No longer simply digital organisers, these latest handheld devices offer significant computing power and convenience.
When is a palmtop not a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)? When it's a handheld computer.
Everyone knows they are great for holding all your addresses and things to do, and making sure you get to a meeting on time, but what else can a palmtop do?
Given the right software and peripherals, just about anything.
They can be used to send e-mail on the road, check stock prices, fill out a questionnaire, read your water meter, capture someone's signature, or find your way around an unfamiliar city.
Technology & Business magazine evaluated the general physical ease of use of the devices and software applications, as well as looking at battery life, accessories and protection from damage.
In a quick survey amongst the System Administrators Guild of Australia, (SAGE-AU) , some of the uses we found for handheld computers are below.
Many systems admins use both Palm OS and Pocket PC powered handhelds as a portable keyboard/monitor to hook up as a serial terminal to headless servers, routers, and firewalls.
Others use PocketPCs to dial up the Internet via a mobile phone and check out the weather radar images and other up-to-the-minute information.
We found local councils are using handheld computers to collect data on weed infestations, park infrastructure, and asset information.
They are being used in conjunction with Global Positioning Systems (GPS) to provide locations with up to half-metre accuracy, and are also used for outdoors staff to locate manholes, fire hydrants, and so on before conducting works.
