Palm PDA

There are certain pieces of equipment that embody technological breakthroughs. The IBM 5150 PC was the first commercially viable personal computer that pointed the way for all desktops that followed. The Osborne 1 sparked the idea of portability, but it was the Amstrad PPC512 that set the stage for the laptops we are familiar with today. For all their valiant attempts, Texas Instruments was never quit able to secure the next phase of portability, the sub-laptop market.

With the introduction of Electronic Organizers to the market place, TI lead the way to today's Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs). The introduction of Microsoft Windows CE was not able to cement any PDA as the dominant player. It was not until the Palm Pilot was introduced that the world had its next cultural icon.

So powerful is the appeal of the Palm Pilot line of computing devices, that it the entire market segment (sub-laptop portable) has been renamed to palmtop computer.

For years, I've carried about notes and pocket calendars to keep up with this and that. Feeling that laptops were too cumbersome, I decided to investigate the state of the PDA market, as of 1998. As I read through product reviews, I couldn't help but notice that all products were being compared to the Palm Pilot. Seeing as I am a rocket scientist (of sorts), I decided to look into its merits.

I was pleased to find the Palm Pilot met all my needs:
  • easily fit in a pocket
  • could share data with PC
  • data could be input in the field
  • information could be read in the dark
  • substantial battery life
  • could execute programs

On a humorous note: It is historically accurate for me to refer the Palm Pilot, but devices since the Palm III may not be called 'Pilots.' This is the result of a trademark/copyright infringement suit filed by the Pilot Pen Corporation.

My devices
Palm Pilot
1998		 Handspring
2001		 Palm TE2
2004		 Palm Centro
2007

Links

[X] The webs definitive Palm FAQ is Calvin's Palm FAQ.
[X] Download.com has a section dedicated to software for Palm computers.
[X] Some applications that have impressed me:
  ¤ Spreadsheet- TinySheet
  ¤ E Book reader- CSpotRun
  ¤ HTML reader- iSilo free
  ¤ Basic interpreter- HotPaw Basic
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