| | | # A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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3Com:
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The former parent company of Palm, Inc. The company also makes a line of modems and networking peripherals.
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802.11:
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A developing standard for wireless communications running in the 2.4GHz spectrum, allowing transmission speeds as fast as 11Mbps. This standard can be offered only in relatively small areas, such as an office building. With this standard, companies can create wireless office networks.
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Active matrix display:
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An LCD technology used in flat panel computer displays. The displays are created by laying diodes over a superfine grid of wires. The diodes are activated by applying current to various points around the grid. Connect enough of these dots and you get an image. Active-matrix displays use transistors to keep their diodes in an on or off state, unlike their passive-matrix cousins, which rely on the diodes' persistence. As a result, active-matrix displays are brighter and produce better color with a broader viewing angle than passive-matrix displays. Since active matrix technology uses a thin film transistor at each pixel, it's often designated as a "TFT screen".
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ActiveSync:
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ActiveSync is the data synchronization software for Windows CE operation system based Pocket PCs and Handheld PCs.
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Address book:
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One of the most popular native applications on the Palm OS® device. Most handhelds nowadays will also have a similar application that lets you store your contacts.
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Application:
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Also know as an "app". An application is a program, such as a word processor or a spreadsheet, that performs one of the important tasks for which a desktop or handheld computer is used. Sometimes, this term is use in place of or in conjunction with "software".
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| Backlight: |
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It refers to an optional function in which the handheld display glows from behind for easier reading in the dark. This feature is now found in most devices across all platforms.
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| Beaming: |
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A term coined by Palm to descibe the way one transmits data from one PDA to another via infrared ports.
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| Beta software: |
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Beta versions of commercial software are work-in-progress test copies released prior to the full version. They're used to put the product through real-world tests and to ferret out bugs before the finished software hits the shelves. Betas often expire after a period of time, usually when the full version or the next beta is released. Originally, beta software was released only to developers, but increasingly betas are offered to the general public, usually through the manufacturer's Web site. Testing beta software can be a great way to try out a new product that you're not sure you want to buy. But be warned: if you decide to experiment with betas, expect an occasional software glitch or system crash.
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| BlackBerry: |
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A handheld device developed by RIM which focuses on wireless email communications, but can also run other applications. It is only available in the US.
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| Bluetooth: |
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A short-range wireless connectivity solution. Bluetooth technology operates in the 2.4-GHz range providing short-range (10 cm to 10m) communication between devices such as personal computers (PCs), cellular phones, PDAs and digital cameras without the use of cables.
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| Browser : |
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If you can read this, it's highly likely that you're using a Web browser. In brief, a browser is your interface to the World Wide Web; it interprets hypertext links and lets you view sites and navigate from one Internet node to another. Among the companies that produce browsers are NCSA Mosaic, Netscape, and Microsoft, as well as commercial services like CompuServe, Prodigy, and America Online. Various browsers are available that are suitable for use on handheld devices, including Pocket Internet Explorer for Pocket PCs and Blazer for Palm.
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| Cache: |
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Cache (pronounced CASH) memory is a type of random access memory (RAM) that a computer temporarily stores such that a microprocessor can access the data faster than it can access regular RAM.
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| Calendar: |
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This function is commonly included in the basic software package that come on most PDAs. You can view and edit events monthly, weekly, or daily, and record appointments, tasks, or meetings. Data can often be exchange with popular PIM software.
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| Clock speed: |
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Clock speeds, usually measured in megahertz (Mhz), are the speed measurements of a microprocessor's internal clock that controls how fast a computer can make calculations.
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| COM port: |
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Although it's in all capital letters, COM is not an acronym. It's a contraction of communications, and it's used to describe the serial port on a PC. COM is generally used in conjunction with a number, as in COM1, COM2, COM3, or COM4.
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| Compact Flash card: |
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Cards that can be used in small devices like handhelds. They can be used for storage or to turn devices into modems, fax modems, or LAN cards.
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| Cradle: |
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A device in which a handheld is placed to synchronize data with a desktop computer. The cradle connects to the desktop via a serial or a USB cable.
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| Datebook: |
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A native Calender application on Palm OS devices that lets you keep track of your schedules and appointments.
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| Demo software: |
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Taking their cue from shareware creators, some software manufacturers are now releasing demonstration versions of their commercial programs for free. Often available for download at the manufacturer's Web site, demos give you the flavor of the real full-blown application but with some sort of limitation: perhaps the juiciest features are disabled, or you can't save anything you create, or the demo is a full working copy that simply expires after a certain number of days. If there's a pricey piece of software you've been fawning over, trying a free demo version is a great way to see if it's really worth the money.
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| Dial-up: |
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A connection using a modem attached to your handheld to dial-up to an Internet service provider and thereby connect to the Internet using a standard telephone line. Maximum speeds for dial-up connections are about 56kbps.
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| Digitizer: |
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On Palm OS-powered devices, the digitizer calibrates the display's sensitivity to the tip of the stylus for accurate pointing and writing.
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| Doc: |
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Document. Not to be confused with the document format for MS Word, Microsoft's popular word processing software. Doc, when used with Palm, usually refers to files in Palm Document format.
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| Doc reader: |
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A software designed to read Doc files.
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| DragonBall processor: |
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Computer processor manufactured by Motorola on which handhelds, including Palm OS devices, run.
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| EPOC: |
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The operating system of the Symbian platform, which works best with low-power, compact machines and long-running applications. It was developed and licensed by Symbian.
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| Expansion slot: |
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A physical slot found on some handhelds or available via an accessory that can accept certain types of media such as CompactFlash, MultiMedia Card, Secure Digital Card, Sony's Memory Stick, and Handspring's Springboard modules. Depending on the manufacturer, these cards may be be used for add-ons, including MP3 players, modems, pagers, games, digital cameras, removable storage, and global positioning systems.
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| FCC: |
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Federal Communications Commission. The government agency responsible for regulating telecommunications in the United States.
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| Flash ROM: |
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This jargon refers to ROM chips that can be reprogrammed with new BIOS instructions after the chips have left the factory. Such ROM chips are technically called EEPROMs. With flashable ROM, it means that you can upgrade the operating system of your handheld.
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| Form Factor: |
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This refers to the general size and shape of a handheld computer.
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| Freeware: |
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Freeware is software you can download, pass around, and distribute without payment. However, it's still copyrighted, so you can't turn around and decompile it or sell it as your own (as you can with a public domain program).
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| Graffiti: |
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Proprietary handwriting recognition "language" used on Palm Palm OS devices.
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| GPRS: |
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General Packet Radio Service. This standard allows packet rather than circuit switch connections on cellular networks. This allows high-speed mobile access and the ability to connect only to the mobile network when Internet access is required.
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| GSM: |
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Global System for Mobile communications. A world standard for digital cellular communications using narrowband TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access), which allows up to eight calls at a time on 800 MHz and 1800 MHz frequencies. Introduced in 1991. Is the standard most commonly used in Europe and Asia, but not in the United States. GSM phones use a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) smart card that contains user account information. Any GSM phone becomes immediately programmed after plugging in the SIM card, thus allowing GSM phones to be easily rented or borrowed. SIM cards can be programmed to display custom menus for personalized services.GSM provides a short messaging service (SMS) that enables text messages up to 160 characters in length to be sent to and from a GSM phone.
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| Hack: |
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Software designed to upgrade and extend the existing usability of a handheld or add new features to the operating system. Hacks are usually developed by third-party software developers.
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| Handheld: |
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1) Any computing device that is small enough to fit in the user's hand. It includes palm-sized PCs, PDAs, Smartphones, smart pagers, and larger mini-laptops. 2) When used to refer to Handheld PCs specifically, it means devices which are larger than palm-sized PCs and use Windows CE.
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| HotSync: |
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The process and software by which data is synchronized between a Palm device and another computer. Using HotSync, you can send and retrieve information to and from your PC. It can also backup the data you have on your Palm.
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| HotSync: |
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The process and software by which data is synchronized between a Palm device and another computer. Using HotSync, you can send and retrieve information to and from your PC. It can also backup the data you have on your Palm.
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| IrDA: |
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Infrared data association. IrDA's goal is to establish standards for the exchange of data over infrared waves. Infrared technology would let devices "beam" information to each other in the same way that your remote control tells the TV to change the channel. You could, for example, beam a document to your printer instead of having to connect a cable. On handhelds, the most common use for infrared is the "beaming" of data to another handheld with an infrared port. The IrDA standard has been widely adopted by PC and consumer electronics manufacturers.
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| ISP: |
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Internet Service Provider. A company that provides Internet access to individuals and companies. To access the Internet using your handheld, you first need to have an account with an Internet Service Provider.
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| Kbps: |
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Kilobits per second (thousands of bits per second). A measure of the speed of data transmission through a communication channel.
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| LAN: |
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Local area network. A local area network is a short-distance network used to link a group of computers together within a building. 10BaseT Ethernet is the most commonly used form of LAN. However, wireless LAN running using the 802.11b standard is fast becoming popular. A piece of hardware called a hub serves as the common wiring point, enabling data to be sent from one machine to another over the network. LANs are typically limited to distances of less than 500 meters and provide low-cost, high-bandwidth networking capabilities within a small geographical area.
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| LCD: |
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Liquid-crystal display. Created by sandwiching an electrically reactive substance between two electrodes, LCDs can be darkened or lightened by applying and removing current. Large numbers of LCDs grouped closely together can act as pixels in a flat-panel display.
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| LED: |
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Light-emitting diode. In electronics terms, a diode is a semiconductor device through which current can go in only one direction. As a side effect, light-emitting diodes produce either visible or infrared light. LEDs require very little power and are often used as indicator lights. An example of the use of LED on handheld is the light that indicates if your device is charging or not.
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Memopad:
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A popular native application on Palm OS devices that allows you to jot down or type in notes on your handheld.
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Memory Stick:
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Memory Stick is designed by Sony for use with primarily with Sony products. It acts as an off-line connection transfer and exchange media for connecting many types of digital devices. It is a temporary storage space for pictures, music, or any other data that can be converted into digital data.
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MHz:
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Megahertz or one million hertz. The speed of microprocessors, called the clock speed, is measured in megahertz. As an example, a Palm microprocessor running at 33MHz executes 33 million cycles per second. Each computer instruction requires a fixed number of cycles, so the clock speed determines how many instructions per second the microprocessor can execute.
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MultiMedia Card:
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MultiMedia Card, or MMC, is a postage stamp sized flash memory card which allows data to be stored on it. MMC cards are a means of exchanging data between PDAs, phones, digital cameras, and other devices. However, they can also act as hard drive when used on a PC or PDA to store data and software. The MMCA (MMC Association) was founded in 1998 to push the MMC standard.
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| Native application: |
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An application that comes pre-installed in a new handheld computer.
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| Newton: |
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Apple's handheld device, which used a proprietary operating system. It is no longer manufactured.
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| Operating system: |
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A computer or handheld device by itself is essentially dumb bits of wire and silicon. An operating system (OS) knows how to talk to this hardware and can manage a computer's functions, such as allocating memory, scheduling tasks, accessing data, and supplying a user interface. Without an operating system, software developers would have to write programs that directly accessed hardware--essentially reinventing the wheel with every new program. With an operating system, developers can write to a common set of programming interfaces called APIs and let the operating system do the dirty work of talking to the hardware. Operating systems for handhelds include Palm OS and Pocket PC OS.
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Palm OS:
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The operating system used on Palm handhelds and other third-party devices, like Sony and Handspring.
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PalmPilot:
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Palm, Inc.'s palm-sized device that debuted in 1996. In 1998, Pilot was dropped from the name for legal reasons.
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Palmtops:
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A generic term for small computers that fits in your palm. These computers are typically good for certain functions like address books, calendars, PIMs. Some of them are handheld PC with tiny keyboards, others use a touch-screen and stylus for data entry.
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Passive matrix display:
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These basic flat-panel displays are created by laying a layer of liquid-crystal diode elements on top of a grid of wires. By applying current to the various intersections, the diodes can be lit to act as pixels. Passive displays simply apply current to the diodes at a specific refresh rate to maintain an image. Higher-quality (and, therefore, more expensive) active-matrix or TFT displays control each diode with one or more transistors, making for sharper, brighter pictures.
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PC Card :
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Three (soon to be four) types of credit-card-sized cards plug into portable computers (and handhelds with the right expansion sleeves) to add and remove RAM, modems, network adapters, hard disks, and other devices without requiring that you open the box. These PC Cards conform to several standards set by the PCMCIA. The original Type I PC Card is 3.3mm thick, a format used mainly to add RAM. Type II cards are thicker (5.0mm) and often are used for modems and LAN adapters (though they're also used for RAM). Type III cards are much thicker (10.5mm) and often are used for hard disks and radio devices.
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PDA :
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Personal Digital Assistant. A small handheld mobile device that provides portable computing capabilities, normally for individial use. Schedules, calanders, note taking, address books, and to-do lists are usually standard features. Email can also be available. Many PDAs have an electronic sensitve writing surface and some use keyboards. These days, third-party software are available that can be installed on your PDA to help you accomplish various tasks.
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PIM :
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Personal Information Manager. This type of software application helps users get organized. PIMs let you enter reminders, lists, dates, addresses, and more, and link them with features for scheduling, calendars, calculating, to-do lists, or memos.
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Pixel :
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The image displayed on monitors is made up lots of dots called pixels. Collectively, the number of pixels displayed is referred to as the image's resolution. A pixel on a screen is a number of red, green, and blue phosphor dots. These dots are "excited" to varying degrees by the monitor's three electron guns, and the results mix additively to generate a specific color. By manipulating large numbers of pixels in precise ways, patterns emerge to make up an identifiable picture.
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Platform :
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This term refers to the group of hardware, software, and accessories that revolve around a particular operating system.
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Pocket PC :
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A handheld Windows-based computer that runs the Pocket PC operating system (formerly Windows CE). The Pocket PC operating system (version 3.0 of Windows CE) adds a new interface along with greater stability, Pocket Office applications (Internet Explorer, Word, and Excel), handwriting recognition, an e-book reader, wireless Internet access, and longer battery life. The Pocket PC was designed to compete more directly with the popular Palm devices.
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Psion :
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A British handheld computer company that makes its own hardware and operating system. Utilized by the Symbian platform.
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QVGA :
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Quarter Video Graphics Array. A display format that measures 320 x 240 pixels and is one-quarter the size of a typical VGA image, which measures 640 x 480 pixels. The QVGA format is used in various devices, such as early consumer digital cameras and Web cams. On PDAs, QVGA panels are becoming more and more popular, with Compaq iPaqs, HP Jornadas and even HandEra 330 utilizing this format.
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| RAM: |
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Random access memory.
RAM is a handheld device's primary storage area, used to write, store and retrieve information and program instructions which are then passed to the CPU for processing. RAM requires power to maintain the data in storage. Hence, unless there's a backup power supply, the data stored on your handheld's RAM will be lost when your battery runs out.
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| Resolution: |
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Resolution is a measure of graphics that's used to describe what a screen can display. A display's resolution refers to the number of pixels in the whole image, because the number of dots per inch varies depending on the screen's dimensions. For example, a resolution of 160 by 160 means that 160 lines are drawn from the top to the bottom of the screen, and each of these lines is made up of 160 separate pixels--and in turn, each dot may have any number of combinations of red, green, and blue intensities. Common resolutions in the handheld world include 160 by 160 on most Palm handhelds and 240 by 320 on most Pocket PC devices.
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| RIM: |
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Reasearch In Motion. The company that produces the BlackBerry wireless device.
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| ROM: |
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Read Only Memory. An integrated circuit chip containing programs and data that can be accessed and read but usually cannot be modified. Some handhelds, however, use flashable ROM, meaning that the data on the ROM can be modified. Usually, the core applications and operating system are found in the ROM.
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| SDK: |
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Software development kit. This is software used in the process of developing applications. Palm and Pocket PC SDK are easily available from the respective companies to encourage developers to write software for the platforms.
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| Secure Digital card: |
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Also known as SD card. These cards combine high storage capacity, rapid data transfer, flexibility and security — all in a card sized no larger than a postage stamp. SD memory cards keep digital files secure for distribution, and are also easy to reformat, making them ideal for a wide variety of uses. The cards also hold a variety of file types, so they're as versatile as they are small.
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| Serial port: |
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This is the communications port on your computer; it's also called the COM or RS-232 port. It's called serial because, although it has nine pins and many wires, the PC sends data on only one wire and receives data on one other wire. All the data bits have to follow one another on the single wire, as opposed to the parallel port, where eight separate wires transfer each bit of a byte.
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| Shareware: |
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Shareware is the wonderful alternative to commercial software. Available from centralized archives on the Internet, shareware is copyrighted but works on the honor system. You have a specified time period to try out the software for free, if you continue to use it, you're expected to register the program and pay a fee to its developer. (Some programs are partially disabled, stop working after a set period of time, or contain "nag screens" that pop up frequently to encourage you to register.) Registration fees are usually no more than $50, and some selfless developers ask only that you send a postcard letting them know you like their product. Registering often gets you full documentation or free software updates--not to mention a clear conscience. Shareware that doesn't involve a fee is called freeware.
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| Smartphone: |
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The next generation of mobile phones expected to be the ultimate mobile computing device that combines phone and PDA features.
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| SMS: |
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Short Messaging Service. A text messaging used in most digital cell phone systems.
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| StrongARM processor: |
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Computer processor manufactured by Intel on which handhelds, including Pocket PC devices, run.
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| Stylus: |
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A pen-like pointing and writing device for handheld computers that allows you to write directly on the screen.
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| Symbian Ltd.: |
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A joint venture between Psion, Motorola, Ericsson, and Nokia to develop and support the EPOC operating system. Formerly known as Psion Software.
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| Synchronization: |
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Also known as sync. Synchronization is the process by which a handheld device communicates with a desktop computer or another device such that they can exchange and share data.
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TFT:
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Thin-film transistor.
A technology for building the LCD screens that are commonly found on laptops and handhelds . TFT screens are brighter and more readable than dual-scan LCD screens, but consume more power and are generally more expensive.
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USB:
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Universal Serial Bus. Imagine replacing all those ports on the back of your PC--mouse, keyboard, serial, parallel, joystick, and more--with a single port. Now imagine you can daisy-chain as many as 127 peripherals off that port and use them all at once. Finally, imagine that the port supports data transfer rates up to 12MB/sec, making it suitable for even high-bandwidth applications such as video. Imagine no more. USB--designed by a consortium of PC manufacturers including Compaq, Digital, and IBM--can do all this and more.
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User Group:
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A group of people involved in discussion of their interests, as in Palm User Group or Pocket PC User Group.
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WAP:
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Wireless Application Protocol. A global standard for developing applications over wireless communication networks, mostly used on mobilephones. WAP features the Wireless Markup Language (WML), which was derived from Phone.com's HDML and is a streamlined version of HTML for small screen displays. It also uses WMLScript, a compact JavaScript-like language that runs in limited memory. WAP also supports handheld input methods such as a keypad and voice recognition. With the right software, a handheld can access the Internet using WAP.
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Web clipping:
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Extracting relevant information from a Web page for display on a smart phone or a PDA. Webbing Clipping Applications, when used by Palm, refers to apps that let you pull information from the Internet as if they're a basic Palm application.
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Windows CE:
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A streamlined version of Windows from Microsoft for handheld PCs (HPCs) and consumer electronics devices. It runs Pocket versions of popular applications such as Microsoft Word and Excel as well as many applications that are geared specifically for the smaller platform. As of version 3.0, Windows CE was changed substantially and renamed Pocket PC.
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XML:
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Extensible Markup Language. An open standard for describing data from the W3C. It is used for defining data elements on a Web page and business-to-business documents. It uses a similar tag structure as HTML; however, whereas HTML defines how elements are displayed, XML defines what those elements contain. HTML uses predefined tags, but XML allows tags to be defined by the developer of the page. Thus, virtually any data items, such as product, sales rep, and amount due, can be identified, allowing Web pages to function like database records. By providing a common method for identifying data, XML supports business-to-business transactions and is expected to become the dominant format for electronic data interchange. Hence, it can be used to create web pages as well as develop Palm computing applications.
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