Personal Digital Assistants: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Presented byNael El ShawwaJohn El-Raheb

Group #8Audience C

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Outline

What is a PDA? Evolution of the PDA Current Applications Comparison Chart Future Possibilities

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What is a PDA?

Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)

Digital organizer

Functional– Synchronize data with computer

Portability

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Evolution

Pen & Paper

The Husky - 1980- 2 Kg

Tandy 100- 1985- First battery powered

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The Husky

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Operating Systems

Palm OS – 85% sales in Canada– 87.2% sales in U.S

Psion/EPOC

Microsoft Pocket PC

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Memory

Computer hard drive = PDA RAM

Memory expansion– Secure Digital Cards (SD)– MultiMedia Card (MMC)– Compact Flash (CF)

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Add-ons

Foldable keyboard

Modem

Ethernet

WiFi

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Data Entry

Stylus Pen

On-screen keyboard

External keyboard

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Current Applications

Standard Applications:- Datebook- Phonebook- Memos

Other Applications- Medical- Business - Students

More Applications- Internet- Games - Music- Video Clips

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Software Development

C

C++

Palm Resource Format– Windows– Unix/Linux

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Comparison

Palm HP Toshiba

Tungsten T3 iPaq H2210 E750

$599.99 $549.99 $649.99

64 MB 64 MB 64 MB

SD

PalmOS 5.2.1

Yes

PocketPC 2003

Yes

PocketPC 2003

400MHz 400MHz 300MHz

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Comparison (cont.)

Sony Palm HP

PEG TJ25 Clie Tungsten E iPaq H1935

$269.99 $299.99 $299.99

16 MB 32 MB 64 MB

Memory Stick SD/MMC Yes

N/A PalmOS 5.2.1 PocketPC 2003

200 MHz 126 MHz 203 MHz

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Future Possibilities

Data input- Voice Recognition

Language Translator

Smaller, lighter, faster

More integration in Human life

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References

Pachter, Richard “History of Hand-held Computers Told with Energy” The Miami Herald p.12, 11 March 2002; available from http://www.lexis-nexis.com; accessed 17 November 2003.

http://www.palm.com Reports by Nael El Shawwa & John El-Raheb Reports and this presentation available on the Internet

at http://elshawn.tripod.com