01-23-2003, 10:11 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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Pocket PC Misperceptions
Despite the increased popularity of Pocket PCs, a lot of people still have many misperceptions of the platform. The columnist I link to seems to mirror a lot of columnists: they take a cursory look at the platforms, don't bother using either unit, and write a fluff piece up. For example,
- He cites the Palm platform as interfacing well with Windows. As if the Pocket PC doesn't?
- The Pocket PC supports Acrobat and AIM... and the Palm doesn't?
- He cites a Handspring exec who says they can already do everything with weaker processors. This despite Palm's move to ARM and the fact that Handspring is dying.
- He says that Pocket PCs easily hit $700, when the highest-end units, like the 5450, top out at $699, and the lowest are under $300.
This kind of false assertion-based journalism bothers me far more than those that come out and say "I think the Palm's simpler". People are entitled to have an opinion. But being just factually incorrect and misleading? Sigh. No wonder ZDNet has been losing money all these years. :roll:
What do you think Microsoft, its licensees, or the community should do about this kind of misreporting?
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01-23-2003, 10:18 PM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 1
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The same thing that all the companies that have been mis-represented by Microsoft have done (Sun, Novell, Netscape.....) :? :wink:
I don't think he is claiming that Palm will run Adobe and AIM but that the PocketPC's do because it's more like a handheld computer then a just a PDA.
The guy is getting panned pretty good in the feedback section of the article.
Just my 2cents.
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01-23-2003, 10:30 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 116
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OK, here's what we should do...
First, round up a knowlegable, experienced group of Pocket PC thinkers.
Second, create a friendly website with daily news, views, rants and raves, and a really open, pertinent Forum, then ...
What?
Oh!
No kidding!!!
You think the hardware manufacturers ad agencies should do it?
N :idea: EL
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01-23-2003, 10:41 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 390
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Personally, what I find most irking is the constant referral to my Pocket PC as a "Palm Pilot"! :evil: If I remember correctly, the Palm Pilot had 128K of memory, a 160x160 screen, replaceable batteries and was the size of a brick! I just can't see what people apparently see similar between my Pocket PC and a Palm Pilot other than you can hold both in your hand :wink:
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01-23-2003, 10:48 PM
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Magi
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,341
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What should Microsoft, and it's licensees do about this type of reporting?
Very simple, but they seem to refuse to get behind the complete product line in a major way......MARKETING!!!! Try doing a few TV adds. Adds in non-computer magazines. Train the staff in places like Best Buy, CompUSA, and the others to know and understand the PPC line and sell it with confidence. Get the word out. Or continue being asked "Is that a Palm Pilot"
It's hard to blame people for being un-knowledgable about something that is poorly promoted.
Dave
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01-23-2003, 10:51 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Paragon
It's hard to blame people for being un-knowledgable about something that is poorly promoted.
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I agree on the promotion bit, but if you read the guy's previous column on XML for example, he seems to pull things out of a hat. The man is supposed to be an expert, right? I have no problems with consumers being unknowledgeable, that's what we're here for and I do agree that HP is no fantastic marketer, unlike Sony. This is something completely different IMHO.
--janak
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01-23-2003, 11:10 PM
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Mystic
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,911
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by pocketpcdude1024
Personally, what I find most irking is the constant referral to my Pocket PC as a "Palm Pilot"! :evil:
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I hate that too! :evil: I always tell them "Is that a Model T you're driving?" :wink:
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01-23-2003, 11:12 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 140
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What's worse - a journalist or a competitor misrepresenting a product?
You may say that the worse of the two is the journalist because a journalist is supposed to be objective without bias - but a lie is a lie.
As was said regarding Microsoft shafting Sendo, that's business. He who can pass off the biggest, most convincing lies will survive.
All through the market, you get people who should know their own industry better, who write things that aren;t quite true, such as;
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Given that PDAs were all in black and white, and cell phones as primitive as calculators, before Microsoft entered the stage and breathed life into this market, I would say that Gandalf and Aragorn live near Seattle and Sauron is either in California or in Finland...
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And
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Mainframe to PC. Microsoft brought colors and graphical user interface to computing. Same story when calculator (primitive phone) becomes Internet connected, rich multimedia mobile device.
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Live with it :roll:
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01-23-2003, 11:13 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 68
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Re: Pocket PC Misperceptions
Guess I wasn't fast enough... I submitted this one too!
It's one thing to like one platform over another... that's fine. But the factual errors in this thing shows he wrote it with no research and an agenda to dis the PPC. I wouldn't do that if I were writting a similar one... the Palm does have some positive things, and I'd mention them.
But guys... if they have to lie THIS badly to dis the PPC, they are on the run.
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01-23-2003, 11:16 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 108
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I agree that some decent advertising and marketing could go a long way to removing this problem - if the general public is already aware of the situation then such so-called 'experts' will be less inclined to say stupid things - or if they do they will be ignored.
Microsoft, the masters of marketing, could easily sort this out, but it seems like they're forcing themselves to hold back to get the device OEMs to take on the problem and handle it. Microsoft goes out of its way to avoid being viewed as a hardware manufacturer (other than for their excellent accessories like mice).
Unfortunately the Pocket PC manufacturers up to now have been pretty hopeless in marketing their devices (message to Sony: please please make a Pocket PC, you know it makes sense).
Looks like we'll have to pin our hopes on Dell.
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