PDA / Handheld Computer Comparison

PDA / Handheld Computers:
The Big Table

Company 3Com Apple Digital Ocean Motorola Nokia Casio, Tandy, & AST Hyundai Hewlett Packard Philips Everex Casio Compaq NEC LG Electronics Sharp Psion Geofox Sony Telxon
Product Pilot III Pilot Professional & IBM Workpad / Pilot 5000 MessagePad 2000 / MessagePad 2100 MessagePad 130 Seahorse Tarpon Marco Nokia 9000i Communicator Z-7000 / Z-PDA & GRiDpad 2390 Gulliver OmniGo 100 / OmniGo 120 200LX OmniGo 700LX 360LX / 620LX Velo 500 Nino 301 / 312 Freestyle A-15 / A-20 Cassiopeia A-20 Cassiopeia E-10 C-Series Gray / Color Mobile Pro 700 Phenom Mobilon 4100 / 4500 ZR-5700 / ZR-5800 ZR-3500X Power Zaurus MI-500 SE-500 Series 5 Series 3c Siena Geofox-One / Geofox-One Professional PIC-2000 PTC-1124
Family Palm Computing Palm Computing Newton Newton Newton Newton Newton Zoomer Zoomer Zoomer Zoomer MS-DOS MS-DOS WinCE WinCE WinCE WinCE WinCE WinCE WinCE WinCE WinCE WinCE Zaurus Zaurus Zaurus none? Psion Psion Psion Psion Magic Link Java
Picture [Palm III] [Palm Pilot Pro] [MessagePad 2000] [MessagePad 130] [Seahorse] [Tarpon] [Marco] [Nokia 9000] [Z-7000] [Gulliver] [OmniGo 120] [200LX] [OmniGo 700LX] None available [Velo 500] None available None available None available None available None available [Mobile Pro 700] [Phenom] None available [ZR-5800] [ZR-3500] [Power Zaurus] [SE-500] [Series 5] [Series 3c] [Siena] [Geofox-One] [PIC-2000] [PTC-1124]
General Features
CPU 68328 Dragon 68328 Dragon StrongARM-110 ARM-610 ARM-610 ARM-610 ARM-610 80386 V20 (x86) ? 80186 C186 80186 SH-3 PR31700 PR3910 VR4111 MIPS SH-3 MIPS ? VR4102 MIPS SuperH RISC VR4111 MIPS ? ? ? ? ARM-7100 V30H V30H ARM-7100 ? 486
CPU Speed (MHz) 17 17 162 20 20 20 20 ? 8 ? 16 8 8 75 75 75 66 80 49 80 54 80 ? ? ? ? ? 18 8 8 18 ? 50
OS PalmOS 3.0 PalmOS 2.0 / PalmOS 1.0 NewtOS 2.1 NewtOS 2.0 NewtOS 2.0 NewtOS 2.0 NewtOS 2.0 GEOS 3.0 GEOS 2.0 GEOS 5.0? GEOS 2.0 MS-DOS 5.0 MS-DOS 5.0 WinCE 2.0 WinCE 2.0 PalmPC WinCE 2.0 PalmPC WinCE 2.0 WinCE 2.0 PalmPC WinCE 2.0 WinCE 2.0 WinCE 2.0 WinCE 2.0 WinCE 2.0 Synergy Synergy Synergy? ? EPOC32 EPOC16 EPOC16 EPOC32 Magic Cap JavaOS?
Size 0.7" x 3.2" x 4.7" (10.53") 0.7" x 3.2" x 4.7" (10.53") 1.1" x 4.7" x 8.3" (42.93") 1.2" x 4.0" x 8.0" (38.43") 2.5" x 4.5" x 9.5" (106.93") ? 1.4" x 5.8" x 7.5" (60.93") 1.5" x 2.5" x 6.8" (25.53") 1.0" x 4.2" x 6.8" (28.63") ? 1.0" x 3.7" x 6.0" (22.23") 1.0" x 3.4" x 6.3" (21.43") 1.8" x 3.6" x 7.3" (47.33") ? 1.0" x 3.8" x 6.8" (25.83") ? x 3.4" x 5.3" 0.7" x 3.2" x 4.8" (10.83") 1.0" x 3.7" x 7.3" (27.03") 0.8" x 3.3" x 4.9" (12.93") 1.6" x 3.9" x 7.3" (45.63") 1.2" x 4.8" x 9.7" (55.93") 1.1" x 4.3" x 7.7" (36.43") 1.0" / 1.2" x 3.7" x 7.3" (27.03" / 32.43") 1.0" x 3.9" x 6.7" (26.13") 1.0" x 3.5" x 6.3" (22.13") 0.9" x 3.5" x 6.3" (19.83") 0.7" x 3.5" x 5.9" (14.53") 0.9" x 3.5" x 6.7" (21.13") 0.9" x 3.3" x 6.5" (19.33") 0.7" x 2.7" x 5.9" (11.23") 0.8" x 4.7" x 7.4" (27.83") 1.5" x 5.5" x 7.7" (63.53") 1.9" x 4.5" x 7.6" (65.03")
Weight 0.4 lbs 0.4 lbs 1.4 lbs 1.0 lb 3.0 lbs ? 1.9 lbs 0.9 lbs 1.0 lb ? 0.8 lbs 0.7 lbs 0.9 lbs ? / ? ? 0.5 lbs ? 1.0 lb ? ? 1.5 lbs 1.1 lbs 0.9 lbs / 1.1 lbs 0.8 lbs / 0.9 lbs 0.8 lbs 0.7 lbs 0.7 lbs 0.8 lbs 0.6 lbs 0.5 lbs 0.9 lbs 1.4 lbs 1.5 lbs
Screen Size ? x ? ? x ? 4.9" x 3.3" (16.22") 3.8" x 2.8" (10.62") 3.8" x 2.8" (10.62") 3.8" x 2.8" (10.62") ? x ? ? x ? 4.0" x 3.2" (12.82") ? x ? ? x ? ? x ? ? x ? ? x ? ? x ? ? x ? ? x ? ? x ? ? x ? ? x ? ? x ? ? x ? ? x ? ? x ? ? x ? ? x ? 2.8" x 2.2" (6.22") 5.3" x 2.0" (10.62") ? x ? ? x ? ? x ? ? x ? ? x ?
Screen Resolution 160 x 160 160 x 160 480 x 320 320 x 240 320 x 240 320 x 240 320 x 240 640 x 200 320 x 256 ? 240 x 240 640 x 200 640 x 200 640 x 240 640 x 240 320 x 240 320 x 240 640 x 240 240 x 320 640 x 240 640 x 240 640 x 240 640 x 240 320 x 240 320 x 240 320 x 240 240 x 159 640 x 240 480 x 160 240 x 160 640 x 320 ? 320 x 240
Display 4 grayscale 4 grayscale 16 grayscale B&W B&W B&W B&W 4 grayscale B&W ? B&W 4 grayscale 4 grayscale 16 grayscale / 8 bit color 16 grayscale 16 grayscale 4 grayscale 4 grayscale B&W 4 grayscale? / 8 bit color 4 grayscale 4 grayscale? 16 grayscale / 8 bit color B&W B&W 16 bit color B&W 16 grayscale B&W B&W 16 grayscale 4 grayscale 64 grayscale
RAM 2M 1M / 512K 5M / 8M 2.5M 2.5M 2.5M 1M 8M 1M ? 1M 1M (Up to 6M Option) 2M 8M / 16M 16M (24M Option) 4M / 8M 8M 8M 4M 8M 8M 8M 12M / 16M 1M / 2M 2M 4M (6M Option) 1M 4M (8M Option) 1M (2M Option) 512K (1M Option) 4M (16M Option) 2M 6M? (16M Option?)
ROM ? 1M 8M 8M 8M 8M 5M ? 4M ? 3M 3M 4M 10M 16M ? 8M 8M 8M 16M 16M ? ? ? ? ? ? 6M ? ? 8M ? 256K?
Battery Life ? ? 29 hrs / 24 hrs 24 hrs ? ? 8 hrs ? 100 hrs / 90 hrs ? ? 40 hrs ? ? / ? ? ? / ? ? 24 hrs ? ? / ? ? ? ? / ? ? 100 hrs 8 hrs 50 hrs 35 hrs 40 hrs 60 hrs 25 hrs 10 hrs ?
Backlighting Yes Yes / No Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No ? No / Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ? Yes No / Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Optional No Yes Yes Yes
Infrared Communications 115 Kbits/s IrDA None 115 Kbits/s IrDA & 38.4 Kbits/s ASK 38.4 Kbits/s ASK 38.4 Kbits/s ASK 38.4 Kbits/s ASK 38.4 Kbits/s ASK 115 Kbits/s IrDA 9600 baud Casio ? ? 115 Kbits/s IrDA 115 Kbits/s IrDA 115 Kbits/s IrDA 115 Kbits/s IrDA 115 Kbits/s IrDA 115 Kbits/s IrDA 115 Kbits/s IrDA 115 Kbits/s IrDA 115 Kbits/s IrDA 115 Kbits/s IrDA 115 Kbits/s IrDA 115 Kbits/s IrDA & 38.4(?) Kbits/s ASK 115 Kbits/s IrDA & 38.4(?) Kbits/s ASK 115 Kbits/s IrDA & 38.4(?) Kbits/s ASK 115 Kbits/s IrDA & 9.6 Kbits/s ASK (Optional) 115 Kbits/s IrDA 115 Kbits/s IrDA 115 Kbits/s IrDA 115 Kbits/s IrDA 115 Kbits/s IrDA 115 Kbits/s IrDA 115 Kbits/s? IrDA
Infrared Printing ? No Yes No No No No Yes ? ? No No No Yes Yes ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Yes Yes ? ? Yes Yes Yes Yes ? ?
Direct Serial Printing ? Shareware Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ? Yes Yes ? ? ? Commercial Software? ? ? ? Commercial Software ? Commercial Software Commercial Software Commercial Software ? ? ? ? ? Optional Yes Yes ? ? No?
Direct Parallel Printing No No Optional Optional Optional Optional Optional ? ? ? ? No No No? ? No? No? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Optional ? ? ? ? No?
Input Stylus & Buttons Stylus & Buttons Stylus (Keyboard Option) Stylus (Keyboard Option) Stylus Stylus Stylus & Keyboard Stylus & Keyboard Stylus & Buttons Stylus & Buttons Stylus & Keyboard Keyboard Keyboard Keyboard & Stylus Keyboard & Stylus Stylus & Buttons Stylus & Buttons Keyboard & Stylus Stylus & Buttons Keyboard & Stylus Keyboard & Stylus Keyboard & Stylus Keyboard & Stylus Keyboard & Stylus Keyboard & Stylus Stylus (Keyboard Option) Stylus Keyboard & Stylus Keyboard Keyboard Keyboard & GlidePoint Stylus (Keyboard Option) Stylus & Buttons
Print Recognition Graffiti Only Graffiti Only Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ? Yes Yes Graffiti Only No No Optional? Commercial Software Yes ? Commercial Software ? Commercial Software Commercial Software Commercial Software Commercial Software ? ? Yes No Optional No No Optional? Optional ?
Cursive Recognition No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No ? No No No Optional? Commercial Software Yes? ? Commercial Software ? Commercial Software Commercial Software Commercial Software Commercial Software ? ? ? No Optional? No No Optional? ? ?
Audio Recording No No Yes No No No No ? No Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes ? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Optional No Yes Yes No Yes Yes ?
Voice Recognition No No Commercial Software? No No No No ? No ? No No No Commercial Software? Commercial Software? Limited ? Optional? Commercial Software? Commercial Software? Commercial Software? Commercial Software? Commercial Software? ? ? ? No ? ? ? ? No ?
Audio Generator Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes (+DAC) ? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Audio Out No No Yes ? ? ? No ? Yes ? ? No No ? ? No? Yes No? No? No? No? No? No? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Yes No?
Serial 9 pin / ?K 9 pin / 57.6K Full RS-422 InterConnect 8 pin / 230K 8 pin / 230K 8 pin / 230K 8 pin / 230K ? 10 pin / 19.2K ? ? ? ? ? 230K 9 pin? / ?K ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 15 pin / ?K 15 pin / ?K ? ? Full RS-232 / 115K ? ? Full RS-232 / 115K ? Optional?
DTMF Dialer No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No ? No No No ? No No ? No No No No No No ? ? ? ? No No No No Yes ?
Built-in Modem No No No No No ? No ?Kbps No No No No No No 28.8Kbps No / 19.2Kbps No / 33.6Kbps No No 33.6Kbps 33.6Kbps 21.6Kbps 33.6Kbps No 14.4Kbps 33.6Kbps (Optional) 14.4Kbps No No No No 14.4Kbps ?
Built-in Wireless No No No No 2M DSSS ? 4.8K ARDIS Cellular Modem No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No Optional
PC Card Slots None None 2 1 1 1 1 ? 1 3 ? 1 1 ? ? 1 1 2? 1 1 1? 2? 1 1 1 1 ? 1 1 ? 1 2 ?
Ruggedized No No No No Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No ?
Water-Resistant No No No No Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No ?
Connectivity
MS-Windows 3.1 Connectivity Yes? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Optional Optional ? Yes Yes Yes No No No No No No No No No No Optional Optional ? No No Yes Yes ? Optional ?
MS-Windows 95 Connectivity Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Optional Optional ? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Optional ?
MS-Windows NT Connectivity Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ? ? ? ? No No Yes ? Yes Yes No Yes ? No ? ? Optional Optional ? Yes Yes Yes Yes ? Optional ?
Mac Connectivity Optional Optional Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Optional? Optional ? Yes Yes Yes No No No ? No No No No No No Yes No ? No Optional Optional Optional ? Optional ?
UNIX Connectivity Freeware Freeware Shareware Shareware Shareware Shareware Shareware ? ? ? ? Shareware? Shareware? No No No No No No No No No No ? ? ? No No No ? ? ?
Amiga Connectivity ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? No No No No No No No No No No ? ? ? No ? ? ? ? ? ?
Planned Future Java Support ? No Yes No No No No ? No Yes No No No ? ? ? ? ? ? ? No ? ? ? ? ? ? Yes Yes No Yes No Yes
Software
FTP Library Large Large Large Large Large Large Large Small Small Small Small Large Large None Yet None Yet None Yet None Yet None Yet None Yet None Yet None Yet None Yet None Yet ? ? ? None Yet ? Medium Medium ? ? ?
Calendar Book Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ?
Address Book Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ?
Clock & Alarm Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ? ? Yes ? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ? ?
Calculator Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ? Yes (advanced) Yes (advanced) Yes Yes (advanced) Yes Yes Yes Yes ? Yes ? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ? ?
Conversions Shareware Shareware Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ? Yes Yes ? Yes ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Notepad Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ? Yes ? Yes Yes ? Yes ?
Call Tracker No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No ? No No No No ? No? No? No? No? No No No ? ? FAX Only ? ? No No No No ? ?
Word Processor No No Yes No No No No ? Yes Yes Yes ? ? ?