Latest PDAs Offer Cool New Features (cont.)
Page 2 ... by Jill B. Hart

Windows CE looks and works a lot like Windows95/98. Microsoft claims that people who are familiar with Windows 95 will immediately know how to use Windows CE. However, despite their similarities, forcing the Windows interface into a handheld format has resulted in subtle differences that may confuse some users.

One big advantage Windows CE handhelds have over Palm PDAs is their display screen. The newest Windows CE handhelds feature a color screen that is much easier to read than the display on any Palm handheld computer.

The screen is even good enough to display photographs and other graphics. Compaq, for example, includes software for viewing photographs on its Aero 2100. The company also claims you can read the Aero's screen of its series in any light.

In addition to clear, easy-to-read screens, makers of Windows CE handhelds are also incorporating sound into their machines.

Hewlett-Packard, for example, offers an MP3 player in its Jornada handheld PCs. (which were featured in the James Bond movie 'The World is Not Enough"). This means you can download music from the Internet and listen to it wherever you and your PDA may go.

However, Windows CE handhelds have their drawbacks. They are generally much heavier than Palm handhelds. They also tend to have a shorter battery life and must be recharged after several hours of use. Batteries usually last close to a month in most Palm handhelds.

A couple years ago, I predicted that handheld computers were going to be big. That's starting to happen as prices drop and the technology improves. I also predicted that wireless Internet access and multimedia features would be built into the machines – that too is happening with the latest models. What features will tomorrow's handheld computers offer?

Speech recognition is clearly on the way. We'll also see greater integration with other hardware. You can already buy full size keyboards for a Palm handheld. Clearly there will be more integration with cell phones, printers, office presentation systems and other equipment that leverages a handheld's capabilities.

Handheld computers are no longer a Star Trek fantasy. Today, they've become a common office accessory. In the future, they'll play an increasingly important role in our daily lives.

Now if only people in the supermarket would stop staring at me when I pull out my PalmPilot to check my shopping list.