PDA Purchasing Guide for LSPs:

Recommendations for Third Quarter, FY 2009

Specifications effective January 20, 2009

Purchasing Considerations

In the few past years, PDAs have become almost entirely marginalized due to the proliferation of smartphones. As smartphone prices are increasingly offset by carrier subsidies and data plans become more robust, it is becoming more difficult to make a business case for maintaining distinct phone and mobile computing devices. There are currently very few manufacturers of traditional "enterprise PDAs" left on the market, so choice is limited. Only the iPod Touch currently meets PDA specifications on a current device. If your users want an internet connected device, ISC recommends steering them towards a smartphone rather than a WiFi connected PDA. While there are additional data costs associated with smartphones, the availability of internet anywhere makes this cost worthwhile in nearly all situations. Additionally, the manufacturers choosing to continue producing PDAs have all but completely phased out documentation and support for those devices.

Recommended Devices

These are not the only enterprise class handhelds available on the market, but we feel that they represent the best in class at this time. We do not recommend any other Palm OS handheld except the T|X, but Windows Mobile users can have some additional flexibility in their choices. If the iPaq listed below does not suit your needs, be sure to at least purchase a device running the latest edition of Windows Mobile 6.

OS X

iPod Touch

The iPod Touch is primarily a portable music device, but with the 2.0 software and the App Store, the iPod touch can connect to Exchange for email and calendaring, connect to AirPennNet, and even do limited document viewing (with the installation of additional applications).

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Page maintained by Jordan McClead
updated October 21, 2009
Next update as needed