What's so special about the iPhone/iPod Touch?

The beta SDK for the iPhone/iPod Touch is an exciting development for physicians and nurses using handheld computers in practice. The original uses of the personal digital assistant, or PDA, was for business people to keep track of schedules and clients. The PDA's ability to also run added applications was not, and has yet to be, part of what sells the devices to those in business. However, to healthcare providers the PDA created a tool that could change practice. The ability to add references and clinical calculators changed practice from one that relied on memory to one that relies on accessing the latest information as needed.

The iPhone does not change this basic idea of providing information p.r.n. but does give it new life. The iPhone removes two of the biggest limitations of the Palm and Windows Mobile OS devices:

1. Larger Screen: The higher pixel density and larger screen finally gives photos and video clips usable quality. The tiny screen of Palm and Windows Mobile devices require the use of a stylus for selections because the targets are so tiny; on an iPhone the targets are large enough for a fingertip to accurately select.

2. Application Installation: The iPhone/iPod Touch's use of iTunes to buy and sync applications removes one of the biggest difficulties in maintaining handheld computer software. The Palm syncing software is old and non-intuitive. When serial numbers and Device IDs are added to protect copyright things only get worse. The biggest problems I face as a nurse educator is getting my students to navigate the process of purchasing, downloading, syncing, and authorizing software. Apple has eliminated all these hassles. Many don't realize the key to the iPod's success was iTunes. The iPod would just be another mp3 player if it wasn't for the elegant and simple way to manage files between the computer and the device.