Delicate Technology

I have been using a PDA since the first Palm Pilot’s came out from 3COM. As a matter of fact, I have become quite reliant on them. I keep all kinds of random information in it, some things that I use often and some things that I hardly ever look at.

One thing that hasn’t changed from my old 3COM Palm Pilot to my latest Dell Axim is that if you drop them, they will cease to function. It seems to me that a thing that is supposed to be carried around with you all the time would be built sturdier than that. There are no moving parts inside like a laptop or PC with it’s hard drive, so that is not the issue. There are laptops out there intended for harsh enviroments that can survive a fall or an impact, so I know this can be done. The problem must be with the cost of making something survive a drop. The rugged laptops are priced at a premium over their fragile bretheren, so the PDA that can survive a drop must also be more expensive.

I don’t think that an all out “ruggedizing” is in order, but it would be nice if they could survive a 3 foot drop to the ground. I would pay a few extra dollars for the piece of mind.

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