I do not see PPC gaining market share unless MS turns to the consumer market in a big way.
Microsoft believes that the key to market share is the enterprise market - that the big sales numbers are with big companies. Quite frankly, I'm not sure what to believe. What do you think?
I'm still trying to find that article I read last week that said that something like 75% of PDA sales were to individuals with their own money, not companies. If that is true, then the enterprise market is not the current driving market force-- in the future, maybe, but not now. In the short term, in the market means in the mind... and that translates into dollars!
I don't know about all these %$#*& marketing reports. :x First one's up, then one's down. Sony has more market share than Compaq, Compaq has more market share than Sony... what's the truth!?! :?
I don't know about all these %$#*& marketing reports. :x First one's up, then one's down. Sony has more market share than Compaq, Compaq has more market share than Sony... what's the truth!?! :?
I know - I always take "market share reports" with a grain of salt and think in terms of +/- 10%...because I never know how they're measuring the results - every one seems to be different!
I've noticed more articles recently (Pocketnow.com) about being unhappy with the PPC-- too many dust issues, slow downs with e-readers, crappy ClearType, dead backlights, etc...-- and it is a shame.
I agree, it is a shame. But I'd say 80%+ of the issues are hardware related and have nothing to do with the software. Dust, back light problems, control pad problems, ugly Cleartype, etc - all hardware OEM issue. It's like the OEMs don't care enough about the market to put any serious resources into making SOLID hardware. Not that MS is perfect in their implementation mind you...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hans the Hedgehog
I guess it goes back to my original belief, posted many moons ago, that MS doesn't really seem to love the PPC-- sapling or not; they just don't seem to care how well it does. Not the PPC Team, Jason, MS management.
...I agree. I sometimes wonder what the Pocket PC team could do if they had more resources from "head office". Double the number of programmers, beef up the budget all around, and maybe they could give us repeating alarms back. ;-)
Pocket PC 2002 has nowhere near the ZING that Pocket PC 2000 did when it was first released. There are reasons for that, mind you, but the end result is the same: too many bugs, not enough improvement. But keep the faith: good things are on the horizon!
I agree, it is a shame. But I'd say 80%+ of the issues are hardware related and have nothing to do with the software. Dust, back light problems, control pad problems, ugly Cleartype, etc - all hardware OEM issue. It's like the OEMs don't care enough about the market to put any serious resources into making SOLID hardware. Not that MS is perfect in their implementation mind you...
Yeah, I didn't mean that MS is responsible for the hardware, but it does reflect on the name. When someone says, "I had to send my PPC back to HP/Compaq/Casio again," then those around them aren't to happy with the idea of shelling out $600 on such a device.
And when people like my Mother and her venerable Palm Vx have been chugging along for 3-something years without even a hard-reset, it just makes you wonder. Yeah, I know Palm/Handspring/Sony have had their share of market blunders, foul-ups, and out right mistakes, but word of mouth very rarely cares about truth-- it just spreads.
Anyways, me and my trust E-125 are making the best of it... just fighting of any jealous urges for all these new devices.
I intended no insult with my comment - it was a statement of fact.
None taken, Jason. We've just never called it the "official" discussion board, since we have no exclusive agreement with Palm. We have absolutely no problem with you pointing out that Palm sponsors that board, in fact we're quite proud of it and state it on our About Us page. We'd feel the same if Microsoft decided to sponsor our Pocket PC board.
Still I think SOny is the soul reason that Palm OS is hangining on, that and compacent users who are fairly unambitious as a whole.
Well, its a nice theory but its totally untrue. Every, and I mean EVERY, single market share report I have ever seen has said that Palm sells more than double the units Sony sells. Handspring being number 2 btw. Just goes to show most users still don't care that much about innovation they just want to go out and but a "Palm".
As for the original topic, I do believe Palm is doing better as a company. They're certainly not in the dire straights they were a year or so ago and they've done some very smart things (e.g. releasing the m515 addressing almost all the problems people had with the m505). BUT I don't trust these number. Sadly, Palm's marketing department (and especially a certain idiotic Chief Competitive Officer) has proven too often in the past that they are willing to twist numbers to show what they want people to see even though they know that it isn't an accurate picture.
Microsoft believes that the key to market share is the enterprise market - that the big sales numbers are with big companies. Quite frankly, I'm not sure what to believe. What do you think?
I think it depends on what type of PDA we're talking about. For wireless devices, I think they're right. The greatest rollout of the more complex, fully-functioned wireless data-enabled PDA/phones will be to enterprise users. Its the enterprises which see the value of wireless and can actually provide financial justification for acquiring wireless handsets and PDAs (as opposed to MY justification for doing things wirelessly: "Because I can."). Once more businesses wake up and start creating more compelling wireless applications, like sales force automation tools or server-based database query systems, there will be a "Pocket PC in every pocket."
Microsoft believes that the key to market share is the enterprise market - that the big sales numbers are with big companies. Quite frankly, I'm not sure what to believe. What do you think?
There is no contradiction between the two market segments. They can co-exist and cross-cultivate each other. The fact is that Palm devices have a dominant market share as a result of their focus on the consumer market. There is no harm in targeting the consumer market as well. Beside the added revenue potential, it will contribute to visibility and ubiquity which are so important and can help MS in the enterprise market. In fact, this strategy has worked so well for MS in the past. One of the reasons people purchase WinNT and Word in the enterprise is because people are familiar with Windows and Word at home (and vice versa).
I feel that my mere prescence was necessary in this obviously Palm vs. PPC thread. :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:
Most people are dumb. That's why they generally buy Palm. I find it funny that Palm has cool techno music in their ads for their m5x5 devices, as if they have it integrated! (and you sort of get that impression)
I hate Palm with all passion. Palm is not getting any higher (or lower down on my hitlist :wink: ) in my world. Who cares that Sony has interfaced an LCD desktop monitor and a camera with the Palm OS?
"Palm Pilots are the Pet Rocks of the portable computing world"-Dan East
Most people are dumb. That's why they generally buy Palm. I find it funny that Palm has cool techno music in their ads for their m5x5 devices, as if they have it integrated! (and you sort of get that impression)
Well, emotions and personal opinions have nothing to do with sales in the real world. People buy Palms becasue this is what they see in stores and what their friends and families own. It has nothing to do with dumbness (even if your assertion were true). The cool techo music is part of a consumer-focused marketing campaign. I wish PPC targeted consumers as well.
There is no reason why MS cannot introduce great consumer oriented PPC devices to counter palm.
Re: death of palm
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