Personal information manager

A personal information manager (often referred to as a PIM tool or, more simply, a PIM) is a type of personal information management as a field of study.^[1] As an information management tool, a PIM tool's purpose is to facilitate the recording, tracking, and management of certain types of "personal information".

Scope

Personal information can include any of the following:

• Personal file collections (digital and physical): documents, music, photos, videos and similar
• Personal notes/journal
• Legal Documents
• Education Records
• Address books
• Lists (including task lists)
• Significant calendar dates
  • Birthdays
  • Anniversaries
  • Appointments and meetings
• Reminders
• Email, instant message archives
• Fax communications, voicemail
• Project management features
• RSS/Atom feeds
• Alerts
• References (including scientific references, websites of interest)

Synchronization with a computer

Some PIM/PDM software products are capable of synchronizing data over a computer network, including mobile ad hoc networks, or MANETs. This feature typically stores the personal data on Cloud drives allowing for continuous concurrent data updates/access, on the users computers, including desktop computers, laptop computers, and Smart devices personal digital assistants.

History

Prior to the introduction of the term "^[2][3]

The time management and communications functions of PIMs largely migrated from PDAs to smartphones, with RIM (Research In Motion, now BlackBerry), Apple and others all manufacturing smartphones that offer most if not all of the functions of earlier PDAs. The convergence of many communications technologies, including telephone, email, social media, news and journalism, and radio transmission, in a compact, ubiquitous device, along with the ability of these devices to create, transmit and publish voice, text, photos and video almost instantaneously is a development that many social commentators expect will revolutionize the way humans interact with each other, and with government and the media.^[4]

See also

• Personal information management
• Personal knowledge base
• Calendar
• Calendaring software
• Information management
• List of personal information managers
• Personal organizer
• Personal wiki
• List of wiki software
• Password manager

References

1. ^ Jones, William; Teevan, Jaime, eds. (2007). Personal Information Management. WA: Univ of Washington Pr.  
2. ^ "The Return of the PDA". Marketing Computers. February 1995. 
3. ^ "History of the Personal Data Assistant (PDA)". H2G2. March 31, 2004. Retrieved January 18, 2014. 
4. ^ "Modern technology is changing the way our brains work, says neuroscientist". Mail Online. Retrieved January 18, 2014. 

External links

• Freeware PIMs at DMOZ
• A list of research Personal information managers