IN an increasingly competitive world where people feel compelled to work harder to get ahead of the pack, time management has become an important way to get an advantage.

While some people are in a position to hire a personal assistant to help arrange their daily schedules and keep track of upcoming appointments, new technologies have facilitated the development of ‘personal digital assistants’ that can help the rest of us cope with busy calendars.

PDAs, sometimes called pocket PCs, are handheld computing devices that store and process personal and business-oriented data, allowing users to take notes using a pen-like stylus, schedule appointments, store phone numbers and addresses, and send faxes and emails.

“The devices are really handy – each and every person should have one,” said U Tin Htoo Khaing, the managing director of Access Spectrum Co., Ltd, a computer sales and service shop in Yangon.

He said PDAs also function like mobile PCs and can be used to run computer applications similar to Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Among the advantages they have over laptop and desktop computers is their light weight and the speed at which the applications can be accessed, he said.

Although some PDA users complain about the small screen size, they are perfectly suited to taking short handwritten notes and sending messages over the internet, said Ko Nyi, the managing director of Notebook City in Yangon’s Sanchaung township.

Because the devices can interface with other computers via telephone lines, radio waves or computer cables, data can be easily transferred from desktops or laptops to PDAs, and vice versa, he said.

PDAs are based on technology similar to that used for larger computers, including data storage and retrieval systems, operating systems and applications.

Most of them are equipped with liquid crystal display (LCD) screens featuring touch-screen technology and handwriting recognition programs that allow data input using a pen-like stylus.

The two primary operating systems used in PDAs are Palm OS and Windows Pocket PC.

More recent models offer a wider array of options for add-on features, including memory cards, modems, network cards and projector cards. Many also provide wireless access to local area networks and the internet, while some combine mobile phone technology with PDA functions.

Although PDAs are widely used in many countries throughout the world, they have only come into use in Myanmar in the past couple of years and can still be difficult to find.

U Tin Htoo Khaing of Access Spectrum, which sells PDAs, said not many people in Myanmar are aware of the technology and demand is low because of the expense – prices range from about K300,000 to K1 million, which is still too high for most people in the country.

Those who can afford them are also rich enough to go abroad, and they usually buy PDAs in other countries, he said.

However, consumers who want to get service from local stores buy PDAs in Myanmar, he said.

U Tin Htoo Khaing said that although the business of selling PDAs in Myanmar is still risky because of low market demand, he started selling them in 2003 because he had used them in the past and was particularly interested in getting others to understand their benefits.

“Business is slow but since I have PDAs in my shop I can share my opinions about them with my customers,” he said.

Most people who buy PDAs are government officials or business people who use them to make presentations and manage information, he said.

U Tin Htoo Khaing said the most popular brands in Myanmar are HP and Palm because of their appearance and design. Most PDAs are imported from Singapore.

He said his shop can import the newest models, or any other model, at the request of customers. Otherwise he waits at least a month to offer new models to be sure of their quality and marketability.

Access Spectrum offers a one-year warranty, as well as servicing, on all the PDAs it sells, he said.

Ko Nyi, whose company focuses on distributing laptop computers, said although he was interested in selling PDAs, he was waiting until more people in the country understood the benefits of using them.

Although the devices are relatively inexpensive, they cannot be used to their potential in Myanmar because of the lack of an efficient wireless system, he said.

“Once a wireless communication system is widely available in Myanmar, the PDA market will boom and people will likely begin to use them extensively ,” he said.

Meanwhile Yangon-based Parami Group Co., Ltd early this year introduced a device to the Myanmar market called the Pocket PC, which has many functions in common with PDAs.

U Tin Htun Aung, a sales engineer at the company, said the device was based on the latest technology and that its functions were comparable to those of the most up-to-date PDAs.

The Pocket PC also operates as a mobile phone, and is equipped with a built-in camera. Research and development was conducted at the company’s branch office in Singapore, and the device is also produced there.

The Pocket PC retails for K650,000. A one-year warranty is provided.