The Personal Data Assistant (PDA) has won rapid acceptance among university students and executives who are constantly on the move because of its ability to package a lot of different data requirements into a palm sized device. The PDA is designed to make a busy life easier by providing sensible connections to all the information you need, have it at your fingertips when you need it, and transport it to other systems. Once 'organised' with your PDA, you will have all of your contact phone numbers, be collecting your emails, process your business orders, display your photographs and relax to your mp3 library. Many PDAs also act as a digital recorder and have windows based compatibility for word processing and spreadsheet financial calculations.

PDAs At the simplest end of the market, a PDA can help you manage your daily to-do lists, keep track of your diary and record your memos. But it's important for people moving into using a PDA to understand that it is a tool that is most beneficial to an already organised mind: it won't actually do the organising for you. But if you find you need to view and manage documents on the go, keep track of your appointments and have instant access to your name and address book, then the basic functions of a PDA will probably enhance your productivity. And of course the added bonuses of listening to your mp3s, watching short video clips, reading ebooks and being able to rehearse and review your presentations can only help.