PDA Primer Helping you through the handheld marketplace

Palmtops, PDAs (personal digital assistants), and PIMs (personalinformation managers) are the rage among techno-savvyentrepreneurs. These devices are often the size of a pocketcalculator but deliver the features and abilities of a desktopcomputer. These gems function as electronic calendars, addressbooks and scheduling tools. Several of them offer word processing,wireless fax, Internet access and more. Through an infrared orcable interface, you can exchange data between a PDA and yourdesktop computer, allowing you to "take it with you."

These devices range from $200 to more than $1,000. Take the timeto find a store with several display models before purchasing one.Some of the leading vendors in this category include Palm, Casio,Compaq, Handspring and Hewlett-Packard.

As long as you remember they're no substitute for a desktopcomputer, but rather a supplement to these machines, they're agreat addition to your business's equipment team.

Excerpted from Start Your Own Business: The Only Start-Up GuideYou'll Ever Need