As corporate organizations begin to view the Pocket PC as a viable enterprise PDA, IT and Purchasing groups have begun the search for the "perfect" device for large scale deployment. As this process begins, many have been surprised by the dizzying array of options, possibilities and capabilities that the current Pocket PC offerings provide. The process of selection can be confusing, to say the least.

There is no easy solution to the problem of choosing a Pocket PC device for enterprise deployment. The key to successfully traversing the Pocket PC "decision tree" is knowledge, understanding and evaluation. The goal of this article is to provide some insight into the analysis needed, as well as into the possibilities of the Pocket PC in an enterprise deployment. I will look at the general makeup of a Pocket PC device (a sort of "Pocket PC Anatomy 101," if you will) and the typical business uses and needs for an organization. I will then bring these two areas together to help narrow the potential candidates. Along the way, I will discuss the organization-specific variables that may influence the overall process. In the end, the success or failure of a Pocket PC deployment will hinge largely on these factors.

The Anatomy of a Pocket PC

A major factor in the growing acceptance of the Pocket PC in enterprise environments is the amazing expandability of the typical device. Each of the current hardware vendors in the Pocket PC market provides various means of extending the capabilities of their standard device. As a result, users or organizations can tailor the basic Pocket PC device to better meet their own needs.

The easiest way to make a comparison of Pocket PC devices is to find hardware areas that are common to all. For the purposes of this article, I will break the features into the following groups:

1. CPU
2. Memory
3. Screen
4. Power
5. Casing