As palmtop/handheld computers with email and Internet connections, today's units are light years ahead of the early units based on features, technology, and quality. And things will continue to change rapidly. Palm, Inc. is doing color; Microsoft is actually scaling down Windows CE somewhat, or at least making it more user friendly. Linux-based units are already being introduced. Inevitably, all of the PDA world will reconcile itself with the cellular phone world because wireless connectivity seems to be the wave of the near future.

Combining an effective organizer, a capable processor running complex applications, wireless connectivity, a color screen, expansion capabilities, huge amounts of RAM, decent battery life, and effective input methods, all in a lightweight, portable, and usable unit is certainly a tall order, and one that the early designers probably couldn't imagine. If such a perfect machine ever gets manufactured, guess who'll be strolling down the aisle with a box in one hand and money in the other.

Judith Tabron thinks the ultimate goal of human evolution should be that enlightened state where we all get dozens of cable channels and Bill Gates gets what's coming to him. She is in charge of instructional technology at Brandeis University.