Why PDA’s grow-up to be EDA's

..., from a ‘Developers’ point of view

Note: I have cannibalise the following extract from Wikipedia

Summary:

What makes an ‘EDA’ (‘Enterprise Digital Assistant’) different to a ‘PDA’ ( ‘Personal Digital Assistant’ ). I would summarise the difference’s, which at first glance appear small, but from a developers point of view can become a moving target. In a nutshell (because this is a summary):

• Identification (21^st Sept. 2007: Today’s Topic)
• Traceability
• Integration
• Interoperability
• Operational Efficiencies
• And the idea that I can not find a ‘Wiki’ for it as of today

\\ URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_digital_assistant \\

\\ Extract from Wiki Begins \\

Personal digital assistants (PDAs) are handheld computers that were originally designed as personal organizers, but have become much more versatile over the years. PDAs are also known as pocket computers or palmtop computers. PDAs have many uses: calculation, use as a clock and calendar, accessing the Internet, sending and receiving E-mails, video recording, typewriting and word processing, use as an address book, making and writing on spreadsheets, scanning bar codes, use as a radio or stereo, playing computer games, recording survey responses, and Global Positioning System (GPS). Newer PDA’s also have both colour screens and audio capabilities, enabling them to be used as mobile phones (smartphones), web browsers, or portable media players. Many PDAs can access the Internet, intranets or extranets via Wi-Fi, or Wireless Wide-Area Networks (WWANs). Many PDA's employ touch screen technology.

\\ Extract from Wiki Ends \\

This article is by way of an introduction to ‘PDAs’ and ‘EDAs’ and the acute differences between them. As we move forward through further articles ‘Identification’ will be covered in even more detail.

Let me start by saying, if you review the wiki ‘PDA’ extract, there are a number of items in this list I would suggest were included because ‘EDA’ as an article has not yet been included in ‘Wiki’ and the author I would imagine was aware of these options and bundled into ‘PDAs’ as they are possible, but perhaps not practical.

I would go further and suggest that some of these options are what defines the true differences between ‘EDAs’ and ‘PDAs’.

Lets have a closer look:

The words ‘Personal Digital Assistant’ really back me up on here. The key word being ‘Personal’, which I would define this as; the ‘Digital Assistant’ is for ‘Personal’ use (Single User). Using this same logic, ‘Enterprise’ would mean anyone related to the ‘Enterprise’ (SOHO, SME, Enterprise type business users). If your beginning to see the crack, wait its about to turn into a canyon.

Identification:

Identification in our current context, is not just the identification of the user of the mobile device, it strongly relates to the identification of objects other than users for example, would you use a ‘PDA’ or an ‘EDA’ to identify a location in a factory store?

In my example of the ‘PDA’ I would say maybe, an example of such a method of finding out where you are in a factory store would be to use ‘GPS’ or ‘Google Maps’, but the problem is that while this is fine for a ‘Personal’ user, ‘Enterprise’ users want to ‘Identify’ exactly where something is and perhaps not where they are. Using the ‘Location’ details assigned by the ‘Enterprise’ and not by ‘Google’ or some orbiting satellite the ‘Enterprise’ user is seeking to commit an operation or transaction of some type.

Ok, I can hear someone in the back shouting “But I do that on my ‘PDA’”, consider that even within this limited example, an ‘Enterprise Users’ may wish to relate a pre-defined ‘Technical key’ encapsulated in say a ‘BarCode’ back to an ‘Enterprise Database’. This data may have to traverse the ‘Enterprise Wireless LAN’, then the ‘Corporate LAN’ in order to retrieve the location information, as it is only known to the ‘Enterprise’ and process ‘Transactional Data’ against this technical key in a secure, reliable method. All this, must be completed in a way which is within ‘Enterprise Standards’ and complete the round trip with speed. Added to which, there could be 100’s of users within viewing distance, all seeking to complete similar tasks all at the same time.

Where ‘EDAs’ also force a ‘PDA’ to grow up, is when you compare a simple requirement like ‘Processor’. A ‘PDA’ is classically marketed on the basis of the speed of its processor, however an ‘EDA’ is normally marketed on its ability to capture data via an array of simultaneous operational features. These feature could include ‘RFID’, ‘Magnetic Stripe’, ‘Smart Chip’, ‘Barcode’, ‘CCD Imaging’, ‘GPRS’, ‘GSM’, ‘GPS’ devices. What is it, that leads the technology of ‘Processors’ ever forward?. Leaving to one side the question of ‘profits for chip manufactures’, I would suggest that ‘Graphics’ are the main culprit here.

The thing about ‘Graphics’ is the processing required to ‘Retrieve’, ‘Calculate’, ‘Render’, ‘Refresh’ and ‘Release’ graphical objects has the industry driving the processing power out of ‘PC Motherboards’ and into dedicated expansion slots.

Once upon a time I could do my invoicing on an ‘Amstrad 1512’ with a single 5.1/4” floppy diskette and I still had loads of memory left in my 512k or ram. Don’t get me wrong, by today’s standards, it looked like one would imagine if you were to compare ‘space invaders’ and ‘Medal Of Honour’. The key here though, was it was not sexy, but it worked! And it worked as fast as I could type (and I still have at least 95 words per minute touch typing skills).

When you look closely at the average processing speed across ‘PDAs’, you’ll most likely find them averaging around 400-500mhz, where as ‘EDAs’ may only average around 200-300mhz…why?

‘EDAs’ are not designed for ‘Personal Use’, I believe ‘PDAs’ are design for ‘Personal Use’, where ‘Graphics’ are the key to a ‘Productive’, ‘Leisurely’ and ‘Enjoyable’ experience. Don’t get me wrong, yes they are used in business, yes they are deployed with great success in ‘Enterprise’, but for me, THEY LOOK GOOD BUT THEY JUST DON’T BOUNCED SO GOOD!.

Why are ‘EDAs’ averaging lower, again lets not get into the question of ‘Profit & Cost’, but I would suggest that, there is a reason ‘Enterprise’ do not wants ‘Doom’ running on there ‘EDAs’ and this same reason can be applied to ‘Development’. Developing for a lower processor, does not mean you have to watch every piece of code, it just means, perhaps if you do not need a rotating ‘@’ symbol in your browser, don’t include it, there are other considerations more important in an ‘EDA’ type application.

There are however exceptions (so is life) to the rule, as there are exceptions within the ‘EDA’ range of products too. It is at this point, if you’re a developer reading this (…project team leader not looking over your shoulder I’m guessing…) beware of the short falls of ‘PDAs’ and ‘EDAs’ and the ‘Pros’ and ‘Cons’ of entry level ‘EDAs’. I have learnt to my cost over a number of years (There could be a whole other article out on this subject alone) that what is important is really good ‘SDKs’ and the comfort of a good ‘Cold Boot Strap. A little off topic here, but don’t forget everyone should use ‘Google Search’ and ‘Experts Exchange’, when required.

So what are ‘EDAs’ designed for?, well, they are not designed to be pretty and very few in my view have any sex appeal. I believe they are designed for what may become possible and the requirements of many users, operating 24/7 if required, across the entire suite of ‘Enterprise Mobility Applications’. Keep in mind that 1 x ‘PDA’ most likely mean, 1 x User, where as ‘EDA’ most likely means X number of users.

Its taken me a little longer than I (or you I would imagine) would have hoped, but that brings us back to ‘Identification’. ‘EDAs’ not only need to ‘Identify’ each of those users, they need to securely grant and deny access to the information highway into the ‘Enterprises Warehouse of Data’. I would be remiss if I didn’t also point out, that ‘Enterprise’ wants to ‘Identify’ those users and those devices which may seek to attach themselves to the ‘Corporate Enterprise Network’. Keep in mind, that an ‘Enterprise’ can have many standards of operation and many 3^rd party hardware vendors supporting the final ‘Enterprise’ solution which you will need your ‘PDAs’ or ‘EDAs’ to integrate with.

Lets Review some items (a very small and not complete list) be identified:

• Users
• Devices
• Physical Objects
• Locations

In each case, you could identify each of the above with a ‘PDA’ or an ‘EDA’, but which one is more desirable when focusing on doing the day to day tasks in a way which is:

Efficient

Effective

Reliable

Secure

Robust

In ‘Enterprise’ there are very few people who enjoy having to scroll up and down a ‘stock items’ of say 10,000 items. This is where identification comes into its own and where ‘EDAs’ leave ‘PDAs’ far behind.

While ‘EDAs’ do include ‘Keyboard Styles’ for example 4, 8, 15, 32, 48 keys, it’s the ‘BarCode’ scanner, which holds pride of place. If you thinking about a ‘Touch screen’ and a ‘Pen’ (Stylus) your not thinking ‘Enterprise’, you still in ‘PDA’ mode, let me explain.

You mission…should you choose to except it, is to input all the ‘Part Numbers’ and ‘Quantities’ for each item sitting in the ‘Racks’ of our 25,000 foot warehouse (Small by any standard). It could be fun for someone watching, but I would imagine you would not enjoy going up and down the lanes, with your DIY ladder and a ‘PDA’ and find yourself swinging out of the top of your rattling ladder hold a ‘PDA’ in one hand and a ‘Stylus’ in the other while gripping the ladders with your teeth.

Now, in an ‘Enterprise’ frame of mind, you may shout words which would related to ‘Heath & Safety’ or perhaps you would go further and begin preparing a ‘Problem Statement’ documenting the details on how I could best co-locate that ‘PDA’ about my person.

If your working for the ‘Enterprise’, I would imagine you would begin to ask questions like, “Can we find a better way of doing this”. This should quickly bring about a response, which would include for example further positive questions like:

What do we need to identify?

Why does it need to be identified?

How is it currently identified?

How do we need to identify it?

How could be better identified?

When does it need to be identified?

With what should we identify it?

Each of these positive questions (all be them incomplete) may have negative questions like:

What do we not need to identify?

Why does it not need to be identified?

How is it currently identified in error?

How do we need to avoid identifying it?

How could be better avoid identifying it?

When does it not need to be identified?

When should it not be identified?

With what should we not identify it?

In the case of ‘Barcodes’, ‘EDAs’ can when the battle for the developer hands down, why?. Because a ‘Barcode’ can do so much of the front-end work of identification based on a profile or configuration. This profile or configuration can encompasses many of the answers to the questions; apply the criteria during the input process without the need to hand code the full array of possible validations and verifications.

Imagine a ‘Technical Key’, which has only numbers much like a ‘Serial Number’ on for example your PC. This ‘Serial Number’ could be no less than 10 digits, no more than 15. Simply put, a rule can be configured which will not allow the scanner to pass any data back to your application if the value found inside the ‘BarCode’ is outside the expected parameters.

Now if I can stop dirty data arriving at my application, as a developer, the less I have to code for the better. ‘Barcodes’ are just a simple example, ‘EDAs’ can as an alternative method of data capture, utilise one of many other many input devices to capture those all important identifications that can leave a ‘PDA’ looking like a xmass tree by the time you attach all the bits and bobs your going to need to perform an ‘Enterprise Transaction’ like ‘Identification’. Also keep in mind that you are not only going to need the array of different input data capture options, your going to need the battery capacity to power them and rugged frame in order to keep it working for many years while they literally get thrown from Averill to Zachary.

Here's a nice 'youtube' on the subject: http://www.yourtechtv.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=27&title=WEBCAST__Why_Rugged_Devices_Cost_Less

If you interesting in seeing more about ‘EDAs’ abuse, check out http://www.youtube.com/ and search for say the words ‘drop’, ‘test’, ‘Symbol’, ‘Intermec’, ‘handheld’, ‘MC9000’, ‘scanner’.

My personal favourite is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYy9S9WRKEM

No one is suggesting that you have to agree, but in ‘Enterprise’ you do have to be practical, in more ways than one.

Go on, why not let me have your 2 cents…

"Where Enterprise Goes Mobile - http://www.GoMobile.ie"