Choosing the PDA that's right for you.

Finding the right PDA is the digital equivalent of interviewing a job candidate. You have to know exactly what you're looking for in order to make your business life easier and improve your productivity.

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First, ask yourself what you want your PDA to do for you. Some in the engineering sciences and technical support, for example, are looking for a technical assistant that can perform calculations, store data and allow quick access to data, much like their workstation, only portable. This is also a good model for sales reps that have to manage large product lists and complex pricing models--all while on the move.

Executives and office jockeys, on the other hand, look for basics, like handy access to a calendar to plan the next meeting, ability to take quick notes and easily keep everything coordinated between them and their PC. Contact and phone lists are needed to various degrees, and custom programs that handle various functions are also considerations.

Second, ask yourself if you want a combo device that has both a phone and a PDA. If so, do you use the phone a lot, but don't want to carry a separate calendar around? Or do you use a PDA constantly and prefer to dispense with a separate pager or cell phone?

Choices galore

Today's PDA marketplace offers a range of choices, including single-function devices, combo devices that exclude phones and PDA/phone devices, each with distinct design differences. Two PDA software systems illustrate the different approaches:

* Palm, still the reigning market champion, is for those who believe the PDA is not a personal computer but rather an intelligent extension of the PC.

* Pocket PC, the Microsoft version of a PDA, is just the opposite. It's designed to run with a thin version of Windows, and is built from the ground up to operate as a hand-held PC, not as a peripheral to a regular PC.

Within these two options is the hardware cell phone/PDA combo. Some products on the market today are designed in the rectangular form factor now commonly accepted for a PDA and have many of the functions of a cell phone; some even have a touch screen keypad vs. real buttons.

Other products take the opposite design approach, targeting those who want a cell phone first and foremost, but also want the convenience and power of a PDA. With these 'phone first' devices, you get all the feel and function of a deluxe cell phone, with PDA functionality built in.

Palm and Pocket PC devices are available in both phone design groups, so it's important to make the decision on which PDA system (Palm or Pocket) you want separate from which phone device you want. This will significantly reduce your choices, and make what seemed like an impossible decision much easier.

Power alert

Meanwhile, don't forget the power accessories you'll need. Newer color PDAs, particularly when combined with power-sucking cell phones, will drain even the toughest battery in record time. Always build in the ability to charge on the road, charge at home and at work, or have that extra battery ready if you need it.

Bottom line: I use the Kyocera Smartphone 7135. It's a cell phone first and a Palm Pilot second. It does both cell phone and PDA very well though, and has a rich feature set to explore and further expand productivity. I sync it to two separate PCs--one at work and one at home. I charge it in the car and at work, and it's compatible with all the other devices in my office, so we can cut maintenance costs and share formatted files easily.

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Viagra for the staffing process

Visit the Detroiter Online at www.detroitchamber.com/detroiter for Hans Erickson's review of XRM, the human resources application developed by Acro Service Corp. of Livonia.

Hans Erickson is senior vice president of information technology at the Detroit Regional Chamber.

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