Thanks for visiting Palm Discovery

Welcome back. This is Part 4 of a 10 part series on Choosing a PDA. Here’s a list of the top 10 things you should consider when choosing a PDA:

1 - Standalone PDA or all-in-one smartphone?
2 - Wireless connectivity?
3 - Touchscreen or non-touchscreen PDA?
4 - Graffiti or on-screen input or keyboard/keypad input?
5 - Palm, Pocket PC, Blackberry or other similar devices?
6 - Screen resolution
7 - Memory (RAM)
8 - Battery (life and removable or non-removable characteristics)
9 - Processing power (clock speed)
10 - Expandability and accessories

#4: Graffiti or on-screen input or keyboard/keypad input?

This is very similar and related to the touchscreen as most touchscreen PDAs will require Graffiti or onscreen input and most non-touchscreen PDAs will include keyboard/keypads for the data input. Makes sense because if you have a touchscreen, you may not necessarily *need* to have the keyboard/keypad because the user can input data via the touchscreen directly and those PDAs without a touchscreen *will* need a keyboard/keypad because that will be the only way that characters can be entered into it.

So, along the same lines as I’ve discussed, here are the breakdown pros and cons of each.

Advantage of onscreen input

- you can input characters similar to handwriting as well as performing actions, tasks by special predefined strokes and taps. This can be very easy and quick to do, as compared to pressing a combination of keys. A lot of people who are familiar with Graffiti/Graffiti 2, etc swear by it since to them, they do things a lot quicker than others that enter via the keyboard/keypad.

Disadvantage on screen input

- The main obvious disadvantage of inputting via the screen is that you have a much better chance of scratching the screen, especially if you don’t apply a screen protector.

- The other disadvantage is that you have to re-learn how to input characters and numbers. It’s not as easy as inputting that “a” you are normally used to writing on a piece of paper. The character recognition software have to know what you are doing to interpret that stroke as an “a”. Also, it may not be as simple to learn how to use the various strokes to do a backspace, bring up the pop up command line toolbar, etc.

Advantage of keyboard input

- You are less likely to scratch the screen since you are not using the stylus to input characters and data. There is a chance to scratch it, but it will be minimal

- If you are familiar with the QWERTY keyboard layout (ie. you are a typist or familiar with typing on a computer), it will be much easier to type on a PDA’s keyboard/keypad than struggle with inputting via a touchscreen.

- No need to learn how to input special quirkly strokes to input a character or task

Disadvantage of keyboard input

- Depending on the operating system, you may find that in order to go to a specific setting or do a specific task that you have to end up pressing a lot of keys and keyboard combinations to get to it, compared to a few strokes on a touchscreen. Sometimes with certain operating systems, it can be a bit quicker and easier to do a few strokes of the stylus than to press a combination of keys.

- A lot of people may find that the keyboards/keypads on some PDAs are way too small to seriously input anything. If you hold a Treo smartphone in you hand, you will notice that the keyboard keys are very tiny. Obviously, you are NOT going to be able to fit both hands on it and type each and every individual tiny key with your fingers. One finger, at least my own, will cover over 4 keys. They trick to using the keyboard/keypad on the Treo for me, personally, is to assign and use a special small part of my thumbs that will be doing the key pressing. So, I’m holding my Treo with both hands, with thumbs over the keys and the rest of the fingers of the hand behind the Treo. Once you get the hang of it, it’s not too hard. But not everyone will want to adapt to that new and special way of texting.

Keep in mind some PDAs have both a touchscreen and a keyboard/keypad. The Palm Treos have the keyboard/keypad and a normally hidden Graffiti2 onscreen input. You can easily enable that functionality by installing Graffiti Anywhere. I’ve discussed this in my posting here.

The best way to figure out whether a PDA with keyboard/keypad is for you, is to see if you can get at least a dummy phone (non-working replica unit) or even a friend’s and hold it in your hand and see if you can get comfortable with the keys or without keys. It’s a personal choice and preference and everyone is different. You have to determine whether it’s right for you.

That concludes this part on screen or keyboard input. Continue on with Part 5: Palm OS, Pocket PC, Blackberry or other similar devices?

Save $300 on a Treoâ„¢ 680 smartphone with a line of service! (after $250 instant & $50 mail-in rebates).

: archives categories palm choosing-pda