Before delving into features of mobile devices, an important tip: always, always, always look for rebates on mobile devices before you buy. Sites like amazon.com offer rebates so good, often times you can get a cell phone for free or even make $25-$75 with a wireless service contract, and handhelds are often much cheaper after rebate.

Handheld Computers

Gone are the days of flimsy, underpowered personal digital assistants. The current rage is miniaturized handheld computers running either Microsoft Windows CE or Palm OS operating system. Advertisements may list WinCE as Pocket PC depending upon the brand of the device. Each platform has its strong points, though most would concede the fact that Microsoft retains the current competitive edge. The real separation point is the difference in pricing.

Palm OS devices are normally lower cost than their WinCE siblings. While the Palm software package is powerful, WinCE devices tend to offer more powerful hardware configurations and improved features. However, Palm does have an edge in software development simply due to the age of the platform. Over 20,000 software titles have been released for Palm since 1996. It is a time-honored tradition for enthusiasts from both camps to fight out Palm OS versus WinCE wars at communities all across the Internet.

In an effort to brush over the fine details, the difference can be best summarized in terms of price and available applications. Palm devices are the low-cost leaders. In fact, Palm OS dominates the handheld marketplace. Palm OS can be found embedded within handheld, cell phones, and even wristwatches. Palm devices offer a myriad of accessories and are backed with more applications and games than anyone could ever use. All in all, Palm OS represents the choice of mainstream consumers.

On the other side we have Windows CE as a favorite among power users with money to burn. WinCE devices deliver the best performance and usability in the industry. Applications are backed by Microsoft's years of programming experience. Just as the WinCE operating system is more complex than Palm OS, so is the hardware. WinCE hardware tends to be more responsive and is better suited for processing multimedia and other interactive media. WinCE devices also commonly feature larger screens with improved resolution and color support as compared to their Palm counterparts.

Cell Phones

The traditional cell phone has come a long way since its introduction several decades ago. Today's phones provide a wealth of features not even dreamt of just a few years ago. Camera phones represent the must-have trendy electronic device of the current generation. Phones are even being offered with full-color displays, video capture capabilities, integrated Bluetooth wireless networking, and Java application support. Designs have evolved from the yesteryear's square boxes to sleek, compact casings with slick keypads, thumb pointers, and even touch-screen displays.

Mobile Device Recommendations - What to be Aware of

Given the diverse market variety and the demand for personalized features, there really is no such thing as a "one-size-fits-all" cell phone or handheld computer designed to meet everyone's needs. Accordingly, we recommend taking these following technical factors into consideration when purchasing any mobile device:

Displays: Whether you are interested in a cell phone or handheld, the display should be a predominate concern. As with LCD monitors for computers, mobile device screens are measured in terms of resolution and color depth. Also remember to factor in the screen size when purchasing. Large active display screens are easier on the eyes, but they will also rapidly consume battery time. If possible, try to view the screen in direct sunlight before you buy. Most screens are made with special anti-reflective coatings, but some screens do not and are nearly impossible to read in bright light.

Bluetooth: This is a wireless standard developed in the hopes that one day all devices will communicate with one another. For mobile devices, Bluetooth makes wireless hands-free headsets possible, you can link many Bluetooth devices to a PC with Bluetooth PC cards, and some cars have built-in speaker and microphone systems that can take over a Bluetooth capable cell phone, routing your calls through the car's system. If you want to have the latest and greatest, Bluetooth is pretty cool. One note: if you read reviews about a mobile device that mentions the device has Bluetooth related problems, that device probably hasn't used Bluetooth for long enough for the technology to become reliable and should be avoided until new versions of the device are released.

Email & Web Surfing: If you want to check your email and/or surf the web from your mobile device make sure that the device is capable of both functions and in the case of email, that it can interface with the email system you're planning to use. Some devices can interface directly with POP accounts, to receive mail in an Outlook style format (like the newer Blackberry), while some simply give you a new email address dedicated to the mobile device, requiring that you forward any mail to that new address if you want to receive it on the mobile device. Some wireless providers charge premiums for email or web access so be aware of per message, or per kilobyte fees.

Smart Data Entry: If you want to use your mobile device for text messaging, email, or any other use requiring data entry, make sure that the device is easy to use and if possible, that it supports so-called predictive text features, where it tries to guess what word you are typing before you've finished typing it, saving a lot of time. For devices with keyboards, be sure it is easy enough for you to use. For devices with alpha-numeric keypads, be aware that it can take a while to get the hang of typing with these and it can get annoying to type long messages without some type of dedicated keyboard.

Memory: Mobile devices store information in flash memory. Several formats are available, such as Compact Flash and Secure Digital, so take note when purchasing multiple devices to insure memory format compatibility. Flash memory has recently plummeted in price, so the cost of expanding a mobile device's memory to provide support for the latest applications, or to store vast amounts of multimedia is of little concern these days. Cell Networks: Devices capable of interfacing with cellular networks must conform to certain standards to match a carrier's specific format. Considering entire research papers have been published attempting to describe these formats, we can solve the quandary of picking a format easily enough. A cell device is generally tied to a specific service (such as T-Mobile, AT&T Wireless, etc) and cannot be transferred anyway, so unless you intend to use your cell phone while traveling to international locations (requiring a GSM compatible mobile device), you will probably have little concern for the carrier technology being used.

Physical Aspects: Remember that you will be lugging this cell phone or handheld along when traveling. Size and weight are probably not a concern if you plan to stow a cell phone away in a purse or car glove-box. However, most users will carry their devices directly upon the body, so take care to note weight, size, and case design to select a product that best matches your daily activities. For example, there is nothing worse than being weighed down with an awkward cell phone dangling off a belt clip when climbing stairs, for instance.

Integrated Features: Available features and options are nearly limitless with current generation electronics. Cell phones are rapidly emerging with onboard camera and MP3 music playback support. Many handhelds can be extended to everything from a video player to GPS navigator to wireless Internet terminal with little more effort than inserting an expansion card. New accessories and capabilities are being added daily, especially for top-tier devices like Windows CE handhelds. Even the most inexpensive of cell phones are now offering support for Java applications, games, and other useful software titles.

Call Management: A good cell phone combined with a quality calling plan can literally replace a secretary or answering service. Today's best second and third generation phones deliver useful features like text messaging, paging, scheduling, memo tracking, voice activated dialing, email, and web services with ease. Calling plans can also be extended to include voicemail, call forwarding, call waiting, caller ID, and nearly any other service available with a traditional landline telephone.

Battery Life: A phone or handheld offers little benefit once the battery goes dead. A Lithium Ion battery will provide the best performance and is now a standard option with many of the best brands. Additional batteries can often be purchased, though you will need to take care in properly maintaining their charges according to specific manufacturer instruction. Unlike a traditional alkaline, you can not simply toss a Lithium battery in the drawer and hope that will work whenever you need it.