PDAs have come a long way from their rather lackluster introduction almost a decade ago. The slow, bulky, limited-use products of the past have given way to smaller, sleeker devices with a tremendous amount of computing power that all fits comfortably in your hand. And to make things even better, there are literally thousands of pieces of software available for PDAs that allow your device to do pretty much whatever you need it to do.

Through the use of add-on software your options are virtually unlimited, from looking up a restaurant suggestion in New York City to calculating the position of the stars. Choosing just the right titles from this extensive collection of applications will ensure that your PDA becomes an indespensible tool whether you are in the classroom, at the office or in the field.

Part II: How Do I Choose a PDA?