PDA

A PDA (or Personal Digital Assistant) is an electronics device that one can carry around and use for day-to-day planning and sometimes includes internet access. PDAs have nowadays been largely replaced by Smartphones.

Real World

The first PDAs appeared in the early 1990s like the Palm Pilot. There were never any Tomb Raider Games released for any of the many PDAs that appeared throughout the 1990s and 2000s.

In-game

There are two games where Lara carries a PDA with her on her adventures, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Legend and Tomb Raider: Underworld.

Tomb Raider Legend

PDA in Legend

The PDA Lara carries in Legend takes over most functions of the Inventory. Lara can not only check out her gear there, but she can also store and read messages and mission details. Descriptions of the gear she carries are displayed, as well as the layout of Croft Manor. Lara also uses the PDA like a diary, recording her thoughts of a particular mission.

The PDA is waterproof and can even accompany Lara on her long journeys through water.

While Lara's headset keeps her in contact with her support team, her PDA is her field workspace. It stores and organizes notes on short term goals as well as useful data on gear, weapons, and progress. Its versatility is matches only by its sturdy construction - enough to withstand the abuse one might expect from accompanying Lara to the most dangerous places on Earth - and it's waterproof, too.

From the Official Web Site

The PDA is Lara’s automatic data capture and wireless communication device. It holds all of her mission data and real time objective and equipment information.

Legend Booklet, Page 12

Underworld

PDA in Underworld

Lara carries it in Underworld as well. It now includes an active sonar map; a revolutionary new tool that emits a sonar ping to create a 3D image of Lara's surroundings, perfect for uncovering hidden items and locations.

As the latest generation of Personal Data Assistants, this device can perform various tasks necessary when "in the wild" including a sonar mapping module designed to create a low resolution 3D maps of the surroundings, a data archive and reference retrieval library, and long-range satellite communications.

Description of the PDA in Tomb Raider: Underworld