[789] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) technology
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Bruce Flanders)
Wed Jul 22 09:01:24 1992
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 07:57:45 CDT
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@ricevm1.rice.edu>
From: Bruce Flanders <FLANDERS%UKANVM.BITNET@ricevm1.rice.edu>
To: Multiple recipients of list PACS-L <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@ricevm1.rice.edu>
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
I am wondering what readers of this list think the potential might be
for personal digital assistant (PDA) technology to (eventually) change
the way the library is accessed. I say "eventually" because this
technology will obviously evolve over several years from the rather
modest, but still interesting, Apple Newton hand-held computer
scheduler and organizer to more science fiction-type applications such
as a truly intelligent personal assistant that communicates with its
owner with voice-recognition, and can link to the phone system and
remote computers via wireless networks spanning the country or the globe.
The famous Apple video previewing their concept of the "Knowledge
Navigator" has inspired skepticism and ridicule. But it has also fired the
imagination of a lot of people. Is the Apple Newton the first step on the
path to the Knowledge Navigator? Is it truly significant?
Bruce Flanders/Director of Technology/Kansas State Library
FLANDERS@UKANVM.Bitnet flanders@ukanvm.cc.ukans.edu
