A personal digital assistant (PDA, PDAs), also known as a pocket PC, is a mobile device that functions as an electronic digital assistant. The PDA was discontinued in early 2010 after the widespread introduction of high-performance smartphones, in particular those that run on iOS and Android. PDA is short for personal digital assistant. The device can function as a cell phone, fax sender, web browser and personal organizer.
Industry technology has redesigned the term "personal digital assistance." Currently, this concept is applied to software that identifies the user's voice to respond to requests.
What are PDAs?
PDAs provides the ability to store and retrieve data and information for personal or business use, conveniently store schedules, calendars and information in the address book.
PDA Advantages:
- Internet connection;
- electronic visual display;
- the ability to use as mobile phones;
- web browser.
All models have audio capabilities, which allows you to use them as a portable media player. Most PDAs can access the Internet, intranets via Wi-Fi or wireless networks. Some models incorporate touch screen technology. The answer to the question of what PDAs can be is as follows: these are the functional predecessors of modern smartphones.
History
The term PDA was first used on January 7, 1992 by Apple Computer CEO John Scully at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, with reference to Apple Newton. In 1994, IBM introduced the first PDA with the full functionality of the IBM Simon mobile phone, which can also be considered a harbinger of the smartphone. Then, in 1996, Nokia introduced a PDA with the functionality of a mobile device, the 9000, which became the best-selling PDA in the world. Palm was also another early entrant in the market with its PDA product line, which began in March 1996.
Personal digital assistants, popular in the 90s and early 2000s, were the forerunners of smartphones. Most PDAs had a small physical keyboard and an electronic sensitive panel for a number of models. Original applications for personal digital assistant include a schedule and an address book for storing, searching and entering entries. A large number of applications were written for the PDA. In the mid-90s, manufacturers of PDAs, pagers and cell phones began to combine the functionality of these devices with a new type of equipment, now known as a smartphone. Nokia, IBM and Palm were some of the major players on the market at the time.
PDAs evolution
Research and Motion Limited, PDA and pager maker, launched its first BlackBerry smart phone in 2000, and the company dominated the market for almost the first decade. In 2007, Apple launched the first iPhone, a touchscreen smartphone, and for five years the market has moved away from devices with physical keyboards.
What are PDAs in the modern sense? In 2010, the technology industry redesigned the term personal digital assistant. Now this concept refers to software that recognizes the user's voice and uses artificial intelligence to respond to requests. Examples of this type of personal digital assistant are Siri (Apple), Cortana (Microsoft), and Google Voice Assistant (Ok, Google).
Basic functions
A typical PDA has a touch screen for navigation, a memory card slot for storing information, Bluetooth and / or Wi-Fi. Some PDAs may not have a touch screen, using soft keys, a navigation pad, and a numeric keypad to enter. The device software includes a calendar, a to-do list, an address directory for contacts, a calculator, and reminder functionality. Wireless PDAs also include email client, web browser and telephony features.
Touch screen
Many of the original handheld computers, such as Apple Newton and Palm Pilot, were equipped with a touch screen for user interaction with a small number of buttons reserved for shortcuts to frequently used programs. Some touch-sensitive PDAs, including Windows Mobile devices, had a removable stylus to make equipment easier to use.
Memory cards
Although many early PDAs did not have memory card slots, over time, most of them were equipped with a Secure Digital (SD), CompactFlash, or a combination of them. Some PDAs have a USB port and use microSD cards that are electronically compatible with SD cards but have a much smaller physical size.
Wired connection
The first PDA models were connected to a personal computer via serial ports or another proprietary connection. Then this type of connection was technologically replaced by a USB cable. Old PDAs could not connect to each other via USB, because their implementation did not support USB as a "host". Some of the first models managed to connect to the Internet indirectly using an external modem connected via a serial port (synchronizer) or directly using an expansion card that provided an Ethernet port.
Wireless connection
Most modern PDA versions have Bluetooth - a wireless protocol for mobile equipment. This technology can be used to connect keyboards, headsets, GPS-receivers and other nearby accessories. It is also possible to transfer files between PDAs with Bluetooth. Many modern devices support Wi-Fi and can connect to access points. All smartphones and some other modern models can connect to wireless global networks, such as mobile cellular companies.
Old PDAs from the 1990s to 2006 usually had an IrDA port (infrared port), which provides wireless communication at near and far distances. Now we can say that few modern models support this PDAs option, since it has been replaced by more advanced Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
Synchronization
Most PDAs can synchronize their data with applications on the computer. This allows the user to both open files from PDAs and update contacts, schedules or other information on his PC using software. The same data is sent to the PDA or transmitted updated information to the computer, depending on what information the PDA provides. This eliminates the need to manually update user information. Synchronization also protects against loss of information stored on the device in case of loss, theft or hacking of data.
Car navigation
Some PDAs include Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers. Many models are compatible with external GPS receiver add-ons that use a processor and PDA screen to display location information. GPS PDAs can be used for car navigation. PDAs are increasingly being installed as standard on new cars. A PDA-based GPS receiver can display traffic conditions, perform dynamic routing, and show known locations of mobile radar stations. Manufacturers TomTom, Garmin and iGO are developing GPS navigation software for PDAs.