| When buying a new PDA or any other handheld | | | | compare the results on a number of different |
| device, one of the first things you need to | | | | devices. |
| consider is its size and ergonomics. | | | | For smartphones and PDAs without a built-in |
| It is important to remember that mobile devices | | | | keyboard, you should try out whatever type of |
| vary enormously in terms of size. Some are tiny | | | | text input it does have. It is also important to |
| enough to slip easily into a small pocket, while | | | | determine whether you will need to buy an |
| others can be almost as large as a notebook | | | | external keyboard, and if so, to factor this |
| computer. Before you buy any device it is a good | | | | expense into your total cost. |
| idea to try out different sizes, and decide which | | | | When you think about it, thinking about a PDA's |
| general "build" of device you are more | | | | physical characteristics is simple common sense, |
| comfortable with. | | | | but a great number of customers don't bother |
| Another important consideration is the keyboard | | | | doing this. Keep in mind that its well worth |
| and other input devices. If the PDA you are | | | | spending a few extra minutes in the store for a |
| looking at has a built-in keyboard, you should try it | | | | device that will cost you several hundred dollars, |
| out a bit before buying. Try typing out a couple | | | | and that you will likely use for a number of years. |
| of sentences and see how long it takes you, then | | | | |