Are Handheld Computers Becoming Extinct?

This week, Sony announced they were getting out of the handheld computer business (PDA's) completely. This was no surprises as they stopped selling handhelds in the United States and Europe a year ago.

This, along with the fact that overall sales for PDA's have dropped for the third year in a row, leads one to ask the question if the handheld market is fading into the sunset. Last year, manufacturers only shipped 10 million PDA units worldwide.

Right now, there are two basic types of handhelds...the Palm-based system and the Pocket PC. Many observers claim that it is the Palm-based systems (like Sony) that are dead and that the more expensive Pocket PC is the winner of the category.

I, like other tech columnists, believe the whole genre is dying out. I base this not only on my own needs, but in the fact that sales for other portable devices are growing quite nicely.

For me, the biggest reason is that my cell phone will now do almost all of what my PDA (ironically it is a Sony) used to do. My phone hooks directly into my computer and Outlook to download phone numbers, to-d0 lists and appointments. Why carry two devices when one will do the same functions plus make phone calls and write e-mail's (not to mention take pictures)?

When I held a regular job, my PDA did carry some documents and spreadsheets, but then I went to using a laptop and I lost my need to carry a PDA. Sales figures show that many other users have been doing the same. Sales for laptops for the last few years have been booming.

The third device that just might kill off the PDA's for good is the rise of the portable media player. Devices like the i-Pod and video players are adding more and more features that just might make them the equal of PDA's plus play movies and music.

Many of you may disagree with me and say that you could not live without your PDA. That is fine. I am not saying that they don't have their useful functions and that they are still going to be around for a while. I am just saying that those of you who are contemplating buying one might think about if you really need it with all the other options available to you. Apparently consumers world wide have rethought their needs because they are not buying very many of them.

So many toys...so little time.