Project PDA

Joint programs or software applications that is included in ROM memory of a PDA. The majority of basic applications for the operation of the PDA, which generally can not be erased or altered. A good example is the software that lets you synchronize with your computer, as well as menus for access to the various functions of the PDA.

PPC2002 OS upgrade is available, but the smaller ROM requires some software such as the media player to install in volatile ram instead of the ROM as in the previous OS ppc2000. As used units at low price, they are a great way to inexpensively get started with a PDA.

Memory on a PDA or smartphone can be quite confusing, because there are so many different types and configurations. Probably the most important one to look at is how much "Usable" or "User Memory" the device has. In general, this is where programs are installed, where data is kept, and where running programs get their memory from. The more the better. Some devices have flash memory where data and programs can reside. Be sure to check how much of this flash is "Usable" by you, rather than the operating system.

Today Palm devices and WM devices use the same or similar processors and so battery life is the same given the same size battery. WM does tend to cater a little bit more to corporate users, at least in terms of built-in software. However, Palm has third-party applications to do pretty much everything WM can do. Overall, there aren't many large differentiators between the two operating systems, so feel free to choose whichever one you feel most comfortable with.

Note that Palm's Windows Mobile Treo's have included software that extends and helps simplify standard WM software. They are basically trying to make Windows Mobile even more easy to use.

The abbreviation "ROM" stands for Read Only Memory. In pocket computers, this type of memory serves as a storage for all files of the operating system and basic applications supplied by the respective device manufacturer or Microsoft. Its main advantage is that it does not need to be powered permanently to retain the information it contains. The data are safe however long the memory remains without power. The first Pocket PC devices and almost all of their predecessors had the operating system loaded in the ROM. When Microsoft issued an upgrade of the operating system and a manufacturer decided to adopt it for older devices, it was necessary to physically replace the ROM module (which looks like the one in the image above). This was the only possible way of upgrading the system. The only advantage of this solution was that alongside a new ROM chip, the upgrade module often included also some RAM, so you received not only a new system but also a larger operating memory. On the other hand, such modules were quite expensive and required playing with the device's guts or visiting a service centre.

With the arrival of Compaq iPAQ and Pocket PC in general, ROM started to be replaced by its more convenient variant called Flash ROM. This type of memory, too, will retain data without power but it is possible to change its contents under certain conditions. This means that new versions of the operating system or partial patches can be loaded in the Flash ROM directly just using appropriate software; no hardware changes are needed. The latest innovation concerning Flash ROM in Pocket PC devices is a possibility to use its free part as an extra storage of up to several tens of megabytes for sensitive data and applications that the user wants to protect. This space is available as another folder in the memory structure and manufacturers call it different names (iPAQ FileStore, LOOXstore etc.),