Nancy
Hendrickson's
Clips
"It's
all
very
well
to
be
able
to
write
books,
but
can
you
waggle
your
ears?"
J.M.
Barrie
Go
Anywhere
Machines
(The
Writer)
Although
I
occasionally
schlepp
a
laptop
to
my
local
Starbuck's,
I'm
not
good
enough
at
blocking
out
distractions
to
do
serious
article-writing.
I
can,
however,
make
my
dark-brew
outings
a
productive
part
of
the
day
by
tackling
tasks
that
require
less
brain
(and
computer)
power--like
outlining
articles
or
structuring
queries.
For
those
jobs
I
ditch
my
laptop
and
pack
a
6-ounce
powerhouse
called
a
Personal
Digital
Assistant
(PDA).
PDAs first hit the scene several years back with Apple’s ill-fated Newton—a
pen-based gizmo with poor handwriting recognition and a size that made it
too cumbersome for practical use. But in 1995, Palm introduced the
Palm Pilot, and from then on, feature-rich PDAs have soared in popularity.
By 2002, PDA sales are estimated to hit the $1.77 billion mark. Palm
still leads the pack, but newcomers like Handspring and Sony, are cutting
into the market share.
Depending on your penchant for pizzazz, count on spending between $129
and $450 on a PDA. Lower end models have monochrome displays and
their pricier big brothers strut their stuff in living color. In addition,
the Handspring Visors have an empty slot for add-ons, like a digital camera,
MP3 player, mobile telephone and wireless modem. You can also buy a
full-size keyboard that folds up to the size of a stack of index cards.
Some Palms even have snap-on faceplates to match your mood, from Purple Passion
to Silver Snake.
My own interest in PDAs began after a mystery-writer friend (and early
gadget-girl), tempted me with her tales of Palm-productivity.
I bought a Handspring Visor and from day one was hooked. As a gizmo-fan,
I loved the tricks my new pet could perform. As a writer, I recognized
its go-anywhere value. Whether I was slurping coffee or cooling my
heels in the doctor’s office, I could still get my work done.
The heart of PDAs is the Palm Operating System. It’s small, smooth-running,
and virtually crash-free. Programs are a fraction the size of those
running on Windows-based systems, which means it can hold more software
than you’ll probably ever use.
You can enter text in two ways—using a stylus or via an add-on
keyboard. Granted, a stylus isn’t the world’s fastest data entry
system—but then again, I’m not using my Visor as a substitute for a laptop.
When you’ve finished, you can transfer notes between your PDA and your
desktop computer by doing a “hotsync”—a simple procedure involving a cable
from your PDA to the desktop’s USB or serial port. If you have data
you want to share with another PDA-user, you can beam it over instantly
using the PDA’s infrared port.
Palm OS machines come with built-in software including a calendar, address
book, to do list and memo pad. Freelancer Toni Kamis uses the memo
pad to list article ideas, queries sent and their disposition. She
also uses the to do list for daily phone calls and other reminders, like a
follow-up call or e-mail. When she performs a hotsync, all of her contact
information is automatically updated on her desktop computer.
In addition to the built-in software, there are thousands of other programs
available from third-party vendors. Most cost less than $20 and are
sold on a “try before you buy” basis. A few of my own favorites are:
Thought Manager:
Whip your articles or novel into structural shape with this simple drag-and-drop
outliner. You can also use it for making lists, particularly those
with heads and sub-heads. My favorite feature is a “hold folder”—an
area I can dump anything into until I decide where it best fits in my outline.
http://handshigh.com
InfoSelect:
Is your mind filled with bits of free-floating information or ideas?
If so, InfoSelect is for you. It’s a flexible organizer with a powerful
search capability that lets you retrieve that brilliant idea you entered
two months ago. http://www.miclog.com
TealNotes:
Great program for writers who want to jot quick “sticky notes” in their
own handwriting. Add drawings, doodles, ideas to your memo, to list
and datebook. http://www.tealpoint.com
AportisDoc:
Want a good read, no matter where you are? You can with this
document reader. Free downloads of over 4,000 books and articles,
in subjects ranging from Louisa May Alcott’s Civil War hospital sketches
to a guide to creating MP3s. http://aportis.com
Writer’s Assistant:
Organize your writing projects and track your queries with this program.
It’s easy to update old projects, enter new submissions, and check the
status of your queries. http://www.sassypalm.com
Despite the limitations in speed of data entry, PDAs are a nifty tool
for writers. If you want the mobility of working from anywhere,
without the weight of a 7-pound laptop, this is your next best buy.
To find more software for your writing needs:
http://www.palmgear.com
http://www.handango.com
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