07-29-2002, 04:00 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
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Casio leaves the Pocket PC market in the US
According to a blog at Jeff Kirvin's Writing On Your Palm Casio is discontinuing their E series Pocket PC in the United States. It is a shame too. Casio was so close to getting it right but just never developed that killer PDA. The E-115/125 was the ultimate in quality control, had a fantastic screen and built in Compact Flash but was simply too large to be considered pocketable by most people. The E-200 got the StrongARM processor and added Secure Digital to the package, but was plagued with quality control problems and its style was... uhm... unique. As a result, Casio has recently been lumped in the "other" category of most market share reports as its market share declined below numbers most industry watchers cared about.
Instead they are going to continue to push their BE series devices here, which run Windows CE but not Pocket PC, which is a strategy I just don't get. I have been a fan of Casio's pre-E200 quality and am a happy owner of the EM-500, a beautifully put together device. Again though, the 16MB limit and no Compact Flash expansion possibilities really limited its usefulness. Casio has just never been able to put all of the pieces together. They insisted on going their own way with the Casio Zoomer abandoning their partnership with Jeff Hawkins rather than make the sleek Palm Pilot.
Casio will continue to sell some sort of Pocket PC in Japan. Source: Foo Fighter
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07-29-2002, 04:09 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 82
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As I've stated on other boards: No tears shed here. I own an E-125 and an E-200 and reading the horror stories people have gone through with the E-200 has been depressing.
Casio's Questionable advertising - promising the world and providing nothing (see Pc Sleeve and USB adapter) and horrendous customer support sunk the ship. Casio customer service has become an oxymoron.
It's probably a good move on Casio's part, as more and more people were stating: "Casio will get no more money from me".
I'm happy with my E-200 as the backlight hasn't stopped working yet :wink:
I'm waiting for the next generation of X-scale and then goodbye E-200.
Just my .02
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07-29-2002, 05:32 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 255
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If true, this is a sad but not unexpected day.
I've owned a Casio E-10, E-100, E-115 and E-200. Like many other people, I was impressed with the E-1xx series. The HAST screen is a thing of beauty indoors. The build quality was fantastic. They were bricks in the styling department, but they were great devices otherwise.
However, Casio began to lose ground rapidly with the E-115/E-125. Compaq was using the faster StrongARM while Casio clung to the slower MIPS processor. The iPaq screen could be viewed outdoors. The Casio screen was still the best indoors but totally useless outdoors.
Then came the E-200. The dual expansion was nice. The USB host was nice (but few drivers were ever made available for it). The styling was ho-hum to bad (what's up with the purple?). The speaker was a joke. But most importantly, the quality took a nose dive. The general build quality was mediocre. The backlight burnout problem was a catastrophe. Battery life dropped to unacceptably low levels. Accessories were almost impossible to find (I had the USB/Serial adapter on back-order for over 4 months before I finally cancelled the order).
Casio, you shot yourself in the foot. You have nobody to blame but yourself. You had the lead with the E-100/E-105. You lost it because you rested on your laurels.
Cassiopeia Windows CE/Pocket PC USA (born late '90s - Died 2002) Rest in Peace.
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07-29-2002, 05:32 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 194
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Perhaps I should have listed it more clearly as a rumor being that the only source so far is the blurb on http://www.pocketcity.org. Who knows, truly, until there is an official announcement from Casio themselves.
It is unfortunate because the pre-e200 units were, just as Ed said, of the highest construction quality. If only Casio could have regained that perfection of build with a slimmer, lighter form factor yet still provide us with advancements in technology like a transflective screen they certainly could have gained mindshare and marketshare.
I for one am an iPAQ 3630 owner and even with the beautiful new screen of the 39xx I will not buy one. I have decided that I *must* have a scroll wheel and integrated CF. I may no longer be able to use my Stowaway, my Vaja, or many other accessories but it is what fits in my pocket that counts.
Unfortunately the Perfect PocketPC is still an elusive dream...
:cry:
Richard Padgett (aka RickP in AZ)
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07-29-2002, 05:32 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 384
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One tip for Casio's new line
Ditch the native PIM software.
Instead, bundle either Pocket Informant or Agenda Fusion. These two applications have demonstrated their ability to draw PAYING customers to replace already competent functional built in apps. Their is no need to re-invent that wheel.
In advanced models, implement FIREWIRE!!!!!
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07-29-2002, 06:59 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 82
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Must be why we can't get any more accessories.
Larry
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07-29-2002, 06:59 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 792
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It would be a shame to have Casio leave the PPC market. I have been a fan of the idea behind the BE-300 and since most Pocket PC's tend to start retailing at $399, CE based devices like the BE-300 could definatly fill in the low end to compete with Palm. We can only hope that Casio has something interesting planned because otherwise I fear they won't do very well.
Rumor is that the BE-500 will be brought to the US.
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07-29-2002, 07:00 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 31
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if this is true it's a real pity...I love my EM505 (with 32 ram :P) and I think it's an excellent device with the well known drawbacks, but I didn't like the E200 a bit, when I played with one at a store, it felt...cheap...Casio have missed the chance to get on board, and with the LOOX and some future PPC's like Hitachi's one round the corner...
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07-29-2002, 07:13 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 414
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Now, I have to wonder who was making the Casios? I kinda think Casio is big enough (as are Sharp and Sony) that they don't farm out the work, but who knows. Maybe if Dell picked up some of their suppliers they could put out a Casio-like model.
Not really germane, to the news though.
I liked the dual slotted designs of Toshiba, Jornada (with reasonably small sleeve unlike Compaq), Nec, and Casio. They are gone now except for the Toshiba E740 and the soon to arrive G550. Unfortunately, the only viable models left are the Toshibas.
Don't know how Casio could have slipped up so badly from their huge lead with the 100. I remember really wanting one of them, if only they had run something better than CE. I could barely look one over at a Best Buy without CE locking them up. When PPC 2000 came out I was very close to buying a Casio, but the screen that was so nice indoors was unusable outside and I use my PDA a LOT outside. And Compaq could work outside and had the better processor.
What good could come of this? The BE-300, Toshiba E310 and any Clie model are the three best values in the PDA world today. If the BE-300 had a reflective or transflective screen I might buy a one for each member of my family. Maybe if Casio can concentrate just on them they can.......well, by the time that was ready Sony may have OS5 color Clies with all the current features, full multimedia, and all the wonderful WordSmith for nearly the same price. I expect Casio is losing $50 on every BE-300 they sell right now. They are unlikely to keep that up as they are now deciding not to keep throwing good money after bad in the full-featured PPC market.
Back to cam-corders, wristwatches, and TVs for Casio, I guess.
If that is what is left to Casio, what is left of the PDA world?
Toshiba (coming on strong at both ends of the market)
Sony, (coming on strong at both ends of the market)
Compaq (very vulnerable due to very poor quality, having blown a huge opportunity with the best design from PPC 2000. They still have lots of money and momentum, but if they release junky models to sell against Pam OS5 models from Sony and Palm this Christmas, they are going to loose a lot of money when they have to replace all of them with working models )
Palm (weak at both ends but strong in the $200-300 range. They have the opposite problem of Compaq. Their models have generally been durable, but they make so little off each one in this poor market they are in trouble. They need a complete homerun with the OSLO or they won't have enough money to stay afloat)
Finally, Sharp, Handspring, NEC, and all the rest are complete wild cards. I would love to see Sharp merge the best of the PPC and Palm OS worlds, and they are showing some models with real WOW, but can they get enough market to get a really nice software/accessory base? How do all these tiny PPC companies upstarts keep popping up? The Alaska, LOOX, Mitac, Acer, Packard Bell....how many are there now? If Casio could not make it, how will they?
Sharp, Sony, HP, Toshiba, and Palm go battle royal this Christmas. By then there will probably not be a single model left (except the Toshibas) that is on the shelves now. We won't have clear winners until January reports. I expect to see Sony one top.
Too bad, there won't be a Casio anywhere in sight.
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07-29-2002, 07:13 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 51
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It�s really too bad that Casio is leaving the US Pocket PC market behind. I love my Cassiopeia E-125 and that's why I haven't upgraded yet. When Microsoft decided to abandon MIPS processors for its Pocket PC 2002, it felt as if though I was abandoned by a close relative, but now I feel like an orphan. 
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