| PDA (personal digital assistant) devices are more | | | | by Orb Networks that allows consumers to share |
| useful than ever. What began as a convenient | | | | their cable television connection with any internet |
| way to store contacts and calendars has evolved | | | | capable broadband device. In simple terms, this |
| into a new conduit for information in the digital | | | | means that you can watch the contents of your |
| age. PDAs are now being used for many | | | | home DVR (such as TiVo or DirectTV) on any |
| purposes beyond simple calendaring and phone | | | | device that you own that can connect to the |
| number storage. | | | | internet at broadband speeds. This means you |
| The latest wave of handheld personal computers | | | | can watch your TiVo'ed programming on your |
| blur the line between PDA and full fledged | | | | 802.11b -enabled PDA at the local coffee shop or |
| computer. This year saw the release of the OQO | | | | on your cell phone over the wireless broadband |
| handheld computer. This small device is a little | | | | services that are being rolled out these past few |
| larger than a traditional PDA, but has a 60Gb hard | | | | years. |
| drive and a 1Ghz processor, which gives it the | | | | With the advent of completely wireless |
| power of a typical laptop computer. The OQO | | | | broadband, the PDA market will only continue to |
| runs the Windows XP desktop operating system | | | | grow as people have the need and desire to have |
| and features wireless connectivity though 802.11 | | | | more and more information available at their |
| (WiFi) and Bluetooth standards. This little handheld | | | | fingertips at all times. As bandwidth increases and |
| computer has the power to run your favorite | | | | media becomes more rich and interactive, |
| desktop applications like Microsoft Office, Adobe | | | | palmtop computing will become more and more |
| Photoshop, and others right from the palm of | | | | viable as a vector for unlimited revenue potential |
| your hand. Devices like the OQO are changing the | | | | through the content creation and advertising |
| way people look at mobile computing. | | | | markets. |
| Also released this year was a software package | | | | |