09-04-2002, 05:00 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
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Slowly but surely, the word is getting out!
http://www.zdnet.com/anchordesk/stories/story/0,10738,2879155,00.html
I'm just going to ruin it for you. This technology writer recommended a Pocket PC over a Palm. He actually took the devices out of the box and played with them! "Yes, Pocket PC devices today almost universally cost more than Palm OS devices--twice as much in many cases. And that means that some people just can't afford anything but a Palm, Clie, or Handspring. But it should be noted that my Pocket PC (an iPaq) offers at least twice as many tools that make me actually want to carry it around as my Palm." He then goes on to list everything you see in every Palm vs. Pocket PC flame war - music, Audible, turn-by-turn GPS voice navigation, etc. He even had kudos for the newly released Money 2003 for the Pocket PC.
Two years ago you wouldn't have seen an article like this. Not that anything has really changed other than people are giving up their knee-jerk reaction by recommending the former media and Wall Street darling. Now they seem to be basing their recommendations more and more on the merits of the platform and hardware. Thanks to Foo Fighter for the link.
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09-04-2002, 05:32 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 481
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You're right: a surprising article in mainstream computer press.
So maybe people are coming around, but the next thing that bugs me is that we can't get past the "PocketPC = iPaq" idea. Maybe there was also a day for that, but it is past and, from my viewpoint at least, iPaq trails the pack big time right now. If this guy comes to this conclusion using an iPaq, the matchup with other current models are just that much more favorable.
Side musing: Just who is going to be making these new Xscale, OS5 Palm OS units? Handsping has kinda abandoned PDAs, Palm [hardware division, whatever it gets called] isn't too compelling as a manufacturer any more, and Sony seems to do great things with what they have to work with now. I don't know who else is jumping into the Palm camp, while PocketPC seems to be getting a lot of new suppliers. Seems the mismatch isn't going away when OS5 finally gets to the store shelves.
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09-04-2002, 06:27 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 24
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Forces hindering Pocket PC acceptance
...yes, the iPAQ branding may hinder as much as it helps -- especially given public curiosity over its fate, post-Merger. I can't tell you how many people have told me they'd think about a Pocket PC, but they're not sure they'll be around much longer...Gah!
This article has quite a series of Flame-posts after it, which seems to me to be the other thing holding Pockete PC back: PO'd Palm users who can't stand the idea there may be something better.
Is it true happiness with Palm? is it buyer-ego, with people unable to swallow that there might be something better than what they chose? Or is it just that the price-point or 'M$' reputation that scares 'em?
Who the heck Knows?!
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09-04-2002, 06:49 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 693
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Very interesting, except I have heard it before many times and still don't believe it.
I have had a number of Palm's - latest the 505 - and have a Psion 5mx, hp548 and hp-568. I love them all for different reasons and have tried to manage with the 568 (and the 548 before that) at work because I use the hp's for PowerPoint presentations but still prefer the Palm for the admin.
Sorry, guys. If you know how to set up and use a Palm, the Palm is better in my view. Easier to move around and easier to enter data to.
The MARGI Palm PowerPoint solution solution is not good enough for me so I *need* a PPC for this; I really would like to change over so I did not have to bring both to work but alas ...
As if that was not enough: my MS Word notes for students cannot be transferred to the PPC's (or the Psion)! Ridiculous!
Jorgen
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09-04-2002, 07:39 PM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 2
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Ummm, if it was anyone but David Coursey I might take it a little more seriously. I used to read Anchor Desk regularly and and gave up. In my opinion he is a one-man Microsoft PR machine. It seems that in his eyes everything Microsoft does it brilliant, innovative and the only way forward, everyone else pretty much sucks - although he did have some good words to say about OSX
Just MHO
Nick
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09-04-2002, 07:50 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 153
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Re: Forces hindering Pocket PC acceptance
Quote:
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Originally Posted by jpmierau
Is it true happiness with Palm? is it buyer-ego, with people unable to swallow that there might be something better than what they chose? Or is it just that the price-point or 'M$' reputation that scares 'em?
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I've been thinking about this as well, on just about every x vs. y argument I've seen. One says, "PPC does so much more" and the reply is almost always "but why does it need to".
-steps up on soapbox-
I'm going to make a blatant statement here:
"Being able to support Microsoft products has made my career what it is today (reasonably successful), and as a result, I like to use Microsoft products because I am more comfortable with them and beacuse what is good for Microsoft will probably end up being what is best for me. I will make no comparisons that claim any product is 'better' than another due to the existence or absence of one feature, nor will I compare apples to oranges in order to validate my point."
-steps off of soapbox-
Jim Mulder
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09-04-2002, 07:52 PM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 9
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Information Entering
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Jorgen
Sorry, guys. If you know how to set up and use a Palm, the Palm is better in my view. Easier to move around and easier to enter data to.
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I would disagree with you on this one. Having owned several palm devices (starting with the palm III) as well as PocketPC devices, not to mention supporting both types of these devices in a corperate environment, there is no comparison to entering information. On a palm you are stuck with their grafiti method that, while I myself have become fairly adept at it, confuses the heck out of new users. I have spend more time trying to teach new palm owners how to enter text than I care to think about. On the other hand with a pocketpc and transcriber even my five year old can enter text (she usually asks for my e740 and wants me to change the color of the ink so she can write in different colors). Aside from the data entry issues I personally would not be willing to give up all of the features that I have on my pocketpc that allow me to administer my networks (while the argument of ppc vs palm cost does relate I believe the cost of extra equipment to perform these tasks easily compensates for the price difference). While there will always be the conflict between palm and ppc users the simpler is better motto is going out the window (take a look at sony's devices) and with the prices becoming more comparable I think the market share will be more level in the future.
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09-04-2002, 08:05 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 51
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Well said, Taltoz.
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09-04-2002, 08:38 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 384
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STUPID ARGUMENT
This type of analysis,
Get xxxx device or
xxxx is better
is foolish and misguided.
One must consider the user first. This guy doesn't include any caveats. Users who just want PIM functionality (and thats all) are probably better off with Palm devices, especially considering the price points involved.
I've always hated the "me too" popularity "media analysts" who do little more than stick their finger in the wind to see which way things are blowing. This guy is doing no different. He just sees that PocketPC is picking up steam and saying, ME TOO.
PocketPC and Palm both have their strong and weak points. An intelligent analyst would break down user types and try to make a recommendation. Just as you would for potential desktop users (i.e. Artsy types use Macs, business types use PCs, nerds use linux).
Had he expressed a personal preference for Palm but still analyzed different market segements, I would have been much more pleased with the article.
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09-04-2002, 09:31 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 693
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>On a palm you are stuck with their grafiti method
No, there is an easy-to-find keyboard.
>I have spend more time trying to teach new palm owners how to enter text than I care to think about
Come, come, 1) it is very easy to enter text on either and 2) the reason the Palm has been the winner for years is not because it is difficult to use.
Jorgen
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