Rick Cooper, The PDA Pro

Celicase Designer Lisa Rodrigues Joins us May 7th on Attracting Ideal Clients Radio Show

How do you carry your PDA or smartphone? Men often carry them on a holster or in a pocket. Women drop them into a purse and often struggle to find them when they ring.

Celicase Designer Lisa Rodrigues created a solution for that problem. She created the Celicase, a carryall designed to hold a PDA or smartphone and keep it accessible.

Lisa will join us on our Internet Radio Show Attracting Ideal Clients on May 7th at 3pm Pacific Time. Tune in every Wednesday at 3pm Pacific Time.

Palm Treo 500V Ready for Europe

What's Palm up to these days? According to Engadget on 9-12-07, Palm is releasing a new model for Europeans.

"Palm's European wing announced today that the Treo 500v was really real, and headed onto the monolithic Vodafone network in October. As expected, the new model will be coming in two colors, a bright white and gray finish (called Glacier White), as well as a muted charcoal tone (known as, surprise, Charcoal Grey), and will be running Windows Mobile 6."

The device has a new look and feel although it lacks a touchscreen.

For more information, visit Palm's UK website.

Photo courtesy of Engadget.

Future Trends in PDAs

What can you expect over the next year in PDAs? Great question! Well, for one, expect the trend toward smartphones to continue. People are beginning to appreciate the value of connecting to the internet from their mobile device and viewing websites or checking email. The YouTube generation now expects to be able to view video clips from their mobile device.

The iPhone is a perfect example of the media based mobile device. And expect to be able to use the iPhone with other carriers, according to Engadget. But, what about someone who justs wants to look at their calendar, select a contact or check their task list? The options will grow slimmer for the non-connected PDA. The market just isn't there. Smartphones represent a much higher value to telecom companies. Not only can they sell you a phone plan, they can also charge you on bandwidth for audio and video downloads. Plus, they can also potentially make money on ads through mobile marketing.

Even The PDA Guy, Anthony Caruana, has questioned whether Palm has a future on Hydrapinion. Of course , Palm has already been bought and sold a few times. So, that's probably what will happen again. I still like the Treo as an all around PDA/smartphone. But, it doesn't appeal to younger consumers who are addicted to text messaging and IM and live their lives on MySpace. Smartphones based on the Helio platform appeal to them and will grow in appeal. It's social networking on steriods.

There will always be a market for standalone, handheld devices. Not everyone wants to be connected. And some people just can't afford it. But, whatever device you select, I encourage you to think first about productivity. Yes, being able to view a funny clip from YouTube can help you while away the hours. But, remember that your time is valuable. Limit your consumption of media. Set meaningful goals that will challenge you. Leverage technology to do more in less time. Yes, relax and enjoy yourself. But, strike a balance in your life. Take control of your destiny.

Whether you pick a PDA or smartphone, take time to evaluate the options to determine what you need. Determine what will make YOU more productive. If time is not an issue, wait till January. That's when the big Consumer Electronics Show is held. Most new models for the year are released or announced then. For more information on selecting a PDA or smartphone, visit http://www.thepdapro.com/FindaPDA.asp.

Entrepreneurs Capitalize on the Mobile Marketplace

Have you noticed that just about everyone these days is walking around with their face planted in a mobile device? This is especially true for younger generations. From wireless PDAs to smartphones, from turbo-charged cell phones to mini-tablets, people are addicted to their mobile devices. What does this mean for marketers? It means profits!

Entrepreneurs across the nation are beginning to ask themselves how they can capitalize on the growing trend toward mobility. And one expert has emerged to guide the way.

According to Mobile Marketing Guru, Kim Dushinski, from MobileMarketingProfits.com:

"The reality is that the rest of the world has been ahead of the U.S. in almost all aspects of cell phone use. Odd, isn’t it? We’re so used to being in front of the new trends. This time we’re not. But that is about to change."

Are you an entrepreneur who's interested in capitalizing on the mobile marketing trend? Then, take Kim's Mobile Ready Assessment.

The big companies have figured out a way to reach their target market through devices. Why not small businesses? The future is bright. You can't even imagine what's coming down the line. Imagine the day when you can walk into a retail store and instantly be notified of sales on products you want, based on your past buying patterns. Talk about big brother. Well, it's going to make your life more simple. And we could all use a little more simplicity. Why not make some money as well?

Is the iPhone an iWaste?

  Apple has scored a huge success with the iPhone. It is technically brilliant and easy to use. It is also the newest fashion accessory for anyone in the "in crowd". But, it leaves me wondering whether we are spawning a nation of media obsessed junkies.

As The PDA Pro, I have a passion for helping people improve their productivity. PDA stands for Productivity, Discipline and Action. I see too many people just getting by in life because they don't plan, set goals or take enough action to achieve their dreams. I think people spend too much time watching TV, listening to music and playing games. The iPhone makes it simple to waste a whole lot of time.

Of course, the iPhone can also be leveraged effectively as a productivity tool. But, get real! You know people are going to listen to their tunes, browse online news and download YouTube clips.

I'm not anti-iPhone. I think Apple stands as a shining example for creating user friendly and technically superior products. And they are savvy marketers when it comes to creating fashionable products that attract consumers and the media.

I'll leave it up to you to judge for yourself. I will say that I'm satisfied with the direction Apple has taken mobile web browsing. That's been one of my complaints from other devices. The iPhone make browsing easy and fun. I have heard that the speed is not all that great, but we can hope that will improve.

Long live the iPhone!

Photo Courtesy of Engadget

New BlackBerry 8703e Features Full QWERTY Keyboard

The new BlackBerry 8703e returns to a full size QWERTY keyboard after recently models have featured a more compressed keyboard. With models like the Blackberry Pearl, a single key shared two letters. For instance, Q and W were on the same key. The Pearl uses a technology called SureType which predicts what word you're going to type. It's not for everyone.

So now the BlackBerry 8703e offers a slimmer model than the wider classic style Blackberry, but not as slim as the Pearl. The Pearl introduced a trackball on the phone. I had the opportunity to try it recently and I was impressed. But, it looks like Research in Motion (RIM) is going back to a trackwheel format.

At any rate, this may be a good option for people who prefer the classic features of the Blackberry. The BlackBerry 8703e is being promoted by Verizon.

Treo 680 Smartphone Available in New Colors

The Treo 680 Smartphone is now available in four new colors:  Artic, Copper, Graphite and Crimson. Palm is making an effort to compete with other devices that are more fashionable.  So, if appearance is as important as function for you, this may be the ticket. At this time, the Graphite model is available through Cingular. The other models are only available Unlocked, meaning you need to contact a cellular carrier directly to set up service. This may end up costing you more money, but will give you more flexibility to switch to another carrier later.

The Secrets to Selecting a PDA

The price of PDAs and smartphones is going down. That's a good thing. But price is not the only factor in selecting a PDA. There are many considerations including how you will actually use the mobile device on a day to day basis. But, how do you select from the wide array of models available?

I'm hosting an upcoming call on this topic. It's a great opportunity to learn more and ask any burning questions you have. Please read more details on the Secrets to Selecting a PDA on ThePDApro.com website.

In fact, if you have any quick questions you would like me to address on the call, post a comment here or submit your question on my website.

Top Smartphone Picks from CNET

Bonnie Cha, Senior Associate Editor of CNET, recently shared their top smartphone picks. The RIM BlackBerry 7130c and Sony Ericsson P990i ranked the highest. The BlackBerry 7130c features two letters per key rather than a QWERTY style keyboard. It relies on SureType which predicts what words you want to type. It's not as easy to use and takes a little getting used to. I actually recommended the BlackBerry 7100i to a client which uses SureType. I recommended it for other reasons, but it did take her a little while to get used to it.

The only Palm Treo on the list is the Palm Treo 700P from Sprint, which comes in at #7 with a rating of 7.3. The Palm Treo 680 by comparison was rated at 7.0, but fell short of appearing in their top ten list.

I encourage clients not to get too caught up in what's rated highest. It's more important to understand how you are going to use the device in your day to day activities and then find one that meets your needs. You wouldn't buy a Ferrari to haul scrap metal to the junk yard, know what I mean?

You can find further information on PDA and smartphone models on The PDA Pro website.

The Perfect PDA

How do you find the perfect PDA? You can start by visiting The PDA Pro website where you can Find a PDA. Seeking Alpha, a financial website, offers an article on Tips on Picking the Perfect PDA. It includes some great suggestions from PC World.

Ultimately, finding the perfect PDA is a personal decision, based on your unique needs. If you feel overwhelmed with the decision, you can attend my Secrets to Selecting a PDA teleclass, hosted by Rick Cooper.