PDA Picks for School

James A. Martin

A mother recently took her college-bound son shopping for a personal digital assistant. He wanted a PDA to carry his addresses, to-do items, and schedule with him around campus.

But once inside the vast electronics store, after browsing the aisles, the two were soon wracked by indecision. Should they buy a Palm or a Pocket PC? A cell phone/PDA hybrid? How much should they spend? Should it have Wi-Fi wireless networking built in or not?

The hapless shoppers eventually located a sales clerk. "What do you recommend for a PDA?" the son asked, anxiously.

The clerk blinked. "I don't know," he responded. "I just work here."

True story? Nah. But given the level of help you get in some electronics stores, the story is true enough. Besides, my point is: Students (or their parents) who are just starting to research a PDA purchase are subject to confusion at best and buyer's remorse at worst.

To help you avoid such a dire fate, we've got the advice you need. Here are the five key considerations to take into account before buying a PDA.

1. Palm or Pocket PC?

The two dominating PDA operating systems today are PalmSource's Palm OS for Palm handhelds and Microsoft's Windows Mobile 2003 OS for Pocket PCs. Both types of PDAs come with a preloaded calendar, address book, to-do list, and other applications. Both are small enough to fit in your pocket easily. And while both require a learning curve, the Palm-based units are generally easier to use than Pocket PC-based devices.

So how to choose between them? Let's start with a pop quiz. (Don't worry, I'm supplying the answers.)

Q: Do you want a variety of PDAs to choose from?

A: Then go with Pocket PC. Sony recently announced it wouldn't release any new Palm OS devices in the United States, leaving PalmOne as one of the last remaining Palm PDA handheld makers. Meanwhile, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, ViewSonic, and Toshiba are among those that sell Pocket PCs.

Check out PC World's latest ratings of the Top 10 PDAs, along with the PDA buying guide.

Q: Do you want lots of software applications beyond those that come preinstalled on the PDA?

A: Get a Palm. There are far more applications available for Palm OS devices than for Pocket PCs.

Q: Don't want to learn yet another interface?

A: You're a Pocket PC person. A Pocket PC's interface and application look quite similar to Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office, but at the same time, the Pocket PC is sufficiently different to require a learning curve. That said, the Palm OS interface is fairly intuitive, but it, too, will involve a short learning curve.

My two cents: If you want an affordable PDA for basic calendars, contacts, and to-do lists, consider a Palm OS device. Example: At $100, the Palm Zire 21 is nothing glamorous, with its monochrome display without backlighting, only 8MB of memory, and no expansion slot (for adding extra memory). But it's a good entry-level handheld for students on a budget. Read PC World's review.

Photograph by Rick Rizner

Still can't decide between the two? See "Mobile Computing: Palm vs. Pocket PC" for a comparison.

2. Cell Phone/PDA Hybrid or Plain-Old PDA?

A hybrid device is a PDA that's also a cell phone. To initiate a phone conversation, you can look up people in the address-book application, push a button to dial their number, and the call begins. You can also check e-mail and surf the Web anywhere you can get a cell phone signal, provided you're on a data plan with your cell phone provider.

With so much convenience, why wouldn't you want a hybrid device? Well, most models are larger and heavier than traditional cell phones, and their screens are smaller than most traditional PDAs. Voice quality can be slightly murky, too. You can't physically talk to someone and look up information on your PDA at the same time, unless you're talking into a headset. And hybrid devices can be expensive, with some costing $500 or more.

All that said, if you're intrigued by these combo devices, here are two popular models to consider.

Photograph by Marc Simon

Photograph by Rick Rizner

To learn more about the ins and outs of wireless PDA/cell phones, see "Wireless Phone Options."

My two cents: For me, the compromises of a hybrid (smaller screens than most PDAs and heavier than most cell phones) don't yet outweigh their advantages. Also, because of their size and shape, holding a combo device to your ear is often like putting a calculator to your face--you can literally feel the buttons against your cheek. And keep in mind that many new cell phones, such as the Sony Ericsson T637 (about $100 to $270, depending on wireless carrier and rebates), can synch with your PC's address book and calendar.

3. How Much to Spend?

Traditional PDA prices begin at $100 for the Palm Zire 21 (mentioned earlier), with only 8MB of memory, a monochrome screen, and no expansion slot. Note that the original Palm Zire, with a mere 2MB of memory, was still available for $70 as of this writing. But it's likely to be discontinued by early fall.

At the high end, there's the HP IPaq Pocket PC H5555. For $650, you get Bluetooth (for short-range wireless connectivity) and Wi-Fi networking, 64MB of memory, a Secure Digital expansion slot, integrated microphone (for voice recordings) and speaker, and an audio jack (for MP3 playback) in a thin (4.47 by 2.78 by 0.53 inches) and light (4.67 ounces) package.

My two cents: Most people are better off with products that fall somewhere between the low and high price points. Spend too little, and you could end up enduring too many compromises. Spend too much, and you may buy more than you need. Unless you're on a tight budget, I recommend looking for a PDA in the $250 to $350 range.

Photograph by Rick Rizner

4. Wi-Fi or No Wi-Fi?

Many college campuses today provide wireless networks for students and faculty. With a Wi-Fi-enabled PDA, you can easily check e-mail or browse Web sites anywhere there's a wireless base station nearby--such as a library.

Some, but certainly not all, PDAs come with built-in Wi-Fi. Example: Dell's Axim X30 is a good-looking Pocket PC with a crisp color screen. The $314 model, for example (price includes a rebate at the time of this writing), comes with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity as well. For a perspective on Dell's Axim (and other handhelds), see "So Long, Sony; Hello, Zire 72 and Axim X30." To check out all of Dell's Axim models, starting at $199, browse through Dell's selection.

My two cents: Built-in Wi-Fi doesn't add much to a PDA's cost, and checking e-mail without having to lug a laptop is a huge convenience. If you've got your heart set on a Wi-Fi PDA, I'd spring for the $314 Axim X30. Dell's high-end handheld has a super-fast processor, which is essential when accessing Web pages. You can also view Web pages in horizontal or landscape modes.

5. A PDA Instead of a Laptop?

No PDA is as fast as a laptop or has as big a screen. But for taking notes, checking e-mail, and a little light Web surfing on the go, I highly recommend taking a well-equipped PDA instead of a laptop whenever possible. PDAs weigh far less than laptops--and their batteries last much longer.

Photograph by Marc Simon

My two cents: If you want a sleeker, more up-to-date PDA laptop alternative than the Dana, I recommend the PalmOne Tungsten T3. The $399 Tungsten T3's color stretch screen adjusts from just over 3 inches to nearly 4 inches (measured diagonally). You can also switch from horizontal to landscape viewing mode (the latter is great for spreadsheets). Display-wise, it's the most versatile PDA on the market. Add PalmOne's $70 full-size, fold-up Wireless Keyboard or its $99 Ultra-Thin Keyboard, and you've got a functional (if tiny) laptop. Read "Mobile Computing: Notebook Substitutes" for more about the Tungsten T3 as a laptop alternative.

Unfortunately, the Tungsten T3 doesn't have built-in Wi-Fi. For those who also want easy Internet connectivity on their laptop alternative, go with Dell's high-end Axim X30 ($314), described earlier (see Wi-Fi or No Wi-Fi?). The Axim X30's screen is almost as large as the Tungsten T3's (when fully extended) and can switch between horizontal and landscape modes, plus it has built-in Wi-Fi. Dell also offers a full-size, fold-up keyboard for $69.

Don't Forget Fun

Believe it or not, you can have a little fun on your PDA, too. Several models (such as the Palm Zire 72) offer MP3 file playback and headphone jacks, the ability to watch (or even capture) short video clips, a built-in digital camera, digital image slide shows, and more. Plus, there are plenty of games available for both Palms and Pocket PCs.

For serious gamers, there's the $300 Tapwave Zodiac, a Palm-based mobile entertainment console that also happens to be a PDA. For PC World's review of the Zodiac and other gaming doodads, see "Pocket Games: Handheld Gaming Devices."

Get Vocal

Last but not least: Students should seriously consider a PDA with voice-recording capabilities. Many models capture voice recordings (of class lectures and so forth) and transfer them to your PC as WAV files, where you can archive or e-mail the recordings. (Don't want to go to class? Send your PDA along with a buddy instead.) The sound you'll get is far from CD quality but fine for note taking. Among the PDAs with voice-recording capabilities are the Dell Axim and HP IPaq models, along with Palm's Tungsten T3 and Zire 72 devices.