09-21-2002, 11:30 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
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Palm readies first hardware salvo in a long time
http://news.com.com/2100-1040-958708.html
These new Palm PDAs will be the first new designs from the company in quite a while. The last really new products from Palm were the Palm V and Palm VII. Everything since then has been a repackaged version of an older model or incremental changes with new features like color or an expansion slot. Two of these could present a challenge to the Pocket PC, so I'll go over their features here. Heck, some of you might even want one, but don't tell us because we'll revoke your membership.  
So, to get a brief overview of what's coming, select the More... link below. Let's just say Jason nailed it a few months ago with the Oslo image.
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First off, thanks to Geek.com for the Zire and Tungsten T images. Obviously, the Tungsten W image came from Palm Info Center.
Palm Zire
I don't know if this is the final name of the product, but it doesn't matter. This is not on your shopping list if you want a powerful device. This will likely take the place of the M100 series.
� 2MB of RAM
� Palm OS 4.1
� Doesn't use the universal connector
� No card expansion
� Under $100
Tungsten T
This is the Oslo first shown here over two months ago. Now, this is a photoshopped image, not one of a real device, so put your magnifying glasses away.
� The Graffiti area slides out of the way
� Finally, an OS5 device
� TI OMAP1510 processor running at 175MHz. This chip as an integrated DSP.
� 320X320 Hi-res screen
� Headphone jack, microphone and speaker
� 16MB of RAM
� SD slot
� 4.8" (open)/4.0" (closed) long, 3" wide, .6 deep inches
� 5.6oz
� Bluetooth integrated.
� $500, but that isn't firm.
Tungsten W
This is Palm's first entry into the phone/pda combo space, though Palm licensees Handspring, Samsung and a few others have already ventured into this area. I saw this and thought "Wow - they are aiming squarely at the Pocket PC Phone with this, but a closer look at the specs indicates they aren't.
� Palm OS 4.1. This is not an OS 5 device.
� 33MHz Dragonball
� 16MB
� No Graffiti area. Nothing slides on this one. You only get the keyboard.
� 320X320 Hi-res screen
� GPRS/GSM Wireless network
� SD slot on the side
� Headset required for voice calls. This seems to be a i705 replacement with just a touch of voice thrown in. You couldn't carry this in your pocket and quickly answer a phone call as you could with a normal smartphone.
� Third party browser called WebPro. The Palm OS 5 web browser will not work on this device.
� Price unknown. I would suspect something in the $450-600 range given the GPRS/GSM radio and color screen.
So, what do you think? Personally, the Tungsten T looks appealing, but at $500 I would rather have a Toshiba e310, which has more everything (except size - it is a smidge taller and wider, and thinner, and .7oz lighter) than the Tungsten T except for integrated Bluetooth. In fact, with the deal Amazon has on the e310, you could buy two 310's for $500.
What really surprises me is the Tungsten W wireless device. OS 4.1? Are they insane? I can't imagine the public wanting to buy a slick new device running last decades OS when shipping simultaneously are OS 5 devices. I have to think Sony, Handspring or Samsung has been busy with OS 5 and wireless development these past few months.
Any threat to the Pocket PC momentum in these releases?
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09-21-2002, 11:38 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 253
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I see no threat with Tungsten T. The whole moveable grafitti area seems ridiculously overdone and unnecesarily complex with the moving compartment. Why not just have a larger screen and an electronic "grafitti" area like PocketPC's?
The Tungsten will get pounded by the e310 and the Asus myPal/Zayo
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09-22-2002, 12:13 AM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,466
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This is going to be interesting. The curtain has been drawn, and high-end OS5 hardware Will finally hit the market. What lays ahead for PalmOS is anyone's guess. This will either be the solidifying moment when PalmSource is able to firmly hold Microsoft in place forever...or the market will be unimpressed and find PPC to be the better choice. I plan on buying the Tungsten. My current M505 is WAAAAAAAYYY past its shelf life, and this new device offers a good mix of features that I desire for a decent price. And curiosity has the best of me. :microwave:
One of the basic problems I see is that PalmOS licensees are just now entering the high-end market at a time when PPC manufacturers are managing to produce lower-priced entry level hardware. Which means Palm and Sony won't be able to enjoy those fat margins much longer. Consumers will begin comparing a $499 Tungsten to a $399 Toshiba e310 and wonder why the Palm is $100 more expensive. The only feature Palm managed to beat PPC vendors at was integrating BT for under $499. But I have a suspicion we'll see Pocket PC hardware with built-in wireless at that price point soon.
On the other hand, this could be a serious blow to Microsoft in the longterm. If PalmOS offers all the "bells and whistles" of PPC, what reason will users have to switch platforms?
My biggest question revolves around software development. Will this "new" platform enable core software developers like Real to offer their software and content on OS5 devices? Will we see a RealOne for PalmOS, PocketTV, Macromedia Flash Players, and so on.....?
Only time will tell. So pull up a lawn chair and watch the parade go by. :P
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09-22-2002, 12:26 AM
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Sage
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 725
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I just can't win Y'know, thumb keyboard=crappyOS, GoodOS=CrappyWannabeHandWritingRecognition...AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
OK, now that I've got that off my chest I think there are a few issues here. Boxster's point is pretty good, virtual graffiti would have probably made more sense here. Aside from MAYBE saving you on the screen scratches I don't see much point to this.
As for Fooey's point, I'm not sure how much the competition is going to work against either side, the fact still remains: those who buy Palms and those who buy PocketPCs are vastly different people. Palm devices are (ok, here I go again p!#!ing people off around here but) STILL easier to use and now they sport a higher res. than PocketPC devices.
PocketPC on the other hand is capable of far more, multimedia especially, and will remain far more capable until ATLEAST Palm OS6 rolls around.
So, if anything I see this as an improvement for Palm. Heck it's better than the m515 and the m515 is selling for the exact same price as the e310 and people, for whatever reason, still buy m515s. So, those same people would probably be willing to pay, for whatever reason, a little extra for a Tungsten.
Just my opinion though...
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09-22-2002, 12:27 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 53
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T vs HP
I plan to buy a T as soon as it's out - to replace my Journada 565. Why:
Smaller size, built in audio (70% of my time is spent listening to music), will run Datebook5.
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09-22-2002, 12:35 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 355
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Re: Palm readies first hardware salvo in a long time
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Ed Hansberry
Any threat to the Pocket PC momentum in these releases?
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ed, you forgot these other models. please update, thanks.
http://www.pocketpcmagic.com/palmparody/
cheers,
pt
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09-22-2002, 12:44 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 414
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Not for Palm, but for Sony
What this means is that Sony will have a model for the same price with more features. I suspect a T665 type OS 5 model. Soft graffitti is surely in the new Sony OS 5 models. There are tons of software developers supporting Sony soft grafitti (The latest is FITALY! I am beta testing it right now. I am in heaven.) They would not be supporting this if the Sony OS 5 models (that the developers have already seen) didn't have it.
So, the T665/OS 5 will have all the Tungsten does plus soft graffitti, better sound and screen color, probably more memory (but less battery life as a result) and a 206 MZ StrongARM.
The odd thing coming is that Palm needs to make money (Toshiba can't be making any on the e310 at $200, but they are building a base and have money to invest in cracking into the Ipaqs market). Sony seems to be happy selling its low end at cost but high end they want to make money on even with 3-6 month product cycles. (BTW, how in the world do they do that?!)
I think few people who left the Palm world for the video and MP3 power of the PPC will come back to Palm as the chief advantage Palm models had a year ago (price) is gone. But, if this Tungsten will play music for 20 hours on a charge because of some DSP magic in the TI design (BTW, I think we may learn soon that it was TI who put that $50 Million into Palm last year. This is what they got for it, a leg up on Motorola in the OS 5 competition.)... I digress. If .....20 hours..... then Palm may have something. A couple of really clever Blue Tooth accessories and they could have a tech glow again. This Christmas.......
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09-22-2002, 12:46 AM
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Theorist
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 300
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My guess as to what the orange slice represents:
How much more market share will be lost to MSFT should Tungsten doesn't sell.
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09-22-2002, 12:56 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 414
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Timing
The real bad news is that there is no good reason these were not here a year ago.
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09-22-2002, 01:00 AM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,466
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Re: Timing
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Timothy Rapson
The real bad news is that there is no good reason these were not here a year ago.
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Don't get me started, or I will go off on one of my tangents! :twisted:
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