PDA Wars: Choose a Business Winner
Compare the Pocket PC and Palm platforms to determine which PDA will provide the greatest productivity boost for your organization.
by Steve Makofsky
For this solution: Pocket PC 2002-compatible PDA, Palm-compatible handheld device
To me, it's quite bizarre: PDA users have developed an almost religious fervor when defending their chosen device's honor. The whole thing reminds me of the early days of the IBM PC and Macintosh, when newsgroups would flare with sharp-tongued discussions on which was the better platform. So, with much apprehension, I decided to put both Pocket PC 2002 and Palm OS-enabled devices to the test. I wanted to discover what separated the "toy" from the useful business companion, and how they fared when I tried to do actual work on each platform. If you're considering deploying PDAs throughout your organization, I'll cover the benefits and shortcomings of each platform and device to give you a better picture for which one might provide the greatest benefits for your business.
One note: I won't be covering the Research in Motion (RIM) BlackBerry device in this article (see Resources). Although RIM has proven to be a compelling choice for many business users, unless RIM dramatically adds functionality in the next 12 months, I predict its market share will be swallowed by the more powerful PDAs with wireless capabilities.
For this competition, I decided to compare two of the most commonly used devices with color displays: the Compaq iPAQ 3765 and the Handspring Visor Prism. Although grayscale is typically more pocketbook friendly, nothing beats a killer color screen—especially when remotely accessing your desktop or viewing Web pages wirelessly. To do a fair comparison, it's good to know the specs for each PDA (see Table 1).
I've also decided not to include processor speed and memory in this comparison. Most people's first guess would be that the iPAQ, which runs a 206 MHz ARM processor, would steamroll the Prism's 16 MHz DragonBall CPU. Well, it doesn't. The processor speed is really only tied to how well the OS itself performs. Because the Palm OS is lighter and smaller, the Prism doesn't suffer performance issues warranting the faster processor. Forget memory as well, because it really only affects how many contacts, appointments, MP3s, and how many third-party add-on software packages you want to load on to your device.
Now that I've set the stage for the competition, I'll look at five features common to each device, and offer my verdict on the winner in each category.
Examine User Interaction
Of course, the first thing you notice when you turn on a device is its user interface. Although the UI is important, which one you choose really comes down to user preference; each device has its own unique style. Since the start of the PDA wars, Palm OS-based devices such as the Handspring have been branded as simple, while Windows CE devices were deemed too complicated for standard users. However, after several revisions, today's Pocket PC 2002 devices are just as simple to use and navigate as Palm OS and, in my opinion, usually more intuitive for the power user. Each platform offers ways to quickly navigate between applications and provides a good amount of help for the novice user.
Winner: Tie
Get Connected
If your organization's mobile workers are anything like me, they want to use their PDA to access corporate information while traveling, in meetings, or just roaming outside the office. I'm not only talking about having access to data stored on the device; I'm talking about the device's ability to get into your network to enable users to be truly productive.
To connect to your network with the iPAQ, your users need a network card, wireless 802.11b card, or a modem. Once online, Pocket PC 2002 supports a variety of dial-up connections, wired and wireless network protocols, and even Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) virtual private network (VPN) connections to allow users access to network resources. More importantly, the Pocket PC 2002 includes some essential network applications, such as Windows Messenger and Terminal Services Client, which allow you to access your desktop PC (see Figure 1).
The Visor Prism offers a slew of add-on Springboard modules to add modems, network cards, and wireless connections. Although you can add a VPN with third-party software, I'm unaware of a solution to make a connection to a PPTP server, which I consider a significant shortcoming. However, the Springboard modules can let you get connected in other ways. The Visor Phone module allowed me to turn the device into a full-fledged cell phone, which was nice as I'm always trying to "lighten the load."
Winner: iPAQ/Pocket PC 2002
Manage Information
Both devices come with the standard assortment of Personal Information Manager (PIM) applications: calendar, contacts, inbox, and notes. Both were equally easy to use, and provided a means to synchronize with your corporate servers.
The HotSync software that comes with the Visor Prism was a snap to install and I had the Prism communicating with my desktop in no time. You initiate synchronization by pressing the HotSync button on the Visor cradle, and it immediately downloaded my contacts and appointments to the device. In addition, you can choose from hundreds (if not thousands) of applications for the Palm OS to connect the Prism to your enterprise applications, including tools for database management, sales force automation, customer relationship management (CRM), and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP).
The Pocket PC's ActiveSync utility was equally as easy to install and synchronize with my corporate Exchange server. But although the Pocket PC 2002 has a great set of applications for information and content management, the overwhelming amount of software available for the Palm OS device makes the Visor Prism the winner in this category.
Winner: Prism/Palm OS
Start Browsing the Internet
Although both devices support Internet connectivity and transfers via HTTP and FTP, Pocket PC is definitely more suited for Internet connectivity "out-of-the-box" than Palm devices. You can browse the Web on the Visor Prism using Handspring's Blazer software (see Resources); Pocket PC's Internet Explorer (IE) provided a more robust browsing experience. Both browsers provide the ability to view Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) pages as well as standard HTML. Pocket PC IE's support for scripting languages, such as JScript, and its larger screen size made it a much more compatible and enjoyable browsing experience. It also offers built-in support for ActiveX controls and includes an on-device Web server (great for hosting your own portable services).
In addition, with on-device support for XML, HTTP, and the .NET Compact Framework, Pocket PC 2002 is clearly the platform of choice if you plan on building solutions that revolve around the consumption of .NET Web services.
Winner: iPAQ/Pocket PC 2002
Make Room
If the standard features aren't enough for you, both devices support some form of expandability. The Visor Prism has the proprietary Springboard slot, where you can add hundreds of modules ranging from 802.11b to digital cameras. The iPAQ uses the "sleeve" metaphor, giving it the ability to add either an industry standard compact flash or PC Card slot. I found that the full PC slot turned the iPAQ into a bit of a brick, so I decided to stick with the standard compact flash for my connectivity needs. And, because the cards are compatible with other devices, such as digital cameras and laptops (thus limiting what I need to carry and buy), the iPAQ comes out on top for expandability.
On the other hand, the Prism's battery life towers over the iPAQ. I was able to go a solid week without recharging the Prism, using it an average of an hour a day. The iPAQ can go a few days without a charge, but you'll need to bring the AC adapter along on business trips if you don't want it to die a fast death.
Winner: iPAQ/Pocket PC 2002 (expandability); Visor Prism/Palm OS (battery)
And the Winner Is…
The bottom line is that both devices have the potential to make your organization's workers more productive by providing an extension to their desktop when they're away from your office. So, the real winner is the user.
However, if you add up all the areas I tested, the iPAQ/Pocket PC 2002 device edges out the Handspring Visor Prism/Palm OS. From the mobile-user-who-needs-connectivity perspective, I found the iPAQ offered me much more for getting online and communicating with existing office network environments. By supporting the most recent standards such as XML, it also provides the Pocket PC 2002 with a "springboard" for future .NET applications.
Another thing to consider is each platform's long-term viability. A recent report from NPDTechworld showed that Palm's share of the mobile market dropped to 53 percent in 2001, down from 71 percent in 2000. On the other hand, Pocket PC devices saw an increase in market share in 2001: Compaq's Pocket PC 2002-enabled iPAQ accounted for 7 percent of all units shipped in the U.S. in 2001 and HP's share grew from 3 percent in 2000 to 5 percent in 2001. These numbers indicate that the Pocket PC has the advantage when it comes to momentum, but Palm believes its new i705 could turn the tide (see the sidebar, "Evaluate Palm's New Road Warrior").
However, when you decide which device to deploy in your organization, you really need to consider your users and future applications where you'll be using PDAs.
About the Author
Steve Makofsky is a software architect at BSQUARE Corporation and a Microsoft Embedded MVP. When not climbing boulders on Mount St. Helens, he can usually be found having a latte or playing with the latest SDK from Microsoft (safely at home). Reach Steve by e-mail at .
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