PDA's really have taken off in the last few years. Untold numbers of people have them in a pocket or briefcase. With so many devices in use, some folks think that we will be using them to buy things over the internet and are actively seeking customers. Much like so many "internet companies," that is a empty search.
The best way to see what these devices can become is to compare them with how personal computers have been used over time. The first personal computer, significantly used in business, was the Apple II. It was used for two specific purposes: word processing and spreadsheet capability. With those two applications Apple couldn't manufacture computers fast enough. IBM entered the market with their PC—and the boom was on.
Once managers got comfortable using the personal computer, they found that what they really needed was a way to connect to the corporate data on the main computer. Once they had that connection, then they had all sorts of things to do with that computer on their desk.
The types of connections have varied. The first connections were through very slow modems on dialup lines. (Anybody remember acoustical couplers so that you could go at 110 baud?) After that came faster modems and then a number of different network connections. Today, the standard is 56K modems and 10BaseT ethernet cables.
The same dynamic will occur for PDA's. While, today, the PDA has been very successful in providing a few stand-alone applications, their usefulness will explode when managers can use them to access corporate data while moving around the plant.
When we look at how PC's are used in business, there are two major styles of operation: one is the use of standard network applications such as email, web browsers, and the like; the other is to use custom applications which interact with corporate databases. In many cases the same PC is used for both. The same thing will occur with the PDA. Standard web browsers, contact lists, and schedules which can be linked together over the network will exist along with custom applications which bring high value to the manager.
What will your PDA need in the future? The first thing will be a way to connect to the corporate network. Compaq and HP are selling PDA's which contain mobile phones. Others are putting the Palm operating system into their phones. And new wireless connections are being tested every day.
For the foreseeable future, a PDA's main link will be through dialup connections running either a standard internet session or running some database transactions. Prairie Trail Software, Inc. has many years of experience in dialup transaction processing and can help you plan and implement such a system using either the Palm system or the PocketPC system. Give us a call for more information.
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