Handheld Computers

Handheld computers—also known as personal digital assistants (PDAs)—are small, portable devices that offer users many of the same features and capabilities as desktop computers at a fraction of the size. Although the terms “handheld computer” and “PDA” are often used interchangeably, handhelds tend to be larger and feature miniature keyboards, while PDAs tend to be smaller and rely on a touch screen and stylus for data entry.

Since their introduction in the late 1990s, handheld computers have become standard equipment for many professionals, providing them with tiny, versatile electronic alternatives to paper day planners. “Once the domain of early-adopting gadget lovers, handhelds now organize and update millions of mobile business professionals,” reports Mike Brown at Handheldcomputerdepot.com. Users have found PDAs to be particularly helpful tools for organizing and maintaining personal data, such as address books, appointment calendars, project lists, and expense reports. Later incarnations of the technology have also offered users mobile access to electronic mail, news, and entertainment through connectivity to the Internet.

When shopping for a handheld computer, experts recommend that users start by identifying their needs. They should consider, for example, whether they require only personal information management (PIM) functions, or whether they also wish to take notes during meetings, download e-mail and other information from the Internet, and connect with other users through a company computer network. Considering such needs, as well as the available budget, will help users decide among the basic options in handheld computers, including size, display, memory, operating system, and power source.

The size of handheld computers ranges from credit card to small notebook computer, and the available features and power generally increase with greater size. The most popular size for the devices is palm size, which falls somewhere between a calculator and a paperback book. Most handheld computers utilize a liquid crystal display (LCD), which acts as both an input and an output device. Larger PDAs feature keyboards, and most others require users to enter information on a touch screen, either by tapping letters with a stylus or by writing letters on the screen, which the device interprets using handwriting-recognition software. In the future, many handheld units are expected to incorporate voice-recognition technology.

In a 1999 article for Computerworld, Matt Hamblen and Sharon Gaudin warned that many corporate information technology (IT) managers were unprepared to deal with the proliferation of handheld computers among employees. They found that some companies ignored the devices, while others simply banned them from connecting to corporate networks. Instead, Hamblen and Gaudin recommended that IT managers embrace the new technology, helping employees choose products and find ways to use them to increase productivity. They argued that businesses should take an active role in deciding which handheld platforms and software applications their networks will support. They cautioned that businesses should also be aware of the security threats posed by handheld devices and take steps to protect the corporate network by establishing software synchronization standards.

SECURITY

A chief concern for companies who have adopted the widespread use of handheld computer devices is the growing number of security threats affecting handheld technology. Many businesses cannot take the risk of sending, receiving, or searching for sensitive information when there is the danger of having that information stolen. PDA devices do not often include the same security technology that protects a company's intranet and desk computers. According to a 2008 survey by the Computing Technology Industry Association spanning four countries, about 71 percent of the companies used some sort of handheld device technology to conduct business, including accessing company data. However, only 39 percent of those companies provided security awareness training to their employees.

Symantec Business Solutions offers a helpful series of guidelines on what steps to take and what habits to form to avoid dangerous security breaches on business handheld devices:

• Create a security program that informs employees on how to use their handheld devices, including where they can use the devices, what areas are off-limits, what sort of company data is to be stored and accessed from the devices, how to create passwords, and what programs may or may not be downloaded.
• Use various security measures, especially file encryption and authentication. This can protect any company data that is lost or stolen, making it unreadable or locked for outside users. Current devices will usually offer some sort of encryption, but for sensitive material a company can hire an outside firm to give them an even more reliable encryption program.
• Take care when transmitting data to and from handheld devices, whether by beam or other methods. Viruses can be spread between handhelds in such transmissions, regardless of which is the sender and which is the receiver. Even when connecting the handheld devices to desktops, security precautions should be taken.
• Consistently update handheld devices through connections to a desktop computer. If data is synchronized with a desktop at regular intervals, then there is a better chance information will be saved. If the data has been copied, the handheld can be compromised without losing much information.
• Install and run antivirus software on all devices: handheld, laptop, and desktop.
• Always go through the proper channels when connecting to the business network.
• Consider using a bit-wiping package to help protect handhelds. Bit-wiping programs erase all data and application on computer devices, formatting the memory so that no information can be recalled. Such programs can be set to activate when a certain number of attempts to access the device have failed, such as failed passwords.
• Be very careful with downloads. Download only from Web sites and from other devices that can be trusted. Be wary when accepting free downloads, and always double-check download packages and instructions.
• Create strong passwords as the first line of defense for handheld devices. Many devices are hacked directly through the user interface, so having a good password is an effective deterrent.

SMARTPHONES

The past several years have seen the a steady decline in the number of PDAs bought and used by companies in the United States. The first quarter of 2006, for instance, dropped more than 22 percent from the previous year's first quarter. Although Palm still dominates the PDA market, more and more businesses are investing in other handheld devices, especially smartphones. Smartphones are high-tech cell phones with wireless capabilities, Internet connections, and often the same keypad capabilities that PDAs have.

Since smartphones can be used to manage e-mail, edit spreadsheets and notes, and search the Internet with the same interfaces that true handheld devices do, it is an easy step for companies to make between PDAs and the new technology that also allows them to receive calls. The devices are seen as more versatile because phone and text messages can be sent in areas that do not provide wireless technology, and e-mails can be used in areas that do not offer telephone service. The most common smartphone platforms used in business are the RIM Blackberry and Windows Mobile. The popular iPhone is not usually used for business purposes because of its unfamiliar interface and the security issues of the older models.

Companies looking to choose a smartphone for their business transactions should carefully consider which type of system is best for their purpose. CEOs may prefer a different sort of application than managers or the sales force. Depending on where the smartphones will be used, a more durable, long-lasting device or one with superior wireless capabilities should be considered. A particular platform should also be chosen: Windows Mobile works well with browsing and managing e-mail, while Blackberry platforms are useful for more general purposes.

PUSH TECHNOLOGY

Push technology refers to the ability of transferring data through a system automatically to a specific user, often to a handheld device. E-mail is usually “pushed” from a desktop to a smartphone or PDA in this fashion, and other programs can be set to respond in the same fashion, so that users receive updates instantaneously no matter what device they are using. Pushing is defined by its automatic nature.

SEE ALSO Computer Security; Knowledge Management; Knowledge Workers; Technology Management; Technology Transfer; Telecommunications; Time-Based Competition; Virtual Organizations

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Brown, Mike. “Handheld Buying Guide.” Handheldcomputerdepot.com. Available from: http://www.handheldcomputerdepot.com/buyingguide.html.

Chunovic, Louis. “Security Risks Seen in Handheld Computer Devices.” Government Security News, 2008. Available from: http://www.gsnmagazine.com/cms/features/news-analysis/787.html.

Duryee, Tricia. “Apple Ranks As Second-Largest U.S. Smartphone Maker After RIM's Blackberry: Report.” mocoNews.net, June 2008. Available from: washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/06/AR2008060603335.html.

Freundenrich, Craig C. “How PDAs Work.” HowStuffWorks.com Available from: http://www.computer/howstuffworks.com/pda.htm.

Gardner, David W. “Handheld Device Market Shrivelling.” Techweb Technology News, 2006. Available from: http://www.techweb.com/wire/hardware/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=187000191.

Hamblen, Matt, and Sharon Gaudin. “IT Risks Chaos in Handheld Boom: Wireless Trend, Lack of Policies Feed Concern.” Computerworld, 8 February 1999.

“How-To: Secure your Handheld Device.” PCW Business Center, 2007. Available from: http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/135203/howto_secure_your_handheld_device.html.

“PDA, RIP: The Next Big Thing that Wasn't—Or Was It?” Economist, 16 October 2003.

“Push.” Phonescoop, 2008. Available from: http://www.phonescoop.com/glossary/term.php?gid=266.

———.“The World at Your Fingertips: Handhelds that Deliver On Phone Calls, E-Mail, and Just Plain Fun.” Business Week, 6 September 2004.

Zeman, Eric. “Best Smartphone Platforms for Business.” InformationWeek, June 2008. Available from: http://www.informationweek.com/news/mobility/smart_phones/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=208401988.