12-18-2005, 01:00 PM
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Executive Editor, Android Thoughts
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,233
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Ever "Convert" Someone?
Ah, Sunday Morning at PPCT. A time to kick back, relax, talk about our lives and sound off. So, with today being Sunday, let's discuss peer pressure, persuasion, and implanting our technological values on others!
You've all had the skeptical friend at one time or another who insists that they don't need one of those new fangled gadgets you have. First it was the pager with my friend Mr. X - he said he'd never need to have one. Then about a year later, he got one. Then the cell phone, and now apparently the Pocket PC. What made him decide to switch... well, that's a story for a different day. The question I ask is - have you ever convinced someone to switch or adopt a device? It doesn't have to be a PPC (Although that would be a great story) - it could be anything. Tell your story and join the ranks of the technology evangelist!
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Dr. Jon Westfall, MCSE, MS-MVP
Executive Editor - Android Thoughts
News Editor - Windows Phone Thoughts
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12-18-2005, 01:10 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 81
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i did a mass conversion once 8O
i was 14, bought my first "proper" pda...before that i had been using casio digital diaries, i had always been facinated by HPC's, but at 14 the price was seemingly unreachable to me. But then Palm brought out the M100
yay!! the first PDA i could afford. i had half the cash , and took a loan from my dad for the other half, and paid him back my selling software i wrote for the pda :roll: hehe i guess you could say the device paid for itself.
anywaysssss before i get too off topic, i used to bring it to school, and within a month of me bringing it for the first time one of my close friends bought one, and then i think within the next 2 months that followed at least 20 other of my friends either bought a PDA, or "inherited" one their parents had and were not using. :lol:
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"May the potato be with you!"
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12-18-2005, 01:57 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 181
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I just got someone to convert on Thursday, now that you mention it. My sister needed a new phone since she had pretty much used here V600 into the ground (literally on many occassions..."used" it into her jacuzzi a few times too). She sends alot of text messages and a good deal of email so when I found a great deal on a Blackberry I bought it for her. She didn't really like any of the PDA phones I've had over the years, but she liked the Treo and my Qtek 9100 but wasn't sure about the size, yet the Blackberry seems just right. She loves the simplicity and the impressively clear speakerphone and she can use her bluetooth ear piece. She is thrilled that the Blackberry email is faster than my Exchange AUDT on the PPC. Plus, she now has all of her contacts with her whenever she needs them and can read or send messages easily instead of getting an alert to go online to check them. Best of all, it is still small enough to go in her purse.
I would have gotten her a PPC but the Windows Mobile phones are still expensive and I didn't want to spend that much for something that will probably be fairly familiar with the floor. I know I have convinced, or at least influence, many others since I always seem to have something new, but I don't need to bore you with any more than I have...it's Sunday and I'm still tired...
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12-18-2005, 02:08 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 455
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When I was an early adopter, I'd never convinced anyone to get the tech I used. Everyone I knew thought it was all frivolous. And now that I bide my time until I see a clear need for tech, no one manages to sway me over what or when to buy.
I guess that, because everyone ignored my advice, now I ignore theirs.
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Steven Lyle Jordan: Original SF so good, Fox would never put in on the air. |
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12-18-2005, 03:02 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 83
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Steve Jordan
When I was an early adopter, I'd never convinced anyone to get the tech I used. Everyone I knew thought it was all frivolous. And now that I bide my time until I see a clear need for tech, no one manages to sway me over what or when to buy.
I guess that, because everyone ignored my advice, now I ignore theirs.
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I can relate to that. Every device I buy is a "total waste of money" in their eyes. Yet they'll spend $1000 for a gun that they will never shoot. To each his own, but I don't tell people that they are wasting their money.
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12-18-2005, 03:52 PM
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Mystic
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,632
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While using PPCPE devices and MS Smartphones for years, I have always been the geek amongst my friends. It was always difficult to talk my friends into buying one because as I was using phones with greater functionality they were all going for smaller and "flashier" phones.
After we got older and more established in business and families, the need arose in them for the greater functionality that I held.
I talked a couple into PPCs (i700's at the time) and one into a Smartphone (i600 at the time). But then one got a Treo 600, and the rest followed suit. I know have 6 friends with Treo 650's and I am the only MS product user. (Currently a SP5m Smartphone....and I have the smaller device for a change).
Now I thought I could sell the hell out of Smartphones and PocketPCs. I can list everything they do and could do as if I worked in a store selling them. Like I had some stake in their success.
I believe the reason for their Treo preference is this:
Verizon Won.
They all use Verizon and they loved the coverage.
Verizon didnt have many MS Products at the time and they are slow to pick up new phones. The Treo was the best they had.
The Keyboard Won.
New PDA users love their keyboards. More familiar to them than writing on a screen or Taptyping and T9 of phones.
I cant say the OS won as they wouldnt know the difference at the time. But at the face....the Palm OS does seem simpler. (although, less powerful IMO).
I did get an additional Smartphone convert last week (SMT-5600)....who seems very happy so far.
Maybe I'll rectify by poor conversion ratio when the 700w arrives. 
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12-18-2005, 05:08 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 327
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I have converted a few people over the years, but the biggest "victory" was our company controller, a man of about 60 years, who used to poke fun at my gadgets. He finally caved when he went to a board meeting and they had to schedule the next meeting and everyone pulled out their PDA's, and he had to tell them all that he had to get back to them since his schedule was in Outlook back at the office. The cold stares convinced him it was time.
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12-18-2005, 05:36 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 95
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I moved countless individuals to PPC's...of course that being a primary purpose of my day job helps my ratio.
When someone comes looking for a treo, I'll usually upsell them into a PPC of some form or another.
It's pretty easy, I just show them the devices side by side, show them what their attachments look like (excel, word etc.) Browse the internet a little. Pull up the local traffic cameras...and if that doesn't work I use MS voice command to make a call or play some music. And as a last resort, I'll watch my home cable TV over wireless.
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12-18-2005, 06:56 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 455
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by wirelessbeachbum
And as a last resort, I'll watch my home cable TV over wireless.
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8O Hokay, I was following you fine until you got right there! Still... my friends would only say: "Bah! Who wants to watch TV on a tiny screen? I have an 80-inch wall-mounted HDTV! Take that, geek-boy!"
I honestly think the only thing that might sway some of my friends would be to show them how easy it is to store and access "private" data. You know... the kind you hide under the bed, or in the back of the closet... :wink:
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Steven Lyle Jordan: Original SF so good, Fox would never put in on the air. |
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12-18-2005, 07:25 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 26
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Well I can proudly say that as the first person to bring a PDA into work (an iPAQ 2210 - to a few scoffs), I've sinced managed to persuade five fellow colleagues to buy one (all 2210s). Another bought the slimmer version - I forget the model number (4415 ??). From being sat at the bar after exhibitions with friends from fellow companies, I've convinced another two to buy a PDA (both 2210s also).
In all cases (bar one) sat nav has been the killer app for them. Most of them rate listening to music as the next.
One of my friends said just recently, "I don't think I'm into them as much as you, but if my iPAQ was lost or stolen tomorrow then I would go out and re-place it immediately." Sat nav is his main app.
I've since upgraded to a Dell X50v, which I think is marvellous - a huge step forward (no WM5 for me yet). But my colleagues shrug their shoulders and continue to be happy with their 2210s.
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