Users exchange business cards and data files by infrared beam, check their schedules and jot down notes with stylus sticks. Supermodel Claudia Schiffer's Web site markets her own designer model. In Santa Clara, Calif., cops take notes on handhelds. At Pontiac Osteopathic Hospital, doctors enter patient data on them. They can do just about anything now and a lot of people are clamoring for them.
Some models are hard to get.
Palm Computing has had spot parts shortages all year. That translates to about 4 million users today. By 2004, it's predicted 17 million will have handhelds. There are some alternatives. Devices called PDAs, for Personal Digital Assistants, have small but loyal user bases.