Please paste your links into this post or as comments – as many links as possible to stories of interest for other people to blog. So first off HORIZON. A big splash after a Business week article and coverage on CNET.

I spent a little bit of time this week trying to get a handle on how people SEE mobile. Do they think hmmmm mobile phone, really good mobile phone, smartphone, pda? So I did a little digging and found that usage of the term PDA has been in general decline since 2005 – which may not surprise you – BUT the term smartphone has been in relative decline also over that period, well from 2006.And “smartphones” peaked, relatively, in 2007.

What does relative decline mean?  Well it means relative to all searches on the web people are searching proportionally less for these terms.

On the other hand the term Netbooks is an absolute breakout over the past 12 months showing a huge surge of interest. So I htought it might be worth providing some netbooks links. Here is GigaOm talking Netbooks.  yes the article is a year and a half old but it’s a starting point Giga Eyes Wide Open.

Who hits the top of Google on a netbooks search, after GigaOm. DELL. BestBuy the US retailer is next followed by a netbooks site which does book-keeping over the net.

Apart from a reference to Google Chrome, most Google page one search returns are retailers which is indicative of a lack of real online brand management by netbook manufacturers. or for that matter OS companies.

Here is a Lifehacker review of netbooks.
Can anyone add to this? Or is anyone out there tracking or casually observing any other changes in the mobile space?

Here meanwhile is a Reuters story about Palm bashed by Apple. Shares in Palm feel 3% yesterday when Apple turned off an iTunes synch function.

And finally Amazon looks likely to come to the UK market with Kindle as a fully fledged MVNO.

Webmaster-Qatar

Hi,

Here the Placement for Webmaster-Qatar

Job Purpose:

• The Connect ROTAsia Webmaster will be responsible for performing day-to-day maintenance and update all content of the ROTA website. He will evaluate and monitor content related standards for design and publication, perform navigation and browser compatibility check and quality-control of content.

• The Connect ROTAsia Webmaster will document web best practices, assist in development of a new look and feel for the web site, assist in the software redevelopment, advise on how to best optimize content for online deployment.

• In collaboration with the Connect ROTAsia ICT and Technology Specialist, the Connect ROTAsia Webmaster will maintain and develop small web applications, monitoring and statistical tools as well as monitor all aspects related to the web site security, daily operations and issues and take corrective action when necessary.

Key Result Areas:

• Update and monitor all content of ROTA website and portal on a daily basis and in a timely and accurate manner.
• Monitor and take corrective action on all functional and security issues related to the website.
• In close collaboration with the Connect ROTAsia ICT and Technology Specialist: assess, implement, monitor, evaluate and support solutions related to the ROTA website and Connect ROTAsia Knowledge Network Portal.
• In close collaboration with the Connect ROTAsia ICT and Technology Specialist, develop and implement new technical tools, programs or functionalities supporting the website.
• Work in collaboration with other ROTA program departments and staff to provide consultation and/ or support on projects or activities related to the website.
• Perform research, compilation and analysis of supporting data and information relating to the website.
• Monitor and stay abreast of web technologies.
• Work with team members to develop ICT components of the Connect ROTAsia program.
• Provide support to ROTA web users.
• Perform other duties of a similar nature or level as required.

Skills

Knowledge, Skills & Experience:

• Bachelor degree in ICT related field.
• 1 year minimum experience in the field of ICT and web development (preferably in an educational environment and open source technologies).
• Good knowledge and experience of web standards, technologies and tools (HTML, XHTML, CSS, Content Management Systems, web development (PHP, JavaScript, WAP, MySQL, etc.), video streaming, etc.)
• Intermediate knowledge and experience with open source software like Apache, PHP, Drupal, Joomla, Moodle, CivicCRM, phpBB, etc. (experience with Drupal modules development would be a definite advantage).
• Intermediate knowledge and experience in web development, design, and content management solutions.
• Must have a thorough understanding of the web technologies and its culture.
• Intermediate experience with multi-media editing software in order to manipulate, create and adapt multi-media content to the internet requirements.
• Intermediate knowledge of web based technologies applied to mobile devices (PDAs, mobile phones, etc.)
• General knowledge of ICT hardware, systems, networking technologies (LAN and WAN), software, and best practices.
• General Experience and knowledge in ICT operation, tools and resources in an educational environment setting.
• Ability to identify issues and to use sound judgment in applying technical expertise to resolve a wide range of problems; strong research skills, including ability to evaluate and integrate information from a variety of sources.
• Good communication (spoken and written) skills, including the ability to draft/edit a variety of written reports, documentations, communications and articulate ideas in a confident, clear and concise style.
• Fluent spoken and written English essential; Bilingual with Arabic desirable
• Planning§ & Organizing – Strong project management skills. With the ability to plan own work, manage conflicting priorities and work under pressure of tight and conflicting deadlines.

Would you be interested?
Please send your latest updated profile to radha@kbsconsultants.com

You may also suggest this opening to your friends who may be interested.

Further Information:

KBS Consultants
Flat H,Kulothungan Apts,
No, 5 Natesan Road
Ashoknagar,
Chennai 600 083.
India
Phone: +91-44 2489 5341 / 2371 9622

Visit Our Sites:

International jobs: http://www.jobsearchworld.com/

SAP ERP Jobs : http://www.jobsvista.com/

Core Engineering Jobs : http://www.gotachance.com/

Technology Jobs : http://www.kbsconsultants.com/

India Jobs : http://www.kbsconsultants.net.in/

http://www.kbsconsultants.org.in/

eforcity has one of the largest selection of skins and cases for cell phones online. They also carry computer accessories, deals on cell phone plans, ipod accessories, ink & toner cartridges, & even goodies for cameras, PDAs, DVDs and Game Systems. If you want to set your phone apart from everyone elses.. select from a broad range of aluminum, silicone, leather or crystal cases today. I recently purchased 4 silicone skins for my nintendo Wii controllers for $20 shipped.. i dont know how they do it, but they do. Use one of our eforcity coupons or special deal links below to save even more.

I had a conversation the other day with a client who read the recent eMarketer article assessing the economic downturn's impact on household communications spending - specifically data, voice, and video. Citing a survey by Research Analytics, eMarketer reports, "nearly one-half of respondents (48%) said they would drop the mobile data services completely if forced to scale back, while a further 17% would move to a lower-tier plan to save money."

The survey further implies that residential broadband is seen as the “must have” service for consumers, while mobile data plans plays the role of a “nice to have.” At first glance, this makes sense. Emerging technologies need time to be cemented in the lives of the everyday consumer. The most recently adopted is the first to get cut back.

The resulting discussion with the client focused on their mobile marketing strategy… and whether mobile programs already in-place, and projects currently underway, were ripe for a re-think. Specifically, mobile-friendly web development and potentially iPhone and Blackberry apps are called into question.

There are two things to consider if you are also re-thinking your mobile marketing strategy, or you are considering shelving current plans and projects in light of the economic climate.

First, the survey asks decision-makers which services they would cut, if forced to scale back. This is not an indication of action, simply perception. Consider that the consumers who would cut mobile data plans are likely the lightest data users and infrequent browsers of news, sports, social networking, or M-Commerce. Will this change have a significant impact on overall site traffic from mobile browsers across the Web? For my client, web analytics show the number of mobile browser visits continues to grow each month, both in raw volume and percentage of all traffic. What do the analytics on your sites indicate?

Second, even if there is a universal downturn in mobile data plans (and by implication mobile browsing), it won’t last long. More and more consumers are trading in their simple phones for smart phones, iPhones, and PDAs every day. Growth in smartphone use will correlate to more mobile browsing. Plus, the actual mobile browser is getting better and delivering positive user experiences every day. Generational gaps in mobile adoption are closing, and the carriers’ mobile data plans will get more competitive. So, we have to look at the prevailing economic climate as a small factor within a larger established macro-trend in consumer communications preference and media consumption. The rising tide will lift all ships.

Do not be fooled into thinking that it’s possible to put your mobile marketing plans on ice with no consequence. In 12 months, when mobile browsing is growing at the fastest pace ever (you heard it here), will your brand be ready with tested and proven mobile applications and marketing programs? Or, will you be playing catch up with consumer preferences?

ICT and Technology Specialist

Hi,

Here the placement for  ICT and Technology Specialist

Job Purpose: 

• The Connect ROTAsia ICT and Technology Specialist is responsible for developing, managing and coordinating all aspects of the ROTA website in collaboration with all ROTA departments. 
• The Connect ROTAsia ICT and Technology Specialist is responsible for developing, implementing, monitoring, evaluating and supporting the technology necessary for the Connect ROTAsia program. 
• The Connect ROTAsia ICT and Technology Specialist is responsible for assisting the Head of Connect ROTAsia with developing, implementing and evaluating program components as well as performing related work as required to ensure the success of the program. 
• The Connect ROTAsia ICT and Technology Specialist assists other ROTA program areas to build and support educational capacity building of local communities in Qatar and in ROTA focal countries. 

Key Result Areas: 

• To assess, implement, monitor, evaluate and support ICT solutions for the ROTA website and the Connect ROTAsia Knowledge Network Portal (online collaborative platform).
• To develop, implement new tools, functionalities and support the ROTA website, including the Knowledge Network Portal.
• To develop, implement and support all ICT components of the Connect ROTAsia program. 
• To work in collaboration with other ROTA program departments to provide consultancy and to monitor and evaluate projects as necessary both in Qatar and in other ROTA focal countries.
• To perform research, compilation and analysis of supporting data and information relating to the Connect ROTAsia program. 
• To work directly with ICT specialists to support communities involved in Connect ROTAsia projects in Qatar and other ROTA focal countries. 
• To assess and evaluate the needs for outsourcing and/or consultancy and to identify and propose appropriate solutions to the needs.
• To work with team members to develop components of the Connect ROTAsia program.
• To perform other duties of a similar nature or level as required.

Skills

Knowledge, Skills & Experience: 

• Bachelor degree in ICT related field. 
• 5 years minimum experience in the field of ICT and web development (preferably in an educational environment and open source). 
•  Thorough knowledge and experience of web standards, technologies and tools (HTML, XHTML, CSS, Content Management Systems, web devlopemnt (PHP, JavaScript, WAP, MySQL, etc.), video streaming, etc.) 
• Advanced knowledge and experience with open source software like Apache, PHP, Drupal, Joomla, Moodle, CivicCRM, phpBB, etc. (experience with Drupal modules development would be a definite advantage). 
• Advanced knowledge and experience in web development, design, and content management solutions. 
• Must have a thorough understanding of the web technologies and its culture. 
• Intermediate knowledge of web based technologies applied to mobile devices (PDAs, mobile phones, etc.) 
• Intermediate knowledge of ICT hardware, systems, networking technologies (LAN and WAN), software, and best practices. 
• Intermediate knowledge and experience of operating system management (backups, security, etc.) 
• Experience and knowledge in ICT operation, tools and resources in an educational environment setting. 
• Sound knowledge of and exposure to a range of international organizations, to include approaches and techniques to address difficult problems. 
• Good communication (spoken and written) skills, including the ability to draft/edit a variety of written reports and communications and to articulate ideas in a confident, clear and concise style. 
• Fluent spoken and written English essential; Bilingual with Arabic desirable 
• Strong project management skills.
• With the ability to plan own work, manage conflicting priorities & work under pressure of tight and conflicting deadlines. 
• Very good interpersonal skills & ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.

Education

• Bachelor degree in ICT related field

Would you be interested?

Please send your latest updated profile to radha@kbsconsultants.com

You may also suggest this opening to your friends who may be interested.

Further Information:

KBS Consultants

Flat H,Kulothungan Apts,

No, 5 Natesan Road

Ashoknagar,

Chennai 600 083.

India

Phone: +91-44 2489 5341 / 2371 9622
 

Visit Our Sites:

International jobs: http://www.jobsearchworld.com/
SAP ERP Jobs : http://www.jobsvista.com/
Core Engineering Jobs : http://www.gotachance.com/
Technology Jobs : http://www.kbsconsultants.com/
India Jobs : http://www.kbsconsultants.net.in/
http://www.kbsconsultants.org.in/

LG has announced so many mobile models in the competitive business world. In such a way, this Smartphone LG GW550 is a business-oriented mobile phone announced at CommunicAsia 2009. It has come out in a candy bar form factor and it features a front facing QWERTY keyboard just like Nokia E71X.

Click to know about LG GM730 Smartphone

Moreover, it has a non-touch sensitive 2.4-inch display with QVGA resolution, 3Megapixel camera, stereo speakers, HSDPA 7.2 Mbps connectivity and 1300mAh battery. Unfortunately, pricing and other details of the mobile have not yet been announced.

[ More ]

It’s been a while since there’s been a new palm to get excited about, but the Palm Pre is now out in the States and hopefully on its way here:

http://reviews.cnet.com/smartphones/palm-pre-sprint/4505-6452_7-33490473.html?tag=mncol;txt

But if you can’t wait or have slightly different needs our retiring Head of Library was showing off an HTC Touch HD:

http://reviews.cnet.com/smartphones/htc-touch-hd-unlocked/4505-6452_7-33270805.html?autoplay=true&tag=mncol

which certainly does have a very impressive screen beating even the iPhone for size and i-really-want-one envy.

Been to the movies lately?  It’s not so much the $10-$12 admission price, or the $7 popcorn (stuff yer face at home before you come) but the messages about cell phones and PDAs needing to be shut off that’s troubling.  The latest incarnation has this guy trying to get his script produced, and he gets all these phone calls…until the last one, which ruins the whole thing.  Somehow.  And there’s a monkey in it.  Are we supposed to feel bad for this guy?  I’m sure he’d be getting a fair chunk of change to get the rights for his script.  Plus, he’s hanging out with a monkey. 

I agree with the sentiment, there’s enough noise going on in a packed theater without the need for technoscreech as well.  Cell phones have their uses, but the hands-free models that stick in your ear are a little freaky.  They make it look like you’re talking to yourself.  Are you possessed?  Are you a Zombie?  One of the Borg?  Part of a Hive Mind?  Glassy-eyed, straight-ahead staring muttering people brushing past each other in hallways and supermarket aisles…no one can be told what the Matrix is, right?  You have to see it for yourself…I think you already have….

GPS navigation technology has turned now very smaller than other technology devices, because you can carry it on your keys and you can store the location of your car’s GPS co-ordinate when you park your car. Therefore, it will be very useful for absent-minded personalities. After parking your car mark your parking spot, when you return this key will lead you right back to your car.

Click to know about latest GPS gadget from Pioneer

Following are the some important features of this concept:
•It is as small as your key and high tech GPS fob
•You can locate your single or multiple locations within a second.
•It can work at the range of 10 feet to 9,999 miles around the world.
•As it is self-contained system, you do not have to use a receiver in your car.
•No monthly service charges are applicable.
•This GPS locator is available for $89.99.

[ More ]

The convenience of the internet has never been more available. With the advent of cell phone technology and PDAs (personal digital assistants), you can surf the web like never before. Still, having the right platform makes all the difference when finding ways to stay connected. A cheap PDA may or may not be the best way.

When I got my PDA back in 2005 it was a cheap PDA and had a lot of convenient features for the time. My Tungsten E2 had a touch screen well in advance of I-phones. Its keyboard was easier to use than the cell phone keypad. I could store a lot of music and pictures with a good SD card and that was a major plus. Unfortunately there were many drawbacks. First of all, at the time, cell phone technology was beginning to take the place of PDAs because the cell phone could do the same things directly, such as connect to the internet that the PDA did indirectly. Instead of having two devices, you only needed one.

Also, if you didn’t have a compatible phone, internet access and access to email was impossible. I found myself in this predicament. I had a cheap PDA, but really what I had was an expensive calendar. My cheap Palm PDA did me no good when it came to convenience and frustrated more than helped.

Still there is a need for cheap PDAs that allow the consumer the convenience of a small device with big capabilities. One innovation simply made this possible. When the devices became wi-fi compatible they made a giant leap forward. Now the larger screen and the touch screen features became more than a novelty. These newer devices were better equipped to meet customer demands at a lower price than the purchase of a laptop. Cheap PDAs may indeed have a future.

For under four hundred dollars Palm and HP both offer devices that allow internet and email access and the capability of texting. Because of wi-fi, these devices can stand alone and serve a function apart from a cell phone. While the newer cells such as Blackberry’s and I-phones have replaced these stand alone cheap PDAs it has also drove the price down and cheap PDAs are not hard to come by. Now is a good time to buy a cheap PDA. The advantages in staying organized alone are well worth the cost.

What can I say about it that it was not already said? I will pre-order it soon!

The first official site at Nokia Europe.

Device details also at Nokia Forums.

If you have ever owned a PDA, a personal digital assistant in other words, you will feel so lost without it if it breaks, gets lost or stolen. Your life would seem to be running around in circles not knowing where and when to start, this was the assistant you banked on day in and day out to remind you of things to do and when to do them, if not how too. This is your way of communication with the world, be it phone or email or sms, or even voice recordings for yourself. This is the bulky thing that fills your pocket with its tiny pen to press on the virtual keyboard what you want to type or do. This was your dearest friend until you lost it. Your life was on there, everyone’s contact details were on there too. Now you feel really lost!

When you first got the PDA, you didn’t know about all it’s capabilities until someone educated you on what all you could do with this gadget they call a PDA. You were first asked what you would need it for, besides being a personal assistant, it’s main function for you. From there you would be advised to have some free PDA software installed to optimize the gadget for you. Making it more personalized with your own choices of skins and pictures and also with the PDA software be able to change the original pictures to your own choices that make sense to you.

You wonder how on earth are you going to get this PDA software, and the genius who educated you, quickly shows you how it is downloaded right there and then, in front of your very own eyes. You think this is oh so amazing, it’s like a miracle come true, and assistant that actually does what you tell it to do. And in a flash, you can play with your new toy the way you want to, you think this PDA software stuff out of the heavens is so amazing.

You go regularly onto the net searching for more and more PDA software to improve your assistant, but you have not realized that by doing the PDA software downloads costs you money and you have run up your monthly account so fast, you cannot afford to make any calls for the rest of the month. However, you are lucky that you can load more airtime at your own leisure with the provider of your cell phone contract, in order to continue looking for more and more functionality software packages to accommodate your lifestyle.

Featured HSDPA, Bluetooth, DLNA-certified Wi-Fi, an accelerometer (motion sensor), microSD memory card slot, USB 2.0 connectivity and A-GPS are some of the more commonly seen features in most high- end phones. The new launch from Ericsson, the Sony Idou has them all. It comes with a 3.5″ touchscreen display with a commendable 360×640 pixel of resolution. New User Interface: The market is abuzz with the news of the new UI with which Sony will be breaking from the old mould. The new UI is something that Sony has not experimented with before and it will make Sony Ericsson Idou stand out amongst all its mobile phones. Apart from the Windows Mobile-powered Xperia X1, Sony has always used the same UI. The smoothness of the touch interface on the 640×360 3.5-inch screen grabs attention immediately. The ability to rapidly move from application to application without any noticeable lag is sure to become popular. S60 that this phone features is different from others like Nokia’s S60 UI or Samsung’s TouchWiz UI. The very ideas behind this phone and the innovations tried out make this model highly impressive. With the Sony Ericsson Idou, the users get to set various panels at the top of the home screen. They just have to swipe left and right to take pictures and see contacts. The users can also customize the contacts to let them view the favorite contacts quickly. This feature is very useful as generally phone users call or send SMS to only a few people regularly. Another exciting thing about the UI is that the home screen will keep a part of the media player open so the user has the option of listening to music or opening videos while picking the phone up. The UI might not be customizable but the final version of this handset will have many more features. This version is due to come out some time later in the year. Further Expansion: Sony Ericsson Idou uses an M2 Memory card. This memory card comes with the opportunity of expansion. Other latest additions that you will get in this Sony Ericsson set are: the PlayNow Arena and the MediaGo software. This make the phone a real treat for the music lovers. This awesome launch from Sony Ericsson will also permit its users to synchronize different devices on a home server.

There are many useful functions that a good PDA phone can offer including being able to act like a pocket personal computer in addition to also providing a better means of communication. In fact, a PDA phone embodies the very latest in communications as it helps to marry the functions of a PDA with those of smart mobile phones. Nowhere are the benefits of such devices more appreciated than in the business sphere where it offers an alternative to the more bulky personal laptops while providing comparable functionality.

A good PDA phone can act like a messaging system, and it includes features such as cameras and video recordings as well as voice recording plus what good a Smartphone has. With the help of a PDA phone you can perform tasks that are as varied as sending your emails, working with MS Office as well as surfing the Internet and snapping pictures on the go and then transmitting them to your office is also a useful function that it provides. In addition, a PDA phone also allows for listening to music and even viewing movies is possible.

What’s more, many of the benefits that a PDA phone offers go beyond what a PDA phone have to offer because with the help of PDA accessories as well as software it is possible to do a lot more. The best part is that many of the software that is being offered can be downloaded for free from a number of websites that are dedicated to providing free downloads.

However, the cost of a PDA phone is a bit more than you would normally spend on purchasing a mobile phone though for the added features that you will get you should not mind paying a little bit extra. You can for example multi-task which is in it a very compelling reason to opt for a PDA phone and in addition you will notice an increase in your productivity which in turn ensures that you are able to work smartly and so will get to recoup the money spent on buying your PDA phone more efficiently.

With the help of a PDA phone you will also always remain close to your office because it offers you a chance to, when you hit the road for work or other business purposes connect with the laptop or office personal computer. With the help of a PDA cell phone you can learn to be more organized and so lead a less stressful life. It is in fact a device that also ensures that you can read your email on the go and it also offers you a chance to surf the net as well.

One’s personal digital assistant (PDA) is an extremely convenient tool and it has the potential to make a lot of things easier for you. But for that it must be fitted with proper PDA accessories. Otherwise, it may be able deliver the valuable help at one point but conk out in other point. The marketplace is full of PDA accessories. So, accessorizing the PDAs with well-matched instruments is not at all a hard task at present.

PDA accessories have become much more advanced over the years, although they were earlier designed as individual arrangers. Their multiple utilization include calculation, utilize as a clock and calendar, playing computer games, getting at the Internet, posting and getting E-mails, video recording, typewriting and word processing. They are also used as an address register, a radio receiver or stereo, for building and composing on spreadsheets, and Global Positioning System. Most significantly, modern PDAs with color screens and audio capacity are also used as mobile phones.

In order to do all these practicalities in a smooth and efficient manner, PDAs need the back up of several accessories. They are also costly and hence demand fragile handling. By utilizing some chic and cheesy accessories, one can ensure safe of the PDA and save it from any form of damage. Cases and screen shields can be used to maintain the body and show of the smart phone fresh and integral. Chargers, car kits, Bluetooth receiver are other often used PDA accessories that smooth the operation of this smart device. Nowadays palm PDA accessories are growing popular because of its compatibility.

Custom-made accessories are obtainable in the market for all kinds of PDAs. Well-matched accessories from and for all the leading producers of PDAs and smart phones can be utilized for the product of a specific brand. Motorola, Samsung, Blackberry, Nokia all have add-ons for their special model smart phones. So, decking up a special phone with PDA accessories has become rather popular.

Irrespective of how one like to deck up the PDA, there are many add on that will likely suit the needs. One of the most famous accessories for any dash PDA is a carrying holder. If one is going to use a PDA then one likely want to have a case to take it around in. After all, one wants to secure the investment right? Not only are taking cases ideal for keeping the PDA safe, but they are also rather fashionable as well.

… PDA and look it up.”

It may not come as a surprise, but respondents to a 2007 survey of PDA/smartphone forum members and PDA/smartphone-using employees of 3 companies found that these groups use their phones for “informal learning.”

Now, “Informal learning with PDAs and smartphones“ (Sorry, abstract only unless you login through the NU library or other systems), the survey by B. Clough et al., set out to study if and how smartphone users use their devices to learn informally. For the purposes of their report, “informal” learning was defined as basically anything you might teach yourself without the aid of formalized instruction.

In that definition, it’s no wonder that the answer to their first research question “Do mobile device users use their mobile devices to support intentional informal learning?” was “yes. (Though they did not say how many of the 200 respondents this applied too).

The article included a dissection of mobile phone use that might be useful for our group later, but more interesting were some of the comments the survey elicited in the open-ended sections.

I use [my mobile device] to download papers that I may be interested in from specialist apps (Merck Medicus Mobile, Avantgo, etc) and from RSS feeds. This is automated every morning and I check it all on the train to work.

Media companies, are you listening? This is what the smartphone user wants.

Nursing Students in Somaliland

Knowledge management in health care refers to the organization of and easy access to important know-how, whenever and wherever it is required (Pasupathy, 2006).  And, the Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) seems to be doing a perfect job of helping health care organizations and medical professionals manage knowledge in the palm of their hands.  No wonder, the health care industry has emerged as a leader in adopting the PDA, which is an application of mobile and wireless technology to manage a tremendous amount of data within hospitals and clinics (Havenstein, 2005).

     The history of the PDA in health care systems may be described in the following timeline:

With a PDA, a medical practitioner or nurse has access to all the patient information that he or she would need at a given time.  Besides, doctors and nurses may download onto their PDA’s all of the medical knowledge they would ever require, for example, the downloadable American Academy of Pediatrics asthma guidelines.  The information in the palm of the medical practitioner’s hand today may further consist of medical journals and encyclopedias downloaded onto the PDA.  Another important piece of downloaded data on the PDA is billing information about inpatients and outpatients (Torre and Wright, 2003).  In short, the PDA is the answer to the prayer of every medical professional.  A PDA is a lightweight, durable, safe to use, low power equipment, that does not interfere with other medical equipment in use by a doctor or nurse.  What is more, the PDA does not involve any monthly charges.  It is like a personal computer that any medical doctor may own (PDA).

     Dr. Darrick Nelson (2005) is an assistant professor of family medicine, director of curriculum and head of medical information systems at the Corpus Christi Frostily Practice Residency Program in Corpus Christi Texas.  According to him, the PDA is an extremely powerful tool in the hands of the medical professional.  Dr. Nelson began using the PDA in the year 2005.  When his wife gave him the Palm Pilot as a gift, the doctor purchased various medical reference titles and loaded them onto his PDA to quickly learn that the PDA was indeed a valuable resource when used at the point of care.

     As in charge of the medical information systems of a 270-bed hospital in Texas with faculty and residents that make approximately 560 bedside patient visits every week, Dr. Nelson thought it was necessary to introduce the PDA to the residents and faculty members across the facility.  According to the doctor, “I knew my colleagues could benefit from a PDA loaded with trusted, integrated references…”  Dr. Nelson’s facility uses its annual budget for electronic medical references from Skyscrape Inc.  These references are the same as the actual books written by some of the world’s best medical authors and sold by top medical publishers.  Dr. Nelson explains the problem with real books as compared to the PDA:

         When I first came to Corpus Christi as a resident, I was given a 2-foot-high, 50-pound

    stack of books.  I put them on the shelf in my office and they haven’t moved since.  Textbooks

    are great, but they are not portable, and it is time-consuming to check something in one index,

    then open another book and flip through its index, and compare them side-by-side.

         In contrast, by putting the information on a PDA, each physician in our practice can

    customize the library he carries on his own handheld, but some of the most popular titles

    among the group include Griffith’s 5-Minute Clinical Consult, The AHA Clinical Cardiac

    Consult, The Washington Manual Obstetrics and Gynecology Survival Guide and ICD-9

    codes.

         My colleagues and I find the mobile references particularly helpful and easy to use, due to

    a consistent user interface and what Skyscape calls smARTlink.  Rather than flipping through

    book after book to find the information I need, I can use my PDA to locate and confirm the

    correct diagnosis and then immediately link to the exact treatment options for that illness, all

    with just the tap of a stylus, smARTlink enables me to jump between references to the exact

    information I need.

In his supervisory role, Dr. Nelson, with his PDA, may quickly review medical cases, and the residents and doctors of his facility, with their own PDA’s, now have access to information required at the patient’s bedside.  This leads to fewer mistakes in diagnosis as well as prescription.  Moreover, it gives to the medical professionals more time with the patients.

     Dr. Nelson describes the ease of use of the PDA with an example.  He was presented with a case of myocardial infarction by way of calls received from the emergency room physicians in order to review a patient.  With his PDA in hand, the supervisor did not have to go to his office and open up the Griffith’s 5-Minute Clinical Consultant before checking its index.  Instead, Dr. Nelson simply typed “MYO” on his PDA and got all the information required to send back to the emergency room physicians in the matter of moments.

     To check on drug information, Dr. Nelson links to RxDrugs (AHFS Dosing Companion) downloaded onto his PDA.  This medical reference directly connects the doctor to the appropriate drugs for acute myocardial infarction, for instance.  By clicking on a drug on his PDA, for example, Lovenox, the doctor is presented with information about the proper dosage in a matter of seconds.  At Corpus Christi, Dr. Nelson and his colleagues have found this method of retrieving information particularly helpful with residents, who may call up the information and have it ready for them when they see a patient.

     The doctor points out that there are thousands of drugs available in our day, and doctors are expected to remember all of these drugs, in addition to their dosing guidelines and interactions.  This is a virtually impossible task for the average human mind.  There could be 600 drugs related to kidney function, for example.  Dr. Nelson himself cannot remember all of them and their interactions, “especially with the ever-increasing pace of FDA approvals.”  Having all of this information in the palm of his hand, that is, on the PDA, relieves the medical practitioners of the worry to memorize all the names, in addition to the information connected with the names of the drugs, such as their interaction.  Even those doctors who rely on their memory bank for information on drugs, can double check their decisions at the point of care before they write out prescriptions, using the PDA.

     Skyscrape has gone beyond its usual reference books to be downloaded onto the PDA to include and integrate latest news and information from medical journals, newsletters, as well as FDA alerts with other references for the PDA.  Seeing that medical science is progressing today with great speed, it is essential for doctors to be informed about the latest in their field.  Dr. Nelson finds that there are two free Skyscrape ARTbeat channels that he mostly reviews during his downtime at the hospital: MedWatch consists of FDA drug alerts in addition to recalls; and CDC Spotlight highlights new information from the Centers for Disease Control.  The doctor has been able to help his patients with news on his PDA.  And, countless other doctors are now using the same method of information retrieval to help their patients.  According to Dr. Nelson, “I’m convinced that PDAs are the right software solutions to help physicians provide better care.”

References

1. Havenstein, Heather. (2005, May 15). PDA Gives Health Wireless Adoption Lead. Computer World. Retrieved from http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;565747151;fp;16;fpid;0. (17 March 2007).

1. Nelson, Darrick. (2005, February). More than a pocketful of knowledge: a family practice group uses integrated mobile technology at the point of care to improve decision-making and patient care. Health Management Technology.

1. Pasupathy, Kandasamy. (2006, July). Knowledge management in long-term care: what you need to know; “A little knowledge that acts is worth infinitely more than much knowledge that is idle.” Nursing Homes.

1. PDA Causing Medical Revolution. (2007). MedIndia. Retrieved from http://www.medindia.net/pda/pda_medical_revolution.htm. (17 March 2007).

1. Torre, D. M., and S. M. Wright. (2003). Clinical and educational uses of handheld computers. Southern Medical Journal, 96:996–999.

1. Venessa, and Sunil Shroff. (2007). History of PDA. MedIndia. Retrieved from http://www.medindia.net/pda/pda_history.htm. (17 March 2007).

Present market

The E-Book readers already exist though with little penetration. The main problem was that they would not offer value for money. This new E-Reader introduces itself with some new features but more or less in the same price region.

New idea

The concept of taking your favorite books outside and read them anywhere you want has now become a reality. This season you will be carrying almost no weight of huge volumes of your favorite books and above that there is little limit to the numbers of books stored in your new E-reader.

Basic product

E-book market is considered to be huge and its potential of rapid growth in the near future is rightly assessed. The display screen of the E-Reader of Papyrus supports paper size of A5 and it is a little more than the same cadre of products offered by many of the competitors.

Added features

This E-Reader version comes equipped with number of fascinating features which are almost matchless by the sun-of-the-mill e-readers. These include but are not limited to:

Memorandum pad

Time scheduling utility

Clock and calendar utility

Contact list manager and a calculator

Memory size of 512 MB rumored to be expandable.

The screen itself doesn’t look it has capacity for color, but how much color do you really need for an average book? As for the exterior color, it comes in three colors of white, black, and an odd shade of sea green.

Launching and pricing point

The Papyrus is planning to first launch the product locally in Korea. It is then reported to release it in the attractive markets of united states and united kingdom in a price range of US $ 300.

The Palm TX can be a variety of wireless applications. It has built-in Wi-Fi for surfing the Internet cafes, airports, offices or universities. In addition, you can check your e-mail and other applications to run cool. It runs on Palm OS and the operating system has a 312 MHz ARM processor. He also has 128 MB built in memory. The brightness 16-bit color transflective TFT has a production capacity of 64k colors. This works on the touch-screen or the 5-Way Navigator. If you search your memory, there is an SDIO Secure Digital Card slot SD and MultiMedia Card slot. Listen to music in the built-in MP3 player through a speaker or a 3.5-mm stereo. Wireless capabilities include wireless, WLAN 802.11b, Bluetooth and infrared FIR. Accessories with your purchase are an USB sync cable, AC adapter and a flip cover. Addicts of a gadget, the thin and easy to use device will be useful in your daily life. He also has a great functionality and battery life. If your really high-end technology of palm trees in hand, then you should really into the eye of this property.