"Hand Help Computers" for Dummies

[Steve CDN]

I have never owned let alone operated a so called hand held computer.  I believe some are called Palm Pilots.  However I feel I should get up to speed on what they can do, how one might be used in an RV traveling lifestyle and to  understand the differences offered.  I might even discover I cannot live without one.

What do I need to know about hand held computers?

 

[Tom]

I might even discover I cannot live without one.

I'm not sure you'll reach that stage Steve. When I was working full time I lived by my Palm Pilot or Sony equivalent. I had almost my entire life in the databases which were also backed up on two of my PCs. I really liked the sync function that allowed me to enter data in the handheld or either PC and they would sync up at the push of a button.

I'll leave explanation of what databases I kept for now, but I can say that I've used the handheld much less since I quit working.

 

[Steve CDN]

One of the programs I use is a contact manager or address book/agenda combination which can be used in a handheld.  I could see where it would be useful to have that in hand.  I've heard that Delorme map products can be used in a handheld, but I never had experience using their software that way...perhaps that could be another use.

How does one determine the processor and amount of memory required for one of these?

 

[Tom]

I think that's like asking how long is a piece of string? Steve. I think it really depends on which OS the handheld is running. I like the Palm OS which, in addition to being a small overhead, uses applications that are only a few Kb to a few tens of Kb.  As a result, it's possible to load a large number of the many thousands of Palm applications in. Can't recall the slimmed down version of Windows for handhelds (WinCE?), but it has to take up orders of magnitude more memory and require a faster processor.

 

[jscuzz]

A few years ago I called my oldest daughter who lives in Honolulu and wished her a happy 26th or 27th birthday.

"You put my birthday in your Palm!" was the first response out of her mouth. (First time I remembered her b-day in 20 some years without prompting from her Mom)

That's when you realize how much of your life is being run by the *@%$&#^@ thing!

I call it my mind.


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