from both sides," he says. "Pocket PC makers are trying hard to create a device that will completely replace all the others." mobile devices for a one or two day trip. Meanwhile, desktop systems are increasingly approaching the size of notebook PCs.”

In the meantime, in most corporations, handheld computers are intended primarily for entering minimal amounts of information and wirelessly receiving data. How far away this is from full-featured laptops.

“Handheld devices are used far more often to receive data than to input data,” says Edmund Yee, manager of network operations at Chevron Canada. “To change this, we need to equip these devices with the ability to work over the Web. There is a great need for this at our company.” ".

Pocket devices are gradually approaching this goal, but both the developers of components for laptops and the manufacturers of notebook PCs themselves are not sleeping. In the new 700 MHz Pentium III microprocessor for mobile systems, Intel used its own SpeedStep power-saving technology. AMD is following the same path, releasing in April new K6 II and III crystals with operating frequencies of 450, 475 and 500 MHz. By the middle of this year, it is expected that Power Now technology will be implemented in its microprocessors, which will also extend the life of the computer without recharging the battery.

Hewlett-Packard's new initiative in the field of wireless communications is also noteworthy. When devices based on the Bluetooth specification begin to appear (this should happen at the end of the year), its OmniBook series laptops will already be able to communicate with them. And in June the company intends to introduce a wireless adapter and access point for 802.11b LAN. In addition, the company is developing HP Mobile ProtectTools, a software package designed to facilitate e-commerce transactions. Hewlett-Packard's goal, like that of other notebook PC manufacturers, is clear: their products must be one step ahead of handheld devices in terms of their capabilities.

“Pocket PCs are becoming more and more useful, they have already left the category of electronic books of the computer age,” says Anthony McMahon, marketing director of Hewlett-Packard. “But at the same time, their potential for generating information and data remains limited. Of course, manufacturers of personal computers "Digital assistants are doing their best to reach the portable PC level, but these PCs themselves are not standing still."

In 1982, Hewlett-Packard released the HP-75 organizer. The device had only a one-line liquid crystal display, but the RAM had a capacity of 16 KB (plus 48 KB ROM). The configuration was complemented by a fairly large keyboard (without a separate number pad), as well as a magnetic card reader, a memory expansion slot and an HP-IL interface for connecting printers, external drives, etc. The device was equipped with a BASIC language interpreter and a text editor. The HP-75 organizer came in HP-75C and HP-75D versions (the latter introduced in 1986) costing $995 and $1,095, respectively.

In the same memorable year of 1982, two similar organizers appeared on the market - Sharp PC-1500 and Tandy TRS-80 PC-2. The Sharp PC-1500 bore the proud name “pocket computer” on its case and allowed it to run programs written in the BASIC language. The Sharp PC-1500A modification had, compared to its predecessor, an increased memory capacity. The Tandy TRS-80 PC-2 computer had a different keyboard layout.

And, nevertheless, the British company Psion PLC can safely be considered a true pioneer in the field of creation, development and promotion of pocket personal computers to the market. It was founded by David Potter in 1980 as a company specializing in the development software. It is curious that Psion created games for home computers of that time (like the popular Sinclair ZX81), and the company did it quite well. However, the head of Psion, David Potter, looked further and deeper than many - he turned his attention to the programmable calculator market, as a segment of devices that could turn into something more than advanced adding machines. That's why the Psion Organizer, released in 1984, is considered by many to be the first PDA in history. This device is a clear example of the emergence of handheld devices, the first sign of the division of the evolutionary branch into calculators and PDAs. The appearance of Psion Organizer is unlikely to inspire confidence in modern PDA users. Indeed, at first glance, this is an ordinary computer with a one-line liquid crystal display and an alphanumeric keyboard of 37 keys. The basic configuration of the device consisted of 2 KB of RAM memory, 4 KB of ROM memory and an 8-bit Hitachi 6301 family processor operating at a frequency of 0.92 MHz. What brought Psion Organizer even closer to computers was the presence of additional 8 KB memory on a replaceable erasable datapak UV-EPROM card, a built-in notebook and clock, as well as an RS-232 port. Datapak UV-EPROM cards supplied a variety of software, including programs for scientific and financial calculations. An important fact is that various developers created their own software for Psion Organizer, which added to the popularity of the device. The Psion Organizer cost approximately 100 British pounds. The device could operate on one 9 V battery for up to six months! The dimensions of the Psion Organizer were 142x78x29.3 mm, and the weight was 225 g.

The success of Psion Organizer inspired David Potter's company. In 1986, Psion Organizer II appeared, which became a legend - you can still find working copies of this device! Psion Organizer II was released in different versions with letter designations CM, XP, LZ and LA. The latter was aimed at the US market, representing the XP model with extended memory. Organizer II ran on an 8-bit processor; random access memory could be from 8 to 96 KB. The Organizer II LZ version had a four-line LCD display, 64 KB of memory, two expansion slots for datapak cards, as well as a special slot where you could connect a barcode scanner or even a thermal printer. Early versions of Organizer II had a two-line LCD screen. Of course, the hardware came with software, including built-in spreadsheets and third-party word processors.

The release of the MC series (MC 200, MC 400, MC 600 and MC Word) was a revolutionary step for both Psion and the entire handheld computer industry. In 1989, not just another calculator with additional functions, but really a full-fledged PDA. The Psion MC featured a flip-up lid with a display on the inside and looked more like a small laptop. The MC 200 model was the most compact in the series. It had a blue-white screen with a resolution of 640x200 pixels, a large touch pad, 256 KB of RAM, 256 KB of ROM and four connectors for SSD drives. The MC 200 cost £595. The MC 400 “machine” had a screen with a resolution of 640x400 pixels, 256 KB of RAM, two slots for connecting peripheral devices, four connectors for connecting solid-state SSD drives (Solid State Disk; by the way, this popular type of drive today was developed by Psion specialists) with hot-swappable, hardware voice compression module (8 minutes of conversation recording was compressed to 64 KB), and a battery or eight AA batteries could be used as a power source. In addition, the user received the ability to manage energy consumption, in particular, he could send the computer to sleep mode. The MC 400 cost £695. However, despite all the advantages, the MC series failed in the market. This was largely due to the high price - 845 British pounds sterling. Another good reason was the lack of compatibility with PC computers. Only the MC 600 model worked under MS-DOS (version 3.32). MS-DOS was placed in the device's ROM. The rest of the MSs ran on the SIBO platform ("SIxteen Bit Organiser"), designed specifically for mobile systems powered by batteries. The SIBO architecture included the ability to work with various processors of the Intel 8086 series, and also provided for hardware protection of the OS address space and processes from each other, communication protocols, real-time clocks, multitasking, multithreading, and more. It should be especially noted that specifications Psion MC were not the cause of commercial failure. On the contrary, in the MS series you can see the features of future Psion PDAs. For example, these include the program minimization button, the “Psion” key, with which you could open or close programs.

It must also be admitted that the Psion MC series was a cross between a PDA and a laptop. But the Atari Portfolio, released in the same 1989, had significantly smaller dimensions and weight (197x103x29 mm and 454 g, versus 314x277x49 mm and 1.95 kg for the MC 400). Atari Portfolio was developed by the English company DIP (Distributed Information Processing), from which Atari acquired a license to sell Portfolio series devices. You can see this PDA “in action” in the film “Terminator 2”, when young John Connor hacks an ATM using an Atari Portfolio. The PDA ran under DIP-DOS, which was a clone of MS-DOS 2.1 and adapted for writing to ROM. However, full compatibility with the IBM PC could not be achieved - many DOS programs did not function on Portfolio. The processor used was an 80C88 with a clock frequency of 4.9 MHz. The amount of RAM was 128 KB. The monochrome LCD screen had a resolution of 240x64 pixels, and the 63-key keyboard had a QWERTY layout. Operating time on three AA batteries was approximately 80-100 hours. This entire configuration cost $400. The Atari Portfolio was produced for quite a long time and was discontinued only in 1993.

Sharp acquired another license from the British DIP to release the Sharp PC-3000 PDA in 1991. Judging by the name, this computer was a “descendant” of the Sharp PC-1500 organizer, which appeared in 1982. However, structurally the model was rather a “stepsister” of the Atari Portfolio. By the way, compared to the last one, the PC-3000 was almost completely compatible with DOS programs. Moreover, the PDA could also run Windows 3.0. The configuration of the PC-3000 was as follows: processor - 80C88A (8086 clone with power consumption controls), RAM - 128 KB, ROM - 128 KB, monochrome LCD screen with a resolution of 640x200 pixels, QWERTY keyboard, two PCMCIA Type II Rel expansion slots. 1.0, serial and parallel ports. The dimensions of the PC-3000 were 222x112x25 mm, and the weight was 600 g with batteries. The computer's battery charge lasted for 10-20 hours. The PC-3000 PDA (there was also a PC-3100 version) was also discontinued in 1993.

The Psion company quickly managed to “rehabilitate itself” - already in 1991, the Psion Series 3 pocket computers were introduced, which gained worldwide popularity. It was in the Series 3 that the “shell” design was first used, which later became a classic. The design of the keyboard has also changed, receiving the usual QWERTY layout. The Series 3 configuration included: a NEC V30H processor (80C86 clone) with a clock frequency of 3.84 MHz, 128 or 256 KB of RAM, 384 KB of ROM, an LCD screen with a resolution of 240x80 pixels, an SSD slot and a communication port. The dimensions of the computer were 165x85x22 mm, and the weight was 275 grams. The model could operate on batteries for up to 40 hours. The version of the PDA with 128 KB of RAM cost only £200, and with 256 KB - 250 pounds. Among the software “hardwired” into the ROM were: a DBMS, a text editor, a diary, a World Info database, the OPL programming language, a reference database for world cities and time zones, a calculator, a spell checker, a spreadsheet and other software. Separately, it is worth mentioning the possibility of collaboration, when the user could view the device’s disks both from a PC and a PDA, while simultaneously having parallel access to files. Series 3 handhelds were also produced (under license) by ACORN. The PocketBook model it produced was aimed at the educational sector. Series 3 computers also ran on the SIBO (SIxteen-Bit Organizer) platform, from which the well-known 32-bit Symbian OS later grew.

The success of Psion handheld computers brought out of hibernation one of the most creative companies in the world - Apple. It approached the creation of its first PDA very seriously and with the imagination typical of Apple developers. As a result, a PDA called Newton NotePad (later renamed MessagePad) became a new benchmark for all manufacturers of pocket assistants, defining the face of the industry in the 90s. The Newton NotePad implemented the possibility of handwriting input, and there was no need to learn a special character system (as in the first Pocket PCs) - Newton “understood” the natural writing of letters. The new structure became known to the public in May 1992. And already on August 2, 1993, at the MacWorld exhibition held in Boston, the MessagePad was officially presented, and the first five thousand devices were purchased in a few hours, despite the rather high cost - $800! However, we will continue the conversation about MessagePad and other PDAs of the 90s in the second part of our story. In it we will meet, in particular, the famous Palm company and its equally famous pocket computers.

Despite the abundance and accessibility of a wide variety of mobile technology, some people still do not know what a PDA is, even if they have a smartphone or other mobile device.

The abbreviation PDA stands for Essentially, the device performs the functions of a regular laptop or laptop, plus it is truly a personal computer, which often cannot be said about its “older” relatives. PDAs differ from them not only in size, but also in power. You also won't be able to freely disassemble it, which is much easier to do with a regular desktop computer.

This is your personal assistant, through which you can read books, view mail, chat with friends, listen to music, write notes. This device is often also called a handheld because it easily fits in the palm of your hand.

At the moment, handhelds are not popular among users, which is why many do not know what a PDA is. The reason for its unpopularity lies in the fact that now many users have smartphones or communicators, which are often the same thing. The former include the functions of a PDA and a mobile phone, while the latter are primarily a mobile phone and a PDA. But the difference is not too big, and therefore these concepts are often used as synonyms.

However, knowing what a PDA is, you will not discount it, because a PDA uses less energy because it does not need to constantly search for a network, which significantly reduces power consumption. It follows from this that handhelds last much longer without charging than communicators, especially those with Android.

So, a pocket personal computer has many functions. The main ones are given below:

1. A device for reading books.
2. Typewriter. Of course, handhelds are small in size, but some of them have a qwerty keyboard, which is very convenient.
3. Music player.
4. Internet.
5. Organizer.
6. There are plenty of games for PDAs, so if you need to kill time, there are many interesting toys to choose from.

These are the most basic functions of a handheld, which are usually used, but there are also plenty of standard programs like a calculator and others. Also, do not forget that a PDA will not replace your desktop computer if you are doing, for example, 3D graphics or want to pass new game, demanding system and hardware requirements.

If you are the owner of this device, then you can find everything for your PDA on specialized sites: utilities, games and much more. It should be noted that you will not suffer from a lack of programs designed specifically for handhelds.

IN major cities There are even some that sell spare parts for PDAs. If there is nothing like this in your city, it doesn’t matter. After all, you can order them in online stores, of which there are many now.

The main advantage of pocket personal computers is their mobility and long battery life, which cannot be said about most smartphones. On the other hand, we must not forget that the little assistant will not replace your desktop computer, which has more functions and more power than a PDA.

PocketPC 2002 is gradually turning into Windows Mobile 2003, Palm is preparing the sixth version of its operating system, and if we take into account the alarmingly rapid development of the market for communicators* (pocket pockets with a built-in mobile phone) and smartphones* (mobile phone with PDA functions) and the “ominous” Bluetooth c Wi-Fi, then you can imagine the torment of a person who has earned 300-400 “American rubles” through back-breaking labor and who really wants to have it, but what?! It would be nice, of course, to purchase all the devices and find your own, but, alas, this is not so easy. Therefore, the purpose of this story is not to praise a specific model, but to help in finding exactly your platform.

* - The division into communicators and smartphones was introduced intentionally, since communicators (in the terms of this article) basically have all the advantages and disadvantages of the PocketPC and Palm OS operating systems.

Key market players

Despite the fact that only the lazy do not produce PDAs today, there are not many major manufacturers:

Palm OS platform:

This is Palm itself, which produces a wide range of models (the Zire, Tungsten and Palm m1xx/m5xx series), as well as Sony with its impressive range of Clie handhelds.

Pocket PC platform:

These are, first of all, Compaq/HP iPAQ of various series, the Russian company RoverPC, Casio with its famous Cassiopea, almost all other Japanese (Toshiba, NEC, Sharp, etc.), the Taiwanese company Mitac with the Mio line, as well as increasingly active “monsters” computer industry such as Dell and Acer.

Communicators based on Palm OS:

The undisputed leader in this area is Handspring (now owned by Palm Corporation) with its Treo line of models.

PocketPC based communicators:

There is no clear leader, for example, from the latest models: Luxian manufactured by Cesscom, Eten P600 from Korea, O2 XDA from the UK (as far as I remember), Mitac Mio 728. In general, everyone is trying a little.

SmartPhone based on Symbian EPOC:

The two most famous manufacturers are Nokia, with the 7650 and 3650 models, and SonyEricsson with the P800 model.

Naturally, in addition to the above, there is a whole bunch of Asian, European and generally unknown manufacturers for any of the platforms, but their products can more likely be classified as mobile exotics than really affordable products.

What exactly do you need it for?

Image

Having a PDA is prestigious today. It may not be the same as a mobile phone ten years ago, but nevertheless... Be that as it may, handheld devices are becoming an integral attribute of serious businessmen, albeit as a notebook. What can I recommend - if you have money, take the most expensive models of any platform:

Palm OS - Tungsten T, Tungsten C, Sony Clie series NR, NX, NZ PocketPC - Compaq/HP iPAQ series H5..., and even better H22... Communicators Palm OS - Handspring Treo T600 Communicators PocketPC - O2 XDA SmartPhone - SonyEricsson P800

Each of these machines will impress any person, and will make anyone who understands it convulsively swallow saliva.

Multimedia

There is a persistent myth about PocketPC's superiority in this area. But this was not the case before, and even more so now! Let's take a closer look:

MP3

Any model under control new version Palm OS 5 is capable of doing this, and in previous versions of the operating system the problem was solved thanks to an additional processor in some Sony Clie models. The question of multitasking immediately arises (as you know, PocketPC is a multitasking system, unlike Palm OS). Please come up with possible options use of multitasking in a pocket computer. Well.., for example, reading a book while listening to your favorite music. So, on any palm device capable of playing MP3, this is possible! And on PocketPC, multitasking leads to the need to manually clear the memory, because after a while ANY Pocket starts to slow down and very much. This is due to the fact that PocketPC uses automatic memory allocation in the “best” traditions of MicroSoft. That is, when you launch the next program, the previous one remains in memory and continues to work, which ultimately (somewhere after launching the 4th program) causes a braking effect. In this case, you can “close” the previous program, but, nevertheless, it remains in memory. In fairness, it is worth noting that there are “Task Managers” for PocketPC (Task Managers) from third manufacturers, in which “closing” a program means deleting it from memory. As for smartphones, any of the presented ones will be able to please the owner with MP3, only the Nokia 7650, due to limited memory and the lack of expandability, can cause discomfort.

When choosing a specific model, pay attention to the presence of a standard stereo headphone jack and maximum playback volume.

Video

Starting with Palm OS version 3.5, any model plays videos thanks to Kinoma Player. It is clear that with a screen resolution of 160x160, lack of color and sound playback through the built-in tweeter, it was difficult to compare the quality with PocketPC. But with the advent of Palm OS 5, and even earlier thanks to some Sony Clie models, Pockets lost this advantage. PocketPC fans constantly refer to the need to convert video files for use on palms. Firstly, with the help of Kinoma Producer, this process is available to a child (you just need to select a PDA model from the list), secondly, for Palm OS 5 there is already an excellent FREE MMPlayer that does not require conversion and even supports such a codec as DivX! Watching a full-fledged movie, taking into account its size (minimum 640 MB), in any case, regardless of the platform, will require quite serious actions from the user.

What about smartphones? Don't lag behind! All of them allow you not only to shoot and view short videos (though with low quality), but also watch videos using RealOne on Nokia, or PocketVideo on Sony Ericsson. Considering that the Symbian EPOC operating system is open, we can expect players from other developers in the near future. And there is already an interesting system that allows you to watch videos via WAP. At the same time, smartphones are significantly inferior to modern PDAs and communicators in the number of colors displayed (4096 versus 65,536) and physical screen sizes (which, however, is natural). And the Nokia7650 has the same problem - a small amount of memory and the inability to use memory cards.

All PocketPC screens have a resolution of 240x320 and display 65,536 colors. Two technologies for their implementation are used: STN and TFT (higher image quality).

All Palm OS 5 PDAs have a screen resolution of 320x320 (320x480 for Sony Clie NX and NZ series), display 65,536 colors and are made using TFT technology.

The screens of models running on previous versions of Palm OS have a resolution of 160x160 (320x320 for Sony Clie and 320x480 for Sony Clie NR) and display either 16 shades of gray (LCD technology) or 65,536 colors (58,621 for Palm m130) using TFT technology ( Color LCD on Palm m505).

The display resolution of Nokia smartphones is 176x208, displaying 4,096 colors. The truth is that in the sun you can hardly see anything. Sony Ericsson P800 - 208x320, 4,096 colors, TFT.

Pocket Masyanya

Here in this matter the pockets are ahead. All you need to do is install Macromedia on your device. Flash Player for PocketPC and FlashAssist to watch any swf files without any problems. On Palm OS, trouble-free viewing of flash videos is currently only possible on expensive Sony Clie models. As for the rest of the palms, the above-mentioned Kinoma converts swf to its format, but without sound! However, there is no doubt that soon all Palm OS 5 devices will “fix” this issue as well. For the smartphones in question, I was able to find only one flash player - MobiClip, which also requires converting swf files, and manufacturers are very reluctant to provide a converter. However, judging by the fact that the fairly old Nokia 9210 model has normal software, the latest versions of Simbian EPOC will also have it.

Serious job

We all, one way or another, work with the Microsoft Office suite, so compatibility with it is not the least important thing when choosing a PDA.

PocketPC:

PocketPC already comes with built-in Pocket Word, Pocket Exel and at the same time works with the same files as a desktop computer.

Palm OS:

Palm devices are supplied with the DocumentsToGo program, which converts and synchronizes documents with the desktop on the fly. It is enough to place the required document in the window of the DocumentsToGo conduit (part of the program running on a large computer) and that’s it. Editing a document both on a desktop and on a PDA will always be taken into account. In addition, there are programs for Palm OS that are fully compatible (without requiring file conversion) with MS Office, for example QuickOffice.

Symbian EPOC:

Nokia smartphones currently only allow you to view documents using the RepliGo program. The Sony Ecicsson P800 accepts MS Office files directly, but due to the newness of the model, problems arise with displaying Russian fonts.

If you are going to work with a large volume of documents, then most likely you will need a portable keyboard, since handwriting input is more convenient for small notes.

What other serious things can PDAs do? Yes, almost everything! Work with the most popular packages (Lotus, Acrobat Reader, etc.), conduct presentations and, of course, work on the Internet.

Internet

One of the most useful and enjoyable features of a PDA is access to the Internet regardless of your location, whether you have a cell phone with a GSM modem or, in fact, the cellular network itself. However, a year ago, this opportunity was used mainly for receiving and sending mail. The connection speed via a GSM modem of 9.6 Kbps and the per-minute payment in favor of the network operator did not contribute to active online activity. Thank God, on all platforms, including smartphones, the AvantGo channel reader program existed and still exists (which, by the way, works excellently on Palm OS as an online browser). You register on the AvantGo server and set up channels (or use the iHand.ru service). Then, sitting at the dacha, you press “modem sync” (AvantGo on Palms) or “update” (on PocketPC), frantically multiply “thirty” cents by minutes, and with horror you see the frozen download...

Real online became possible this year, since most GSM network operators introduced GPRS service into real operation. The connection speed is higher (actually 40.2 Kbps when receiving data and 13.4 when transmitting), there is no time-based payment, the average price for one megabyte of traffic (about 20 web pages or 100 letters without attachments) is around 25 cents. At the same time, GPRS, so to speak, does not occupy the line, but simply stops data transmission for the duration of the call. Naturally, you will need a phone with GPRS support and a means of communication with a PDA - an infrared port or Bluetooth. On PDAs, Bluetooth can be either built-in or in the form of expansion cards (in the SecureDigital Card format for Palm PDAs, MemoryStick for Sony Clie and CompactFlash for PocketPC).

Bluetooth is an adapter for transmitting data over a radio channel over a distance of up to 10 meters, allowing communication between wireless phones, computers and peripherals even in cases where there is no direct visibility.

As a result, solutions that seemed fantastic just recently are already taking place. How do you like, for example, ICQ online at any time, anywhere?

But that's not all. Apparently, this year we will see rapid development of a network of public Internet access points using Wi-Fi technology.

Wi-Fi is a protocol for wireless access to local networks.

Everything is very simple, in in public places(airports, restaurants, hotels, cinemas, etc.) so-called access points are installed, providing communication at a distance of up to 50 meters indoors and up to 200 in the line of sight. The connection speed is 11 Mbit/s! The prices are quite affordable, so the PeterStar company, which is engaged in a similar project in St. Petersburg, according to the latest information, plans to set the price around two euros (70 rubles) per hour of work. Just like Bluetooth, the Wi-Fi adapter can either be built into the PDA or implemented in one of the expansion card formats. Thus, the phrase “PDA online” is becoming more and more real.

PocketPC:

With PoketPC everything is simple, since the pocket versions of Internet Explorer and Outlook Express are functional twins of desktop programs. Free version of ICQ at www.icq.com.

Palm OS:

Don’t think that it’s difficult with palm trees. The AvantGo that comes with them, as mentioned above, works great both offline and online. Palm OS 5 comes with Web Browser Pro, which is almost as powerful as Internet Explorer. Why practically, because most Palm browsers work through the proxy servers of their own developers, in order to bring the page appearance to the Palm format and load it faster. In practice, this is what (as far as I understand) leads to the impossibility of downloading a file (text, zip, mp3, etc.) from the Internet, with the exception of files in the “native” Palm format. At the same time, there is the PocketLink browser, which works well without a proxy (and, by the way, loads pages much faster) and easily downloads files in absolutely any format, and a primitive program (there’s simply no other word) LGet which only needs the address of any file on the network! That is, there are no technical problems; Palm manufacturers are mainly focused on the American consumer, who is more interested in mobile access to certain help services than in downloading files. However, from time to time such a need arises, and not only in Russia, a living confirmation of which is not only PocketLink, but also the browser supplied with the Hadspring Treo 600 communicator, which also works directly with web sites.

As for email clients, previously palms could not work with emails in HTML format and with attached files. With the advent of VersaMail 2.0, the problem began to be resolved, and with the release of SnapperMail 1.51 and VersaMail 2.5 (supplied with the Tungsten series) it was finally resolved. Free version of ICQ at www.icq.com.

Symbian EPOC:

Nokia smartphones have built-in WAP browsers and email clients that allow you to receive messages with attached files. There are very advanced browsers from other manufacturers, here is an example of the most popular:

NetFront Opera WebViewer Sony Ericsson P800 has its own, quite good browser.

ICQ on smartphones is more difficult. There is a version for Symbian, but it is strictly tied to the cellular network operator (naturally, not ours). There are also “independent” programs, for example nICQ.

Everyone should know this

Operating system stability

Any computer will freeze sooner or later. There are also crookedly written programs, and there are also not very stable operating systems. Each user, as a rule, tries to create his own stable package of programs that do not conflict with each other and with the operating system. This is especially important for PDAs, because being far from home with an “empty” pocketbook after a hard reset is not very fun. So, the easiest way to make such a package is for a smartphone (there are just not many programs), Palm OS takes an honorable second place, and the hardest thing is for PocketPC. A very unstable system, all hope is for Windows Mobile 2003, although judging by Windows 2000...

Pocket PC has more powerful processors

Before the advent of Palm OS 5, this was indeed true, but the final performance of a computer also depends on the operating system. So, Palm OS of previous versions, running on processors with a clock frequency of 33 MHz (66 MHz for some Sony Clies), runs its applications much faster than PocketPC, and Palm OS 5 uses the same processors as PocketPCs.

Pocket PC has more memory

This is also true, but, again, its effective use depends on the operating system. For comfortable work on Palm cards, 8 MB of RAM is enough, but on PocketPC 64 MB fills up so quickly that you don’t even have time to blink an eye, and not due to the fact that there are more programs for Pockets. Quite the contrary, the undisputed leader in the amount of software for PDAs is the Palm OS platform, while a significant part of the programs is free.

Palm OS - a primitive operating system

The main argument is the lack of multitasking. After purchasing a PDA, you yourself will most likely see that the maximum use of multitasking is mp3 in the background. As mentioned above, all Palms capable of playing mp3 do this in the background, and the multitasking imposed by PocketPC leads to a braking effect and, as a result, to a reboot or “manual” memory clearing. Many novice Pocket users, thanks to automatic memory allocation, spend a long time wondering what suddenly happened to the PDA and where are these megahertz? It should be mentioned that there are shells that solve this problem.

The next argument is that Palm OS has a primitive file system. Indeed, Palm brings everything together, some folders are missing. Surprisingly, this does not cause any problems during operation. In the vast majority of cases, the uninstalled program “erases” all its service files. There are a huge number of shells that allow you to logically divide programs into folders. Is the similarity of the PocketPC file system (precisely “similar”, since there are differences, and they take getting used to) to the Windows file system an advantage? Probably yes, for people who are not afraid of the phrase “Windows Registry Editor”. For everyone else, in the absence of a program installer (present in most cases), installing the program can turn into a “fun” pastime. Anyone who installed Pocket Quake on PocketPC will understand.

Ultimately, it is this “primitiveness” that makes working with palm PDAs uniquely convenient, easy and enjoyable, and allows even a complete computer dummie to effectively use a pickpocket within a week. Perhaps, in this regard, only smartphones can compete with palm trees. There is only one drawback: people who started their acquaintance with PDAs with Palm devices have great difficulty switching to PocketPC, due to the constant irritation that arises.

Selecting a Specific Model

Regardless of your choice, there are general points to check before purchasing:

• Availability of a protective screen cover or case included or on sale. Otherwise, moving in space with a PDA will be difficult.

• The kit includes a protective film for the screen. If not, then definitely buy it.

• possibility of charging without a cradle, i.e. connecting the power supply directly to the PDA. Useful for business trips, travel, etc.

• for the same reasons, the presence of a replaceable battery in PDAs and on sale to increase battery life.

• for PocketPC, the presence in the kit or sale of jackets, backpacks (call it whatever you want) for using Compact Flash. In addition to the memory cards themselves, many additional devices (camcorders, Bluetooth adapters, Wi-Fi, etc.) use this format.

Introduction

Over the past 9 years (since 1993), a new participant has appeared in the world of personal computers - the personal pocket computer (PDA). Devices based on the Palm platform, which appeared in 1996, played a major role in the spread of this type of technology.

The purpose of this work is to consider the most popular platform (operating system along with the device) PalmOS PDA.

The work is divided into 3 parts - History, Working in PalmOS, Programming in PalmOS, and at the end of the work, an example shows how to create a simple application for PalmOS.

Here we consider versions of PalmOS - 3.0 and higher, and the latest models of handheld computers, because Nowadays, the first models of such devices with OS versions up to 3.0 are rarely seen, and they should not be considered because they are missing many elements. (for example, data exchange between PDAs and Internet support)

The figure shows a hand-held computer connected to a desktop PC using a set-top box (cradle).

PDA - Pocket Personal Computer

A PDA is an ordinary computer with only limited resources - power, memory, processor, screen, input / output means. But the main requirements for such devices are long-term operation without recharging the batteries, size, weight, convenience, reliability and quick feedback to user actions. It is also assumed that for normal operation of this device you must have a regular desktop computer (with operating Windows system, MacOS, Unix)

The very first name of such devices is PDA (personal digital assistant), you can also find the name “handheld PC”, “handheld”. A PDA is usually understood as a device that fits in a pocket and can operate for a long time on batteries; this device must also have at least the functions of an organizer.

Organizer - from the word “organize” - to organize, plan, arrange, form, put in order, (translated from English) An organizer is a device that looks like a calculator, into which you can enter phone numbers and addresses (there is a keyboard), it has clock and alarm clock. In Soviet countries, such devices were called Electronic Notebooks (see history of PDAs).

There are several types of PDA devices, one of them is pocket computers. PDAs are divided into:

Palm - or simply “Palms” (emphasis on the “a”), the very first of all listed.

• 1. PPC - (Palm-size PC), this is all that runs under WindowsCE 2.0-2.1, they look like Palm.
• 2. HPC - (Handheld PC) PDA with a small keyboard, available with WindowsCE, EPOC32.
• 3. Pocket PC - (the most modern) multimedia PDA with WindowsCE 3.0, they differ from PPC in increased resources (memory, processor)

Palm are the most popular and widespread PDAs; they appeared in 1996 and their main purpose is as an Organizer attached to a desktop PC. Further in the text I will simply call them “palm”, by analogy with the word “laptop”. (Palm - palm, translation from English)

The history of Palms dates back to 1992, when Jeff Hawkins founded Palm Computing. In 1996, the release of the Palm Pilot portable electronic notebook, “understanding” handwritten letters, inscribed on it with a special pen - stylus. In September 1994, Palm Computing was acquired by U.S. Corporation. Robotics, which in turn turned out to be eaten by 3Com. By 1998, 1 million devices were sold worldwide.

Palm trees are the best organizers. In addition, with Palm you can access the Internet, send mail, Palm can be used as a dictionary and reference book, you can listen to music, read books, store arrays of data in it, use it as a voice recorder, and play games.

Some opportunities are potential - e.g. They are not in the PDA when you purchase it, but they may appear if you also buy an additional device. For example, surfing the Internet or listening to music is not possible on all PDAs (see additional devices for PDAs)

Despite the fact that they do not have a keyboard, entering information into them is very simple - the user simply writes in it like in a notepad with a small pen (stylus)

All models have a backlit touch screen (responses to touch), an infrared port for exchanging data with other Palms. Some Palms are equipped with slots for additional devices - modem, radio, camera, MP3 player, pager. All Palms can work on average for a week without recharging their batteries. There are a huge number of paid and free programs for them.

An infrared port is a directional emitter of infrared light. Widely used in remote controls. Recently, such transmitters have been used for wireless communication. different devices, mobile phones and PDA.

The owner of the Palm must periodically connect the Palm to the desktop PC in order to synchronize; this is necessary for, firstly: placing new information and programs on the PDA, and secondly: making a backup copy of all information in the PDA.

The PDA can remain without batteries for about 10 minutes, otherwise all information is lost; in this case, a backup copy will help restore everything.

The listed capabilities and characteristics are present in all today's PDAs, and are the standard today.

PPC running WindowsCE OS appeared after Palm. They have a more powerful processor, more memory, and a larger and better screen. They can also be used as an Organizer; they have the necessary programs. The WindowsCE operating system (CE - compact edition) is a stripped-down copy of Windows95. For the user, this means that WindowsCE has everything - smaller versions of Word, Excel, Internet Explorer, you can work with files and folders, there is an explorer, an analogue of the control panel, a help system, etc., modern models have more powerful multimedia support - music, animation, video. There is only no desktop. Despite their power, they work slower than Palms.

PocketPC are the next generation PPC based on WinCE, all of the above applies to them, the whole difference is that there are more resources (memory 32-64MB, processor 160-210MHz), and they have WinCE 3.0 installed (+ new technology for connecting external devices - jackets). Therefore, it is more convenient to do some things in it: for example, thanks to a high-quality screen, it is more convenient to use the Internet, read books, format text, work with tables, look at pictures, you can listen to high-quality music on them, or record speech on a voice recorder. Eat negative sides- and the battery life has dropped catastrophically - the batteries need to be charged every day.

In WinCE you can also enter text by handwriting, but another technology is used which is worse than in Palms (the percentage of errors when entering a test is higher), in PocketPC this system has been improved (in addition, an analogue of graffiti has appeared)

These models also attach to a desktop computer for synchronization.

It should be noted that models based on WinCE are absolutely not compatible with Palms; moreover, this data cannot be transferred from a WinCe PDA to Palms via the infrared port.

HPC- these are PDAs that have a small keyboard, their screen is wide, they look like smaller laptops. They have the WindowsCE Pro (special version) or EPOC (EPOC32) operating system installed, and there are also PDAs with other operating systems. These models were created to eliminate the disadvantage of keyboardless PDAs - the lack of a keyboard, and a wide screen provides additional advantages. Along with the organizer functions, they also contain Word, Excel, and Internet Explorer.

WindowsCE Pro is even more similar to Windows95, it has a desktop, a full-fledged control panel, and you can print from them to a printer.

They connect to a PDA, all WinCE models have a PC card and a Compact Flash slot (for connecting additional memory, modems, etc.), you can connect headphones.

Model table