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There was a period of time, a few short months ago it seems, when new PDAs were showing up every other day. At least that is what it seemed like to me. Going to a computer store was an adventure, wanting to see how  the Palm OS platforms one-upped the Windows CE/Pocket PC devices, and vice versa. Today, I can’t remember when the last new Pocket PC hit store floors, and as for Palm, that is still a vaporware market that is heavy on the smoke and mirrors. What is going on?

It took me a long time to finally admit that I needed a PDA. When I first saw the Palm III, I thought "I don’t need this thing. Gimme paper and pen and I’m set". But as Bob Dylan sings, the times they are a changin’, and I had to change with them. After using a Palm Vx, I was hooked, and when the color ones came out, I was even more hooked. I found that applications were being written to take full advantage of the devices, and I could use them everyday.

Sony Clie T665, UX50, TH55/E, Palm M500/505/515, Toshiba e805, Philips Vero, HP Jornada 680 and 540, iPaq 3800 series, the list goes on and on. These were all stand alone devices that were excellent in their design. If you look at the forums here, they are still very popular items and users still love them. So back to my original question: where have all the PDAs gone? There are several answers, on many different levels, and it can depend on where your loyalties lie.

The first answer is that technology changes. What was necessary 10 years ago in not needed today. Carrying phone numbers and appointments in a little box in your pocket is still important. But that little box can do so much more today than the older devices. Improved electronic circuit design, better battery technology, larger, faster memory in a smaller size and space, these all have led to improvements. This technology now allows those devices to give PowerPoint presentations, send and receive emails, create and edit spreadsheets. With this much power, why not just carry a full computer instead of something so small?

The second answer is the demands of the consumer, be it professional or homemaker. The demand is for a device that does it all, from saving addresses to making phone calls to reading a book or playing a game. Why carry two devices when one will do. I am not privy to the sales records of the big companies, but I would expect that PDA sales have been falling for a longer period of time than they would care to admit. Sony was the first big named company to get out of the PDA market. Casio, Toshiba, and Philips just let them die on the shelves. Compaq was purchased by HP, and Palm and Handspring merged (sort of).

On a personal note, I am going through the process now of trying to decide what to do with my PDA. I am using the iPaq hx2415 with Windows 2003SE. I like it. But my business side needs a good cell phone with information such as contacts and appointments. I have been using an unlocked Treo 650 with Tmobile and the results have been satisfactory. But carrying too devices can be a burden, and keeping two dissimilar OS’s in sync can be a pain.  So I am looking at getting rid of the iPaq and the Treo, and going with a Tmobile MDA. (Don’t get me started on Tmobile as a provider, that is enough of a discussion for another whole article). I have an MDA now and have been carrying it around, using it, and it seems to be working out. Only time will tell.

So back to the question: where have all the PDAs gone? Your guess is as good as mine. But I would not hold my breath waiting for any new stand alone ones. In a few years, you can put them in the closet with your Beta VCR and Atari Computer.  

Richard Cunningham (82 Posts) - Website | Twitter | Facebook