A colour PDA is just like a colour TV. Once you look at the colourful world on your screen, you'll never want to go back to the drab universe of grayscales.
These days, colour PDAs such as the AU$749 Sony PEG-SJ30 are pushing the envelope as far as low prices are concerned. Handhelds with monochrome screens are now being meant mostly for the entry-level market. Therefore, if you don't mind paying a little more, we recommend colour-screens simply because they greatly enhance user experience.
However, not all colour displays are created equal. That's why when it comes to buying a colour PDA, there are a few points you need to consider before you hand over your hard-earned cash:
Colours
The number of colours your handheld's screen can handle determines how vibrant the colours on your PDA will be. Depending on the device, the screen may be able to handle 8-bit (256), 12-bit (4,096), or 16-bit (65,536) colours. As a rule, the more colours, the better. Do also note that the apps you use need to be optimized to display 16-bit colours before you can actually see the difference on your handheld.
Screen type
Most PDAs today come with an active matrix or TFT (thin film transistor) screen that uses a flat panel liquid crystal display. There are a few though, that make use of passive STN (Super Twisted Nematic) displays, which are generally less bright than TFT ones and less viewable under direct sunlight. But even among TFT screens, the brightness can vary. The Compaq iPaq H3900 series, for example, have been much praised for their well-lit displays, which make text more readable.
Viewing condition
Depending on the type of display you have, the quality can vary when you use your PDA outdoors or indoors. Gradually, more and more PDAs are sporting transflective screen that use a traditional backlight for dim situations and also reflects ambient light from the front, making it easy to read in very bright sunlight. Most other colour PDAs use a reflective LCD with small sidelights squeezed in between the screen and the digitizer-- the part that you actually tap with your stylus. Screens with a reflective display tend to perform well in bright areas but require a good front or side light indoors or in dimmer conditions.
Battery life
Because of the colour screen, these devices tend to consume power faster than their monochrome counterparts. Generally, Pocket PCs suck up battery juice faster than Palm-powered ones. Although manufacturers do sometimes claim that you can achieve certain hours of usage with a full charge, take those figures with a pinch of salt. The best thing to do is seek out those who have used the same models to find out what their experiences have been.
Screen resolution
Of course, higher resolution means you get a clearer, less pixelated picture. If you're going to use a Pocket PC, it's pretty straightforward as Pocket PC devices use a 240 x 320-pixel screen. If you're going for a Palm, you can choose between the 160 x 160 Palm and Visor, or the 320 x 480 Sony CLIE PEG-NR70V/G.
Bear in mind though, that you should always go down to the shops to check out the PDA display before buying. It's ideal if you bring along a high-resolution and colourful photograph to compare on the various handhelds.
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