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Personal Digital Assistants

Personal Digital Assistants. February 14, 2006 SEC Technology Committee Rupal Pinto MS-III rcp10@pitt.edu Adapted from a presentation by Jonathan Bloom ’05. Personal Digital Assistants. Why get a PDA Hardware - Features Hardware - Models & Prices Software - The Essential Applications.

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Personal Digital Assistants

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  1. Personal Digital Assistants February 14, 2006 SEC Technology Committee Rupal Pinto MS-III rcp10@pitt.edu Adapted from a presentation by Jonathan Bloom ’05

  2. Personal Digital Assistants • Why get a PDA • Hardware - Features • Hardware - Models & Prices • Software - The Essential Applications

  3. Informal survey • 23 Respondents from the Classes of 2006 and 2007 • Won’t go into the particulars, but details on responses throughout the presentation

  4. I. Do I Need A Palm? • No. • But they’re good for: • drugs (81%) • dictionaries (62%) • Other med programs eg calculators (91%) • Calendars (86%) • And not bad for board studying. • Note: 56% of survey respondents say you DO need a PDA

  5. II. Features • Processor • Memory • Expandability • Color • Camera • Wireless • Keyboard • Phone

  6. Processor • Usually given in terms of MHz. • More is better, but not necessarily needed. • Decreases battery life. • BOTTOM LINE: Even the slowest current model has sufficient speed for our purposes!

  7. Memory • Once again, the more the better; but don’t need to max this out. • TC recommendation: 16 MB absolute minimum, 32 MB preferred. (64 - 128 MB for Pocket PC’s.)

  8. Expandability • Allows for expansion cards. • Don’t buy the card unless you need it, but make sure your PDA will allow for one. • TC recommendation: Preferred.

  9. Color • Not necessary, but practically every current model comes with it.

  10. Camera • Absolutely not necessary. • Only used for entertainment purposes. (Can be a lot of fun.)

  11. WiFi (Wireless connectivity) • Very little use at UPMC secondary to lack of wireless networks. • Small screen and lack of keyboard makes browsing inefficient. • Can always check email on the many computers. • TC Recommends: only if you got the cash.

  12. Keyboard & Data Entry • Not necessary but can make data entry quicker.

  13. Data Entry Examples

  14. Phone • Not necessary, but can be practical. • Can allow you to search internet via phone without need for a “hotspot.” • TC Recommends: only if you have the cash.

  15. Features - Summary • Processor - if getting new, don’t worry about it. • Memory - 16 MB fine, 32 is better. • Expandability - highly recommended. • Color - not important. • Camera - not necessary. • Wireless - not necessary. • Keyboard - not necessary. • Phone - not necessary.

  16. III. PDA Buying Options • Cheap • Expensive • Expensive with keyboard and wireless • Expensive with wireless with wider screen • Etc… • Disclaimer: the following recommendations should not be taken as gospel. There’s no substitute for going to a store and picking up an actual display model for examination.

  17. Who’s got what? • 70% Palm, 22% Windows Mobile • The Palm T5, Palm E/E2, Sony Clie, and HP all tied for most popular brand/models • 90% students spend less than $350 on their PDA • 50% students have a good case that has protected their PDA from falls • 95% happy with their choice

  18. Cheap - palmOne Tungsten E2 • $175 - 200 • Released 4/13/2005 • Specs: • OS Garnet (v 5.4) • 200 MHz, 32 MB flash mem (actual storage capacity 26mb) • Email, MP3, MMC/SD/SDIO slot • Bluetooth • 320 x 320 display • NO Wifi

  19. Midrange - Palm Tungsten TX • $257-300 • Released 10/12/2005 • Specs: • OS Garnet 5.4 • 312 MHz, 128 MB nonvolatile memory (100mb) • MP3, SDIO slot • NO USB Drive mode (which was in T5) • Wifi + Bluetooth • More stable than T5 and Treo 650

  20. Palm OS Honorable Mentions Palm LifeDrive – $449 – Good if you need STORAGE: Key feature is 4GB Hard drive, includes Wireless and Bluetooth, 320 x 480 color screen If you can find them, older models such as the T5, T3, or C will also do you well. Here are some models recommended from last year.

  21. The Artist formerly known as the Dark Horse: The Pocket PC • Pros • Faster, more powerful processors • Higher-end software • Better screen resolutions (fit more on screen) • Better wireless capability • Competitive pricing • Rapidly expanding market • Gap between palm and pocket PC has narrowed • Cons • Software compatibility • Syncing learning curve • Decreased ease of use

  22. Expensive: Dell Axim X51v • $399-$500 • Processor: 624MHz Intel XScale PXA270 • 256MB ROM memory (192MB accessible) • Platform – Windows Mobile 5 • Integrated Wifi and Bluetooth • Directly compatible with windows programs • User replaceable battery • Dual expansion slots • Low battery life • VGA Screen

  23. Other Pocket PC’s • HP iPAQ rx 1955 ($299) – Win Mobile 5.0, 330MHz, 32MB SDRAM 64MB ROM, WiFi, SD Slot • HP iPAQ hx2495 ($399) – Win Mobile 5.0, 64MB SDRAM, 128MB ROM, Bluetooth+Wifi, SD and CF slots • Dell Axim X51 ($318) 416 MHz, 128MB Rom 64MB SDRAM, QVGA screen, Bluetooth • Lots more are available

  24. Questions on hardware?

  25. Programs • Drugs • Dictionaries • Calculators • Tools • Clinical consults • Guidelines

  26. Programs - Drugs • ePocrates = Free • ePocrates for Macintosh = $50 • Pharmacopea = Free • Hopkins Abx Guide = Free • Lexi-comp = $75 (recommended by 2 students) • ($50 rebate offered) • TC recommends: ePocrates • www.epocrates.com

  27. Programs - Dictionaries • Stedman’s = $49.95 • www.skyscape.com • TC recommends: Stedman’s (P.S. - great for board study) Most students agree with this purchase

  28. Programs - Calculators • MedCalc = Free • www.collectivemed.com/jump/medca.shtml • MedMath = Free • smi-web.stanford.edu/people/pcheng/ • Archimedes = Free • www.skyscape.com • TC Recommendation: MedCalc and MedMath

  29. Programs - Tools • Diagnosaurus - www.diagnosaurus.com • Eponyms - www.eponyms.net • Pneumonia - www.medsync.com • List (with medical database) - www.magma.ca/~roo • Adobe Reader – (free) www.ccspublishing.com/ccs

  30. Programs - Tools • OB/GYN • PregWheel (get from a resident) • OB Bishop • Peds • www.kidometer.com - 1 month license • Shots 2005 www.immunizationed.org

  31. Programs - Clinical Consult • 5MCC - Skyscape.com • Griffith’s 5MCC - epocrates.com • Harrison’s Manual Of Medicine - skyscape.com • TC recommendation: Not necessary, but can be helpful.

  32. Tools - Guidelines • Clinical guidelines for the floors: http://www.guideline.gov/resources/pda.aspx

  33. Other Sites For The Curious • www.medicalpda.net – “Ectopic Brain” • www.medicine.dal.ca/palm/ • http://Jeffline.tju.edu/Clinicians/palm.html • www.pediatricsonhand.com • www.hsls.pitt.edu/guides/pda/

  34. Where and How To Buy • Amazon.com • Buy.com • Skyscape.com • Go to promotions • Promotions code: “pittmed” • cnet.com • Rhinoskin.com (great cases)

  35. Conclusions • Buy the right model for you. • If possible, get “cheap feels” at local computer stores. • Know the model you purchase. • Ask questions. technology committee: somsectc@medstudent.pitt.edu

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