06-21-2004, 10:00 PM
|
|
Swami
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,303
|
|
'Think Outside' President � Future PDAs Will All Include Phones
The Register has a story up about the 'Think Outside' Bluetooth Stowaway folding keyboard. Now we've posted about this a fair few times in the past week, but there's a twist to this particular report. The 'Think Outside' president Greg van der Dries was in London this week and had a few things to say, including that Bluetooth was still very expensive though coming down in price and that Europe was two years ahead of the US in terms of Bluetooth adoption. However, that wasn't the most interesting thing he said:
"Van der Dries insisted that the principal reasons for adopting Bluetooth are that it is more secure than infrared, and it is universal - he uses it with a Mac as well as with his SonyEricsson P900. It will run with a PC too, given either a Microsoft or Logitech Bluetooth keyboard hub and drivers. The keyboard �.. will launch with Symbian and Pocket PC drivers; PalmOS drivers are in the works but not yet ready for release. Van der Dries says that the choice of platforms is due to the shift he sees underway in the handheld market, away from PDAs and towards smartphones: "There's 10 million PDAs sold every year and the market is contracting, that's why we're running, not walking, towards the mobile phone platform. My prediction is that in five years you won't be able to buy a PDA that doesn't have a phone in it."
Hmmm, that's an interesting predication to make, especially for the president of a company like Think Outside. You would think that they would know their market. :wink: However I still don't buy the argument that every PDA will have a built in phone in the future. :? There's a market for cheaper PDAs and leaving out the mobile phone circuitry allows smaller, lighter and cheaper PDAs with better battery life. Plus there's the old one device/two device argument. What�s your take?
|
| |
|
|
|
06-21-2004, 10:20 PM
|
|
Thinker
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 332
|
|
The phone component won't add any real cost, weight or difference in size in a few years. And that way you always have wireless access to the web...and not just at Starbucks.
|
| |
|
|
|
06-21-2004, 10:25 PM
|
|
Editorial Contributor
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 5,411
|
|
A) How the heck is BT more secure than a limited range Line of Sight system.
B) BT is not inherently any more universal than anything else. It is a matter of standards adoption. 802.11b works just the same on Apple, WinCE, DOS, Linux, whatever, that adheres to the standard. IP is a standard that is widely accepted and implemented. IR could be universal if the OEMs agreed on a standard format for transmission. None of that ensures file compatibility of course.
C) beyond price, how about form factor? Cell phones are getting smaller all the time. In a couple of years you'll be able to stick one in your ear like a hearing aid. Somebody had better get real creative about display technology if that phone is going to have my PDA function as well. I guess I'm looking at it backwards, but I don't see a PDA being very useful much smaller than they are now, so if you are going to have a phone in it, you'll have to accept a bigger phone. Smartphones not withstanding, Browsing the web, reading an e-book, watching video on a postage stamp, or composing an e-mail or editing a document with T9 is not the PDA experience I'm looking for.
__________________
Sometimes you are the anteater, sometimes you are the ant.
|
| |
|
|
|
06-21-2004, 11:07 PM
|
|
Mystic
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,734
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Sven
C) beyond price, how about form factor? Cell phones are getting smaller all the time. In a couple of years you'll be able to stick one in your ear like a hearing aid. Somebody had better get real creative about display technology if that phone is going to have my PDA function as well. I guess I'm looking at it backwards, but I don't see a PDA being very useful much smaller than they are now, so if you are going to have a phone in it, you'll have to accept a bigger phone. Smartphones not withstanding, Browsing the web, reading an e-book, watching video on a postage stamp, or composing an e-mail or editing a document with T9 is not the PDA experience I'm looking for.
|
That is a stupid statement. There is no monolithic "phone" form factor, like all pocketpc's are slab-like rectangles. If a phone is going to substitute for your pda, it will of course have to have a similar form factor, ie like the pocketpc Phone edition devices which are now becoming alot more numerous.
And regarding cost, for people wanting a basic pda, they could probably do as well with a phone, and it would cost less.
I think there are a lot of people who are denying the passing away of their favourite concept (the stand alone pda) by making weak excuses e.g the two device argument or the cost argument, when the reality of what is happening is clear to any outsiders.
I am just glad the demise of the stand-alone pda will not mean the end of the pocketpc operating system, as this will go on in PPCPE. What would concern me (if it were not for devices such as the Mpx) was if smartphones took over, as the software is incompatible, the input options are limited, and the paradigm is different and very limited (ie its a phone stupid! Dont try and use it to change channels on your TV, or to record your bird sightings).
Surur
|
| |
|
|
|
06-22-2004, 12:06 AM
|
|
Swami
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,303
|
|
Now now Surur, play nice. :wink: I agree with Sven that I would prefer a PPC with added phone rather than a phone with added PDA qualities. In the end it's about the benefit/usefulness to you. With Infrared, Bluetooth and WiFi is there really such a thing as the 'stand alone' PDA? So in a few years time will every PDA have all of these, plus GSM, GPRS, 3/4G, Wireless USB, Wifi-MAX etc? No. Just as now there will be an ecosystem with different solutions for different price points and needs.
|
| |
|
|
|
06-22-2004, 12:06 AM
|
|
Swami
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,303
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by FoldedSpace
The phone component won't add any real cost, weight or difference in size in a few years. And that way you always have wireless access to the web...and not just at Starbucks.
|
Yes - if you think as a phone as a data carrier instead of a traditional voice carrier this makes sense. Add a Bluetooth headset and you're away. I'm just not convinced that all PDAs will have embedded 'phone' / 3/4G connections. Oh well, as long as they don't all have cameras. :wink:
|
| |
|
|
|
06-22-2004, 12:29 AM
|
|
Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Sven
A) How the heck is BT more secure than a limited range Line of Sight system.
|
Bluetooth employs frequency hopping, making it hard to tap into. Infrared, while mostly physically secure (limited range, line of sight) offers no protection from someone grabbing the signal and seeing what you're sending. I think that's his point. :-)
(remember there was that story a few years back about people using Palm units to break into IR-based car locks?)
|
| |
|
|
|
06-22-2004, 01:44 AM
|
|
Neophyte
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 9
|
|
PPC size
I've read that about 50% of the size and weight of a PPC comes from the screen and the stuff necessary to drive the screen (including extra battery umph). I'm guessing PDAs in the future will have some form of fold-out or roll-up screen (something like www.eink.com ). When that day comes, the devices will shrink drastically, the power requirements will take a dive, and there won't be any reason not to include data and voice modules.
The other thing that we might see in the future is a more generic device that provides plug-in modules for the elements that the end user wants in the device. Oh, wait. I just had a Handspring moment there.
Brad
|
| |
|
|
|
06-22-2004, 03:17 AM
|
|
Oracle
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 952
|
|
I'm a 2 device kind of guy myself. Sometimes you just can't bring a PPC sized device with you.
Don't Panic!
Bobby
|
| |
|
|
|
06-22-2004, 03:22 AM
|
|
Oracle
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 952
|
|
But a smartphone would be cool if all you "need" are contacts. Guess I better check out smartphone thoughts, are there more than 2 models yet?
Don't Panic!
Bobby
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Linear Mode
