Disney Only Allows Two PDAs To Connect To Their Network

[Ed Hansberry]

http://www.internalmemos.com/memos/...hp?memo_id=1132

"From: Information Services
Sent: Tue 11/26/2002 6:48 PM
To: #WDI All
Cc:
Subject: Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) Policy and Standards

During this holiday season, many manufacturers and retailers have introduced a variety of computer related peripherals and gadgets. Many of you will probably receive or give these devices as gifts. This message is just a reminder that the Walt Disney Company has a policy on personal digital assistants (PDAs). The complete policy is included below for your review.



As stated in this policy, support and network connectivity is now only provided for two types/brands of PDAs. The only two devices that will be supported and connected on a go-forward basis are the Blackberry PDAs and the Compaq IPAQ handheld PDAs. Users who currently have other PDAs such as Palm Pilots or Handspring Visors will be "grandfathered" for a short period of time, but no new devices of this type will be authorized for connectivity nor supported."

You go Mickey!

[Ed Hansberry]

http://www.internalmemos.com/memos/...hp?memo_id=1132

"From: Information Services
Sent: Tue 11/26/2002 6:48 PM
To: #WDI All
Cc:
Subject: Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) Policy and Standards

During this holiday season, many manufacturers and retailers have introduced a variety of computer related peripherals and gadgets. Many of you will probably receive or give these devices as gifts. This message is just a reminder that the Walt Disney Company has a policy on personal digital assistants (PDAs). The complete policy is included below for your review.



As stated in this policy, support and network connectivity is now only provided for two types/brands of PDAs. The only two devices that will be supported and connected on a go-forward basis are the Blackberry PDAs and the Compaq IPAQ handheld PDAs. Users who currently have other PDAs such as Palm Pilots or Handspring Visors will be "grandfathered" for a short period of time, but no new devices of this type will be authorized for connectivity nor supported."

You go Mickey!

[Underwater Mike]

Wow, what a great company to work for! :wink:

If you click through to the original memo, you'll see this gem: "...you cannot have both a laptop and a PDA." I wonder how many folks at Disney keep a laptop in their pocket to check on appointments or phone numbers? Maybe Eisner uses a paper planner? :P

[vincentsiaw]

i dont understand the reason why disney only support blackberry and ipaq, what's the different with others pda ?

[ram]

Not to offend you. But I see that you are the anti-palm newsperson of this website!!! It is such a dumb move from disney to force everyone to use pocketpcs! I am not against pocketpc coz I have both palm and pocketpc. But, such moves will affect ALL the pda consumers in the long term leading to slow and poor innovation from microsoft's side.

Aside from this, has anyone got both pocketpc and palm and how much do they use either of them? I don't have any problem using pocketpc OS (although imho, palm still is more intuitive and elegant) but I just can't deal with 2 things - Battery life and Size/portability!
Has anyone felt that even the new HP (which is the thinnest and lightest) is not really so - none of the ppc manufactures try to have a built-in protective cover (jornada was great if they had just reduced the size/weight but instead they KILLED it) and that easily adds 2-3 ounces!!!

ram

[lspinellijr]

Originally Posted by vincentsiaw

i dont understand the reason why disney only support blackberry and ipaq, what's the different with others pda ?

because when you support 40,000 employees and they each have a different PDA, SYNC cable, Docking station, memory card, application requirements, etc etc etc etc etc.......... it can be a support nightmare. not headache Nightmare.

if you dont understand by now hopefully you do.

[Ed Hansberry]

Originally Posted by vincentsiaw

i dont understand the reason why disney only support blackberry and ipaq, what's the different with others pda ?

IT support I suppose. Palm OS is a totally different animal with software (both desktop and device) and other Pocket PCs require different hardware, like cradles, etc. Plus, Disney may have a contract with Compaq that makes supporting iPAQs a snap.

Originally Posted by ram

Not to offend you. But...

Or how about "I don't want to call you a jerk or anything, but..." or "I don't mean to say you are dumb, but..."

If you put the "but" in there, you are probably going to do what you said you didn't want to do.

As to Disney's decision, it is simple. They probably standardize on a few desktop models and servers too. Probably standardize on a few cell phones and one cell phone provider. Standardize on on walkie talkies and I know they standardize on t-shirts. Why not standardize on PDAs? That is rational.

[Steven Cedrone]

Originally Posted by ram

Not to offend you.

IMHO, when people open with a statement like this, that is exactly what they will try to do...

Originally Posted by ram

But I see that you are the anti-palm newsperson of this website!!!

So?? This is not www.politically-correct-all-pda's-are-wonderful-thoughts.com

This is a Pocket PC biased site. Hence, the name...

Originally Posted by ram

It is such a dumb move from disney to force everyone to use pocketpcs! I am not against pocketpc coz I have both palm and pocketpc. But, such moves will affect ALL the pda consumers in the long term leading to slow and poor innovation from microsoft's side.

You forgot to add "IMHO". How is one company's policy on the types of PDA's it chooses to support, going to stifle innovation in the global PDA market?

Just remember, if you work for Disney - make sure to put what kind of Pocket PC you want on your list before sending to Santa...

Originally Posted by ram

Aside from this, has anyone got both pocketpc and palm and how much do they use either of them?

I have a Palm V (the last, in a long list of Palm devices I owned), sitting gathering dust. Once I started to use Pocket PC, I never looked back...

YMMV...

Originally Posted by ram

Has anyone felt that even the new HP (which is the thinnest and lightest) is not really so - none of the ppc manufactures try to have a built-in protective cover (jornada was great if they had just reduced the size/weight but instead they KILLED it) and that easily adds 2-3 ounces!!!

I do wish the HP / Compaq merger did not result in the demise of the Jornada line. IMHO they were great Pocket PC's. Oh well...

Steve

[ti2gr]

I have a Palm m505 and A Toshiba e335. Since getting teh toshiba though I have found that I am using the palm less and less. However I do still sync it everyday so that my tasks, appointments are up to date on there too

[Jason Dunn]

Originally Posted by ram

Not to offend you. But I see that you are the anti-palm newsperson of this website!!!

Dude....lighten up would ya? :wink: Relax, we're just having some fun! :lol:

[Sven]

Originally Posted by ram

none of the ppc manufactures try to have a built-in protective cover (jornada was great if they had just reduced the size/weight but instead they KILLED it) and that easily adds 2-3 ounces!!!

Just weighed my Jornada 568 cover. 0.7 ounces. Of course the holes in the body it clips into easily reduce the weight by 2-3 ounces