ZDNet: "Building The Perfect PDA: How I'd Do It"

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://reviews-zdnet.com.com/AnchorDesk/4520-7296_16-5126097.html' target='_blank'>http://reviews-zdnet.com.com/Anchor...16-5126097.html</a><br /><br /></div>"Suppose you were creating the perfect personal digital assistant. What features would it have? You could go in many directions--and so many vendors already have. I've used all the major generations of PDA, including Casio, Psion (still a favorite), the original Palm, the original Pocket PC, the Apple Newton (later versions of which actually worked pretty well), and a bunch of other devices up to the present--and none of them was what I'd call perfect."<br /><br />Ironically, his perspective reinforces my opinion that there's no one perfect PDA. For example, he wants GPS, but I don't really have a use for it in NYC. The one upshot is a number of Pocket PC devices are coming closer and closer to the nirvana he's seeking. Let's hope that we see it sooner than later. 8) What's your take on the situation?

[Jeff Song]

My perfect PDA would have...

The clamshell design of the Sony Clie NX80v
The camera too actually
Merge that with the ipaq 6300 (Tri-wireless, BT, GSM/EDGE, WIFI)
VGA Resolution
Dual SDIO slots
Tons of Ram
4GB HDD
Large capacity, replaceable battery
Metal Casing (not a case, but the actual casing should be a metal like in the clies)
Consumer IR

and i think thats it. Nice to dream right?

[Gerard]

My 'perfect PDA' wouldn't likely match with the definitions of the majority. Too big, too many connectivity/expansion options. Heck, I've like the body to be big enough to house a sensibly-sized stylus, one with ink at one end and teflon at the other, for flexibility. My ideal portable device would be my main computer, as it is now, but better designed for that task set.

At the core would be a fast enough processor, whatever that means, and probably 256MB of RAM. I'd not want a lot more than that, as it'd tend to bog down Sprite backups too much, but this amount might be sufficient, if I left more than half of it free, for basic media capture/encoding uses as software and add-ons become more available.

Another central element would be slots. Minimum of 1 CF II slot, but really I'd prefer 2 of these, both I/O. I've become quite used to the tri-slot nature of my 3835, with a MemPlug giving me dual CF and then the SD slot... So really I'd like a 3-slot device, one SDI/O as well. And at least one should support 5volts, to allow for adapted use of many PC cards. And the layout is important too - none of the slots should be on the same sides so as to avoid interference with the sticky-outy parts of accessories. I don't want an integrated camera nor modem, as I think these would both bulk up the price/size, as well as restricting my taking advantage of third-party suppliers' better efforts.

And it would have to have a minimum 5 inch screen, VGA and with great outdoor and indoor viewing characteristics. Make the screen surface tougher, so I can write and draw on it without worrying about digitiser failure in a year. (Of course, I always use a WriteShield, but it's the pressure I mean, not the scratches). Smaller screens are fine for cellphones and other little nonsense, but I want a proper computer screen. Integrating rotation on the fly and at least dual-window functionality would be a nice touch. Jerosoft's Seymore would be a good place to start for the latter.

A 1/4" jack, for powered, real external microphones, is an absolute necessity. Or at least a mini-jack with full line-in capacity, and I can use an adapter. Recording is possible in all Pocket PCs, but I had to beg PocketPCTechs to add a jack to my 3835, and nice as that is it just really isn't good enough for anything better than audio notes. Since NoteM and several other PPC apps support much higher grade realtime MP3 or other format capture of sound, why not support it with hardware?!

Button layout? The Casio EG-800 had the best buttons ever designed for a Pocket PC, surpassing the E-125 and it's predecessors by another few percent in ease of control and positivity of feedback, along with great durability. For gaming, sure, but just for use in general this is essential. If someone can really demonstrate a better layout I'd consider it, but nothing else has come close since.

Battery: Has to be something that covers most of the back of the unit and is interchangeable with larger models. Smaller rectangles just make for lumpy devices when a large battery is needed, while a whole-body battery (again, just like the EG-800 Casio) allows for less increase in thickness while increasing the mAh figures substantially. The Dell X5 batteries sort of come close in this, with 3800mAh in a battery only 1/4" thicker than standard... but it's a lumpy solution yet. Gimme basic power for 12 hours, and extended for 24 with a thicker battery. Asus and Mio and showing it can be done, if I recall their power numbers correctly.

For everything else, well, except maybe integrated Wi-Fi or Bluetooth or both, I'd use the CF and SD slots. As these radio technologies evolve, it'd be better to have the central module more flexible, upgradeable, rather than dooming it to early abandonment by including specs already old before they hit the stores. Accessory radio manufacturers can deliver better products in card format faster, and cheaper than upgrading the device. So for GSM/GPRS or CDMA, same deal; make it a card.

That's probably not everything. Actually it might be nice to have IrDA both top and bottom, so as better to support IrDA keyboards while a separate port offers communications, something like that anyway. And USB would be good, integrated, like I think one of those Mio things has or the Asus line.

Overall size? Shoot for the feel of a very small tablet, something one could fit into some pockets, but more likely would be carried in a shoulderbag or other specialised carrying case. Why should it fit in a shirt pocket? Even after all these years of people dropping them out of shirt pockets while bending over, watching their precious devices tumble to the floor and crack a screen or worse, I still see the complaint levied against larger devices that they won't fit into such a pocket. The same mentality seems to apply with screen protection; so many swear they don't need such nonsense, until the day some micro-grit embeds in their stylus and they watch in horror as by their own fickle hand a humongous scratch gets dragged right across the screen. Luckily for me, those scratches have always happened to a protector. So back to size:

Weight maximum: about 8 ounces (225 grams), without battery, 10 with basic battery and 12 with jumbo battery.

Dimensions: 3/4" (about 19mm) thick with basic battery, 1" with extended battery sheet. 4" x 6" (100mm x 152mm) across and tall should about do it for that screen and button layout. That's almost exactly the size of a stack of photos from the drugstore, not the envelope, but the nice, viewable, convenient-for-almost-everything photographs which have been the standard for a couple of decades now for millions (or is it billions?) of photographers. If I'm to look at a screen all the time, it should be a sensible size. Not too big, not too small, just right for text editing, photo capture/viewing, movies, web browsing, whatever. A big tablet or desktop may be necessary in some professions, but for with me anywhere sorts of data processing and enjoyment I think this size is just right.

[manywhere]

My perfect PDA would have the following features:
DAB and FM radio
DVB-H tv tuner
Bluetooth
WiFi
GSM GPRS and EDGE
CF and SD (SDIO compatible)
Consumer IR
Camera
Some harddrive maybe...
RAM > 64 MB

And, if it were to have a metal casing, it would be nice if it were some light magnisium or aluminum or a combination of the two. I just don't want have the mass of a black hole in my pocket... 8O

Over and out...

[jizmo]

Man, I'm getting somewhat tired of this dream PDA talk :sleeping:

I haven't checked out, but I wonder if this common with other forums as well, say with car enthusiasts.

Like;

My dream car would have:

- 6,5l engine
- 320mph top speed!!
- 900l gasoline tank (drool, drool..)
- Inbuild wunderbaum
- Six Wheels :rock on dude!:

/jizmo

[manywhere]

Riiight, was thinking the same thing when I saw this topic. Something of the likes: "Isn't this exceeding our weekly dreaming dosage?" :D
- Six Wheels :rock on dude!:

:lol: When I hear six wheels, the first thing I think of is the Formula 1 cars with six wheels. Man, some of them look really ridiculous, like giant lawnmovers with an extra pair of wheels! :huh:
Look here:
http://www.f1nutter.co.uk/images/tech/williams2.jpg
More of them at this URL: http://www.f1nutter.co.uk/tech/6wheels.php

What where they thinkin'?? :roll:

OK... maybe back to our regular topic...

[adamz]

No need for GPS in New York City!?
I love using GPS in the City since I don't have every street number memorized. It's a great help for finding the nearest parking garage or if you don't know the cross streets of your destination. I've also found it quite handy on the FDR during a storm where you can't see the signs. It told me when the proper exit was coming up so that I could slow down and get into the right lane.

I think the ZDNet guy stole the idea for integrated SPOT technology from my dream PDA (http://www.pocketnow.com/index.php?a=portal_detail&t=reviews&id=291) last year. :) He forgot about the removable Bluetooth headset though. I can't think of anything more perfect than a Pocket PC Phone with a detachable Bluetooth headset the size of a Nextlink Bluespoon.