This article provides an overview of the capabilities that we are developing as part of the Pebbles research project for wireless handheld devices such as mobile phones and palm-size computers like Palm Organizers and PocketPCs. Instead of just being used as a phone or organizer, handheld devices can also be used as remote controls for computers and household and office appliances. q 2004 Elsev...

Handheld computers are being incorporated into many mobile applications. We explore the application of handhelds in law enforcement field operations. We report on a pilot study in which three officers used a handheld computer with the Project54 system.

BACKGROUND Low-cost handheld computers (PDA) potentially represent an efficient tool for collecting sensitive data in surveys. The goal of this study is to evaluate the quality of sexual behavior data collected with handheld computers in comparison with paper-based questionnaires. METHODS A PDA-based program for data collection was developed using Open-Source tools. In two cross-sectional stu...

There is a need for collaborative group activities that promote student social interaction in the classroom. Handheld computers interconnected by a wireless network allow people who work on a common task to interact face-to-face while maintaining the mediation afforded by a technology-based system. Wirelessly interconnected handhelds open up new opportunities for introducing collaboration and t...

Call them handhelds, palm-tops, or personal digital assistants (PDAs), pocket-sized computers are becoming a common feature on the medical landscape. As the technology improves, more programs become available, and the demands of medical practice heighten, physicians are recognizing the benefits of having information available at the point of care. This article reviews the use of handheld comput...

One recurrent theme in the discussion about the features of the ‘new economy’ is the claim that due to an increased rate of technological change and widespread deregulation, markets like telecommunications, computers, and entertainment are converging. After clarifying what is meant by market convergence, four different broad patterns of market convergence and their impact on industry dynamics a...

Although handheld computers are increasingly used in professional areas, an instrument for evaluating their applicability in different cases and scopes does not yet exist. There is an urgent need for standardised evaluation methods comprising handheld specific questions like mobility, different hardware (CE, Palm, Psion), different possibilities for data capture (keyboard versus pen), different...

This report presents the results of a pilot project using wireless PDAs as teaching tools in an undergraduate medical curriculum. This technology was used to foster a transition from a passive to an interactive learning environment in the classroom and provided a solution for the implementation of computer-based exams for a large class. Wayne State Medical School recently provided model e570 To...

BACKGROUND Handheld computers are increasingly favoured over paper and pencil methods to capture data in clinical research. METHODS This study systematically identified and reviewed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the two methods for self-recording and reporting data, and where at least one of the following outcomes was assessed: data accuracy; timeliness of data capture; an...