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Q: I was browsing CNET, and noticed that PDAs have dropped off the map. It's been "the talk" for years that phones and PDAs were going to converge and neither would exist alone as we know them. Did it happen? Did I miss it? I've been an avid Palm user (even have programmed them for work), but of course Palm/PalmSource/Aspect is tanking with a couple Treos as the only remaining flotsam. The TX was great...but is going. Hewlett-Packard's iPaq is tragically bland. So, what's a PDA guy to do?

What would you recommend for keeping calendars, addresses, notes, possibly pictures and music, and Web browsing over Wi-Fi--that isn't also my phone? Or should I just suck it up and give in to the too-large-for-a-phone-but-too-small-for-a-PDA smartphone? I'm terrified of relying on Verizon, AT&T, or Apple for the portability of my data in the future--they can't even move a simple phone list. And the way they lock up and cripple their devices is stupendously...stupid! -- Chris C. via e-mail

Palm TX

(Credit: CNET Networks)

A: Hi Chris. Back in 2006, when Palm celebrated its 10-year anniversary, I was asked if PDAs would be around for another 10 years, and perhaps it's because I like to root for the underdog, but I said yes. Now, I'm having to reconsider my stance.

I still believe there is a market for handhelds. With all the advanced gadgets today and working in tech, it's sometimes easy to forget that there are a lot of people who still just want the basics, whether it be a cell phone that just makes calls; a simple point-and-shoot digital, or a standalone PDA for simple organization. When it comes to the latter, however, the market is small and dwindling.

As you probably know, Palm hasn't released a new model in years, and while HP continues to offer PDAs, they're very corporate-centric and sounds like you're not a fan of them anyway. So what is a guy (or gal) to do? Well, if you enjoyed the Palm TX, you could always get a replacement, since they're still available for sale. I'd also recommend taking a look at the Nokia N810 Internet Tablet. It's not as compact as the TX and might have a bit of a learning curve, but you'll be able to organize your contacts and calendar, enjoy multimedia, and surf the Web via Wi-Fi. In addition, you get GPS, a full QWERTY keyboard, and there are numerous applications you can add to expand its capabilities.

I'd also encourage you take a look at the Palm Centro. It is a smartphone, but I think it would be a good transition device for you. You'll get the familiarity and benefits of the Palm OS and PIM (personal information management) tools, but you'll also get voice features and a full QWERTY keyboard in a device that is the size of a PDA. Plus, it's really a good value for your money. I'm not sure what carrier you have for cell phone service, but the Centro is available at all major service providers except T-Mobile. If you are a TMO customer, you can buy an unlocked version and insert your SIM card.

Readers, have any other suggestions for Chris?

It wasn't much more than an offhand comment this time, but Michael Dell's got the gadget-obsessed stirred up again.

In an interview with Om Malik of GigaOm, Dell was asked about the company's plans in the smartphone industry. At first he gave a vague, corporate PR-type answer: "We are certainly looking at the whole smartphone category, but I wouldn't expect anything anytime soon." But when Malik pressed him about whether his company was more interested in a Symbian or Android OS for any potential handheld device, Dell was slightly more informative.

(Credit: Dell)

"We're not ready to publicly disclose our plans there...we're kind of working on that," he said.

Well, it's about time. Dell's been out of the handheld business for over a year, but there have been signs it's been testing the waters, such as when it picked up Zing in August. One round of rumors put the device as Android-based and more recently as Windows Mobile.

Dell did warn not to expect any product anytime soon, so perhaps they're waiting for Windows Mobile 7? Stay tuned.

The Respisens system fits into a T-shirt.

(Credit: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft)

Ever found yourself peddling along madly and forgetting to breathe? If you have a respiratory illness, that can cause more than a minor glitch on the bike path. To monitor patients' inhalations and exhalations, scientists at Germany's Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft research institute have conceived of a digital assistant that behaves something like a pulmonary specialist along for the ride.

The Respisens system registers the pace and strength of the wearer's breathing. Measurements are taken with the aid of respiration straps--conductors integrated into a T-shirt across the patient's chest and stomach that emit an electric signal when expanded. The raw data is transmitted to a matchbook-size module that records and processes it, then transmits the information to a cell phone or a PDA. If the value fails to reach a predefined level, the system sets off an alarm.

Fraunhofer is showing off its innovation using a bicycle guide as an example.

(Credit: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft)

In addition to serving as a health aid for athletes, the battery-charged PDA can be used in the remote care of patients, allowing a doctor to check the data and gauge how a patient is progressing. If necessary, for example, the physician can adjust the medication dosage on the basis of the data obtained.

Researchers from Fraunhofer Institutes for Software and Systems Engineering and Integrated Circuits will present the technology at the CeBit trade show in Hanover, Germany, using bicycle guides as an example. The show runs March 4 through 9.

In addition to monitoring respiration, the sample PDA can act as a navigation device, suggesting bike routes and places of interest with the aid of video clips.

HP iPaq 910 Business Manager

(Credit: HP)

In addition to several other mobile product announcements today, HP showed off two new smart phones, and they're not for the faint of heart.

First, there's the HP iPaq 610 Business Navigator, a quad-band mobile with support for HSDPA and assisted GPS with integrated Google Maps. The Windows Mobile 6 (Professional Edition) device is also equipped with Bluetooth 2.0, Wi-Fi (802.11b/g with WPA2 security), 256MB Flash ROM/128MB SDRAM, and a 3-megapixel camera. Like the previous HP iPaq 510 Voice Messenger, the iPaq 610 has more of a voice-centric focus and includes the same advanced voice command system found in the 510, but it does tout a bigger 2.8-inch screen (versus 2 inches diagonally), and it's a touch screen to boot. Another design enhancement is the new Smart Touch wheel found in middle of the alphanumeric keypad that lets you scroll through the various menus items. The iPaq 600 series is slated to ship in late September for about $600 for an unlocked version.

HP iPaq 610 Business Navigator

(Credit: HP)

Now, for the messaging fanatics, there's the HP iPaq 910 Business Manager. As the successor to the HP iPaq hw6900 series, the iPaq 910 has a full QWERTY keyboard, push e-mail capabilities, and a 2.46-inch touch screen. Many of the smart phone's other features are the same as the iPaq 610's, including HSDPA support, assisted GPS, Bluetooth 2.0., Wi-Fi, and a 3-megapixel camera. While expected availability is late November or early December, HP did not release pricing information. There were no carrier announcements at this time, either.

HP iPaq 110 Classic Handheld

(Credit: HP)

Ha! And people thought the PDA was dead. Today, HP introduced two new models to its iPaq line of handhelds: the HP iPaq 110 Classic Handheld and HP iPaq 210 Enterprise Handheld. Now, in this day and age of smart phones, will this type of classic PDA fly? I say yes. There are still plenty of people who want one device for organizing their contacts and appointments while keeping their cell phone separate. And heck, since Dell exited the handheld market in April and there hasn't been a new PDA from Palm in years, HP fills that void. Both devices are expected to start shipping in late October, while pricing has not been finalized at this time.

So if the name didn't give it away, the iPaq 110 is more for the everyday user--the student, the do-it-all supermom, the mobile professional. There's no revolutionary technology in here, but that's not to say, it's a snoozer. The PDA runs the latest Windows Mobile 6 Professional Edition and comes with integrated Bluetooth 2.0 and Wi-Fi. It's nice and trim at 4.5 inches tall by 7.1 inches wide by 0.5 inch deep and 3.6 ounces and features a 3.5-inch, 240x320 pixel touch screen. Underneath, the iPaq 110 is powered by a 624MHz Marvell PXA310 processor and 256MB Flash ROM and 64MB SDRAM.

HP iPaq 210 Enterprise Handheld

(Credit: HP)

Meanwhile, the HP iPaq 210 will appeal to only a certain portion of the audience, namely vertical markets such as the medical profession. This business-centric handheld comes with advanced tools, such as HP's Enterprise Mobility Agent, a certificate enroller, and VoIP support. It's also equipped with a 24-pin connector and a mini USB port for terminal attachments such as bar code readers. Other highlights of this Windows Mobile 6 PDA include Bluetooth 2.0 and Wi-Fi (802.11b/g with WPA2 security), a 4-inch, 262,000-color, VGA touch screen, 256MB of Flash ROM, 64MB of SDRAM, a voice recorder, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

All over North America, BlackBerry thumbs are left with nothing to do

(Credit: CNET Networks)

Oh boy, we've got a BlackBerry down, many BlackBerrys down, in fact. Last night, Research In Motion experienced a widespread system failure that interrupted e-mail delivery to all BlackBerrys in North America. According to the company, the root cause of the meltdown is still under review, but the network is back up and running. Unfortunately, message delivery seems to be due to the backlog of e-mail in the system.

Check out CNET News.com's story for more details, and please feel free to exercise your BlackBerry thumbs to share your stories and gripes with us.

Did Dell quit PDAs to concentrate on smart phones?

(Credit: CNET Networks)

Well, well, isn't this interesting? There's a report out of DigiTimes that Quanta Computer, a Taiwanese-based laptop and hardware manufacturer, is working on a "PDA handset" for Dell with an expected launch date of Q4 2007. Code named Fly, the project is reported to be a Windows Mobile 6 smart phone that will feature a QWERTY keyboard and HSDPA support. The news comes a week after Dell announced it would be discontinuing its Axim line of PDAs. The move would make sense; smart phone sales continue to climb and overshadow standalone PDAs. Plus, let's not forget that Ron Garriques, former head of Motorola's cell phone division, is now running Dell's consumer business unit. Whether they're just making a natural progression to the next step or taking a page from the Apple iPhone, it'll be interesting to see how this plays out.

So you like the idea of watching TV or movies on your MP4 player or cell phone, but the screens are just too small for you to make an accurate call on instant replay, especially if your next paycheck is on the line with the game's outcome. All that could change with new technology from Microvision, which claims to have built the world's smallest projector.

(Credit: Microvision)

The company's Pico Projector, which is planned for release at this week's Consumer Electronics Show, is designed to be embedded in handheld products to project "photos, videos, movies and TV from personal mobile devices onto virtually any surface." Microvision, which makes such products as handheld scanners and wearable displays, says the resulting images would be "extremely sharp and vivid" whether projected to be the size of a laptop screen or a large TV. That sounds a tad like company hype, but this technology would still be more practical than lugging around your 60-inch plasma TV.

(Credit: ElectronicMetro)

Now that smoking is out and gadgets are in, the car lighter has evolved into a different kind of lifeline. But what if you don't have a car?

The TripleCharger can power mobile phones, PDAs, personal media devices and portable gaming consoles from a car, wall outlet or batteries. You do need a converter head for each type of device you want it to charge. There is a small USB connector for an iPod or DS Lite, for example, and other heads for various phone models, but they are not that pricey.

(Credit: ElectronicMetro)

The TripleCharger Bundle from ElectronicMetro for $20 includes a TripleCharger, one MetroHead connector (your choice) and a MetroBag carrying case. Each additional head connector is $10.