iPhone, worth the hype??

One of Apple's newest i-gadget is the iPhone. I did not know much about this product so I decided to do some research. From what I have found this product is very versatile and stylish. The iPhone comes with an 8 GB flash drive, can connect wirelessly to Bluetooth, Edge, and Wi-Fi, and runs on Apple's OS X operating system. The iPhone also comes standard with a variety of operator friendly features, such as a datebook to set up your schedule in. In my opinion the iPhone has 3 features that set it above the rest: The ability to search the internet from your palm, the ability to coordinate all of your music on a product as versatile and stylish as this, and the ability to have your music, phone, and pda all in one.

Now that I have said many of the good things about the iPhone it is time to give you the reasons I am not purchasing one. First off it is $399 before the cost of the phone plan and currently AT&T is the only service that is providing. Secondly, the iPhone does give you all the features in one but are you really going to run with your iPhone in your pocket? I like the smaller MP3 players for this. Thirdly, the iPhone is only a substitute for a pda if you don't need a specific software to necessitate the pda. Currently, there are not many (I couldn't find any) programs out there set up to be run on an iPhone unless you access it via the internet. Fourthly, unless you are somewhere where you can get free Wi-Fi the connection produced by AT&T (Edge) is very slow.

Quick recap- iPhone= very cool gadget that gives you the internet in the palm of your hand. Only product out there to give you 3-in-one like this.
Downsides- Bulky for an MP3 player, not a good pharmacy based pda, have to push a couple buttons to make a phone call = Not for me!

For more information on the iPhone I thought this video was helpful: ghttp://video.about.com/cellphones/iPhone-Review.htm

CNET: Compare Prices and Review PDAs and Smartphones

As I searched for a final topic to write about on our PDA blog, I wanted to find a resource that my blog co-sponsors and myself could utilize as we prepare for rotations that are approaching in May. Fumbling through Hardin Library for the Health Science's web page, I came across PDA resources. This web page includes: University of Iowa Subscribed PDA Downloads; Free Downloads; Discounted PDA Downloads; UI PDA Resources; Other PDA Sites; and Hardware Buying Guides. All of these subject headings contain useful downloads and links pertaining to PDA hardware, software, Outlook syncing, UI wireless setup, and other websites. One hardware buying guide link that I found to be very informative, especially when it comes to purchasing a PDA/Smartphone, is CNET Reviews: PDAs and GPS.

CNET is a website dedicated to providing the latest technological product reviews, news, downloads, tips & tricks, and price comparing. This website enables consumers to compare various desktops, laptops/notebooks, TVs, MP3 players, digital camcorders, digital cameras, printers, storage, software, car electronics, cell phones, PDAs, monitors, GPS, networking, peripherals, gaming, home audio, home video, VolP, video cards, computer parts, and flash memory. Of course, we are going to look at how to compare and review PDAs and smartphones.

In order to review and compare PDAs, just click on the reviews or compare prices tab on the www.cnet.com homepage. If you select the review tab, this will bring you to the CNET Reviews web page. Look for and select PDA under the Review by Category. Then select the PDA tab on the left (you can also get to this point via the Hardin Library web page as discussed above). Once you are here, you can review PDAs based on price range, manufacturer, size of RAM installed, operating system provided, input device type, built-in devices, or wireless connectivity. Once you select a category to compare on, you can sort by product name, lowest price, editor's rating, or review date.

If you select the compare price tab, find the PDA tab on the left and select it. This will bring you to the CNET Shopper web page. Now, find the PDA tab on the left and select it. You can compare devices based on the same categories as the PDA Reviews above. (Before you choose a category though, there are a couple of very informative paragraphs on whether a consumer should choose a Palm OS or Windows Mobile). If you select a category to compare devices, you can sort the results by: most popular, product name, manufacturer name, or lowest price.

Smartphones can be found underneath both the review tab and compare prices tab. Once you find the smartphone reviews, you can compare smartphones based on: price range, manufacturer, service provider, RAM size installed, communication band, OS provided, input device type, weight, or wireless connectivity. Once you select a category, you can sort the results by the same criteria as the PDA reviews.

For the compare prices tab, you can compare smartphones based on the same categories as the smartphone reviews above. However, you can sort the results the same way as the PDA compare prices web page.

Overall, I think that this website is very useful for all consumers looking to purchase newer technological devices. More specifically, this website will help us as pharmacy students select a PDA or smartphone that fits us economically and professionally.

Links to these web pages:
CNET PDA Reviews: http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-3127_7-0.html?tag=dir
CNET PDA Shopper: http://shopper.cnet.com/2001-3127_9-0.html?tag=shfd.dir
CNET Smartphone Reviews: http://reviews.cnet.com/4566-6452_7-0.html?tag=ont.pda.sp
CNET Smartphone Shopper: http://shopper.cnet.com/4566-6452_9-0.html?tag=shfd.dir

P.S. Another website similar to CNET is ZDNet. There is also a direct link to ZDNet Reviews: PDA on the Hardin Library website for PDA Hardware Buying Guides.

Link to ZDNet Reviews: PDA:
http://review.zdnet.com/Handhelds/4566-3127_16-0.html?tag=ont-pda

Diagnosaurus

Diagnosaurus is a source that has become new to me in the past week. I have not used this source before, but upon learning about it I find that it serves a very useful role in health care. Diagnosaurus can be accessed through the Hardin Library website via McGraw-Hill's AccessMedicine. Once there, all you have to do is click on the DDx option in the top toolbar to access this source.

Diagnosaurus is probably a more useful source for physicians than for pharmacists, but the variety of ways to find information can make it useful for any health care professional. Information can be looked up by searching based on symptoms, disease, organ systems, or all entries. If you have a patient come in and complains of an unproductive cough, all you have to do is search via symptoms, find cough, click on it, and find a list of the possible diagnoses that may be made for the patient. Once in the list of possible diagnoses, if you want more information on a particular disease, you can click on it to access multiple sources of treatment strategies as well as more information on the disease. This can also be a great source if someone is diagnosed with a disease that may not be correct. You can search by disease to look up the disease state in question and find possible differential diagnoses that can be made instead.

Although Diagnosaurus is probably a better drug/disease information source for physicians, there is also great utility in it for pharmacists and other health care professionals. It could also be a good option for a patient to look up information based on a symptom they have. From Diagnosaurus, they can find a list of possible diseases that can be associated with their symptom. This could be important because if the list contains alarming diseases, a patient may be more likely to seek medical attention rather than just ignoring the symptom. This could potentially allow health care professionals to diagnose and start to treat this disease earlier than if the patient simply ignored the complaint. I think that all of us as health care students need to recognize this source and learn how to use it for cases we may encounter as we become pharmacists in a year and a half.

STAT!Ref

, a drug information source search engine, is a personal favorite of mine. It is very easy to use, and it contains an enormous amout and variety of information.

First of all, STAT!Ref is easy to use. Searches can be approached from different pathways. One way to go about searching is to type your keyword in the search box, which will bring up a list of all the drug information resources that have information about your keyword search. If you misspell a keyword search term, the search engine will offer a similarly spelled keyword that you might actually be looking for, and you can redo the search. Either way, you can then choose to search within any of the listed resources for the specific information you want. Another way to find information is if you know specific DI resources you want to utilize. On the home page, select the advanced search button and then select the resources that you want the search engine to filter through when you perform your keyword search (You could perform the search first and then use the advanced search option to narrow your search). Howevery you get there, when you find the resource in which you want to find information on the keyword search, you can use the left hand collapsable shortcuts to quickly find the specific info that you want to utilize. Another way to look for information in a specific resource is to click on the Title tab in the upper left corner of the home page. On the next page, select the resource you wish to search in. Collapsable shortcuts will appear under the topic you select. This way can be a little more time consuming if you do not know which category the information you are looking for is in.

Another great characteristic of STAT!Ref is that it contains a large amount and a wide variety of information that you can access within. Considering there are 44 different drug information resources to utilize within STAT!Ref, the breadth and depth of information is staggering. For example, preparations for a specific medication can be found in AHFS Drug Information, information on basic immunology can be found in Medical Immunology, and information on diseases can be found in ACP PIER & AHFS DI Essentials. These are just a few examples of the plethora of information that can be accessed in this vast drug information resource. Even if you are not sure which specific resource to seek the information you desire, the pure fact that there are so many unique resources within STAT!Ref odds are the appropriate resource will find you when you perform a specific search. How can you beat that?!

The aforementioned information about STAT!Ref are just a few of the reasons why STAT!Ref drug information source search engine is a personal favorite of mine.

New Option for Blackberry Good for Healthcare

Lexi-Comp software for BlackBerry® devices now available!

Lexi-Comp and BlackBerry have partnered to help healthcare providers GO MOBILE and improve point-of-care decisions. Our trusted drug information content is now accessible with the speed and effectiveness of BlackBerry technology. Realize the power of instant wireless connectivity and real time content updates.

Found on Lexi-Comp's website

PubMed

PubMed is probably the best search database online to find new information on drug therapy. It is available via the NCBI Entrez retrieval system and a product of the National Institute of Health (NIH). PubMed utilizes MEDLINE's biomedical database which contains citations for journal articles that date from 1950-the present. MEDLINE resources are indexed by the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) database which is a convenient way to search for certain topics relating to clinical practice.

PubMed contains more than just the MEDLINE database. Other resources available via PubMed include: Accessed on 11/20/2007 (http://www.nlm.nih.gov.proxy.lib.uiowa.edu/pubs/factsheets/dif_med_pub.html)

* In-process citations which provide a record for an article before it is indexed with MeSH and added to MEDLINE or converted to out-of-scope status.
* Citations that precede the date that a journal was selected for MEDLINE indexing (when supplied electronically by the publisher).
* Some OLDMEDLINE citations that have not yet been updated with current vocabulary and converted to MEDLINE status.
* Citations to articles that are out-of-scope (e.g., covering plate tectonics or astrophysics) from certain MEDLINE journals, primarily general science and general chemistry journals, for which the life sciences articles are indexed with MeSH for MEDLINE.
* Some life science journals that submit full text to PubMedCentral® and may not yet have been recommended for inclusion in MEDLINE although they have undergone a review by NLM, and some physics journals that were part of a prototype PubMed in the early to mid-1990's.

When looking for information regarding treatment strategies as pharmacists, PubMed should be an important component of that search. This database offers a convenient and efficient search engine to find the most up to date research information available. This is particularly important clinically when forced with difficult patients who require complex treatment strategies. The best way to find answers to these difficult questions is to find the information needed to provide direction to the treatment strategy. PubMed includes new, reliable information, and links to full text articles of many of the referenced research studies. PubMed provides a nice way to locate new information that patients no doubt will be learning and asking their pharmacist about.

DynaMed Medical Reference

DynaMed is a clinical medical reference tool that was created by physicians for physicians and other health care professionals. It contains over 2,000 topics (diseases and conditions) that are updated daily via information from over 500 medical journals and systematic evidence review databases. Besides these topics, DynaMed now contains information on over 800 summaries from AHFS Drug Information. New evidence that is published in these journals is added to information already contained in DynaMed to come up with integrated, evidence based information on various topics. This drug information source is also available in a PDA application for Palm OS and Microsoft Mobile.

Each of the topics within DynaMed can be looked into further. There are 12 subtopics of information within most topics which include: general information, causes and risk factors, complications and associated conditions, history, physical, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prevention and screening, references including reviews and guidelines, patient information, and acknowledgements. The user can click on any of these 12 subtopics to get the information that the health care professional desires.

Specific information regarding the PDA version of DynaMed and compatibility:
From: http://www.epnet.com.proxy.lib.uiowa.edu/dynamed/technical.php accessed on 11/11/2007.
Palms – Devices running Palm OS 3.5 and higher. For example: Palm m500 series, Palm m700 series, Treo series, Tungsten series, and Zire series
Pocket PC – Devices running Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 or Microsoft PocketPC 2000 (ARM/X-SCALE only), PocketPC 2002, PocketPC 2003, PocketPC 2003 SE.
Supported Devices:
Pocket PC 2000, Pocket PC 2002, Pocket PC 2003
Devices that use Intel StrongArm, X-Scale, and Samsung processors
Windows Smartphone
Note: The downloaded version of DynaMed is not compatible with Blackberry or iPhone but the Web-based version of DynaMed can be accessed with a wireless Internet connection on a variety of handheld devices. DynaMed requires 25 MB of disk space on either the PDA device or memory card.

Overall, DynaMed is a valuable reference if you want information grouped by medical conditions and health topics. There is some drug information available with this reference, but it is categorized by drug class rather than individual drugs. For example, there is not a topic for Lisinopril but there is a topic titled ACE Inhibitors. There is not a lot of drug information available in DynaMed as compared to Drug Facts and Comparisons or Clinical Pharmacology, but the available information on disease states could be valuable for a Clinical Pharmacist. I find the reference to be handy because it provides lots of information regarding disease states. It is probably more useful for MDs or medical students, but we as pharmacy students can find ways to utilize this source also.

Ultraportable Laptops vs All Purpose Laptops

Ultraportable laptops, aka mini laptops or sub notebooks, are a new wave of computers designed for people on the go. These technological newcomers are part of the "smaller is better" mentality when it comes to portable technology. However, is smaller necessarily better? I will look at the pros and cons of these novel devices.

The main positive that mini laptops bring to the table is their size. First, they are obviously smaller and lighter than regular laptops. Normal laptops usually have 14"-17" screens, while mini laptops screens are usually 10.6"-13.3" or under. Thickness is less than 1" for ultraportable laptops versus greater than 1" for all purpose laptops. Normal laptops weigh anywhere from 5.3lbs to 8.5lbs, while mini laptops weigh anywhere from 2.6lbs-4.5lbs. These smaller dimensions of ultraportable laptops make them easier to carry around. Another plus is that battery life is usually greater for ultraportable laptops compared to all purpose laptops.

There are many negatives when looking at ultraportable laptops. First of all, the size of these mini laptops can take some adjusting due to smaller screen size, smaller keyboard, and smaller mouse. Also, in order for these sub notebooks to be compact, hard drive capacity/performance as well as optical drives and other features (e.g. DVD burner) may have to be sacrificed. The other issue with ultraportable laptops are their relatively greater cost. On average, mini laptops cost $1275-$2558 whereas all purpose laptops prices range from $1000-$2314.

All in all, ultraportable laptops might not be the best choice for everyone. However, if you are a business person that is always using your laptop on-the-go, an ultraportable laptop would be the way to go.

Thomson Clinical Xpert vs Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia Deluxe, PDA Edition

Two commonly used drug references for point-of-care clinical decisions are Thomson Clinical Xpert and Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia Deluxe, PDA Edition. Both of them have their upsides and downsides. When comparing and contrasting these two drug information references, let's look at memory requirements, compatibility with PDA operating systems, program specifics, frequency of subscribing, and cost of subscribing. Let's look at Thomson Clinical Xpert first.

Thomson Clinical Xpert has been trusted for over 28 years for relevant drug information. This drug reference offers information on over 4000 drugs, including dosage (adult and pediatric), dosing adjustments, administration, how supplied, indications (FDA and off-label), contraindications, precautions, adverse effects (common and serious), drug interactions, pregnancy categories, breast feeding, common trade name, generic name, and class of drug.
There is also a drug interaction tool that can be utilized. Up to 32 medications can be checked at one time for: severity, onset, adverse effects, probable mechanism, evidence, and clinical management.
Laboratory information is also available including: identifying appropriate tests, interpreting test results, monitoring drug levels, collecting samples, submitting tests, and monitoring therapeutic levels and side effects.
Information about diseases can also be found in Thomson Clinical Xpert. This includes evidence ratings, test and treatment options, and daily studies and alerts.
Toxicology information like clinical effects, treatment, and range of toxicity are available as well.
Information on over 300 alternative medicines includes: class, dosage (adult and pediatric), contraindications, drug interactions, how supplied, administration, indications, adverse effects, pregnancy category, and breast feeding.
Calculators are built in to perform dosages (dobutamine, dopamine, epinephrine, heparin, nitroglycerin, nitroprusside, norepinephrine, phenytoin level adjustment), IV rates, and over 20 measurement conversions. Other specific topics that the calculator works for include CrCl, ACLS/PALS, body weight, surface area, and BMI.
News information is available for FDA announcements, disease information, clinical updates, and upcoming product launches and announces from Micromedex.
Thomson Clinical Xpert is available for Palm OS, Pocket PC, and Windows Mobile. The most current version (2006) costs $99.95 to download. If you are a healthcare professional that is part of an institution with a subscription to Thomson Clinical Xpert, you can download this for free if you have the correct information. Thomson Clinical Xpert also requires 20MB of hard drive space.

Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia Deluxe, PDA Edition has been a portable drug reference since 1987. This source include expanded drug information from the Deluxe Edition of the print Pocket Pharmacopoeia (Extensive pediatric drug dosing, unique Canadian trade names and drugs, typical drug dosing (FDA and off-label), available trade and generic formulations, metabolism, and safety in pregnancy and lactation).
A tool for multiple drug interaction checking.
Continuous ongoing drug information auto-updates.
A fully integrated herbal and alternative therapy section.
47 reference tables
9 medical formula calculators.
Relative pricing codes (from $ to $$$$$) and exact drug prices from www.drugstore.com.
Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia Deluxe, PDA Edition is available as a 12 month subscription from the manufacturer's website for $29.95 or from collectivemed.com for $37.95. It requires 4.5MB of hard drive memory for Palm OS and Pocket PC, and 5.2MB of hard drive memory for Blackberry.

Both Thomson Clinical Xpert and Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia Deluxe, PDA Edition can be acquired after purchase via downloading from the internet. Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia Deluxe, PDA Edition requires resubscribing every year to keep receiving up to date information (which will probably increase). I could not find any information on subsequent fees for Thomson Clinical Xpert.

I believe that Thomson Clinical Xpert has alot more to offer than Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia Deluxe, PDA Edition, including laboratory and toxicology information. Also, if you hold onto Thomson Clinical Xpert long enough, you will make up the difference in price (unless you were able to download it for free of course). The downside to Thomson Clinical Xpert is its higher initial cost, larger memory requirement, and lack of compatibility with Blackberry.

PDA Buying Help From Consumer Reports

all information is from consumerreports.org

PDAs are much more than address books; some handhelds are phones, internet devices, and video players. PDAs can store thousands of phone numbers, appointments, tasks, and notes. All models can exchange, or synchronize, information with a full-sized computer. To do this, you connect the PDA to your computer with a cradle or cable. For models that run on rechargeable batteries, the cradle doubles as a charger. Infrared, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi (wireless) let you synchronize with a computer without wires or a cradle.

Most PDAs can be made to work with both Windows and Macintosh computers, but PDAs with the Pocket PC operating system usually require third-party software for Macs. PDAs with Wi-Fi (wireless) capability can access the Internet. Many of those without can with the addition of a separately purchased modem. Most PDAs can record your voice, play videos, display digital photos, and hold maps, city guides, and books.

WHAT'S AVAILABLE

Most PDAs on the market are the familiar tablet-with-stylus type that feature a squarish display screen, a design pioneered by Palm Inc. Today the main choices are models that use the Palm operating system (OS)--mostly Palm models--and Pocket PC devices from companies like Dell. The latter use a stripped-down version of Microsoft Windows. A few PDAs use a proprietary operating system. Blackberry, Hewlett-Packard, Motorola, Nokia, Palm, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson offer units that combine a cell phone and a PDA, often referred to as smartphones.

Palm OS systems. Equipped with software to link with Windows and (for Palm-brand units) Macintosh computers, Palm units and their clones have a simple user interface. You use a stylus to enter data by tapping an onscreen keyboard or writing in shorthand known as Graffiti. Some models have a tiny tactile keyboard. Or you can download data from your computer.

Most Palm OS-based PDAs can synchronize with a variety of desktop e-mail programs, such as Outlook Express and Eudora. (Palm models with VersaMail software are good at handling e-mail with attachments.) And all include a basic personal information management (PIM) application. Palm OS units are easy to use, although navigation between different programs is cumbersome because of the operating system’s “single tasking” nature.

Most models make it difficult or impossible to replace the battery yourself. And beyond the warranty period, you can’t be sure the manufacturer will do it for you.

Most Palm OS-based models have expansion slots that let you add memory or attach separately purchased accessories. All Palm OS-based PDAs can be enhanced by adding third-party software applications. The more free memory that a model comes with, the more software it can accommodate. There is a large body of Palm OS-compatible freeware, shareware, and commercial software available for download at such sites as www.palmgear.com. Many Palm models come with Documents To Go--word-processing and spreadsheet software similar to that used in Pocket PCs but more versatile. Price: $100 to $400.

Palm’s top-of-the-line model, the LifeDrive, combines a 4-GB hard drive with many of the best features of the Pocket PC and Palm OS operating systems. When it’s connected to a Windows PC, you can drag and drop files to the LifeDrive’s hard drive, even on PCs that don’t have Palm’s desktop software installed. It’s also handy for storing photos from a digital camera that uses a MMC/SD (MultiMedia/SecureDigital) memory card and for listening to MP3 music.

Pocket PC systems. These resemble Palm OS-based models but are more like miniature computers. They have a processor with extra horsepower and come with familiar applications such as a word processor and a spreadsheet. Included is a scaled-down version of Internet Explorer, plus voice recording and perhaps some financial functions. The included e-mail program handles Word and Excel attachments easily. Also standard is an application that plays MP3 music files, as well as Microsoft Reader, an eBook application.

As you might expect, all the application software included in a Pocket PC integrates well with the Windows computer environment. You need to purchase third-party software to use a Mac. And you’ll need Microsoft Office programs such as Word, Excel, and Outlook on your computer to exchange data with a PDA. Pocket PCs have a color display and rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. Unlike most Palm OS-based PDAs, replacing the battery of most Pocket PCs is usually straightforward. Price: $200 to $600.

Ultra Mobile PCs (UMPCs). These are small, fully functional computers that run a version of Microsoft’s Windows XP. An early model, the Samsung Q1, released in 2006, has a 7-inch display, measuring 51⁄2 inches x 9 inches x 1 inch and weighing 1.7 pounds. It lacks a built-in keyboard and costs about $1,100.

HOW TO CHOOSE

Consider your ties to a computer. Pocket PCs provide a Windows-like interface that allows simple PC-to-PDA file transfer with drag-and-drop capability. They’re also more convenient than Palm OS models for setting up a Wi-Fi (wireless) e-mail connection. Most have replaceable batteries along with accessible flash memory to which you can back up data.

Palm OS models run a wider range of third-party software applications than do Pocket PCs. For the basics, they’re still easier to use. While most PDAs can sync with Macs, only Palm models do so out of the box. Programs such as Missing Sync and PocketMac support Palm OS PDAs from Garmin and others, as well as Pocket PCs that run older versions of that operating system, such as the Asus A730W. Currently, neither Missing Sync nor PocketMac support PDAs that run Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0. Both are priced under $50.

Small size vs. extra features. As a rule, a model with a larger display or physical keyboard won’t be the lightest or smallest. A PDA with two slots for memory and peripherals is more expandable but will tend to be larger.

Choosing a Smart Phone

This information was found at consumerreports.org:

Decide how “smart” a phone you want. We’ve grouped smart phones into two IQ categories. What we call advanced smart phones offer laptop-like capabilities in a palmtop-sized package. They let you create and edit spreadsheets and text documents, and they usually come with Microsoft Outlook, Palm Desktop, or other personal information management (PIM) software for your PC. They typically have touch screens for accessing the phone’s many features. They also let you load data onto the phone using standard-sized SD (Secure Digital) cards rather than “micro” versions found on basic models.

Basic smart phones resemble regular phones, and have fewer features than advanced models (they typically lack touch screens and PIM software, for example, and don’t allow you to create or edit documents and spreadsheets). They’re fine for reading e-mail, but composing and sending them is more cumbersome.

Consider the network. CDMA-based advanced smart phones are best if you frequently download data-heavy attachments, because such models use the high-speed EV-DO network from Sprint Nextel or Verizon. The slower, GSM-based EDGE network used by T-Mobile and Cingular is best suited for e-mail with small attachments or light-duty Web surfing, though Cingular has begun deploying a higher-speed data network called HSDPA.

Consider the operating system. Smart phones run on various operating systems, each with its own character.

Windows Mobile 5.0. Synchronizes easily with Microsoft Outlook on a desktop PC, but incompatible with non-Microsoft programs. Easy to switch between multiple applications. Navigation difficult on the basic version because it lacks a touch screen. An advanced version adds Office software and better e-mail features.

Palm. The most versatile OS. Supports full-featured e-mail and office software programs. The best for basic PDA functions--contacts, calendar, and task lists--as long as they’re running one at a time (the OS gets in the way of multitasking).

BlackBerry. The simplest for e-mail, with easy setup of e-mail accounts, especially from T-Mobile. “Push” capability automatically sends e-mail to the phone so that you don’t have to check it manually.

Danger. Used on the Sidekick. Relatively simple interface, geared toward text messaging. But some features, including simple dialing, are not always intuitive.

Symbian or Series 60. Found primarily on Nokia phones. Basic version is difficult to use, especially for setting up and using e-mail. Hard to navigate through the folder-based advanced version.
Size up the keypad and display. A smart phone’s shape and size are largely determined by its keypad and display. Some models have a full keypad that slides out from behind the phone and tucks away when not in use. Others--basic models such as the BlackBerry Pearl--leave the keypad in plain sight, but keys do double and even triple duty. Still others, such as the Nokia 9300, open like an eyeglass case to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard. Which type is more convenient depends on the functions you use most.

Consider the plan. Using the extra, network-dependent capabilities of a smart phone requires both a regular (voice/text) phone plan and a data plan for Web surfing and sending and receiving e-mail. Depending on the carrier, prices for both combined start at $45 to $80 a month with a two-year contract. But you can easily spend more than $200 a month as you add minutes, text messages, and other services.

If you already have a “family” plan, you may have to move your smart phone’s number to a new account, as we had to with Verizon and T-Mobile.

Price and flexibility make Sprint’s smart-phone plans the best overall. T-Mobile’s are also relatively inexpensive. Cingular’s cheapest plans have a megabyte limit, above which you pay a higher rate. Verizon’s plans are the most expensive and the least flexible.

Epocrates online

Epocrates online is not only a useful drug information source, but it also includes other tools that can be used by many health care professionals, and the service is free to sign up for at their website (www.epocrates.com). From this site, you can create a free account which allows you access to all aspects of the regular version of Epocrates with the exception of the medical calculator and medical tables, which are available only if you purchase the premium version of Epocrates. Despite the fact that you cannot use the calculator or the tables, there are many other important and valuable tools that can be used including the drug information source, drug interaction check, and pill identifier.

The drug information part of Epocrates is very useful. It has drug information divided into certain aspects including black box warnings, adult and pediatric dosing, contraindications and cautions, drug interactions, adverse reactions, safety monitoring, pharmacology, prices, patient education, and pill photos. The way the monograph is divided on the right hand section box is very useful to find the information you want. If you go to Epocrates online and just want to know dosing information or contraindications to a drug's use, instead of searching through the entire monograph you can click on the information you want to access it right away. This will decrease the amount of time spent looking for information, which is imperative for most people in health care.

The multiple drug interaction check is another useful tool that is offered in the free version of Epocrates online. This tool allows you to enter all the drugs that a patient is currently taking and it lists all the possible drug interactions that could occur. It not only explains the drug interaction, but also splits them up based on how serious the interaction is deemed. Serious interactions are under the heading of avoid/use alternative while those less clinically significant interactions are under the heading of monitor/modify treatment. Besides being divided under these headings, there is also important information under each interaction that explains the action that should be taken in regards to the interaction as well as how the interaction occurs. This could be a very useful tool for the pharmacist who has a patient on a lot of drugs. Instead of checking the interactions of each drug individually, all the drugs can be added to the list to find interactions that could occur in therapy.

The pill identifier tool is also a nice tool to have in community pharmacy mostly. Here, you can search for an unidentified pill by shape, color, score, coating, clarity, and imprint codes. It is an easy tool to identify a pill you find out of its bottle. This is especially useful for pharmacists in a community setting who have many pills and pill bottles. It is common for a pill to get lost out of its bottle, and this free tool from Epocrates allows the pharmacist to figure out what drug they have found.

Epocrates online is a free drug information source that anyone can get access to just by obtaining an ID and password. The free service offers multiple drug information tools that can be used by pharmacists to access drug information, check for drug interactions, and identify misplaced pills. The best part of this site is it can be accessed anywhere in the world with an Internet connection provided you have a profile set up. This is an advantage over many other drug information sources that we have to be on campus to access or figure out the new remote desktop application that the University has established. If you need a reliable, easy to access, and very useful drug information source, get yourself a profile at Epocrates online and take advantage of this free drug information source.

PDAs and Cell Phones vs Smartphones

To combine, or not to combine, that is the question. Is it better to have a PDA and cell phone separate or is a smartphone the way to go? Both sides have valid arguments. Let's look at the viewpoint of PDAs and cell phones separately being better.

If you buy a smartphone through one company, and let's say you get fed up with their service, you might not be able to switch to another phone company without having to purchase a new mobile device (either a PDA or another smartphone). A smartphone has twice as much value as either a cell phone or a PDA by themselves. Not just monetarily, but also with respect to work and social life. Many people are somewhat abusive with their cellphones, taking them everywhere they go. PDAs are usually reserved for work and work-related issues. Having a smartphone would mean that you would have to take it with you everywhere, increasing the likelihood of damaging or losing the more esteemed mobile device. Smartphones are bigger and clumsier than regular cell phones. Smartphones could be more hazardous for drivers too.

On the other hand, smartphones do have their advantages over the separate PDA and cell phone. The most obvious advantage is the fact that you only have to carry around one device with you instead of two. The convenience of being able to talk and retrieve information from the same device is great. Some businesspeople just need a cell phone that has contact storage and email capability instead of all the other riff-raff that PDAs can offer. One sleek smartphone is also more stylish than carrying around two mobile devices.

Overall, both of these viewpoints have their advantages. I myself would probably go with the separate scenario because of the cost and the fear of losing a smartphone versus just the PDA or my cell phone by themselves. Also, I would like the flexibility of being able to switch plans without having to purchase another mobile device in order to be compatible with the new company.

Smart Phones - Blackberry vs Palm

There are many smart phones out there today and I thought it would be beneficial for some to compare 2 popular choices in today's market. Blackberry and Palm each have their versions of smart phones and as you will see they are very unique.

The Blackberry that I will be using for the comparison is the BlackBerry® Curve™ 8300. This smartphone is the smallest and lightest BlackBerry® smartphone ever to come with a full QWERTY keyboard.
It’s features include a camera, BlackBerry® Maps, a media player, expandable memory, Voice-Activated Dialing, tethered modem, trackball navigation, email and text messaging, instant messaging, web browser and advanced phone functionality. This smartphone's dimensions are: 4.2"/107mm (Length) 2.4"/60mm (Width) 0.6"/15.5mm (Depth) and 3.9 oz/111g (Weight). It has a battery life of: Up to 408 hours or 17 days (Standby time) or up to 240 minutes or 4 hours (Talk time). It also has 64 MB (Flash memory) with the option of expandable memory – support for microSD card. The major downfall of this smartphone is that the only available software for pharmacists (that they would want) is tarascon.

The Palm that I will be using for the comparison is The Treo 750. The Palm® Treo™ 750 combines a world GSM phone, email, messaging, and web with the power of Windows Mobile® in one easy-to-use, stylish device. This Palm comes with Windows Mobile® 5.0 Pocket PC Phone Edition with Direct Push Technology, but there are also Palm's available with Palm OS operating systems. The battery life of this smart phone is also up to 4 hours (Talk time) or Standby time: Up to 250 hours. The dimensions are 4.44" H x 2.3" W x 0.8" D111mm x 58mm x 22mm and it weighs 5.4 ounces. The Treo comes with 128MB / 60MB persistent user storage, non-volatile flash with available miniSD card slot; up to 2GB card supported. This smart phone can use CP onhand, epocrates, and every other resource that is available for windows mobile, that is if you purchase enough memory!

Both smart phones seem flashy and cool but only one would help you keep cool at the workplace. The Blackberry just does not have access to any of the big name and big information resources that many pharmacists will need. I say this is a no brainer, if you need information from a big time resource don't get a Blackberry.

The New Clinical Pharmacology

The new clinical pharmacology user interface offers many advantages over the old interface which makes the website much more user friendly. First, the new interface has many more ways to search for drug information from the main screen. You have the option of getting drug interaction and IV compatibility information from the drop down box titled Reports. Many pharmacists can use this way of searching as an easy way to look up potential drug interactions for their patient as well as needed compatibilities in hospital pharmacies. You can also specify your search to look for drugs based on indication, adverse reaction, or contraindication by using the Find/List drop down box. This type of search is especially helpful when given a diagnosis of a patient to determine which treatment option may be the best. The new site offers a Resource Center box where you can look up information on lab values as well as find ways to contact the manufacturers of drug products. Lastly, there is a Patient Information drop down box that is helpful for people not in the health care field who want certain drug information for drugs they take or are interested in taking. Information found in this area is great for patients because it gives them the necessary information they are looking for without all the unnecessary pharmaceutical information that those not in health care field won't understand anyway. The old interface of Clinical Pharmacology also offers many of these advantages, however it is much harder to navigate around the website to find the information you need. This version has the old right hand side search box, which I believe is outdated and not very user friendly. Both sites offer the same vast variety of clinical drug information that is considered the "gold standard" of drug information sources, however their decision to upgrade the website and ways to search for information will make this new interface much more useful and user friendly for health care professionals in need of accurate and quick drug information.