Workers on the go have a wealth of mobile computing options — so much so that they could end up laden with more gadgets than a superhero's utility belt.

Various wireless-enabled handheld devices let users check e-mail, browse the Internet, run software applications, make phone calls and even request help in case of an emergency. Sizes, connectivity methods, operating systems, displays and battery life offer additional variations on the handheld theme. And there's more: A bevy of third-party options provide additional capability to basic devices.

Needless to say, government buyers have much to consider as they evaluate the choices available in today's market.

But before diving into the particulars of form and function, agencies should develop a strategy for handheld devices, industry executives say. Without a strategy, organizations could find themselves purchasing tools that don't fit the task at hand.

Chris Pate, director of GTSI's mobile solutions technology practice, advised buyers to question the role of a handheld device before buying one. "If they don't ask first, they will go down a road that ends up in disaster," he said. GTSI officials believe customers should draft a problem statement, establish goals and then set their sights on the latest device.

Plan in hand, agencies can consider the many options and features available. Prospective buyers will discover that their decisions often hinge on five main points.

1. PDA or smart phone: You make the call

One consequence of the mobile technology explosion is that workers often carry multiple devices — a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant and a wireless phone, for example. A development intended to lighten workers' load may end up weighing them down. Juliana Slye, senior director of global government industry at Macromedia, said some mobile workers could resemble Batman with all their tech regalia.

Organizations looking to shed a device should consider the benefits of a PDA with phone capabilities or, conversely, a wireless phone with PDA-like functions.