PDAs are generally not equipped with keyboards, but with handwriting or voice input. the main operating systems used by PDAs are PalmOS, WindowsCE, and EPOC. the beginnings of PDAs can be traced back to Apple's NewtonMessagePad, which was launched in 1993. soon afterward, there were manufacturers launching similar products. At present, the price of PDA is still on the high side, but experts believe that it will eventually come into the "common people's homes" and become a real "personal digital assistant".
Currently, there is a narrower understanding of PDAs. Narrowly defined PDA refers to what can be called an electronic organizer, its function is relatively single, mainly for the management of personal information, such as address book, notes and memos, scheduling, notes, calculators, audio recording and thesaurus and other functions. And these functions are cured, can not be added according to the user's requirements of new features. Broadly speaking, PDA mainly refers to palmtop computers, but of course it also includes other small digital devices with similar functions. The term PDA also has different interpretations. The narrow sense of the PDA does not have a keyboard, using handwriting input, voice input or soft keyboard input. The broader definition of PDAs includes both keyboard-less and keyboarded ones. However, in the Chinese market, almost all PDAs do not come with keyboards.
Categorization of PDA:
PDA should actually be subdivided into four major categories, namely, electronic dictionaries, handheld computers, handheld computer devices and personal communication assistants. And the latter two have slowly merged together due to the development of technology and market.
Electronic dictionary
In all the PDA products, this is the simplest one. Its main function is to provide the Chinese and English translation, telephone number storage, English words read aloud and other functions, it is characterized by all of its programs are solidified in the memory, so the storage capacity is limited, the function is relatively single and does not have the expandability. But these products also have their incomparable advantages. For example, they are more targeted, providing the required functions, such as games, calculations, note-taking, etc.. In addition, it also has a small size, simple operation and so on. Representatives of this kind of electronic dictionaries are QuickTranslate, Celebrity, Wenquxing and so on. Of course, some new electronic dictionaries nowadays also provide the function of communication. With additional connection kits, you can exchange data with computers and similar products. And there are also some electronic organizers on the market, which focus on note-taking and daily business management. These products tend to have a large storage capacity, but their nature is still the same as the electronic dictionary, its program is solidified in the memory chip, also does not have the ability to expand. The typical representative of this kind of products is the familiar business pass.
Pocket PC
Often, the digital world will only call this kind of handheld computer as PDA, which also represents the real meaning of PDA. This is because it has almost all the features of a typical home computer. The biggest feature of PDAs is that they have their own operating system, which is generally solidified in ROM. The storage device used is mostly the more expensive IC flash memory with a capacity of about 16MB. Pocket PCs generally do not have a keyboard, using handwriting and soft keyboard input, while equipped with standard serial port, infrared access and built-in MODEM, in order to connect to a personal computer and the Internet. The biggest difference between Pocket PCs and the previous products is the ability to expand its applications. Based on the respective operating system, anyone can develop corresponding applications using programming languages. You can also install and uninstall as many as you like on your Pocket PC. Because of its very complete functionality, it is also more complex in operation and less suitable for beginners who do not know much about computers.
And in the Pocket PC part, it will be divided into Palm and PocketPC according to the different operating systems. Palm adopts the PalmOS system, developed by Palm; and PocketPC adopts the WinCE series system, developed by Microsoft. Because of the performance of the body and the difference in the system, these two bodies are still quite different.
Handheld computer device
Handheld computer device is called HPC in English, which means HandheldPC. It is a product that is in between a laptop and a handheld computer. Why say so? Because it has the common operating system of Pocket PC, but with a small keyboard. And its appearance is similar to a traditional laptop. It is more powerful than a Pocket PC, but the same size and weight is also increased, so it is less portable than a Pocket PC.
Personal Communication Assistants
Personal Communication Assistants (PCAs) are one of the most fashionable of all these products. Its concept is to combine some of the effects of the PDA with cell phones and pagers. The most important feature of this product is that it abandons the general telephone line and adopts the wireless data reception method, which makes the product more adaptable. Although if a single theory, the early products are designed as a starting point for cell phones and products, its business functions to be significantly inferior to the general PDA, only the equivalent of the general electronic notepad function, and currently based on the WinCE system and the Palm development of products, collectively referred to as SmartPhone, its functions and PDA level or higher, but also has a communication function and wireless data exchange, more The development direction of the future Pocket PC is represented.