10-03-2003, 03:00 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Palm This, Palm That, Toshiba Might Throw in Their Hat?
The three most-discussed stories of the past week ("Palm Tungsten 3 Reviews", "Why I Miss My Palm III", and "Toshiba: 'The PocketPC market is pretty much dead.' ") all have something in common: the Palm camp is moving fast, and the Pocket PC camp is not.
For the longest time, back in the days of the Palm-size PC, Windows CE-based PDAs have had hardware that pushes the envelope. While Palm devices languished at a puny 160 x 160, Pocket PCs had a mighty 320 x 240 resolution, resulting in a much nicer display. Then Sony went to 320 x 320...and the Pocket PC stayed the same. The new Palm Tungsten 3 offers 320 x 480 resolution and instant landscape mode. For those keeping score, that's double the resolution of the Pocket PC. When I look at Palm units with that resolution, there's no denying it: the crispness of the text, and quite often the quality of the screens, is a marked improvement over what we have in the Pocket PC camp. Since back in late 2001, Pocket PC owners have been begging Microsoft for a bump in resolution. We're now coming up on the end of 2003, and still we sit at 320 x 240. And when you consider that Windows Mobile 2003 just came out a few months ago, given Microsoft's release cycle, it will be late 2004 before we see anything changed. How did Microsoft fail to see this coming when their users have been yelling about it for three years?
And performance? Don't even get me started on performance - the Pocket PC OS is more flexible and powerful than the Palm OS, but as anyone who has used a Zire 71 can tell you, the responsiveness of it will put any Pocket PC to shame. Remember though that DOS was fast too - when Palm finally releases a true multi-tasking OS, will they be able to maintain that snappy performance? We'll see what happens.
While there's been some consolidation and thinning about the Palm ranks (Handera faded away, Handspring is being acquired by Palm), it's obvious that Palm is no longer sitting on their hands, riding out the popularity of their OS as they once did. The Pocket PC camp has been chipping away at Palm's market share, and in some countries such as Australia, the Pocket PC has taken the lead. HP is innovating hard, but they seem to be the only truly creative OEM on the Pocket PC side of things, while companies like Gateway and JVC can't seem to commit to a course of action. Meanwhile, Palm, Sony, and Handspring have been releasing new devices with hardware that pushes the envelope of mobile computing.
The Pocket PC once held the crown as the most innovative and cutting-edge platform in both hardware and software, and I want to see it re-take that crown from Palm. Microsoft needs to drop the hammer and make the next version of Windows Mobile a tangible improvement over what we have now - a leap like Windows XP was over Windows ME, not a Windows 98 to Windows 98 SE, which is what it feels like we've been seeing for the past two versions. I grow tired of hearing "We didn't have the resource to implement that feature...". Tap into some of that multi-billion dollar war chest and make it happen! Pocket PC OEMs need to get creative, win the hearts and minds of consumers with sexy and innovative designs, and make Pocket PC hardware the most cutting-edge PDA platform out there.
If it doesn't happen, those of us on the Pocket PC side of the fence may just grow tired of feeling like second-class mobile device citizens and look to another platform with a stronger vision for the future. No, the sky is not falling in on the Pocket PC camp, but Palm has sprinted ahead in some key areas, and Microsoft and most of their OEM partners seem to be still strolling along...not realizing that the race is now on.
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10-03-2003, 03:17 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 797
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I've said it a million times, I love my Axim. It's the first Pocket PC I've actually liked enough to keep (after my Maestro and E330 which are both in the boxes in my close). But the truth of the matter is, the amount of innovation going on at Palm/Sony/Handspring is astonishing when you compare it to what we have over here.
I mean, does any OEM for PPC's have any plans to push the envelope with PPC hardware the way Sony did with the UX-50? That handheld is not only incredible, it's revolutionary. Bright, high-resolution screen, camera, dual wireless, nice usable keyboard, rotating display...
Even Palm, with the Tungsten T3 has, what looks like, a winner.
Pocket PC OEM's are falling into the same trap the Palm OEM's did. Thinking that the devices will sell themselves. Frankly, unless something desperately changes, I don't see a need to move to a new Pocket PC.
Now going back to a Palm device? At this point, even that seems like a more feasible move.
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10-03-2003, 03:20 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 137
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"This is what I have been saying..."
I agree with Jason (heck, I'm already using a Palm Zire 71 as my primary PDA), and if anything, he understates the problem.
PalmOS 6 is going to be a bigger jump than most people expect. I've heard that it's more advanced and more elegant architecturally than CE 4.2, upon which WM2003 is based. The graphics engine is lifted straight out of BeOS, the OS will be fully memory protected and multithreaded, and the ability to transparently roam from WiFi to Bluetooth/GPRS and back without the user noticing the change of connection will be HUGE. Microsoft is going to have more than just a screen resolution problem next spring.
And therein lies much of the problem. Microsoft still doesn't seem to care about the Pocket PC as a platform. Gates and Ballmer don't use Pocket PCs at all. Microsoft seems to be betting the mobile side of the company on the one-two punch of Smartphone and Tablet PC. I own a Smartphone; it is great, and all the PDA many people would need. There's no reason to own a "dumb" cell phone and a Zire 21 if you can have a Smartphone instead.
But I'm a writer, and I write best on the go. Try as I might, I can't fit a Tablet PC in my pocket to take everywhere, and I'm not writing a novel in T9 on a Smartphone. A PDA with a detatchable keyboard is perfect for me, and I suspect I'm not alone. Microsoft is neglecting this part of the market, and Palm is playing right to them.
Is it a small market, relative to phone/laptop people? Certainly. But also a vocal, tech-savvy, influential market. Does Microsoft really want to drive us away and make us Palm customers? Because that's what's happening.
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10-03-2003, 03:20 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 209
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Ahhhh YES!!!!!
Say it Pastor Dunn.
You are preaching to the choir!!!!
Microsoft must release the demons of indecision and pursue a higher calling. A higher class of portable computing. And Microsoft, with their licensing fees, and the OEM's with their hardware must continue to be conscious of the almighty dollar.
They must all innovate. Not perpetrate!
Can I get a witness?!?
And all the children said,
"AAAAAAAAAA--------Mennnnnnnnn!!!!!!"
:werenotworthy:
__________________
And there you are.
I was just thinking, "What could take this headache I have over that edge to a full blown migrane?"
And there you are.
- Dr. Cox, Scrubs
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10-03-2003, 03:25 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 127
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Well I certainly think the h6000 Series and h4355 are innovative. Also regarding the screen resolution, I agree with others who have said that perhaps Microsoft has intentionally limited this in order to prevent PPC sales from eating away from its more lucartive notebook business. As these two segments converge, it would make sense that Microsoft would want to promote its more profitable market. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem handhelds are as important to Micrsoft as its their businesses...
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10-03-2003, 03:27 PM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3
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Well put, Jason. I have owned 4 Pocket PC's, but I will not buy another one until the resolution issue is addressed. I can't believe that I now look at a Palm device (the T3) with envy and irritation that my favorite mobile computers no longer measure up. In fact, all the money and time that I have spent on Pocket PC's the past 3 years in seems foolish considering the fact that I really don't have all that much more than I did with my first iPaq 3650.
I hope Microsoft gets a clue soon.
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10-03-2003, 03:28 PM
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Mystic
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,639
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There is no question that the lack of innovation by the PPC manufacturers is going to lose them business, in fact it already is.
When WM2003 arrived, I was looking forward to seeing exciting new devices that would make me want to trade from my Axim. As it happened, although some new PPCs, like the 2210 are nice, there is nothing that has come close to tempting me.
The Toshiba e800 looks to be a possible buy. Of course, Tosh had a reputation for poor support when they were committed to the platform. I dread to think how it will be if they are planning on getting out of this market.
My Axim does everything I currently need and I will upgrade it to give it a new lease of life. My plan is to sit tight and see what happens next year, when WM2004 and POS 6.0 (those BEos guys must have been doing something since Palm took them over) come on the market.
I hope we see good things from PPC. With the new products from Sony, Garmin, that Zodiac thingy, Treo 600 and pa1mOne (give me strength!) the POS fans are having all the fun right now.
__________________
Cheers!
David
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10-03-2003, 03:31 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 601
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Hammer it home Jason!
The Sony UX-50 and the Palm T3 are winning hardware designs for which PocketPC does not have an answer. Not totally any way. But, as you stated Jason, the point is the difference in the rate of innovation. I mean really...how many ways can HP repackage the iPaq with varying pieces of the same basic features. And we know that its unlikely that Dell is going to lead the way in terms of innovation. Everyone else seems to be shuffling their feet not wanting to break the mold.
I'm not sure how much of this goes on MS and how much goes on the OEM's. Are the MS guidelines for what "is" a PocketPC too strict? Are the OEM's just being slow?
If Citrix releases a Palm OS client my next hardware decision could be a lot tougher. That's it, one piece of software keeping me from looking outside the PPC camp.
__________________
CTSLICK - ROCK ON
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10-03-2003, 03:33 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 141
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Re: Palm This, Palm That, Toshiba Might Throw in Their Hat?
Agreed on all but one account
You sum up my thoughts on the issue to incredible detail. Even the australia thing was running through my mind (which could be because I live there/here)
There is, however, one major point I would like to make about palm(one/source/spring/pilot)
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
While there's been some consolidation and thinning about the Palm ranks (Handera faded away, Handspring is being acquired by Palm), it's obvious that Palm is no longer sitting on their hands, riding out the popularity of their OS as they once did.
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I'm not so sure about them ever sitting on their hands, and the handspring aquisition was not at all unnatrual
A REAALY short history of handspring
Handspring was started by a bunch of ex-palm people from high ranks when palm decided to keep away from the mobile phone sector; the plan of HS was to possibly merge into palm (after generating enough funds through handheld sales to make a convergence device) or sell convergence devices as a stand-alone company. Going with the former was no big surprise.
Palm(one's) name change shows the companys new commitment to convergence, and the HS takeover was an example of action taken to allow swift up-take.
As with any company, there is a huge re-organization process to be done when it is split and mergered. The company, rather than sitting on it's hands, was preparing to come-back with a blast, and that they surely did.
There is no doubt in my mind that if I were to buy a PDA today, it would be the T|3. It's unfortunate, but it's true.
Palm has made enough moves to be able to take back the relatively minute (don't knock me, Aussies, I'm a melbournian  ) Australian market by the end of this year.
oh.. and I agree about handera too
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10-03-2003, 03:33 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 36
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having now held the palm t|3 and played with it a bit, its really nothing special and the OS is so primitive, its hard to imagine going back. the stiff slider is a pain in the butt too. so there's still room for PPC to make a comeback. but after OS 6, who knows?
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