• The more your needs on a PDA, the more you'll pay.pda with memory cards image by Christopher Nolan from Fotolia.com
  
  A PDA, or a personal digital assistant, is a small, portable device that helps you organize everything in your busy life. Since they took off in the marketplace during the early 2000s, so many brands have hit stores that it's challenging to figure out which one is better over another. As with any piece of tech, it comes down to your individual needs and preferences.
  
  

PDA Personal Needs

• Determine what you want to do with your PDA before considering any brand. You may want to just keep track of events through a calendar or a contact list that can be utilized through an older generation pocket PC. Brands like Compaq, Palm or Dell still sell their older-generation pocket PCs for a little more than $100. If you want to use your PDA for more advanced features like email and Internet, then you should buy a newer model pocket PC from the same brands. These may cost you a couple hundred dollars more, along with charges for wireless Internet use. Nevertheless, they give you the better option of organizing and communicating online. Also consider a PDA with a cell phone for better consolidation. These can cost as much as several hundred dollars, plus cell phone charges. Models of this type include the Blackberry or T-Mobile Sidekick.
  
  

Operating Systems

• The top PDAs on the market run on various operating systems, some on their own specific systems. Pocket PCs run Windows, though which version it is depends on age of the PC. Newer Pocket PC operating systems use Windows Mobile. With the Palm series of PDAs, you'll have to contend with their own built-in and well-organized operating system. T-Mobile Sidekick also uses its own. It allows easy access from web surfing, and chatting to writing an email, all in one. The Blackberry also has a built-in operating system that lets you do everything. Ultimately, if you want more advanced features and don't like Windows, T-Mobile and Blackberry are your best bets.
  
  

Memory Needs

• Your memory needs in a PDA will depend on how many features you intend to use. If you intend to just use a simple PDA to keep contact information, one with only 16 MB would be suitable. You'll need 32 MB for a Pocket PC with Windows that runs Microsoft's Office applications. Should you want your PDA to play some limited media, one with at least 64 MB will be needed. More media use will require an expansion card that's the equivalent to memory cards used in digital cameras. Many PDA models have expansion card memory slots.
  
  

Screen and Battery Life

• Look for a color screen on a PDA, though your battery may wear down faster if you have it on an overly bright setting. Older PDAs have monochrome screens that don't use up as much battery. Batteries, however, usually have up to 10 hours of power with a lower screen setting.
  
  

Extra Features

• Obtain information about extra features on the PDA you're considering, such as built-in keyboards, built-in digital camera, or Bluetooth capability. Each of these can enhance your use of a PDA.