 Screen When choosing a PDA you need to look at the screen carefully. Although a good screen does not necessarily increase the usefulness of your PDA, it can make it more comfortable and convenient to use. All PDA screens are liquid crystal display (LCD), but they are not all the same. Different PDA manufacturers use different makes and types of screen; the best way to be sure of a good screen is to test it yourself. There are several factors that you should take into account when looking at the screen of a PDA:
Size
A bigger screen makes it easier for you to see the information on your PDA, and makes operating it by touch-screen easier.
The lcd screen is one of the most expensive parts of a PDA; so the larger it gets, the more expensive it gets!
Image Quality
The image quality of a screen depends mainly on the number of colours it can handle and the display resolution.
Colour: The four most common colour settings for screens are as follows:
Monochrome: Cheapest, uses little battery power – Difficult to see in dark light, not any good for pictures or serious use.
4096 (4k): Cheap, provides basic colour – not good enough for anything other than basic colour use
65,000 (65k): Currently the standard for most PDA’s, good enough for vast majority of uses.
256,000 (256k): Best colour definition and smoothness – Most expensive, of no real benefit to many current users.
Resolution: The display resolution is the number of dots that the screen has; the higher the numbers the more detail the screen can display.
For anything other than the most basic of use, you should have at least a 240x320 pixel screen (QVGA); this is standard on most Pocket PC’s.
If you wish to spend more on your PDA then you can look for larger resolutions; the largest standard resolution at the moment is 480x640 (VGA). Examples of different resolution on the same size screen: These images are 1/4 of each resolution. 240x320 pixels (QVGA) - 320x480 pixels (HVGA) - 480x640 pixels (VGA)   
Dead Pixels
A dead pixel is where a dot on the lcd screen becomes stuck on a single colour. This is fairly common occurrence on lcd screens (it would be far too costly to throw out all lcd screens with a dead pixel), and does not mean that your unit is faulty.
Most manufacturers will only replace a PDA if the screen has more than three dead pixels, but this varies from one company to another.
If you buy your PDA from a shop, then ask to test the unit before you buy it; you can then check for dead pixels. If you order online, email the retailer before you buy and ask how many dead pixels are needed before you can return and swap the PDA.
Blur
Some lcd screens are more responsive than others, the slower ones can leave a blur as you move things around the screen. While this is not a serious problem, it may become frustrating when using the PDA for long periods of time.
Most new PDA’s should have very little blur; but if buying a second hand you should check the unit before you buy. Article Index3. Screens and Image Quality |
