Second Generation

The next generation of PDA’s was launched in 1995, when the company, Palm, Inc. launched it’s sleek new Palm Pilot Professional and the Pilot 1000. The major differences between these Palms and their predecessors was the simplistic approach that Palm took when designing them. What Palm had done basically was use the same ideas behind the first models, but package them in a faster, easier to use style. This new design included such things as instant hand writing recognition, and the ability to hook up and interface with your home or office PC. However the most important modification at least from a marketing stand point, was the Palm’s new look and it’s ability to expand though easily attachable devices.

Current Generation

As technology has expanded into the new millennium so has the boundaries that first surrounded the PDA’s and the number of companies willing to offer them through their own version. Although Palm is still the name synonomous with PDA’s, Sony has emerged as a tough competitor with it’s incorporation of the latest technologies. Sony’s latest and greatest model to date is it’s Clie PEG-N760C which they dub the PEO (Personal Entertainment Organizer). This model more than any other handheld incorporates the latest technologies all while giving the consumer a glimpse of the future possibilities. Among some of the new innovation on the Clie is it’s super high resolution color screen, which offers never before seen clarity on PDA’s. The Clie also offers several other accessories including an MP3 player device, a digital camera that is capable of taking short videos with sound, and a calculator that is capable of graphing function. Wireless communication is also another arena that is being explored by several companies, with many models now able to access the Internet or make phone calls.

Beyond?

Innovations for the future are as limited as the consumers imagination. As technology develops further and further the limits of the handheld will keep extending. The future is virtually unlimited with possibilities. Some companies such as IBM’s Human Computer Interaction division have envisioned the not so distant future were information can be exchanged by the touch of a hand. Accessing the Internet through the act of just thinking about it. Expanding voice recognition to the point of note taking. In the very near future, consumers could see solar powered PDA’s. Pepsi Co. is in talks with company Wirca, with the intentions of starting vending machine that are capable of receiving wireless communications from mobile phones and PDA’s, that would allow consumers to simply type in a code and buy a Pepsi. So as you can see the possibilities are endless.

Conclusion

With such a dynamic world we live in, its easy to see how the PDA will become an increasing integral part of the future. From their modest beginnings as a simple note taker, to the multitask computers they have now become, they are expanding to meet the increasing demands of the consumers, and who knows maybe some day your pocket size handheld will replace that high tech lab top you purchase last year.