July 20, 2004

Your PDA. It's more than just telephone numbers

I've been using PDAs for many years and have found it that it is a powerful tool for quickly getting telephone numbers, keep track of dates and not forgetting tasks. HOWEVER, it's also a VERY powerful tool for other things. Combined with a portable keyboard, I use it to write full length articles.

PalmSource, Inc., provider of Palm OSô, announced the availability of its expanded Expert Guides, offering 20 new guides with expert opinion on applications tailored for a variety of professions and special interests.

This is a VERY smart move by PalmSource and will help educate the market to the power of PDAs.

"Many Palm OS users add additional software - beyond the traditional calendaring and personal information management (PIM) applications - to help them manage their business and personal lives," said Michael Mace, chief competitive officer for PalmSource. "Much of this software is created to meet the needs of a particular industry or special interest. With more than 23,000 titles available for Palm OS, one of the largest libraries of native software for a mobile system, we believe users will increasingly rely on the Expert Guides to find the software that meets their unique requirements."

PalmSource started the Expert Guides to help Palm Poweredô smart mobile device users navigate the wide range of Palm OS software and locate the applications and resources that are right for them. Written by Palm OS users with expertise in the topics covered, the guides describe and recommend the Palm OS applications they consider best for various interests, professions and tasks. The guides include references to relevant eBooks and Web sites, and also incorporate first-person testimonials from users in the subject area.

The new additions bring the total number of Expert Guides to 55, making them one of the Web's most comprehensive references to what users can do with a Palm Powered device. The free guides are available online at www.palmsource.com/expertguides.

Examples of practical uses of Palm Powered smart mobile devices include:

* A member of the Civil Air Patrol helps a lost pilot by looking up an airport location and radio frequency on a Palm Powered handheld;

* A medical student carries a library of medical reference material and textbooks on his Palm Powered device, and looks up proper drug dosing on the go;

* A traveler uses a Palm Powered device to post pictures and text to a website while on the road, so family and friends can see what she's up to; and

* A Boy Scout troop leader manages the troop with a Palm Powered handheld, using troop tracking software, first aid reference programs and even knot tying guides written specifically for Palm OS.

PalmSource continues to recruit subject-matter experts interested in creating new Expert Guides by compiling resources and reviewing new and existing Palm OS applications on their chosen topic. Interested experts can apply online at www.palmsource.com/expertguides/apply.html.

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