Handheld Computer Applications in the Navy Command Environment

摘要

As society becomes increasingly information-oriented, the drive for more capablemachines to retrieve, store, process and present such information anywhere, at anytime becomes paramount to success. This is true of United States Navy and Marine Corps officers who must manage large amounts of information while operating in remote areas. Today's very small, portable computers known as palmtops are capable of running powerful scaled-down versions of contemporary operating systems. When coupled with a transmission medium, palmtops represent a portable computer that can be used to communicate and process information in ad hoc environments. The Naval Postgraduate School Staff Officer Palmtop Computer Project is designed to analyze the effectiveness of Windows CE-based palmtop computers as an aide to professional Naval officers. The study project provides Naval officers with a popular palmtop computer and allows them to use the device for a four week period. During this time participants are encouraged to use the palmtop for work and personal information tasks. The primary complaints with these devices are ergonomically oriented. There is no convenient and reliable method of data entry and they cannot be easily carried while in uniform. Results from the study indicate that current Windows CE handheld PCs are not appropriate for use in this capacity. Recommendations for more useful portable personal computers complete this research.