RifcoMobile

by Kathryn Lively

Every year we make the same resolutions: we are going to exercise more, eat better, and above all get organized. Maybe you are like the thousands upon thousands of people who, each year, go out and buy a thick personal organizer. You look forward to a new year of planning appointments and keeping track of friends and business contacts in your new notebook.

How soon into the new year, however, is the notebook cast aside, its pages empty? Perhaps this time you should consider something less cumbersome with more usability, like a Personal Digital Assistant.

A personal digital assistant, or PDA, may resemble a Communication device from an old science fiction series, but in reality it is fast becoming an important piece of hardware for businesspeople and anyone who wants to get organized. Depending upon the style of PDA, it is capable of doing many things.

It is a calendar, an Address Book, a word processor, and a memory bank for all sorts of data. Some PDAs may be built into cell phones, or double as an MP3 and/or video player. Other styles allow users to access the Internet and send e-mail or instant messages. For the person who needs to transfer data on the fly, a PDA is an indispensable device.

If you need to bring more structure to your life and work, a PDA can help. Once you have made the decision to purchase one, however, it will be necessary to do some research to determine which style is best suited to your needs. As PDAs vary by price and style, there are many factors one should consider:

Cost