PDAs

Perhaps you have already encountered this scenario: Your child comes home from school complaining that all the other kids have PDAs and insists that s/he should have one as well. Do you relent and buy one?

If you are a parent who is not especially familiar with computer technology, it may be hard to tell whether or not a PDA is really an educational necessity. Just what is a PDA, anyway? What are they used for, and how much do they cost?

Select a question below to learn more about PDAs. Use the navigation to the left to learn about other technologies.

1. What does "PDA" stand for?
2. What does a PDA look like?
3. What can a PDA do?
4. How could my child use a PDA for school?
5. How could my child misuse a PDA at school?
6. Aren't PDAs too complicated for children?
7. Are there different kinds of PDAs? Who makes them?
8. Will my child be required to have a PDA for school?
9. How much does a PDA cost?
10. What is the difference between a PDA and a handheld computer?
11. Where can I buy a PDA?

How much does a PDA cost?

Very basic electronic organizers-usually just a glorified calculators with the ability to store names and phone numbers-can be had for under $20. However, when most people refer to PDAs they mean the palm-held computers that use the Microsoft or Palm operating systems, which are substantially more expensive. The basic "Zire" PDA from Palm costs $99 while the latest iPAQs from Compaq cost well over $600.

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