personal digital assistantn.
/ˌpəːsn̩(ə)l ˌdɪdʒᵻtl əˈsɪst(ə)nt/, /ˌpəːsən(ə)l ˌdɪdʒᵻtl əˈsɪst(ə)nt/, U.S. /ˌpərs(ə)nəl ˌdɪdʒᵻdl əˈsɪst(ə)nt/ Computing.
1. A (usually hand-held) portable computer; esp. one that combines the functions of an electronic organizer with the capacity for networking and telecommunication; abbreviated PDA.
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society > computing and information technology > hardware > computer > [noun] > palm-top
handheld1971
palmtop1987
personal digital assistant1992
society > computing and information technology > hardware > computer > [noun] > portable
portable1933
luggable1978
notebook computer1982
lap portable1983
laptop1983
transportable1983
lap-held1984
notebook1988
mobile device1989
notebook PC1989
notepad1991
digital assistant1992
personal digital assistant1992
netbook1999
1992 PC Week 13 Jan. 1/4 Development of a new type of computer, which Sculley called the personal digital assistant (PDA).
1995 Sci. Amer. Sept. 52/3 Some are taking on new forms, such as the wireless handheld computers called personal digital assistant (PDAs), so that they can handle text and graphics as well as audio messages; video is not far behind.
2018 Guardian (Nexis) 20 Sept. At one time, lots of us used styli with handheld organisers or PDAs (personal digital assistants) like the Palm and Pocket PC devices that were popular before smartphones swept the market.
2. A program (or device running a program) that can respond to commands or questions and perform tasks electronically, esp. one that is connected to the internet and is voice activated; cf. digital assistant n. 1, voice assistant n. at voice n. Compounds 2.
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2010 searchengineland.com 16 Apr. (Internet Archive Wayback Machine 18 Apr. 2010) Siri, an iPhone app that offers a personal digital assistant that's really a voice activated meta-search tool.
2019 Canad. Press (Nexis) 16 Dec. A few short years ago, personal digital assistants like Amazon's Alexa, Apple's Siri and Google Assistant sounded futuristic.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, June 2021; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1992