RifcoMobile

Only a few years ago, the PDA concept was introduced for the first time. The first Palm Pilot's his the market and millions of people were hoped right away. The combination of a personal electronic organizes along with a powerful computer was a great solution for many people who were looking to get more done without sitting down with their lap-top or desk-top computers.

Later on, the wireless PDA's were introduced, causing even more stir, and the PDA's became even more sophisticated, allowing their users to surf the web wirelessly, download and send e-mail's and the like.

But then - the wind shifted.

It had became apparent the PDA's could not replace the notebook computers, that were getting thinner, lighter and cheaper, while offering the users the same abilities of a regular PC, but in a mobile fashion. A PDA, as good as it can be, can't replace a PC.
So at this time, the PDA industry was standing at a crossroad. It had to make the right choice in order to survive.
And what we got as an answer to he notebook computer was the PDA, also known as the smart phone. This was a smart move, as it addressed people's needs. Let's take a look at a few reasons to own and use a smart phone:

1.You already use a cell phone, and you probably own a PDA (or intent to buy one). So why not combine the two? You get two in one - more value for your dollars.
2.You'll probably save hundreds of dollar in future years, when you will want to upgrade your PDA phone. You will only need to upgrade one device instead of two (PDA and a cell phone separately)
3.Save time - Owning two tools that have so many over lapping function is time consuming. For example, It's much easier to maintain just one email account and addresses instead of one of them at your cell phone and one at your PDA.
4.Many cell phones are limited in their memory capacity and their overall ability to handle various tasks. The PDA's however, were created for these missions. The PDA phone therefore is a phone with a huge capacity for handling almost anything. This just makes your life a lot easier.
5.Integration - The biggest reason for merging these two vital tools is to enjoy the benefits of integration. You'll be able to organize your calendar, talk to your clients, download emails, surf the web, and listen to an mp3 music file all at the same place without needing to switch appliances.

The PDA phone is a very logical choice for everyone who is trying to get more out of his day and save time and money. It really makes no sense to be carrying both a PDA and a cell phone around when you can have both in one.

Ron Heller is the owner and operator of a website
devoted to PDA, HP iPAQ, PDA accessories, PDA computers and more.

One of the most useful and exciting features of the newer PDA's, is their ability to serve as real time maps. A PDA GPS built in system serves two purposes - it can help you keep track of your busy schedule as every PDA does, and, it can help you find your way to just about anywhere. You will no more get lost trying to find your way to a new client, to see your son's soccer game, or in a new city. Some of the PDA\s on the market don't have a GPS Built In system, so they require a special receiver that has to be bought separately and attached to the PDA.

The PDA's we'll discuss are PDA GPS Built In devices. You get them with the GPS system already integrated into the machine itself - the receiver, the maps, the antenna. Nothing needs to be added.

So here are the selected few pocket PC's that have a BuitIn global positioning navigation system:

1.Pharos Traveler GPS 525 - Includes maps and all your personal data. $388-$529
2.Mobile Crossing WayPoint 200 - A Good PDA and a great GPS. Too Expensive - $599.
3.Mio 168RS (GPS/PDA combo) - practical and cheaper than others. -$209
4.Garmin iQue M5 - Excellent navigation software makes this one of the best PDA/GPS combos. It's expensive - $599
5.Asus MyPal A636 - This is a PDA with a built-in GPS receiver that puts maps and directions on an equal footing with appointments and e-mail. While it delivers accurate directions and long battery life, it's a bit sluggish - not priced yet.

No matter what you use your global positioning navigation system for, you will find that the improvement over traditional paper maps is startling. Instead of trying to drive with the map folded on the steering wheel, the navigation system on your PDA can give you step by step and turn by turn directions to guide you right to your destination. No more stopping at every gas station for directions. Your satellite connected PDA will give you great instructions and keep you from getting lost.

If you are traveling on a regular bases, and often to unknown destination, you'll probably want to consider getting a PDA/GPS combo device. The cost will be considrably less than purchasing these two products separately. Why not stop by your local computer store or internet retailer and take advantage of this great technological breakthrough?

Ron Heller is the owner and operator of a website
devoted to PDA, hp iPAQ, PDA accessories, PDA computers and more.

A growing consumer appetite for converged devices boosted last years sales of smart phones to over 64 million units but further eroded the dwindling market share of unconnected personal digital assistant (PDA) products, according to analysts.

The sale of converged devices (units that can function as phone, camera, entertainment console, PDA and Web-application platform) rose by as much as 42 per cent during the final quarter of 2006.

Standalone handhelds posted their largest fall yet, down 41 per cent compared to the same period last year, the U.K.-based research firm Canalys.Com Ltd. said.

"The message to vendors here is that they need a converged connected device in their line up," said Pete Cunningham, senior analyst for Canalys.

"The PDA market has been on a downward trend for some time," agrees Kevin Restivo, senior analyst for consultancy firm SeaBoard Group in Toronto.

Market leaders such as Research In Motion (RIM) of Waterloo, Ont. and Palm Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif., have been vigorous in adding consumer enticing features such as Web browsing and e-mail pushing capabilities to their products, to stay in the top five list, said Restivo.

The Canalys survey said some 22.1 million smart mobile devices were shipped during the fourth quarter of 2006.

Finnish phone company Nokia remained the market leader accounting for 50 per cent of all mobile device shipments. The company shipped 11.1 million smart phones for the period. The phones equipped with the Symbian S60 open source operating systems, particularly the N73 devices, drove up the volume.

Despite increasing pressures from competitors in the mobile e-mail space, RIM performed well during the quarter shipping some 1.8 million devices.

"Sales of its new Pearl smart phone, positioned as a more consumer-oriented e-mail device than its other models, helped RIM increase overall device shipment by 54 per cent and maintain the lead in North America," said Canalys.

Motorola Inc. came in third with 1.4 million devices shipped during the period. Severely affected by the fall in handheld sales, fourth ranked Palm shipped about 1.2 million devices.

Another global survey conducted by Gartner Inc. found that shipment of handheld mobile devices rose by 18.4 per cent to 17.7 million in 2006.

The Gartner survey said RIM's BlackBerry unit retained the top spot for PDA devices shipped, accounting for 10 per cent or 3.5 million units shipped for the year. Palm's PDA shipments slid by 29 per cent to less than 2.8 million units from last year.

The Gartner poll indicated an overall growth in demand for wireless access to e-mail and the Internet. According to the research company, 60 per cent of the devices shipped last year were equipped with cellular connectivity.

Canalys said "although Palm had new smart phones on both Windows Mobile and Garnet OS platforms in Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and the Asia-Pacific region, its usually strong, consumer-led Q4 was impeded by a fall of 45 per cent in worldwide shipments of handhelds, in line with market trends."

Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB, pulled in at number five with some 1.1 million units shipped.

Another 5.4 million devices were shipped by other vendors.

In 2007, Canalys expects to see some increased activity around devices using the Linux OS as vendors move away from older proprietary phone operating systems.

Microsoft mobile OS "will receive a boost" from the arrival of new models and new brands using Windows Mobile 6.0, said Canalys.

The research firm, however said, it will be hard to catch up with Symbian "particularly if it provides a competitive foundation for consumer-oriented smart phones at the lower price points that market demands."

After working for a few large IT firms Read born in 1966, is currently an entrepreneur and Venture Capital Advisor and Managing Consultant for Wireless and Mobile technologies [including the internet] and in particular, in software applications for the Wireless or Mobile Industry.
http://www.craigread.com/

SOURCE:

http://www.torwug.org/Articles/newsletters/Mar2_2007/ar_03.asp

Since Fall of 2005 Verizon has added an impressive array of featured PDA phones to there lineup, along with some serious expansion of their high speed 3G EVDO network. The Starcom XV6700, released in January 2006 just after the Windows Mobile Treo 700w.

The XV6700 is alittle bit bigger then the Treo but definetly has a bigger advantage, with having a slide out FULL QWERTY keyboard. For most of your PDA users, a full QWERTY keyboard is a big feature and attracts consumers.

I personally, have had the XV6700 for about a year now. I will take some time to discuss some disadvantages and advantages that I have personally come across, with the XV6700. The XV6700 is definetly a bigger phone and sometimes can be a pain to hold in your pocket, but they always have cases that you can buy that have clips on them, to strap them to your side.

A few disadvantages to the XV6700 are its size, phone, and some other smalls issues. Like i stated above, the PDA is alittle bit bigger then most of your other PDA's, but definetly makes up for it with its full QWERTY slide out keyboard. It seems to me that I have to reset the device atleast twice a day, as well as reconfigure the pen, about once a month or so. The phone capabilities itself on the XV6700 are horrible. If you want a PDA that you will be using A LOT for talking on the phone, I do not recommend this phone at all. You will get about 2-3 hours of talk on this phone, then your battery will be dead. The XV6700 also has VERY poor output sound for voice conversations. You can turn the volume all the way up and still barely hear the person on the other line.

I also used this phone with a Microsoft Exchange server, to automaticlly download my emails and such. This was a excellent feature, but if you are like me and want to receive your emails to your phone almost as soon as you get them, then you set the send/receive option to about 5 minutes. Well, unfortunetly this causes the phone to lose battery life after about 6 hours or so.

If you are going to be using this phone to TXT message, this is the phone for you! This is the best phone that I have ever used to txt message on. It is so handy with a full QWERTY keyboard, and I can type a txt in no time at all. If you are going to buy this phone I would highly recommend upgrading to the extended battery as well as the broadband access through your phone carrier. This phone is meant to be on a data network (3G EVDO), and therefor that is why I would highly recommend getting it for this phone, so you can take full advantage of its features.

My conclusion is, this phone has his quarks and its flaws just like any other phone, but really it is all about preference and what you will be using it for. The one thing that I can't say enough is, if you are going to want to use it as a phone a lot, I WOULD NOT buy it. Talk time on this phone is horrible.The XV6700 is great for txting and having for internet access on the go.

Kyle Hahn
Kyle's Blog
http://www.kylehahn.net

Revolution in communication technology made mobile phone a gadget to be held in everybody's hand. And now when mobile phones are no more a bizarre, phones equipped with PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) facility have become hot gadget of the day. Contrary to earlier when calling was the main purpose of holding a mobile phone in pocket, now it has become a more sophisticated communication tool to be used not only in talking to other persons. Now mobile phones have taken a form of PDA phones allowing us to perform plenteous functions easing our daily life.

Phones equipped with PDA functionality have abundant of features enabling us to use it much alike our personal computer. In fact, such kind of phones are innovative step of communication technology which have been strengthening since the birth of telephone. PDA phones combine the features of both a PDA and a mobile phone. For business executives, this communication gadget appears to be their best weapon to carry always in their pocket. The reason of it is palpable – it is not always possible to be close to your laptop and office desktop. And this phone acting as your pocket PC keeps you at freedom to avail many of computer tasks like MS Office, Internet, etc.

Besides, it does have all functions what your smart phone have. Features like video camera, video recorder, voice recorder, picture and video editor, etc. make you enjoy your mobility at its best. You can download audio as well as video songs of your choice, and can hear all your favourite music tracks. More to add, you can even download several of free software which are available free and enhance the joy of having PDA phones. Software like PDA gaming and PDA Bible can be downloaded at no cost from several of websites. Thus, owning a PDA equipped mobile phone can be entertaining as well quite useful. Buying it may take you some consideration, as flood of manufactures have lined up with many brands. It is better that you do some online research, and then come up with your decision to buy one.

Darlene Kaitlene is a renowned business writer who has years of experience in writing technical reviews, product descriptions and product feature analysis of technical gadgets and gizmos. He has won appreciation especially for enlightening people about the latest communication gizmos...the PDA phones