Handheld PCs & Smartphones
A PDA (personal digital assistant) is a handheld computer, also known as small or palmtop computers. Over time these have developed to include colour screens, video and audio capabilities enabling them to be used as mobile phones (smartphones), web browsers and portable media players, so that most PDAs can now access the internet via Wi-Fi or a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN). Typically data is entered onto a PDA by means of a touch screen and a detachable stylus or, in the case of those devices used primarily as telephones (eg BlackBerry), using the telephone keypad or in some instances a full keyboard and a scroll wheel or thumbwheel to facilitate data entry and navigation. Newer PDAs such as the Apple iPhone have a multi-touch screen with a virtual keyboard & buttons. These small, handheld devices allow remote and mobile users access to e-mails and the internet, update their appointment calendar and update contact information stored on software such as Microsoft Outlook or ACT! by synchronizing data with a host PC. As an enhancement to your PC or laptop, PDAs provide a convenient way to keep in touch with the office and allow you to take electronic documents with you, download news from the internet and even watch a video.