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Writing On A Palm OS Handheld Computer
by A. C. Ellis

There was a time, not more than two or three years ago, when I would have had to explain what a PDA is.  Today they are so ubiquitous that such an explanation is unnecessary.  Suffice it to say, PDA stands for Personal Digital Assistant, and people are doing more with them now than was originally intended.  In fact, they have become known as handheld computers, and they have usurped many of the tasks we bought those large desktop computers to perform.

But can you actually use a PDA to do more than add a contact or write a short memo?  Can you write an article or short story on one--or even a complete book?

Yes, you can.  With the right hardware add-ons and software, you can actually produce book-length material in the privacy of your local coffee shop.

You're probably asking: Why would anyone want to do that?  After all, out of the box PDAs are notorious for poor input schemes and tiny screens.

The good news is in the input device arena, which I will discussed later.

The bad news is you are stuck with the screen your PDA came with, at least for the present.  Eventually a larger add-on screen might be developed for some PDAs, but I wouldn't hold my breath.  And a larger screen would only negate the reason you bought a PDA in the first place: portability, where nothing counts more than size--or a lack there-of.  At any rate, today's PDA displays are crisp and clear, so it isn't really a major problem.

The PDA

PDAs come in various flavors, defined mainly by the operating systems they run.  The current leaders for units sold are those that run the Palm OS, a simple operating system that supports only a small amount of memory.  But what can be done with its limited resources is nothing short of amazing.  For example, I am writing this article on a Handspring Visor Deluxe, with 8 megabites of memory.  That 8 meg holds the 3 novels I am currently writing, 2 novels I am reading, a couple dozen short stories and articles in various stages of completion, uncountable ideas and notes, all the software needed to make the device a writing machine, as well as the data in both the date book and address applications--and I have used just half the Visor's base memory.  Should I run out of memory, an 8 meg expansion module can be purchased for $79.95.

There are, of course, PDAs running operating systems other than the Palm OS.  I will let those more familiar with such PDAs write about them.

Add-ons

These are the hardware add-ons I find most helpful while writing on my PDA.

Keyboard

This is arguably the most important add-on you can buy.  Palm OS PDAs do not have built-in keyboards.  The on-screen virtual keyboard and the graffiti handwriting scheme using a stylus are both cumbersome and slow (although a good part of this article was written using a stylus).  But there are now third-party developed keyboards for Palm OS PDAs.  Two in particular are quite well thought out.

- GoType
The GoType keyboard from LandWare is what is known as a clamshell keyboard because it opens like a clam shell, the top part protecting the keys while the keyboard is closed.  While this is an extremely rugged keyboard and will give the average user many years of hassle-free performance, it is a bit too bulky for the mobile writer's needs.  In addition, the keys are too small and too close together, making the GoType particularly uncomfortable for large-handed or fast touch typists.

- Stowaway
The Stowaway keyboard, however, it just the keyboard I have been looking for, because it lives up to both the spirit and the letter of the over-arching PDA philosophy of portability.  The Stowaway, from Think Outside, is a full-sized keyboard that folds up into a rugged case only a bit larger than my PDA, and can fit comfortably in purse or pocket.

The only drawback to the Stowaway is that it must be used on a level surface that completely supports it.  Beyond that, the Stowaway is the ideal keyboard for the mobile writer.  And after all, isn't that why we purchased a PDA to begin with--to be mobile?

Like the GoType, the Stowaway has been adapted to both the Palm devices and the Handspring Visor. It also won the 2000 VisorCentral Award in both the General Accessory and Product of the Year categories.

Backup Module

Now that you have the better part of your new novel entered into your PDA, how do you protect it?  All PDAs have a way to get your data from the device to your desktop or laptop computer.  Not all of them allow you to archive your work if you are away from your base computer.  The Handspring Visor allows you to do just that.

The $39.95 backup module saves everything on your Visor, both user-created data and applications.  Simply plug the module into the Springboard slot, tap the icon, and minutes later you have a complete backup.  Restoration is just as easy.

WriteRight/tape

Protecting the screen of your PDA is just as important as protecting your data.  For a time I used 3/4 inch Scotch Satin Tape over the entire lower input area of the screen, but that left the rest of the display unprotected.  I do considerable editing on screen, and I produced several unsightly scratches before I found the WriteRight screen overlays.  Not only do they protect the screen, but they actually make writing in the graffiti area feel more like writing on paper.  They also help cut down on screen glare.

The Software

Hardware is only half the equation; the other half is software.  I have found a few applications that make writing on a PDA just a little easier.

- WordSmith
This program is not simply a text editor, which we were stuck with until recently.  WordSmith does everything the original text editors allowed (cut, copy and paste, find and replace, import existing text, and control of document compression and decompression, among other things) and much more.  This program is a true word processor.  It produces Rich Text Format (RTF) files, which can be used with almost any modern word processing program on the desktop.  This means when you sync to your desktop you keep all character formatting (underlining, itallics, bold, strike-through) as well as paragraph formatting and indenting, line spacing, and font styles.  You can literally write and format your work on the PDA.

- TealScript
This program allows your PDA to recognize the way you write graffiti, making for faster and more accurate text input using the stylus.

- ShadowPlan
A task manager, outliner, and hierarchical checklist system all rolled into one. It even permits long memos, so you can rough in a draft in the outline.

- WordComplete
Write the first several letters of a word (the number of letters is configurable), and this program supplies a list of words.  Tap the word you want and it is added at the cursor.  Your word isn't in the list? Add it for next time.  But be careful--this is where spelling really counts.

- Thesaurus/Dictionary
A number of programs fall into these categories.  I can't recommend one over another, however, because I don't use either a dictionary or a thesaurus on my Visor.  By the time I get to the point where I would be using either, I would have the document on my desktop computer and could use one with more entries than I could put on the PDA.

Adjusting

At first I thought it would be difficult to go from writing on a full-sized desktop computer to writing on a PDA, but it really wasn't.  Although the display is small and nothing can be done to make it larger, the addition of the Stowaway keyboard and WordSmith (which allows me to increase font size while writing on the PDA, and change it back to 12 point Courier when I'm ready to sync it to my desktop) makes my Handspring Visor a quite good--if not excellent--writing tool.  Add to that the fact that it is extremely portable, and I doubt I will ever again write on my desktop machine.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Palm OS PDAs
Palm (http://www.palm.com)
Handspring (http://www.handspring.com)

Add-ons
GoType keyboard - LandWare (http://www.landware.com)
Stowaway keyboard - Targus (http://targus.com)

Software
PalmGear H.Q. (http://www.palmgear.com)

Copyright © 2002 A.C. Ellis. All Rights Reserved.

A. C. Ellis is the author of WORLDMAKER, a science fiction novel that earned him a mention in THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SCIENCE FICTION. He has had a number of short stories published both in print and electronically.

Ellis lives in Denver with his wife Jeanne and their two cats, Fred and Barney. He is a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) and is currently working on his first mystery novel.

http://www.ebooksrock.net/pages/aellis.html

Contact Al Ellis: a.ellis@att.net