08-18-2005, 05:00 AM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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No Keyboard-Enabled Axim?
"Last week a report came out on BusinessWeek.com that Dell would likely be releasing a new PDA with QWERTY keyboard. As exciting as that may be to talk about, it's not going to happen according to Dell...There also will not be a version with mobile phone capabilities. While this may change at some point in the future, nothing will be released in 2005 along these lines."
Earlier, we posted on the speculation that Dell would be releasing a keyboard-enabled Axim. Looks like it won't happen. :|
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08-18-2005, 06:37 AM
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5000+ Posts? I Should OWN This Site!
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,616
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Bah. Qwerty = dull, whether it makes it to market or not. Now, a Fitaly-layout hard keyboard, that would be interesting! :mrgreen:
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08-18-2005, 10:01 AM
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Sage
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 658
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Personally, I find the slide-out keyboard on my Sharp Zaurus SL-5600 very convenient and very handy. It is also much easier to type on and more feasible than the iPaq detachable thumb keyboard that slid on the bottom of the iPaq (also covering all the buttons and/or d-pad).
Too bad Dell didn't follow through with say a WM5-based x50v-like handheld with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. That would have to be THE ultimate device, at least for me anyway. 8)
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08-18-2005, 12:44 PM
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Developer & Designer, News Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,959
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by ctmagnus
Now, a Fitaly-layout hard keyboard, that would be interesting! :mrgreen:
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Now I doubt something like that would surface within the next decade. 
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08-18-2005, 12:52 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,468
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So - HP have brought out a Phone Edition PPC (or is it three?), Fujitsu-Siemens are bringing one out (and I hear a rumour that Asus will be too) - but not Dell? Has no-one told them what direction the market is moving in?
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08-18-2005, 02:33 PM
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Theorist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 307
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Darius Wey
Quote:
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Originally Posted by ctmagnus
Now, a Fitaly-layout hard keyboard, that would be interesting! :mrgreen:
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Now I doubt something like that would surface within the next decade. |
fitaly is designed for quick one pen input. wouldn't really make sense for two handed thumb input at all - the fingers would clash over the most used keys. there might be a better layout, but unlikely to be hardwired.
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08-18-2005, 02:47 PM
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Magi
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 2,124
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The market isn't "moving" towards converged devices. The market is broadening to include them. There are many people, myself included, who have no interest in a converged device or one with a built in thumbboard. Dell saw the disaster HP recently caused in its PDA department by offering way too many models at once. It looks like they are going to avoid that by sticking with supporting only 2 models at any one time, so they have to choose the second one carefully. I don't think the PDA Phone market is quite big or stable enough for them to enter just yet. Maybe next year 
Thumboards are clunky and add a lot of size and bulk to a device. They're also a niche product even for the PDA market; a few vocal people REALLY love them, the rest don't care or would actively avoid such a device. Why would Dell risk appealing to such a small segment and alienating the rest?
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08-18-2005, 04:54 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 658
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by PetiteFlower
Thumboards are clunky and add a lot of size and bulk to a device. They're also a niche product even for the PDA market; a few vocal people REALLY love them, the rest don't care or would actively avoid such a device. Why would Dell risk appealing to such a small segment and alienating the rest?
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Depending on how you would implement the built-in thumb keyboard, it wouldn't have to be clunky at all.
Take a look at this completed eBay auction that has pictures of the Zaurus that I have. The keyboard is very thin and and is much much easier to type on in-person than the HP thumb keyboard (as I have actually bought and tried that one out as well).
I do agree 100% with what PetiteFlower said about the market and converged devices. Not everyone wants/has a cell phone/wireless internet, me being one of them.
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08-18-2005, 05:39 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 602
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Re: No Keyboard-Enabled Axim?
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Originally Posted by Janak Parekh
"Last week a report came out on BusinessWeek.com that Dell would likely be releasing a new PDA with QWERTY keyboard. As exciting as that may be to talk about, it's not going to happen according to Dell...There also will not be a version with mobile phone capabilities. While this may change at some point in the future, nothing will be released in 2005 along these lines."
Earlier, we posted on the speculation that Dell would be releasing a keyboard-enabled Axim. Looks like it won't happen. :|
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This is a little disappointing, I would really like to see a good PPC device that is none cell based that has a slide out keyboard. Something simular to the Audiovox 6600. Something with bluetooth and WiFi, a 624 MHz processor, 128 MB and (hears where the dreaming comes in) a VGA screen with CF & SD as well as intergrated GPS.
That would be my perfect PPC.
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08-18-2005, 05:55 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,468
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by PetiteFlower
The market isn't "moving" towards converged devices. The market is broadening to include them. There are many people, myself included, who have no interest in a converged device or one with a built in thumbboard.
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With all due respect - the market has already moved - and did so some time ago. Connected devices rule the mobile device market. Even the single most successful PDA currently on the market is as much a mobile phone as a PDA. The market is not broadening to include converged devices - that massively overplays the importance of the PDA. The market is overwhelmingly a connected one and PDA providers are simply recognising this and joining it.
Don't get me wrong - I'm not anti unconnected PDAs. It is my choice to keep my phone and PDA separate. I'm under no illusions however. The unconnected PDA is just part of the smallest mobile market segment and is dying. My interest or your interest doesn't enter into it - we are a tiny minority and we are, frankly, lucky that we are still being catered for.
I'm not going to make a firm prediction - too often unexpected things happen that render useless the criteria for predictions. I will say, however, that given the current (not future - but right this very moment) state of the market, assuming trends continue as they are, I would be very suprised if the unconnected PDA isn't dead (or gasping for its last breath) within the next 18 month to two years.
Something else that struck me about this news report. I hadn't properly taken in that the report says: 'nothing will be released in 2005 along these lines.' Interesting that Dell should just say 2005 - and not, for example, 'the next year'. Being as we only have 4 months left I'm not so sure that Dell have ruled out a connected Pocket PC - after all, they could release one in January and still stay true to their word...
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