Personal information manager
Encyclopedia
A personal information manager (often referred to as a PIM tool or, more simply, a PIM) is a type of application software
that functions as a personal organizer
. The acronym PIM is now, more commonly, used in reference to Personal information management
as a field of study. As an information management
tool, a PIM tool's purpose is to facilitate the recording, tracking, and management of certain types of "personal information".
, including mobile ad-hoc networks, or MANETs. This feature usually does not allow for continuous, concurrent data updates, but rather enables point-in-time updating between different computers, including desktop computer
s, laptop
computers, and personal digital assistant
s.
” by Apple in 1992, handheld personal organizers such as the Sharp Wizard
and the Psion Organiser
were also referred to as "PIMs".
Personal Information manager technology has been heavily discussed in the past decade due to constant bouts of criticism and praise. These modern managing technologies have been said to change the way our brains work by neurologists who are concerned with humans' ability to interact effectively and with modifying their capacity to the fullest potential. Additionally, studies are currently being conducted to determine how the use of PIM tools such as lists, calendars, address books, etc. affect today's youth. Currently, one third of the average youth's waking hours are spent using a technological tool's screen. Campaigns for lessening the public's use of PIM tools and new communications technologies through "media abstinence" are becoming increasingly popular.
On the contrary, while an increasing number of people seem to become addicted to PIM tools and other new communications technologies, these technologies are growing in praise for their ability to connect people and effectively keep them connected while increasing organization and allowing for new brain function mechanisms.
The time management and communications functions of PIMs largely migrated from PDAs to smartphones, with RIM (Research In Motion), 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.
Application software
Application software, also known as an application or an "app", is computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks. Examples include enterprise software, accounting software, office suites, graphics software and media players. Many application programs deal principally with...
that functions as a personal organizer
Personal organizer
A personal organizer, day planner, personal analog assistant, or personal planner is a small book/binder, designed to be portable, usually containing a diary, calendar, address book, and other sections usually including blank paper. It may also include pages with useful information, such as maps,...
. The acronym PIM is now, more commonly, used in reference to Personal information management
Personal information management
Personal information management refers to the practice and the study of the activities people perform in order to acquire, organize, maintain, retrieve and use information items such as documents , web pages and email messages for everyday use to complete tasks and fulfill a person’s various...
as a field of study. As an information management
Information management
Information management is the collection and management of information from one or more sources and the distribution of that information to one or more audiences. This sometimes involves those who have a stake in, or a right to that information...
tool, a PIM tool's purpose is to facilitate the recording, tracking, and management of certain types of "personal information".
Personal information can include any of the following
- Personal notes/journalDiaryA diary is a record with discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. A personal diary may include a person's experiences, and/or thoughts or feelings, including comment on current events outside the writer's direct experience. Someone...
- Address bookAddress bookAn address book or a name and address book is a book or a database used for storing entries called contacts. Each contact entry usually consists of a few standard fields...
s - Lists (including task lists)
- Significant calendar dateCalendar dateA date in a calendar is a reference to a particular day represented within a calendar system. The calendar date allows the specific day to be identified. The number of days between two dates may be calculated. For example, "24 " is ten days after "14 " in the Gregorian calendar. The date of a...
s- BirthdayBirthdayA birthday is a day or anniversary where a person celebrates his or her date of birth. Birthdays are celebrated in numerous cultures, often with a gift, party or rite of passage. Although the major religions celebrate the birth of their founders , Christmas – which is celebrated widely by...
s - AnniversariesAnniversaryAn anniversary is a day that commemorates or celebrates a past event that occurred on the same day of the year as the initial event. For example, the first event is the initial occurrence or, if planned, the inaugural of the event. One year later would be the first anniversary of that event...
- AppointmentAppointmentAppointment may refer to:Law*Power of appointment, the legal ability of a testator to select another person to dispose of the testator's property*Recess appointment, a method of filling vacancies under U.S...
s and meetingMeetingIn a meeting, two or more people come together to discuss one or more topics, often in a formal setting.- Definitions :An act or process of coming together as an assembly for a common purpose....
- Birthday
- RemindersTickler fileA tickler file is a collection of date-labeled file folders organized in a way that allows time-sensitive documents to be filed according to the future date on which each document needs action...
- EmailEmailElectronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
, instant message archives - FaxFaxFax , sometimes called telecopying, is the telephonic transmission of scanned printed material , normally to a telephone number connected to a printer or other output device...
communications, voicemailVoicemailVoicemail is a computer based system that allows users and subscribers to exchange personal voice messages; to select and deliver voice information; and to process transactions relating to individuals, organizations, products and services, using an ordinary telephone... - Project managementProject managementProject management is the discipline of planning, organizing, securing, and managing resources to achieve specific goals. A project is a temporary endeavor with a defined beginning and end , undertaken to meet unique goals and objectives, typically to bring about beneficial change or added value...
features - RSSRSS (file format)RSS is a family of web feed formats used to publish frequently updated works—such as blog entries, news headlines, audio, and video—in a standardized format...
/AtomAtom (standard)The name Atom applies to a pair of related standards. The Atom Syndication Format is an XML language used for web feeds, while the Atom Publishing Protocol is a simple HTTP-based protocol for creating and updating web resources.Web feeds allow software programs to check for updates published on a...
feeds - AlertsAlertsAlert is a colloquial term used to define a machine-to-person communication that is important and/or time sensitive. An alert contains user-requested content such as a reminder , a notification , and ultimately an alert...
- References (including scientific references, websites of interest)
Synchronization with a computer
Some PIM software products are capable of synchronizing data with another PIM tool over a computer networkComputer network
A computer network, often simply referred to as a network, is a collection of hardware components and computers interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of resources and information....
, including mobile ad-hoc networks, or MANETs. This feature usually does not allow for continuous, concurrent data updates, but rather enables point-in-time updating between different computers, including desktop computer
Desktop computer
A desktop computer is a personal computer in a form intended for regular use at a single location, as opposed to a mobile laptop or portable computer. Early desktop computers are designed to lay flat on the desk, while modern towers stand upright...
s, laptop
Laptop
A laptop, also called a notebook, is a personal computer for mobile use. A laptop integrates most of the typical components of a desktop computer, including a display, a keyboard, a pointing device and speakers into a single unit...
computers, and personal digital assistant
Personal digital assistant
A personal digital assistant , also known as a palmtop computer, or personal data assistant, is a mobile device that functions as a personal information manager. Current PDAs often have the ability to connect to the Internet...
s.
History
Prior to the introduction of the term “PDAPersonal digital assistant
A personal digital assistant , also known as a palmtop computer, or personal data assistant, is a mobile device that functions as a personal information manager. Current PDAs often have the ability to connect to the Internet...
” by Apple in 1992, handheld personal organizers such as the Sharp Wizard
Sharp Wizard
The Sharp Wizard is a series of electronic organizers released by Sharp Corporation. The first model was the OZ-7000 released in 1988, making it one of the first electronic organizers to hit the market....
and the Psion Organiser
Psion Organiser
The Psion Organiser was the brand name of a range of pocket computer developed by the British company Psion in the 1980s. The Organiser I and Organiser II had a characteristic hard plastic sliding cover protecting a 6x6 keyboard with letters arranged alphabetically.Early Psions are very robust...
were also referred to as "PIMs".
Personal Information manager technology has been heavily discussed in the past decade due to constant bouts of criticism and praise. These modern managing technologies have been said to change the way our brains work by neurologists who are concerned with humans' ability to interact effectively and with modifying their capacity to the fullest potential. Additionally, studies are currently being conducted to determine how the use of PIM tools such as lists, calendars, address books, etc. affect today's youth. Currently, one third of the average youth's waking hours are spent using a technological tool's screen. Campaigns for lessening the public's use of PIM tools and new communications technologies through "media abstinence" are becoming increasingly popular.
On the contrary, while an increasing number of people seem to become addicted to PIM tools and other new communications technologies, these technologies are growing in praise for their ability to connect people and effectively keep them connected while increasing organization and allowing for new brain function mechanisms.
The time management and communications functions of PIMs largely migrated from PDAs to smartphones, with RIM (Research In Motion), 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.
See also
- Personal information managementPersonal information managementPersonal information management refers to the practice and the study of the activities people perform in order to acquire, organize, maintain, retrieve and use information items such as documents , web pages and email messages for everyday use to complete tasks and fulfill a person’s various...
- Personal knowledge basePersonal knowledge baseA personal knowledge base is an electronic tool used to express, capture, and later retrieve the personal knowledgeof an individual. It differs from a traditionaldatabase in that it contains subjective material particular to the owner,...
- CalendarCalendarA calendar is a system of organizing days for social, religious, commercial, or administrative purposes. This is done by giving names to periods of time, typically days, weeks, months, and years. The name given to each day is known as a date. Periods in a calendar are usually, though not...
- Calendaring softwareCalendaring softwareCalendaring software is software that minimally provides users with an electronic version of a calendar. Additionally, the software may provide an appointment book, address book, and/or contact list. These tools are an extension of many of the features provided by time management software such as...
- Information managementInformation managementInformation management is the collection and management of information from one or more sources and the distribution of that information to one or more audiences. This sometimes involves those who have a stake in, or a right to that information...
- List of personal information managers
- Personal organizerPersonal organizerA personal organizer, day planner, personal analog assistant, or personal planner is a small book/binder, designed to be portable, usually containing a diary, calendar, address book, and other sections usually including blank paper. It may also include pages with useful information, such as maps,...
- Personal wikiPersonal wikiA personal wiki is a wiki maintained primarily for personal use. Personal wikis allow people to organize information on their desktop or mobile computing devices in a manner similar to community wikis, but without the need for collaboration by multiple users....
- Password managerPassword managerA password manager is software that helps a user organize passwords and PIN codes. The software typically has a local database or a file that holds the encrypted password data for secure logon onto computers, networks, web sites and application data files. Many password managers also work as a form...