Mobile-Review's Forecasts and Trends For 2006

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://mobile-review.com/pda/articles/2006-forecast-en.shtml">http://mobile-review.com/pda/articles/2006-forecast-en.shtml</a><br /><br /><i>"In the beginning of the new year it's customary to sum up the previous year and also make forecasts, guess trends of the upcoming year. We've try to imagine what we are for in 2006, which models will come out, which trends will be most clear and bright. We'll build our forecast on the facts. The accuracy of it doesn't depend on the author's insight, but on how the companies will complete their plans for 2006, marked in their documents as "confidential"."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/hansberry/2006/20060126-newloox.jpg" /><br /><b><i>New Loox?</i></b><br /><br />Overall, a pretty interesting article with some information on new devices. Unfortunately, they bought into the "Moto Q cancellation" rumor that has proved to be unfounded.

[Phillip Dyson]

That looks is a really nice looking phone. The Etens have style while the Loox has a solid professional look to it.

[pocketpcadmirer]

From mobile-review,"HP doesn't plan to release PDA in near future. The update to WM 5.0 for HP iPaq hx 4700 will be cancelled with a 50% probability, in April 2006 the production of the model will be stopped; "

This news, if becomes true, will stop me from buying my GF this iPAQ :(

She had her eyes on it from so long.

Sunny

[Muntasser]

death of the PDA.

honestly i'm inclined to agree - without phone support PDA's are too niche to be an "essential" utility such as a phone or wallet.

inbuilt GSM/UTMS/HSPDA/whatever... really opens the doors to carrying one device instead of two (PPC + Phone) or even three (if u use ur PPC for music).

in this regard i've got nothing but love for ETENs devices. they're absolutely gorgeous. the blackberry form factor is too chunky for me, as far as talking on a "phone" goes.

[Duncan]

death of the PDA.

honestly i'm inclined to agree - without phone support PDA's are too niche to be an "essential" utility such as a phone or wallet.

Well - phone and GPS.

I doubt any new device will be a success without GPS and/or phone built-in. FSC are releasing only one non-GPS enabled Pocket PC (out of 6 models - one with phone functionality) and my understanding is that they are deliberatelt tagetting it at the small niche who don't want phone or GPS.

Frankly I'm doubtful that the Acer n310 and n311 will be successful. They may be small but they have no extended capabilities at all

[Jonathon Watkins]

death of the PDA.

honestly i'm inclined to agree - without phone support PDA's are too niche to be an "essential" utility such as a phone or wallet.

Well - phone and GPS.

Agreed - to a point. Non-connected PDA are on their way out, but connected (and GPS enabled) PDA sales are blooming. Hey, they are still PDAs in the end, but with embedded phones and GPS.

[Godsongz]

They may be "on their way out", but that doesn't mean there isn't still a market for them right now. I don't really need/want a phone in my PDA. I've never *gasp* even touched a GPS unit in my life, nor can I currently think of a single reason why I'd need to, so why would I want one in my PDA?

I want VGA, I want Wi-Fi, I want Windows Mobile 5, I want pocketability. I'll be buying my Acer n311 the very day that it becomes available in the states (likely via Expansys-usa, which I check daily).

Maybe, in a couple of years when its time to retire the n311, I will consider one of these converged devices, but by then I probably won't have any other choice.

[Constant Caffeine]

I think there was a thread about the 'death of the PDA' a year ago. :) Sure they will fade to a degree someday, but just image the devices that will replace them! Unfortunately we have to wait. :(

[SteveHoward999]

I think there was a thread about the 'death of the PDA' a year ago. :) Sure they will fade to a degree someday, but just image the devices that will replace them! Unfortunately we have to wait. :(

I don't think it will be long before we can have this sort of device in a phone-sized packaged

http://www.dualcor.com/index.php


I'll gladly put up with a teeny 800x600 screen for the Windows PC side so long as I can attatch (wirelessly) to keyboard, screen and mouse when I am at a desk. I travel a lot for work. I'd be very happy to carry all my work on a PDA/Phone/PC in exchange for super-portability.

[bcvc38]

We have come a long way since the first PDAs. I really held out until I was able to get a convergence device (the IPAQ 6315) and once I found got it, I became truly organized (with the help of active sync). I just can't see going back now, too many things would fall through the cracks.

Whether you call it a PDA, a smartphone or whatever; if it keeps your schedule, address book, to-do list and allows you to sync it with your desktop, for all intents and purposes a PDA. Adding a cellphone, a Windows based OS, bluetooth, wi-fi/EDGE, MP3 player, VGA movie viewer, VGA+camera, push e-mail, voice recognition and full-functioning GPS only make it better and better. As battery technology, CCD and flash memory storage improve, I believe these devices will see more features, become more affordable and add much more convenience and reliability.

I am certain people will look back on iPods and call-in/out only cellphones the way we look at the 1 generation Palm devices and 5 1/2" floppies (remember those)... Yeah, they will be relics, but clearly the convergence device is where things are heading, for business and personal use. I would not call it the death of the PDA, but the evolution of the PDA as it merges with these other popular devices.