Productivity Portfolio

One of the questions few buyers ask when evaluating a PDA is where they will most likely use the device. Will you mainly be using the device inside or outside? Will you need to use the device in the dark? The light source does make a difference.

Often times when we walk into a computer store and compare PDAs, we're limited to one source of lighting. The problem is some screen types display well in store light, but not well in direct sunlight. This could be an issue if you plan to use the device outside. The tough part is few stores will allow you to test the device outside their premises. One option is to find a friend with a comparable model and ask to borrow it for a bit.

If you're looking for a display that works best in all types of lighting, it doesn't exist yet. As example, reflective displays work well for outside lighting since they don't have a backlight. In contrast, the newer PDAs use transflective displays that work better with indoor lighting, but need more power.

Later this year, the new OLED (organic light emitting diodes) displays will appear in PDAs. The advantage to these displays is they emit light so they don't require another lighting source. This also means the display will need less power.