What to look for in a PDA

[JCicco345]

I've run across several people who carry PDA's with medication, protocol programs on them. There's also been several post on here about it. I was looking into getting a PDA but there are tons of them out there. I already used the search feature on the city, but it hasnt been discussed. What is a decent PDA to get, and what are the things to look for. I don't know anything about PDAs really. Basically I just want one that will get the job done, I can run medication and protocol programs on. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks is advance.

[chbare]

JCicco345, there indeed many PDA's on the market. Prices are variable from about $100.00 to over $1,000.00. Honestly assess your needs and your financial limit, then decide on what type of capabilities are mandatory, and what capabilities you can live without.

A good basic level platform is the Palm Z22. You can buy one for around $100.00. It will allow you to run most of the basic Palm OS software (Epocrates, Medical Wizards, etc) and beam information to other Palm OS devices. It also has limited photo and graphics abilities. The Z22 is small, has good battery life, and I think you get a good entry level platform for your money.

However, the Z22 has limited memory. (About 5MB) In addition, you cannot run MP3 files or utilize a memory card expansion to increase your memory. The Z22 does not have Bluetooth or WIFI technology.

The Palm Tungsten E2 may be a good option if you are willing to spend around $200.00. The E2 has about 64 MB of memory, accepts a memory card (SD), has Bluetooth technology, conversion software for Windows programs (Word, Powerpoint, etc), MP3 capabilities, and for about $100.00 you can buy a WIFI card and have the internet access at hotspots.

The $300.00 Palm T/X will give you built in WIFI and a very large screen. My Wife uses T/X because she does not have to don reading glasses to use the device. Poor battery performance seems to be a problem with this device however.

Many Windows based devices are now on the market and they have variable price ranges. Dell markets several well known models of PDA's. Many people are going the Windows OS route and prefer to use the familiar Windows interface.

Many people have jumped on the "Smart Phone" wagon. This seems to be a sound concept because you can combine a PDA and a phone. This allows you to perform a variety of tasks with one device. Many models exist that have both Palm and Windows operating systems. The Treo smart phones seem to be very popular. The lower end Treos have Palm OS (600 & 650), while the higher end devices utilize a Windows OS (700 series). Price range is variable; however, you may be able to work a nice deal with a cell service provider. (Verizon, Alltel, etc) In addition, other devices such as the BlackJack exist.

In the end, it comes down to you. You need to do a little research and choose a platform that will fit into your budget and provide all of your needs.

Take care,

chbare.

[AZCEP]

I'd suggest not spending the money on a PDA type device if that is all that you are going to use it for.

You will find that you aren't using the reference material all that much. Granted, there are thousands of different software options to make it better fit what you need.

Check into PDA reviews from any of the major electronics publications. They will give you a good source of the base information for a particular device.

Happy hunting.