Wireless PDA first and mobile phone second

Going wireless on a laptop is pretty commonplace. Sipping a latte in the internet cafe while checking your e-mail sure beats the office. But our bags are about to get even lighter with a new wave of wireless personal digital assistants (PDA) that double as mobile phones.

The latest to hit the market is the update on O2's sleek mobile PDA, the XDA IIi. Marketed like a sportscar (with all the sleek lines of an ad for a BMW), the XDA has grown up from a rather clunky-looking device into a really rather good-looking smart phone.

The XDA IIi retains the core functions of the XDA II platform. Billed as a "voice-enabled Personal Digital Assistant" - as opposed to being a phone first - the XDA IIi sports a 1.3 megapixel camera, fully integrated wireless LAN connectivity, a fast 520MHz processor and the latest Windows 2003 second edition software.

But it's the integrated wireless LAN or Wi-Fi capability that makes the XDA stand out from other PDA phones.

Because of its big screen, proper web surfing becomes a real possibility using fast wireless, rather than an achingly slow mobile phone connection. In this respect, the XDA is a true competitor to the likes of HP's latest iPAQ PDA which also boats wireless.

The experience of using the XDA is also far more computer-like than the average smart phone. Clicking into the applications menu, it feels not dissimilar to a Palm device but with a Windows feel to it. Digging deeper in to the application, you quickly realise just how sophisticated a device this is.

But it's not just all work and no play. The XDA IIi comes standard with Microsoft Media Player, a pair of headphones and good sound quality. It will load MP3s or WMA format files, though not AAC files, common to the iPod.

Along with all the usual phone functions like voicemail and test messaging, you can also use the optional fax application on your XDA IIi to create, send, receive and view faxes. That's assuming you can master the hunt-and-peck virtual keyboard of the handwriting recognition.

Whatever the product designers think, a real keyboard can make you about 10 times more productive on any device. However, there is good news on the horizon in the form of the XDA IIs, the version of the XDA with a keyboard.

Other features of the XDA IIi include POP3 e-mail, links with Microsoft Exchange Servers, and, from spring , it will support BlackBerry "push e-mail" technology.