Common PDA Functions
Today, most PDAs incorporate wireless and multimedia functions of some type. Functions found on most (but not necessarily all) devices include:
- Short-range wireless connectivity using Infrared (IR) or Bluetooth technology, IR is found on most PDAs and requires a clear line of sight. It's commonly used to sync with a notebook computer that has an IR port. Bluetooth wirelessly connects (it's a radio frequency technology that doesn't require a clear line of sight) to other Bluetooth-enabled devices, such as a headset or a printer.
- Internet and corporate network connectivity through Wi-Fi and wireless access points
- Support for Wireless WAN (Wide Area Networks); the cellular data networks that provide Internet connectivity for smart phone devices
- A memory card slot that accepts flash media such as CompactFlash, MultiMediaCard, and Secure Digital cards (Media cards act as additional storage for files and applications.)
- Audio support for MP3 files and a microphone, speaker jack and headphone jack
 Photo courtesy HowStuffWorks Shopper SanDisk 256 MB Secure Digital Card |
Bells & Whistles
High-end PDAs offer multimedia, security and add-on features not found on less expensive devices:
- A Secure Digital Input/Output (SDIO) card slot for add-on peripherals contained in an SDIO card, for example, a Bluetooth card, a Wi-Fi card, or a GPS (global positioning system) card
- Built-in GPS capabilities
- A built-in digital camera for snapping digital images and capturing short videos (The quality will not be as good as that of a dedicated camera.)
- Integrated security features such as a biometric fingerprint reader
In the next section, we'll look at the computer that powers a PDA.
