HAND HELD SYSTEM

What is handheld system?

A handheld computer is a computer that can conveniently be stored in a pocket
(of sufficient size) and used while you're holding it. Today's handheld
computers, which are also called personal digital assistants (PDAs), can be
divided into those that accept handwriting as input and those with small
keyboards. The original handheld that accepted handwriting was Apple's
Newton, which was later withdrawn from the market. Today, the most popular
handheld that accepts handwritten input is the PalmPilot from 3Com. Philips,
Casio, NEC, Compaq, and other companies make handhelds with small
keyboards.
Windows CE and EPOC are two of the most widely used operating systems in
handheld computers.
Handheld computers are typically used for personal information manager (PIM)
types of applications: maintaining schedules, keeping names and phone
numbers, doing simple calculations, taking notes, and, with a modem,
exchanging e-mail and getting information from the Web. Keyboards have tiny
keys that take getting used to. Those that handle handwriting also impose
constraints and require some learning. Nevertheless, this class of computer is
widely sold and appreciated by many users.
Hewlett-Packard has recently introduced the first handheld computer with a
color display. A number of companies now combine voice and data telephone
service using cellular telephone or other wireless technologies with the
handheld computer in a single device.
The Handheld PC was a hardware design for personal digital assistant (PDA)
devices running Windows CE. It provides the appointment calendar functions
usual for any PDA. The intent of Windows CE was to provide an environment
for applications compatible with the Microsoft Windows operating system, on
processors better suited to low-power operation in a portable device. Originally
announced in 1996, the Handheld PC is distinct from its more recent
counterparts such as the Palm-Size PC, Pocket PC, or smartphone in that the
specification provides for larger screen sizes as well as a keyboard.
To be classed as a Windows CE Handheld PC, the device must
Run Microsoft's Windows CE
Be bundled with an application suite only found through an OEM Platform
Release and not in Windows CE itself
Use ROM
Have a screen supporting a resolution of at least 480240
Include a keyboard
Include a PC card slot
Include an infrared (IrDA) port
Provide wired serial and/or Universal Serial Bus (USB) connectivity
Over time, these standards were routinely breached by manufacturers. For
instance, HP's first displays' widths were more than a third larger than that of
Microsoft's specification. Soon, all of their competition followed. Examples of
Handheld PC devices are the NEC MobilePro 900c, HP 320LX, HP Jornada
720, and Vadem Clio.
Microsoft stopped developing for the Handheld PC in 2000, instead focusing
development on the Pocket PC and Windows Mobile. However, compatible
hardware continued to be produced for many years afterwards. HP and Sharp
both discontinued their Windows CE HPCs in 2002, while NEC was last to
leave the market in 2005. However, some manufacturers abandoned the format
even before Microsoft did, such as Philips and Casio.
Other handheld PCs may not use Windows CE. Windows CE devices which
match all of the hardware requirements of the H/PC specification but lack a
keyboard are known asWindows CE Tablet PC or Internet tablet devices.

PDA (PERSONAL DIGITAL ASSISTANT)
A personal digital assistant (PDA), also known as a palmtop computer,
or personal data assistant is a mobile device that functions as a personal
information manager. PDAs are largely considered obsolete with the
widespread adoption of smartphones.
[4]

Nearly all current PDAs have the ability to connect to the Internet. A PDA has
an electronic visual display, enabling it to include a web browser, all current
models also have audio capabilities enabling use as a portable media player, and
also enabling most of them to be used as mobile phones. Most PDAs can access
the Internet, intranets or extranets via Wi-Fi or Wireless Wide Area Networks.
Most PDAs employ touchscreen technology.
The first PDA was released in 1984 by Psion, the Organizer. Followed
by Psion's Series 3, in 1991, which began to resemble the more familiar PDA
style. It also had a full keyboard.
[5][6]

The term PDA was first used on January 7, 1992 by Apple Computer CEO John
Sculley at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas,Nevada, referring to
the Apple Newton.
[7]

In 1994, IBM introduced the first PDA with full mobile phone functionality,
the IBM Simon, which can also be considered the first smartphone. Then in
1996, Nokia introduced a PDA with full mobile phone functionality, the 9000
Communicator, which became the world's best-selling PDA. The
Communicator spawned a new category of PDAs: the "PDA phone", now called
"smartphone". Another early entrant in this market was Palm, with a line of
PDA products which began in March 1996.

TYPICAL FEATURES
A typical PDA has a touchscreen for entering data, a memory card slot for data
storage, and IrDA, Bluetooth and/or Wi-Fi. However, some PDAs may not have
a touch screen, using softkeys, a directional pad, and a numeric keypad or
a thumb keyboard for input; this is typically seen on telephones that are
incidentally PDAs.
In order to have the functions expected of a PDA, a device's software typically
includes an appointment calendar, a to-do list, an address book for contacts,
a calculator, and some sort of memo (or "note") program. PDAs with wireless
data connections also typically include an email client and a Web browser.
Touch screen
Many of the original PDAs, such as the Apple Newton and Palm Pilot, featured
a touchscreen for user interaction, having only a few buttonsusually reserved
for shortcuts to often-used programs. Some touchscreen PDAs,
including Windows Mobile devices, had a detachable stylus to facilitate making
selections. The user interacts with the device by tapping the screen to select
buttons or issue commands, or by dragging a finger (or the stylus) on the screen
to make selections or scroll.
Typical methods of entering text on touchscreen PDAs include:
A virtual keyboard, where a keyboard is shown on the touchscreen. Text is
entered by tapping the on-screen keyboard with a finger or stylus.
An external keyboard connected via USB, Infrared port, or Bluetooth. Some
users may choose a chorded keyboard for one-handed use.
Handwriting recognition, where letters or words are written on the
touchscreen, and the PDA converts the input to text. Recognition and
computation of handwritten horizontal and vertical formulas, such as "1 + 2
=", may also be a feature.
Stroke recognition allows the user to make a predefined set of strokes on the
touchscreen, sometimes in a special input area, representing the various
characters to be input. The strokes are often simplified character shapes,
making them easier for the device to recognize. One widely known stroke
recognition system is Palm's Graffiti.
Despite rigorous research and development projects, end-users experience
mixed results with handwriting recognition systems. Some find it frustrating
and inaccurate, while others are satisfied with the quality of the recognition.
[8]

Touchscreen PDAs intended for business use, such as the BlackBerry and Palm
Treo, usually also offer full keyboards and scroll wheels or thumbwheels to
facilitate data entry and navigation.
Many touchscreen PDAs support some form of external keyboard as well.
Specialized folding keyboards, which offer a full-sized keyboard but collapse
into a compact size for transport, are available for many models. External
keyboards may attach to the PDA directly, using a cable, or may use wireless
technology such as infrared or Bluetooth to connect to the PDA.
Newer PDAs, such as the HTC HD2, Apple iPhone, Apple iPod Touch,
and Palm Pre, Palm Pre Plus, Palm Pixi, Palm Pixi Plus, Google Android
(operating system) include more advanced forms of touchscreen that can
register multiple touches simultaneously. These "multi-touch" displays allow for
more sophisticated interfaces using various gestures entered with one or more
fingers.

Memory cards
Although many early PDAs did not have memory card slots, now most have
either some form of Secure Digital (SD) slot or a CompactFlash slot. Although
designed for memory,Secure Digital Input/Output (SDIO) and CompactFlash
cards are available that provide accessories like Wi-Fi or digital cameras, if the
device can support them. Some PDAs also have a USB port, mainly for USB
flash drives.
[dubious discuss]
Some PDAs use microSD cards, which are
electronically compatible with SD cards, but have a much smaller physical size.
Wired connectivity
While early PDAs connected to a user's personal computer via serial ports or
another proprietary connection,
[specify]
many today connect via a USB cable.
Older PDAs were unable to connect to each other via USB, as their
implementations of USB didn't support acting as the "host".
Some early PDAs were able to connect to the Internet indirectly by means of an
external modem connected via the PDA's serial port or "sync" connector,
[9]
or
directly by using an expansion card that provided an Ethernet port.
Wireless connectivity
Most modern PDAs have Bluetooth, a popular wireless protocol for mobile
devices. Bluetooth can be used to connect keyboards, headsets, GPS receivers,
and other nearby accessories. It's also possible to transfer files between PDAs
that have Bluetooth.
Many modern PDAs have Wi-Fi wireless network connectivity and can connect
to Wi-Fi hotspots.
[10]
All smartphones, and some other modern PDAs, can
connect to Wireless Wide Area Networks, such as those provided by cellular
telecommunications companies.
Older PDAs from the 90s to 2006 typically had an IrDA (infrared) port allowing
short-range, line-of-sight wireless communication. Few current models use this
technology, as it has been supplanted by Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. IrDA allows
communication between two PDAs, or between a PDA and any device with an
IrDA port or adapter. Some printers have IrDA receivers,
[11]
allowing IrDA-
equipped PDAs to print to them, if the PDA's operating system supports it.
Universal PDA keyboards designed for these older PDAs use infrared
technology.
[citation needed]
Infrared technology is low-cost and has the advantage of
being allowed aboard.
Synchronization
Most PDAs can synchronize their data with applications on a user's computer.
This allows the user to update contact, schedule, or other information on their
computer, using software such as Microsoft Outlook or ACT!, and have that
same data transferred to PDAor transfer updated information from the PDA
back to the computer. This eliminates the need for the user to update their data
in two places.
Synchronization also prevents the loss of information stored on the device if it
is lost, stolen, or destroyed. When the PDA is repaired or replaced, it can be "re-
synced" with the computer, restoring the user's data.
Some users find that data input is quicker on their computer than on their PDA,
since text input via a touchscreen or small-scale keyboard is slower than a full-
size keyboard. Transferring data to a PDA via the computer is therefore a lot
quicker than having to manually input all data on the handheld device.
Most PDAs come with the ability to synchronize to a computer. This is done
through synchronization software provided with the handheld, or sometime with
the computer's operating system. Examples of synchronization software include:
HotSync Manager, for Palm OS PDAs
'Microsoft ActiveSync, used by Windows XP and older Windows operating
systems to synchronize with Windows Mobile, Pocket PC, and Windows
CE PDAs, as well as PDAs running iOS, Palm OS, and Symbian
Microsoft Windows Mobile Device Center for Windows Vista, which
supports Microsoft Windows Mobile and Pocket PC devices.
Apple iTunes, used on Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows to sync iOS
devices (such as the iPhone and iPod touch)
iSync, included with Mac OS X, can synchronize many SyncML-enabled
PDAs
BlackBerry Desktop Software, used to sync BlackBerry devices.
These programs allow the PDA to be synchronized with a personal information
manager, which may be part of the computer's operating system, provided with
the PDA, or sold separately by a third party. For example, the RIM BlackBerry
comes with RIM's Desktop Manager program, which can synchronize to both
Microsoft Outlook and ACT!.
Other PDAs come only with their own proprietary software. For example, some
early Palm OS PDAs came only with Palm Desktop, while later Palm PDAs
such as the Treo 650have the ability to sync to Palm Desktop or Microsoft
Outlook. Microsoft's ActiveSync and Windows Mobile Device Center only
synchronize with Microsoft Outlook or a Microsoft Exchange server.
[citation needed]

Third-party synchronization software is also available for some PDAs from
companies like CommonTime
[12]
and CompanionLink.
[13]
Third-party software
can be used to synchronize PDAs to other personal information managers that
are not supported by the PDA manufacturers (for example, GoldMine and IBM
Lotus Notes).
Wireless synchronization
Some PDAs can synchronize some or all of their data using their wireless
networking capabilities, rather than having to be directly connected to a
personal computer via a cable.
Apple iOS devices, like the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad, can use
Apple's iCloud service (formerly MobileMe) to synchronize calendar, address
book, mail account, Internet bookmark, and other data with one or more
Macintosh or Windows computers using Wi-Fi or cellular data connections.
[14]

Devices running Palm's webOS or Google's Android operating system primarily
sync with the cloud. For example, if Gmail is used, information in contacts,
email, and calendar can be synchronized between the phone and Google's
servers.
RIM sells BlackBerry Enterprise Server to corporations so that corporate
BlackBerry users can wirelessly synchronize their PDAs with the
company's Microsoft Exchange Server, IBM Lotus Domino, or Novell
GroupWise servers.
[15]
Email, calendar entries, contacts, tasks, and memos kept
on the company's server are automatically synchronized with the BlackBerry.
[16]


Operating systems of PDAs
The most common operating systems preinstalled on PDAs are:
Palm OS
Microsoft Windows Mobile (Pocket PC) with a Windows CE kernel.
Android
iOS
WebOS
Other, rarely used operating systems:
EPOC, then Symbian OS (in mobile phone + PDA combos)
Linux (e.g. VR3, iPAQ,
[17]
Sharp Zaurus PDA, Opie, GPE, Familiar
Linux
[18]
etc.)
Newton
QNX (also on iPAQ)
Automobile navigation
Some PDAs include Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers; this is
particularly true of smartphones. Other PDAs are compatible with external
GPS-receiver add-ons that use the PDA's processor and screen to display
location information.
[19]

PDAs with GPS functionality can be used for automotive navigation. PDAs are
increasingly being fitted as standard on new cars.
PDA-based GPS can also display traffic conditions, perform dynamic routing,
and show known locations of roadside mobile radar guns. TomTom, Garmin,
and iGO offer GPS navigation software for PDAs.
Medical and scientific uses
Many companies have developed PDA products aimed at the medical
profession's unique needs, such as drug databases, treatment information, and
medical news. Services such as AvantGo translate medical journals into PDA-
readable formats. WardWatch organizes medical records, providing reminders
of information such as the treatment regimens of patients to doctors
making ward rounds. Pendragon and Syware provide tools for conducting
research with, allowing the user to enter data into a centralized database using
their PDA. Microsoft Visual Studio and Sun Java also provide programming
tools for developing survey instruments on the handheld. These development
tools allow for integration withSQL databases that are stored on the handheld
and can be synchronized with a desktop- or server-based database.
PDAs have been shown to aid diagnosis and drug selection and some studies

have concluded that when patients use PDAs to record their symptoms, they
communicate more effectively with hospitals during follow-up visits.
The development of Sensor Web technology may lead to wearable bodily
sensors to monitor ongoing conditions, like diabetes or epilepsy, which would
alert patients and doctors when treatment is required using wireless
communication and PDAs.

Educational uses
As mobile technology becomes more common, it is increasingly being used as a
learning tool. Some educational institutions have embraced M-Learning,
integrating PDAs into their teaching practices.
PDAs and handheld devices are allowed in many classrooms for digital note-
taking. Students can spell-check, modify, and amend their class notes on the
PDA. Some educators
[who?]
distribute course material through the Internet or
infrared file-sharing functions of the PDA. Textbook publishers have begun to
release e-books, or electronic textbooks, which can be uploaded directly to a
PDA, reducing the number of textbooks students must carry.
[20]

Software companies have developed PDA programs to meet the instructional
needs of educational institutions, such as dictionaries, thesauri, word
processing software, encyclopedias, and digital lesson planners.
Recreational uses
PDAs may be used by music enthusiasts to play a variety of music file formats.
Many PDAs include the functionality of an MP3 player.
Road rally enthusiasts can use PDAs to calculate distance, speed, and time. This
information may be used for navigation, or the PDA's GPS functions can be
used for navigation.
Underwater divers can use PDAs to plan breathing gas mixtures
and decompression schedules using software such as "V-Planner."
As of today, any smartphone can do this as well.
HANDHELD GAME CONSOLE

Current 8th generation handhelds,Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita.
A handheld game console is a lightweight, portable electronic device with a
built-in screen, game controls, and speakers.
[1]
Handheld game consoles are
smaller than home video game consoles and contain the console, screen,
speakers, and controls in one unit, allowing people to carry them and play them
at any time or place.
[2][3]

In 1977, Mattel introduced the first handheld electronic game with the release
of Auto Race.
[4]
Later, several companiesincluding Colecoand Milton
Bradleymade their own single-game, lightweight table-top or handheld
electronic game devices.
[5]
The oldest true handheld game console with
interchangeable cartridges is the Milton Bradley Microvision in 1979.
[6]

Nintendo is credited with popularizing the handheld console concept with the
release of the Game Boy in 1989
[3]
and as of 2014 continues to dominate the
handheld console market
[7]
with their Nintendo 2DS and 3DS systems.
[8]


Game Boy

The original Game Boy
Nintendo released the Game Boy on April 21, 1989 (or in September 1990 for
UK). The design team headed by Gunpei Yokoi had also been responsible for
the Game & Watch system, as well as the Nintendo Entertainment
System games Metroid and Kid Icarus. The Game Boy came under scrutiny by
some industry critics, saying that the monochrome screen was too small, and the
processing power was inadequate. The design team had felt that low initial cost
and battery economy were more important concerns, and when compared to the
Microvision, the Game Boy was a huge leap forward.
Yokoi recognized that the Game Boy needed a killer appat least one game
that would define the console, and persuade customers to buy it. In June
1988, Minoru Arakawa, then-CEO of Nintendo of America saw a demonstration
of the game Tetris at a trade show. Nintendo purchased the rights for the game,
and packaged it with the Game Boy system. It was almost an immediate hit. By
the end of the year more than a million units were sold in the US,
[27]
and 25
million were sold by 1992.
[verification needed]
As of March 31, 2005, the Game Boy
and Game Boy Color combined to sell 118.69 million units worldwide.
[28][29]


Atari Lynx

Atari Lynx
In 1987, Epyx created the Handy Game; a device that would turn into the Atari
Lynx in 1989. It was the first color handheld console ever made, as well as the
first with a backlit screen. It also featured networking support with up to 17
other players, and advanced hardware that allowed the zooming and scaling of
sprites. The Lynx could also be turned upside down to accommodate left-
handed players. However, all these features came at a very high price point,
which drove consumers to seek cheaper alternatives. The Lynx was also very
unwieldy, consumed batteries very quickly, and lacked the third-party support
enjoyed by its competitors. Due to its high price, short battery life, production
shortages, a dearth of compelling games, and Nintendo's aggressive marketing
campaign, and despite a redesign in 1991, the Lynx became a commercial
failure. Despite this, companies like Telegames helped to keep the system alive
long past its commercial relevance, and when new owner Hasbro released the
rights to develop for the public domain, independent developers like Songbird
have managed to release new commercial games for the system every year until
2004's Winter Games.

TurboExpress

TurboExpress handheld
The TurboExpress was a portable version of the TurboGrafx, released in 1990
for $249.99 (the price was briefly raised to $299.99, soon dropped back to
$249.99, and by 1992 it was $199.99). Its Japanese equivalent was the PC
Engine GT.
It was the most advanced handheld of its time and could play all
the TurboGrafx-16's games (which were on a small, credit-card sized media
called HuCards). It had a 66 mm (2.6 in.) screen, the same as the original Game
Boy, but in a much higher resolution. And could display 64 sprites at once, 16
per scanline, in 512 colors. Although the hardware could only handle 481
simultaneous colors. It had 64 kilobytes of RAM. The Turbo ran its two
6820 CPUs at 3.58 MHz in parallel.
The optional "TurboVision" TV tuner included RCA audio/video input,
allowing users to use TurboExpress as a video monitor. The "TurboLink"
allowed two-player play. Falcon, a flight simulator, included a "head-to-head"
dogfight mode that could only be accessed via TurboLink. However, very few
TG-16 games offered co-op play modes especially designed with the
TurboExpress in mind.
Bitcorp Gamate

Gamate and game cards
The Bitcorp Gamate was the one of the first handheld game systems created in
response to the Nintendo Game Boy. It was released in Asia in 1990 and
distributed worldwide by 1991.
Like the Sega Game Gear, it was horizontal in orientation and like the Game
Boy, required 4 AA batteries. Unlike many later Game Boy clones, its internal
components were professionally assembled (no "glop-top" chips). Unfortunately
the system's fatal flaw was its screen. Even by the standards of the day, its
screen was rather difficult to use, suffering from similar motion blur problems
that were common complaints with the first generation Game Boys. Likely
because of this fact sales were quite poor, and Bitcorp closed by 1992. However
it has recently been discovered that new games continued to be published for
the Asian market, possibly as late as 1994. The total number of games released
for the system remains unknown.
Interestingly, Gamate games were designed for stereo sound, but the console
was only equipped with a mono speaker. To appreciate the full sound pallet, a
user must plug into the head phone jack. Doing so reveals very sophisticated
music.
Sega Game Gear

Sega Game Gear
The Sega Game Gear was the third color handheld console, after the Lynx and
the TurboExpress. Released in Japan in 1990 and in North America and Europe
in 1991, it was based on the Sega Master System, which gave Sega the ability to
quickly create Game Gear games from its large library of games for the Master
System. While never reaching the level of success enjoyed by Nintendo, the
Sega Game Gear proved to be a fairly durable competitor, lasting longer than
any other Game Boy rivals.
While the Game Gear is most frequently seen in black or navy blue, it was also
released in a variety of additional colors: red, light blue, yellow, clear, and
violet. All of these variations were released in small quantities and frequently
only in the Asian market.
Following Sega's success with the Game Gear, they began development on a
successor during the early 1990s, which was intended to feature
a touchscreen interface, many years before the Nintendo DS. However, such a
technology was very expensive at the time, and the handheld itself was
estimated to have cost around $289 were it to be released. Sega eventually
chose to shelve the idea and instead release the Sega Nomad, a handheld version
of the Mega Drive (Genesis), as the successor

BIBLIOGRAPHY
http://searchmobilecomputing.techtarget.com/definition/handheld
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handheld_PC
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_digital_assistant
https://www.coursera.org/course/android
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handheld_game_console