Hey we were looking for tips on writing Handheld reviews from those erstablished member that will help the newbies to the site and also newbies to the Computer Hardware Category.

Jon

In crafting a review on handheld’s it is most important to keep the functionality of the device at the forefront of your mind. It is important to include all information necessary to help the potential buyer make an informed decision about the product being reviewed. Try and include all the information you yourself would like to see in a review on the product.

More specifically, when reviewing a handheld, the following items should be touched upon as important:

Operating System

Size and weight

Included Software

Ease of Use

Battery life

Expansion Ports; i.e. Type II and or Type III

Imbedded Memory; i.e. Primary and or backup

Memory Slots; i.e. Secure Media or Flash

Connectivity; i.e. USB or Serial

One might also want to include a sampling of external software available for the particular type unit you are reviewing; i.e. Palm or Pocket PC. Usability aspects should also be touched upon; e.g. can the Handheld synchronize with the most popular contact managers, and Office Applications.

Finally, some information about third party ancillary equipment should be touched upon; e.g. cases, modems, NIC’s memory cards, etc.

Vince,

Thanks for your input and I am sure someone will benefit from your ideas.

Jon

I agree with most of what you have there Vince. I would add in screen size and resolution, as that is a major differentiator on many units out today. Does the unit have WiFi and/or Bluetooth? If it does, have you used them, and how do you find the speed/range?

Most important to me is how the person uses the PDA in their everyday life. If someone uses a PDA which is lower cost to play MP3's, plan their day and tasks and play a few low-key games, a consumer with those exact needs would know tha this unit is in their interest range. That way they may not buy the most expensive one when they don't need it for their needs. Conversely, if the user needs WiFi, phone capability, and high powered processor, they may know to look on to other reviews or other products to find the perfect price/feature fit for them.

To tell you the truth, I see information about cases, add on cards with cameras, etc. as filler. It may be interesting to know that they are out there for some folks, but for the review of the actual PDA, I don't think it is necessary. I would certainly not downrate if it were included, but it isn't going to gain any points either. On the other hand, I agree that adding in information about software apps that you find indispensible to everyday usage is very good to add in, as again this plays into how you have optimized your experience with the unit. Always keep in mind that you can potentially have the PDA applications that you have purchased added to the database and get a software review out of it too!

Those are my thoughts; looking forward to others!

Jason

Great point Jason, I would like to see more about if the features worked as advertised by the manufacturer or were they disappointing.

Thanks for the input in this area, I hope that we can get more added and then we can start pointing the newbies to these forums once the board is fully opened up.

Jon