Where space is limited, as with a PDA keyboard, typing can be slow and frustrating. Writing data into the PDA would obviously be a much more sensible idea, but the complexity involved in making handwriting recognition work is immense. The … [Continue reading]
Handheld Operating Systems
Although the choice of PDA device is increasing all the time, the struggle for dominance in the operating system space continues to be a battle between just three protagonists: Windows CE EPOC, and PalmOS. It was not only hardware companies … [Continue reading]
Guide to UMPCs – Ultra Mobile Personal Computers
UMPC is an acronym for 'Ultra-Mobile Personal Computer'. A UMPC device is a small form factor personal computer that meets minimum specifications set down by a group of manufacturers including Intel and Microsoft. They are small enough to be … [Continue reading]
Palm Pilot
In 1996 Palm Computing, Inc. - then a part of US Robotics - led the resurgence of handheld computing with the introduction of its Pilot 1000 and Pilot 5000 organizers. Designed as companion products … [Continue reading]
Handheld Evolution
Psion's success prompted other companies to start looking at the PDA market. Notable amongst these was Apple Computer, whose launch of its first Newton MessagePad device in mid-1993 was heralded as a major milestone of the information age. … [Continue reading]
Handheld Organizer origins
The term handheld computer has been applied to a wide range of portable electronic devices over the years. Its origins can reasonably be traced back to the handheld electronic calculators which first emerged in the early 1970s. These were to … [Continue reading]
Guide to Kensington Slot (K-lock, Kensington Lock, Universal Security Lock) mobile device security
A Kensington Security Slot (or Kensington Slot, Kensington Lock or simply K-Slot) is a common device with which a laptop, notebook, monitor, or other movable piece of equipment can be securely attached to something less mobile. … [Continue reading]
USB On-The-Go – USB technology for PDAs and mobile phones
The recent explosion in the number of digital electronics devices on the market has fuelled the need for an industry standard method of interconnecting such devices and peripherals such as printers. The dozens of connectivity methods used by … [Continue reading]
External keyboards for mobile computers
A step towards Toshiba's vision was made in late 2000 with the unveiling of the world's first fabric keyboard, designed for use with devices such as PDAs and mobile phones. The ElekTex keyboard - developed by the British company ElectroTextiles … [Continue reading]
DynaSheet
Imagine a newspaper that sits neatly in your pocket, is environmentally friendly and gets updated every day. That's the dream that Toshiba unveiled in early 2000 in the shape of its DynaSheet. DynaSheet is a concept product that Toshiba … [Continue reading]