Speaking the Internet Language

Because most of us can't type 80+ words a minute, we need some way to make IM and chat more enjoyable and less like a Mavis Beacon typing exercise. The Internet community slowly evolved its own shorthand to deal with this, which resulted in a collection of abbreviations and emoticons, also known as smileys.

According to most accounts, emoticons (emotion icons) first appeared in e-mail messages back in 1979. More accurately though, these were the first ASCII emoticons, as users of Control Data Corporation's early Plato system were creating emoticons in the early 1970s.

Chances are that you've seen and used plenty of emoticons, but here are a few of the most prevalent ones in use today:

- the ever-present smiley to indicate happiness

-:D the big grin smiley, for really happy people

-:O indicates surprise

-:( unhappy

- :\ sideways smile, "oh well"

- a wink and a smile

- >:( ok, now I'm mad

Use emoticons sparingly outside of IM and chat; remember, people had no problem conveying emotion through writing prior to the Internet. For brevity on mobile devices emoticons are fine; just don't overdo it. The same thing can be said for DM abbreviations; they're fine for IM, but don't start using them all the time in e-mail and documents.

IMS HG (Instant Messaging Shorthand Glossary)

There are a lot of abbreviations used in IM and chat rooms. A few of the more common ones, but you're sure to see variations on these, and you'll probably understand them when you encounter them in the context of a chat conversation.

Getting the most out of your PDA

It begins with suggestions for choosing useful accessories and then turns to software to enhance your PDA's capabilities.

You can make your PDA more functional by selecting the right keyboard, adapters, and data storage accessories.