Applications for PDAs, Blackberry's and iPhones

COMP1260 > Application Software

Introduction The PDA (Personal Digital assistant) is convenient to use and carry, so it has been widely used in many professions. For example, health care, education, restaurant service, and transportation, etc. There are many applications support PDA’s every function,it can help us to record the files, search the information, listen to the music or play the games. Therefore, application is very important in PDAs. Without the application, PDA cannot run properly.

...by students In China, there is a restaurant where the servers use PDAs to take customers’ orders. The server shows the sample dish on today’s menu in the sample room. To order, the server will enter the code number for the dishes ordered into the PDA, and this information will automatically appear on the screen in the kitchen. If at any time, a customer wants to change the order, the information can be entered on the PDA and will instantly notify staff in the kitchen. The PDAs use in the restaurant because it has the special application has been implemented.

PC applications and PDA applications

Application of the PC or PDA can help us to make our life easier. Applications on the PC and PDA are very similar and vary only in terms of price and functionality because of the space and the processor limitations.

Price

Some PDAs application was written by PDA developers because PDA’s application is very small, and it won’t need many resources. Also some PDA users like share their applications with each other which writing by themselves. So the cost is much less than PC’s application.

Functionality

PDA’s functionality is limited because of relatively small storage and processer speed. For example: Microsoft Office for PC and Documents to go for PDA are both applications for office processing. However, the full version of Microsoft Office has many applications, such as Access, Excel, Word, PowerPoint etc. But, the full version of Documents to go includes only four applications; word, slideshow, and sheet and pdf reader. In general, PC applications offer greater functionality than PDA application.

Where can you get these applications?

Applications are very important tools. There are many different versions of operating systems (OS) running on PDAs, such as Blackberry OS, Palm OS, Symbian OS, Windows Mobile OS and Mac OS for iPhone. The application products are available for a given PDA depend on the version of the OS. Companies like RIM and Apple entice users to purchase applications through their stores because there is a big market for PDA applications in nowadays. So, that is why these companies provide links to the applications download website from the home page of their products. Apple Company lists all kinds of applications that can run on the iPhone. Basically, there are two categories: free applications and paid applications. You can download iPhone applications from http://www.apple.com/iPhone to your iTunes which is free software to provide by Apple Inc. For Blackberry, there are various application stores. Users can purchase the applications or games from the website: http://blackberry.handmark.com/ or http://www.blackberrymarketplace.com.

How to install an application on a PDA?

To install an application on a PDA is very easy, no matter which kind of platform is used by the PDA. So, we will introduce three different types of installation, depending on the OS.

Windows Mobile

For Windows platform, there are two ways to install applications into your device.

Install directly from your device

  a)Using USB cable to connect you PC to your device.
  b)Download applications.
  c)Navigate to the application to your device or PC. 
  d)Open ActiveSync on your PC.
  e)Click “Explore”.
  f)Copy the file to “\Storage\Windows\Start Menu\Accessories” on your device.
  g)Use File Manager to find .cab file you just download.
  h)Open the .cab file. The application will automatically install.

Install application from your PC

  a)Using USB cable to connect you PC to your device.
  b)Open ActiveSync on your PC. (open Windows Mobil Device Center if you running Windows Vista system)
  c)Download applications.
  d)A dialog box will asking you weather saves or open the application.
  e)If you select Open, the application will download. If the application is unzip, it will automatically install. Otherwise, you need unzip the application and do it manually. If you
    select save, you need navigate to the folder that you want to save. Click Setup file to install if it is unzip.
  f)The application will begin to install. A confirm box will ask you really want to install the application to your device, please using the default directory. If you have a storage
    card, click no.
  g)Click the drop-down menu to see your storage choices.
  h)Select the storage.
  i)The installation will begin.
  j)Check your device if any other required need to be done.
  k)Click “Ok” to finish the installation. 

iPhone

Installation on iPhone platform is much easier to install the application. There are two ways of doing it via iTunes or download to the iPhone.

Install application via iTunes.

  a.Open iTunes.
  b.Select the file from iTunes store.
  c.Download into your iTunes.
  d.Connect your PC with your iPhone. The application will automatically install. 
  Please confirm the synch application is check under Application tab, otherwise application will not install to the iPhone.   

Install application using iPhone WI-FI.

  a.Tab install batten on the iPhone.
  b.Enter the password for WI-FI.
  c.Select the file.
  d.Click install on right-top.
  e.Click “yes”. 
  After few minute, the application is availed on you iPhone.

Blackberry platform

For Blackberry platform, there are two options to setup the application.

Install by BlackBerry Desktop Manager

  a)Download the .alx file if it was zipped please unzip file.
  b)Connect your PC with Blackberry.
  c)Run the BlackBerry Desktop Manager software.
  d)Click “Application Loader”.
  e)Click “Start” under “Add/Remove Applications”.
  f)Click “Browse” to load the .alx file.
  g)Check the application has been select.
  h)Click “Next” to acknowledgement.
  i)Click “Finish” to install.

Install by Over-the-air (OTA)

  a)Find software by using Web browser in the BlackBerry.
  b)Click “Download Trial” from select application.
  c)Confirmation the application and click “Download”. The application will automatically install after the download.
  d)Successfully installed message will show to confirm.

References

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/en-us/help/more/install-cab-files.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/en-us/help/more/install-applications.mspx
http://support.iambic.com/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=306&nav=0
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_digital_assistant
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPhone
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BlackBerry

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