About three months after I ordered it, my Compaq iPaq 3650 finally arrived. The 3650 is the latest evolution of the personal digital assistant from Compaq. It runs the most recent generation of Windows CE, which is now called Windows for the Pocket PC. In addition to storing appointments and notes and synchronizing my calendar and eMail, this new device runs scaled-down versions of familiar Windows programs such as Word, Excel, Access, and Internet Explorer.

Unlike other PDAs, the Pocket PC operating system supports file attachments in eMail messages and features several multimedia capabilities, such as full-color graphics, a built-in MP3 player, and a "quick record" button that allows you to annotate notes, appointments, or Word documents with a short audio recording. With the release of this new OS, Microsoft has launched an earnest attempt to grab some market share from the overwhelmingly popular Palm OS.

The iPaq weighs only 6.3 ounces, but despite its slim design, it features a wealth of expansion capabilities. Using special attachment sleeves called "expansion packs," users can connect the iPaq to PC Cards or Compact Flash cards to add network cards, modems, or memory expansion cards. It retails for about $500, but the price through Compaq's Education sales division was $477.

I was told the shipment delay was because Compaq wasn't able to produce enough units to meet the demand. Product statements on Compaq's web site refer to the "unprecedented demand" for this product and allow users to sign up for eMail notification when more units become available. Compaq doesn't anticipate being able to meet this demand fully until December.

This high demand is, I think, indicative of a segment of the technology market that is being underserved by current technology. This segment of users wants more functionality and Windows integration than a Palm Pilot can provide, but greater mobility and faster access to specific data than is available in their laptops and at a more affordable price. Students make up a significant portion of this market.

The highly mobile and fast-paced day of most students demands a technology solution that is easy to carry and instantly accessible. For a number of years, schools have explored laptop computers as an answer to this need. Toshiba and Microsoft have done more work in this area than anyone else with their Anytime Anywhere Learning (AAL) program. This program attempts to remove the classroom walls as boundaries to the learning process by providing every student with a laptop computer. Program designers think that with 24-hour access to computers and the internet, students are likely to spend more time learning outside the classroom.

While some schools have ventured bravely ahead with "Anytime Anywhere Learning" by giving laptop computers to all their students, the vast majority of schools have been content to wait on the sidelines. Most schools have found finances to be the biggest obstacle to providing $2,000 machines to several thousand students. Other schools have been skeptical about the impact of such a massive investment on student performance.