PDAs for use in Medicine
Palm vs. PocketPC

Without question PocketPC is currently probably more powerful than Palm OS, with the current Palm OS 5, Palm has just started making up a significant amount of ground with support for more multimedia use and with much faster processors. However, that being said, Palm OS based PDAs are far more commonplace, esp among medical students and residents, and for this reason, I would recommend them to medical professionals. In addition, the superior battery life and compact size of the Palm OS PDAs make them better for busy medical residents.

Which brand?
There is really one one choice in Palm OS handhelds in the US, PalmOne.

Palm: Palm has reinvented itself as a top hardware innovator over the last year. Generally speaking, all the new models have been far more powerful than the previous m series or the original Palm Zire. For medical use, it would not be worth investing in these models.
For the new lineup, the Tungsten line is promoted as the business PDA line for Palm. The Tungsten C includes the fastest currently available processor in a PDA, the Xscale processor @ 400Mhz SCREAMS. It also adds a built-in mini keyboard for those of you who don’t like to tap and use Graffitti. With the addition of built in wireless 802.11b networking, this one is great to use in wireless environtments. The Tungsten T series is similar, with a fast 144Mhz OMAP processor, which is dramatically faster than any Palm m series, or Sony SJ,T series Clies. The Tungsten T (T2 has a new, improved transreflective screen and 32MB of RAM) line also includes bluetooth networking for wireless syncing and transmitting.

The most intriguing Palm OS device is the new Palm Zire 71, priced @ $249 retail (and less online), this low priced unit combines the best screen on the market, with a superfast processor, Palm OS 5, with a built in digital camera, and MP3 playback it’s amazing! See our review.

In addition, Palm has finallystarted to include a hi-res 320x320 color screen on all their latest models. Palm has continued to drop prices recently, and has supported the use of Multimedia Card (MMC) and Secure Digital (SD) card for memory expansion. The current Palm offerings share the same Universal Connector on the bottom side, which allows them to share hardware add-ons such as keyboards. The Palm B&W models currently available, are simply not worth the investment for medical use, unless you’re really strapped for cash. Then the Sony models offer better value for the introductory end.

Sony: Sony, after flourishing, with the rapid introduction of several innovative models has decided to exit the Palm OS handheld market in the US. Sony has support for 320x320 pixel resolution on most available models. They also have entry level B&W as well as feature packed color models. Recently Sony introduced the powerful UX series that looks like a microlaptop! The $599+ pricetag puts it out of the range of most buyers though. The flip top style of the NV, NX series provides a large screen area, built in keyboard, as well as more powerful cameras than the Palm Zire 71, but the bulk of the unit is the tradeoff.

For the lower end, the SJ series is still popular, with it’s compact size replacing the popular T series, adding MP3 playback, LI-ION battery, and upgradability.
Sony supports it’s Memory Stick standard for memory upgrades. These are currently manufactured by Sony and various third party companies. Sony also has the innovative Jog Dial, kind of like the scroll wheel on your computer mouse.

Handspring: The current line of Treo handhelds are more smartphones than Palm OS centered devices and have since been absorbed by PalmOne. If you need a cellphone and a PDA together, consider the Treo 600.

How much memory do I need?
The bare minimum is 16MB, however I strongly recommend 32MB of built in memory or hopefully more!. Adding additional memory to your PDA is NOT as seamless as it is when upgrading your computer. Save the headaches and start with more memory! When you start adding Epocrates, MedCalc, and 5 Minute Clinical Consult to your PDA, your memory will run out! (and don’t forget the games!)

Does it matter if I have a PC or Mac?
Not really! All Palm and Handspring PDAs sync with both the Mac and PC right out of the box. And although it is not stated on the Box, most current Sony Clie models also sync with Macs (in OS 9 or Mac OS X.) A third party conduit from Markspace also allows other models to sync with your mac.

Current Favorites (see all PDAs) Palm LifeDrive Handheld Pros: 416 Mhz Intel Xscale, UltraFast processor, Palm OS 5, 4GB memory, Transflective Hi-Res Screen, Innovative Design, Virtual Graffiti space, MP3 Playback, Voice recorder, Built in Bluetooth, WiFi Cons: Pricier than other models Palm Tungsten C Pros: UltraFast 400Mhz processor, Palm OS 5, 64MB memory, Hi-Res Screen,keyboard, Built in WiFi, sleek design Cons: Pricier than other models Palm Zire 72 Pros: Very Fast processor, Palm OS 5, Built in 1.3 MP Digital Camera, MP3 Playback out of the box, Fantastic screen Cons: More memory would be nice PalmOne Palm Tungsten T5 Pros: Super Fast processor, Palm OS 5, 256MB memory, Hi-Res Screen, MP3 player, Built in Bluetooth Cons: Pricier than other models PalmOne Palm Tungsten E Handheld Pros: Fast processor, Palm OS 5, 32MB memory, Hi-Res Screen, MP3 player, sleek design, low price Cons: More memory would be nice PalmOne Treo 650 Pros: Color, Fast processor, Compact design, Phone ability Cons: Not as pocket-sized as other mobile phones