Fighting for customers, PDAs offer cool features
By Paulo Nogueira
CNN
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Sony's PEG-UX50 has a camera and a flip-up screen that swivels.
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(CNN) -- Personal digital assistants are almost as common as cellular phones, and with so many models of these mobile devices, companies are packing them with extra features hoping to set themselves apart from the competition.
Tungsten T3
Following the design of its predecessors, the Palm Tungsten T3 offers a stretch display screen with a larger viewing area. It can run Microsoft Office and can wirelessly synchronize with Bluetooth-enabled devices such as PCs and printers.
It can also handle its share of spreadsheets and multimedia tasks ranging from MP3 audio to video clips. However, it lacks a built-in wireless network for fast Internet access. For about $400, it should meet the needs of many corporate users. For more, visit www.palmone.com.
iPAQ H5555
For about $650, Hewlett-Packard Co.'s iPAQ H5555 Pocket PC is equipped with biometric fingerprint recognition technology that can secure all your sensitive information. It has slots for memory expansion, digital/multimedia cards and a 400 MHz processor.
It also can provide wireless Internet access, and like most PDAs, it can send documents wirelessly to HP printers. The iPAQ will work only with Windows, not Linux or Macintosh operating systems. For more, visit www.hp.com.
iQue 3600
You may never have to ask for directions again. Powered by Palm OS 5, Garmin Ltd.'s iQue 3600 is equipped with Global Positioning System technology, which uses satellites to help track your course. Besides mapping a location, it also will guide you with voice commands while you're driving. Think of it as a high-tech backseat driver.
The iQue 3600 is larger than your average PDA, but its ample screen is ideal for maps. A scroll wheel also lets you zoom in and out while the stylus is in use. One caveat: Batteries drain quickly. It costs $590. For more, visit www.garmin.com.
PEG-UX50
At first glance, Sony Corp.'s PEG-UX50 Clie looks more like a mini-laptop than a PDA. It offers both wireless Internet access and wireless connections to devices such as printers.
A small and compact PDA, it has a full keyboard, and its screen can flip up and swivel. The device also features a built-in digital camera with a 3X zoom and an MP3 player. It costs about $650. For more, visit www.sonystyle.com.
BlackBerry 7230
This souped-up BlackBerry offered by T-Mobile combines a PDA and a cell phone. Along with a full keyboard, the T-Mobile BlackBerry offers a wide color screen with wireless e-mail and Internet browsing. Your e-mail will automatically be sent to your BlackBerry without your having to log on to the Web and download it.
You'll enjoy this beefed-up yet compact BlackBerry as long as you have good T-Mobile coverage in your area. It retails for about $400, not including cellular service plans. For more, visit www.t-mobile.com.
