 Magicians
say the hand is quicker than the eye. Human hands have been behind the
construction of civilizations, creation of art and the communication of
language. Palmtops work with your hands to help keep your busy life
organized. It's as easy to use as a paper memo pad yet far more practical.
Using an easy-to-read, touch-sensitive screen, you can store thousands of
contacts, create and maintain schedules and keep comprehensive lists of
all the things you need to do. In addition, with optional software and
accessories, you can send and receive E-Mail, connect with the Internet
almost anywhere, read books, listen to music, play games, virtually
anything you might imagine. You can also easily transfer information to
your home computer, too. And it all fits in the palm of your hand.
What
is a palmtop computer?
Palmtop computers are small devices that come in all types of models and
perform various organizing and communicating functions. Palms,
Handsprings, Pocket PCs, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), and Handhelds
are all types of references to palmtop computers that you carry along with
you basically anywhere. Palmtops are generally very thin and have a large
LCD screen that may display in color or generic black on green. They have
neat organizing tools like calendars, to-do lists, address books, email,
and even Internet access. Most organizers have a graphic user interface
with menus for selection, and have the ability to synchronize with
information on your PC.
What
can a palmtop computer do for me?
Where does one begin? From personal tools, to great communicating
functions to cool pocket entertainment, the palmtop can perform wonders.
Personal
Information
Most palmtops allow you to keep track of your schedule, maintain a to-do
list, and save contact information. How much information your palmtop can
hold depends on the amount of memory it comes with. Most palmtops can
store hundreds of contacts, numbers, email addresses and many other types
of information. Some even have the ability to read and store the
handwriting that you enter onto an LCD screen with a special pen. Most
palmtops also have a built-in calculator and some even have a clock with
world time zones, which you can use for appointment alarms. Another great
feature of palmtop computers is their ability to synchronize with your PC.
Let's say you have an appointment calendar on your PC and you'd like to
transfer that information to your Palm so that they are both accurate and
up to date. With most palmtops, you can synchronize the information by a
number of various methods and with software that usually comes with most
palmtops.
Communication
Can you send/receive email, and access the Internet on a palmtop computer?
Sure! Most palmtops don't come with standard modems, however you do have
the option of purchasing a card modem for your handheld device. There are
even some palmtops that come "wireless" but require a service,
which you'll be billed for every month. There are also adapters and other
devices that snap onto some palmtops for sending and receiving email like
PocketMail. Accessing a corporate or small-business network with a
handheld is now possible with certain accessories.
Entertainment
Some palmtop devices let you read books, listen to music, view photos and
play games, and read maps, right on the device. Extra ports for a
microphone or headphone may also be available with some units. Many
palmtops also come in flashy new colors.
Who
needs a palmtop computer?
Practically anyone! Palmtops are designed to be very easy to use with
menus that allow you to jump from function to function in a snap. Millions
of people all over the world from moms to financial professionals are now
using palmtop computers as organizing and communicating tools. If you
already have a paper organizer, and looking for an electronic solution to
keeping all your information controlled, then you'd appreciate having a
palmtop. If you were going away to college for the first time and fear not
being able to organize your time well, buying a palmtop would be a great
way to start. People on business trips and always on the go that have to
often refer to information, will find palmtops helpful.
What
types of palmtops are there?
Palmtops have come a long way from when they were first introduced to the
world. New palmtops have more RAM, more room for storage, are slim and
lightweight, and can perform a variety of multimedia functions. Most
palmtops come with an average of 8MB of RAM and connect to computers using
a USB interface. Memory capacity and functionality differ from brand to
brand.
Palm
The manufacturer Palm created the very first palmtops called
"Palm". No other handheld device can be called a Palm, although
they may be referred to as palmtops. When Palms were first introduced, all
of them were grayscale handheld organizers. Palm has many different
versions of their electronic organizers out on the market today, including
some color models. Most Palms come with anywhere between 2MB and 8MB of
RAM and up to 8MB of internal memory. All Palms operate using an original
Palm operating system. Some LCD screens come backlit, and most operate
using a touch screen and stylus. There are some models that come sleek and
ultra slim, and may include an infrared wireless port. Some Palms work
with both Macs and PCs, while others are only PC compatible. Accessories
like attachable full-size keyboards for data entry and Back Flip for email
access are available for most Palms. Palms operate using regular alkaline
batteries.
Pocket PC
Pocket PCs are a relatively recent advancement in the electronic organizer
community. Casio, who currently manufactures them in a variety of colors,
coined the term Pocket PC. All Pocket PCs operate using a limited version
(formerly know as Windows CE) of Microsoft Word, Excel and Money. They
come with 16MB of RAM and a 150MHz processor. Most models come with a slot
that accepts Multimedia Cards with up to 64MB of storage. Pocket PCs only
work with PCs via a USB interface, and run on a rechargeable Lithium-Ion
battery. Cassiopeia is the top-of-the-line when it comes to Casio's Pocket
PCs, including 32MB of storage and compatibility with Microsoft Outlook
2000.
Handspring
Handspring palmtops operate similar to Palms. They use the Palm operating
system, and have the ability to file share with other Palms. Handsprings
have all the basic features of a Palm unit with some added functionality.
Turn a handspring into a digital camera or Global Positioning System (GPS)
receiver. They connect to both PCs and MACs using a USB interface, and
come in various colors as well. Handsprings come with a grayscale LCD, and
operate on 2 AAA batteries.
Others /
Alternatives
There are a variety of other manufacturers of palmtop devices. Compaq
makes the iPaq, which comes with 32MB of RAM, and a 206MHz processor. The
iPaq comes with pocket versions (limited versions) of Microsoft Word,
Excel, Outlook, Explorer, Windows Media Player. IPaqs also come with an
iPaq modem and have the ability to record voice. They connect with PCs
only via a USB or Serial port. Sony recently introduced their electronic
personal organizer called the Clie. Clies come with up to 8MB of RAM, a
neat jog control wheel, and are memory-stick compatible. The Sony Clie
works on the Palm operating system and uses touch-screen interface. They
are compatible with Windows 98/2000/Me on the PC. Hewlett-Packard and
Franklin also have their versions of palmtops.
Personal
Organizers
If you don't need all the functions a palmtop has to offer, you can get a
device that is less like a personal organizer. These are handheld devices
that come with their own built-in mini keypad for data entry. They can
also store addresses and phone numbers and other types of information just
like a palmtop. Personal organizers are usually less expensive than
palmtops and are made by Psion, Rolodex, Casio, Sharp, Seiko, Royal, and
Xircom, among other manufacturers.
What
is Windows CE?
Windows CE is an operating system that has a similar look and feel to
Windows 95. It includes scaled down pocket versions of Excel, Word,
Internet Explorer and Schedule. E-Mail is supported in a smaller version
of the InBox that is available in Windows 95. The term Windows CE is
rarely being used now, and replaced with PocketPC. Most Palmtop units
operate using the Palm operating system. Unlike Windows CE, the Palm
operating system was designed specifically for the handheld units. Many
personal organizers today use the Palm operating system.
How
do I enter information into a palmtop?
Since palmtops are usually used while on the go, entering information has
to be quick and easy. Most palmtops come with an input device called a
stylus, which is a small, thin, pen-like plastic device used on your
palmtop's LCD screen. The stylus is used to perform various functions on a
touch screen, as well as work as a pen when jotting down handnotes right
onto your palmtop's screen. Other input devices include optional keyboard
attachments. The keyboards for palmtops usually fold into three and are
easy to carry around with your palmtop.
Can
I access the Internet with a palmtop?
Some Palmtops come wireless, with an antenna for email and Internet
access. These palmtops usually require that you subscribe to a service
that provides wireless access on your palmtop every month.
What's
the difference between a palmtop organizer and a notebook computer?
A notebook computer, whether a PC or Mac, is a full-functioning computer
using either the Windows or the Mac OS operating system. A palmtop
operates using an entirely different operation system. Standard notebook
computers are much larger in size and heavier and have more performance
capabilities than a palmtop computer. Most notebook computers don't have
touch sensitive touch screens like some palmtops. In terms of
functionality, your palmtop should ideally be the device you always carry
around and add information to, like an electronic memo pad. At the end of
the day, simply transfer and synchronize the information on your handheld
with your notebook or desktop computer.
What
are some accessories that work with personal organizers?
Palmtop devices are becoming so popular that more and more accessories are
being made to make using palmtops more easy and practical. Card modems
that slip into slots on a handheld device to allow it to send and receive
data are becoming very common. Carrying and protective cases of all styles
and colors are available for many palmtops, including sporty ones and hard
case ones. A multitude of software can be found for palmtops, from games
to financial organizing software. Palm accessories also include folding
keyboard units, rechargeable batteries, spare hot sync and recharging
cradles, replacement styli, memory upgrades, fax modems and memory storage
cards.
Are
all palmtops compatible with both PCs and Macs?
No. Many palmtops are still only compatible with PCs. Fewer models work
with Macs.
How
does a palmtop connect to my computer?
Some palmtops exchange information with standard desktop or notebook
computers (or "hotsync") while sitting in a cradle. The cradle
has a thin cable that connects to the computer using either a USB or
serial interface. Others have a connecting cable that attaches from the
handheld unit directly to your computer. Sometimes, the transfer of data
between the two devices may be possible using infrared technology,
provided the appropriate software is used, and if both the palmtop unit
and the computer (or peripheral) have infrared capability.
What
kind of batteries do palmtops use?
Some palmtops operate on regular AA or AAA batteries. Others use
rechargeable Lithium-Ion batteries, which usually last for 6 or 8 hours.
How long batteries last depend on which features you use and how often.
Certain features like modem use and beaming information eat away at
battery life more than others.
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