| If you are traveling a lot and have a rather busy | | | | more than 90 countries, so it doesn't matter |
| schedule, a PDA may be particularly handy as it | | | | where you travel, you can send and receive |
| allows you to carry your calendar and all your | | | | e-mails. However, there are other models that are |
| contacts in one hand. You can have your | | | | built mainly for domestic use, meaning that if you |
| time-block schedule on it so it can keep you on | | | | travel to a far away corner of the world, your |
| track with the things you have to do each | | | | PDA may not work. |
| moment of the day. | | | | Another problem you should be aware is that |
| Most programs allow you to copy your time-block | | | | some PDAs are not compatible with some CRM |
| for years into the future, with only a few | | | | software. So before you buy the PDA you like, |
| keystrokes. You can also easily share your | | | | make sure your CRM works with it. You should |
| schedule with others, by uploading it to the | | | | also check whether you have to be in the office |
| computer network. | | | | to sync, or you can do that from a remote |
| A PDA is not only about business: most of these | | | | location. If you have a problem with |
| can also serve as a multimedia center, having an | | | | synchronization, the e-mails you send and receive, |
| MP3 player, portable flash drive, photo album and | | | | calls you make and appointments booked by your |
| video player incorporated. They also have | | | | staff will not show up in your PDA or on the |
| Internet access, so you can check the news, | | | | server containing your CRM. This means a lot of |
| stock quotes, and sports. | | | | wasted time and money. |
| In the last years, virtually every mobile phone | | | | PDAs also have several drawbacks: after a while |
| manufacturer presented his PDA. The most | | | | you've been using it, you may feel that you are |
| popular choices are the Palm handhelds, the Palm | | | | married to technology, and you can be too |
| Treo smartphones, Apple iPhones and | | | | accessible. Imagine what happens if you loose |
| BlackBerries. Cellphone carriers usually have | | | | your PDA with years of work, contacts and |
| partnerships with the PDA manufacturers, so | | | | database on it. When you are assessing whether |
| make sure you check the offers of your | | | | a PDA will save you time, think about what level |
| cellphone company: the make and model can | | | | of concentration you need to perform your job |
| affect coverage, service, and reception. | | | | well. Is it really important for you to be accessible |
| Your choice of PDAs may also be influenced by | | | | in every moment? Can you handle all the hassle |
| where you use them: there are PDAs that offer | | | | this involves? |
| global coverage. You can use your BlackBerry in | | | | |