Lecture 6-Personal Digital Assistants

Personal digital assistants
History of PDAs
Types of devices
Connectivity characteristics
Available standards
Software components
Unprecedented connectivity and processing

power help make the data available
everywhere and at anytime.
History of PDAs
Built-in PIM (Personal Information Management)
applications (calendar, notepad, address book, to-
do). Replace real-life paper based equivalents.
1st Generation (1980): Calculators with a
database, calendar and a phone book.
2nd Generation (1993): Smaller, better displays,
improved connectivity, low power, back-up facility
and text input technologies.
3rd Generation: Programmable PDAs with OSs.
Software-development environment exploited by
third-party application providers.
Device categories
Two categories:
1. Descendant of the organizer, with a tiny keyboard.
2. Palm-sized devices, no keyboard, touch-sensitive
display.
Psion Series 5 (Ericsson)

Rich set of connectors and
expansion slots.
OS & UI similar to PCs (mobile PC).
Large size.
Psion Series 3 and 5, Microsoft
Windows CE Handheld.
Device categories
WorkPad c3 (IBM)
Stylus-based, handwriting
recognition.
Small size and weight.
Lesser connectors and
expansion slots.
Palm, IBM WorkPad,
Handspring Visor, PocketPC.
Device categories
eBookMan (Franklin)
Multimedia reader and

content player device.
Read or listen to e-Books.
Larger display.
Sufficient processing power
for voice output.
Tablet based eBookMan.
PDA Operating Systems
Main contenders for wireless operating systems:
1. Windows CE (Microsoft)
2. Palm operating system (Palm Computing)
3. EPOC operating system (Symbian)
Windows CE (Microsoft)
Various form factors:

Pocket PC: Hand-held devices without
keyboard that are pen-driven.
Handheld PC: Hand-held with a tiny keyboard.
Handheld PC Professional: Laptop sized.
Operating system also available for non-
mobile applications like video game consoles
and TV set-top boxes.
Cut-down versions of standard Microsoft
software packages (e.g. MS-Word) also
bundled with OS.
Palm OS (Palm Computing)
Three-quarters of global hand-held market (2000)

Stylus operated with handwriting recognition.
Palm OS licensed to IBM WorkPad, Handspring
Visor, Qualcomm PDQ
EPOC operating system (Symbian)
Psion Software teamed up with Nokia, Ericsson,

Motorola to form Symbian OS.
Two reference designs:
For PDAs and digital handsets.
For Tablets with touch & wireless capabilities.
Alternative operating systems
BeOS, QNX Neutrino, and embedded Linux.

Agenda VR3 (Agenda Computing) is a embedded
Linux based PDA.
Agenda VR3 PDA:
PIM applications, Internet.

66-MHz MIPS processor
Agenda Linux - completely
open source.
Device characteristics
PDA compared to PC has smaller screen, a
smaller keyboard (or none at all), less memory,
less processing power, and less power.
Memory
ROM or Flash memory is used to store the OS.
Memory extensions are available offering GBs
of storage through small hard disks.
Although Mechanical memories require more
battery power.
Device characteristics
Databases
Updates to information stored in a database
require immediate processing without
buffering the data, as the device may turn off
at any instant.
API to access the internal databases based on
a random access file model.
Updates are generally carried out only for
chunks of memory through special routines
provided by the OS.
Software components
Applications
Suite of built-in applications with user

interface that is intuitive and makes optimal
use of the limited display space.
View (day, week,

month).
New calendar entry
with note/alarm.
Command buttons.
The calendar application on a Palm

Software components
Connectivity
Docking station to connect PC via a cable to
back-up or transfer applications/data.
Infrared communication port, Bluetooth network
connection.
PDA Advanced mobile phones (Ericsson Platform).
Software components
Synchronization
If a phone number was added or modified on

the PDA, the new data entry in the database
needs to be updated on the PC or server.
Synchronization software updates the databases
according to some precedence rules.
Built-in applications of a PDA synchronizes with
the help of additional device specific software on
the PC or server.
Software components
Device management
Internet service providers (ISPs) managing

thousands or even millions of mobile devices.
Devices used by mobile workers within a
company.
Managing devices: Assisting/Automatically
configuring newly deployed devices. Includes
downloading new applications or updates to
existing software.

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Personal digital assistants

Unprecedented connectivity and processing

Psion Series 5 (Ericsson)

Multimedia reader and

Various form factors:

Palm OS (Palm Computing)

Three-quarters of global hand-held market (2000)

EPOC operating system (Symbian)

Psion Software teamed up with Nokia, Ericsson,

BeOS, QNX Neutrino, and embedded Linux.

PIM applications, Internet.

Suite of built-in applications with user

View (day, week,

The calendar application on a Palm

If a phone number was added or modified on

Internet service providers (ISPs) managing

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