Personal Digital Assistants (PDA's)

What is a PDA?

PDA can stand for Personal Digital Assistant or Personal Data Assistant. It is, essentially, a small hand held computer that has memory and an operating system and is capable of executing programs designed for the device. The software available may include word processing, spreadsheet applications, music and video clip players, games, scheduling (with personal computer synchronization) and/or Internet (browser) programs. PDA's and cell phones are beginning to overlap in functionality. Some PDA's can be connected to cell phones to enable wireless connections to the Internet. Some cell phones have applications similar to those found on PDA's.

Data input to a PDA can occur through the use of a special writing "pen" called a stylus, a hard wire connection to a personal computer, an infrared port, a wireless connection through a cell phone (Bluetooth®) and/or a multimedia card slot.

Dangers:

The possible dangers are similar to those encountered with access to the Internet. Some possible dangers include excessive game playing and access to material that is sexual, violent, hateful or generally inappropriate.

PDA's have been linked to cheating in the classroom. With the line of site infrared port, the PDA is capable of sending and receiving data invisibly and silently from one student to another.