Palm Introduces New Consumer Level PDA - Timekeeper

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.bbspot.com/News/2002/11/timekeeper.html' target='_blank'>http://www.bbspot.com/News/2002/11/timekeeper.html</a><br /><br /></div>Oh, this is too funny... :lol: <br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/timekeeper.gif" /> <br /><br />"In a move to bolster it's control of the consumer-level PDA market, Palm, Inc. has introduced a new low-end PDA, named Timekeeper. The sleek new handheld sports the typical size Palm screen and a minimal interface of four buttons - Date Set, Time Set, Up, and Down. "We think the new Palm Timekeeper is perfect for the everyday consumer who needs the convenience of having the current date and time in the palm of their hand throughout their day," says Ken Wirt, Senior VP of Marketing."<br /><br />Don't worry you Pro-Palm people, the article goes on to mock the Pocket PC as well. And be sure to check out their <a href="http://www.bbspot.com/News/2002/11/handspring.html">Handspring satire</a> as well.

[Janak Parekh]

Jason, you forgot to make the top headline link to BBspot.

BBspot is one of the best tech satire sites on the Internet. I've gotten many, many chuckles from it. It's an equal-opportunity satirist, too. I mean, how can you not laugh at this (http://bbspot.com/News/2000/5/britney_oops.html)? :lol:

--bdj

[Foo Fighter]

Zire seems to be selling well. Looks like Palm will have the last laugh.

[Programmer]

Jason, you forgot to make the top headline link to BBspot.

It links from the home page, but doesn't parse in the URL for the forum version. This is a UI glitch we'll work on fixing.


Ahh Jason it doesn't link from the homepage either.. Can you post the link in here?

Robert

EDIT: Found it - http://www.bbspot.com/News/2002/11/timekeeper.html

[Jason Dunn]

Zire seems to be selling well. Looks like Palm will have the last laugh.

Way to suck the life out of a fun post Foo. :roll: I think your "Philosopher" tag is going to your head. :lol:

[pt]

Zire seems to be selling well. Looks like Palm will have the last laugh.

i've heard and seen lots of initial retail stores and online sales of pdas from oct / nov, i think everyone is going to be -very- surprised.

cheers,
pt

[Dave Conger]

Way to suck the life out of a fun post Foo. :roll: I think your "Philosopher" tag is going to your head. :lol:

Just wait, pretty soon he will be a Sage!

[Foo Fighter]

Way to suck the life out of a fun post Foo. :roll: I think your "Philosopher" tag is going to your head. :lol:

Sorry about that. Personally, I prefer "Pain-in-the-@ss Poster" as my tag. :wink:

[Jonathon Watkins]

OK - I guessed that this article was at www.bbspot.com form what a previoius poster said. It is at http://www.bbspot.com/News/2002/11/timekeeper.html - as the front page article does not seem to list the link.

[Foo Fighter]

...i think everyone is going to be -very- surprised.

What have you heard?

I've been trying to get marketing information from local retailers regarding which PDAs are selling well. Asking a salesperson is like talking to a tree. The only thing I have gathered so far is that all PDAs seem to be doing well.

[pt]

What have you heard? I've been trying to get marketing information from local retailers regarding which PDAs are selling well. Asking a salesperson is like talking to a tree. The only thing I have gathered so far is that all PDAs seem to be doing well.

i heard -great- things, but of course i cannot go in to any specifics at all, the numbers will be out soon, at least ones that disclose them, i think everyone is going to be surprised.

cheers,
pt

[Foo Fighter]

I'd give anything to know Dell's sales numbers. At the current price (after rebate), they have to be selling like crack on the streets of LA. Unfortunately I don't believe they have enough inventory to make much of an impact on the Pocket PC pie chart for the holiday season. I read somewhere that Dell had less than 30,000 units available for initial shipments.

And I'm not sure whether Dell will even be counted among market analysis firms like NPD and IDC...since Dell is selling direct.

Oh well, we're getting off topic.

[JonnoB]

Zire seems to be selling well. Looks like Palm will have the last laugh.

Foo Fighter - do you wake up each morning hating Microsoft or just wishing Palm would innovate? :roll:

[Foo Fighter]

Foo Fighter - do you wake up each morning hating Microsoft or just wishing Palm would innovate? :roll:

What does this have to do with hating Microsoft? I just don't get why people keep bashing this product?

Everyone hates it. Well surprise...the Zire isn't targeted at consumers like us. It was meant to be an inexpensive starter PDA for new users. I still think it's overpriced at $100, but I'll bet the price drops further.

Yeah, sure in the grand scheme of things it is a laughable product compared to a Dell or HP 1910, but Zire is intended for the sub-$100 market.

If you want to bash a Palm product...go after the Tungsten. It falls more or less in the same category as PPC. But Zire is nowhere near the same zip code as PPC.

[JonnoB]

I actually would recommend the Zire... perhaps to my grandfather who is ready to replace his analog pocketwatch. For just about anyone else that migrated into this century, I save them the pain of over-simplicity - otherwise known as the 'Zen of Palm.'

[Janak Parekh]

I actually would recommend the Zire... perhaps to my grandfather who is ready to replace his analog pocketwatch. For just about anyone else that migrated into this century, I save them the pain of over-simplicity - otherwise known as the 'Zen of Palm.'
No - don't - with its nonstandard button layout and the lack of backlight, it's even a lame watch, IMHO. Get one of the m1xx series, which you can get some great deals for. And it has that watchlike functionality too. ;)

Hey Jason, can you denote that special tagline to Foo (the Pain in the @ss bit?) :lol:

--bdj

[Foo Fighter]

I actually would recommend the Zire... perhaps to my grandfather who is ready to replace his analog pocketwatch. For just about anyone else that migrated into this century, I save them the pain of over-simplicity - otherwise known as the 'Zen of Palm.'

What keeps me from recommending Zire to others is the lack of a backlight. In my opinion, Palm is nuts for removing a common feature that PDAs have had since 1996. And the screen response is horribly slow. Tap on an icon, and the app slowly oozes onto the screen.

It's getting harder for me to recommend low-cost Palm PDAs since Dell hit the market like a wrecking ball. Do I recommend a $150 Sony SJ20 when a full color/full function Pocket PC can be had for $199 or less? :?

[ThomasC22]

What keeps me from recommending Zire to others is the lack of a backlight. In my opinion, Palm is nuts for removing a common feature that PDAs have had since 1996. And the screen response is horribly slow. Tap on an icon, and the app slowly oozes onto the screen.


Well, and that is my problem. But as a Palmie pointed out to me, people's paper organizers don't glow in the dark either, so...

As for the Zire selling well, other than at Amazon, where are you getting that from?

[Ed Hansberry]

...i think everyone is going to be -very- surprised.

What have you heard?

I've been trying to get marketing information from local retailers regarding which PDAs are selling well. Asking a salesperson is like talking to a tree. The only thing I have gathered so far is that all PDAs seem to be doing well.
Then why your initial comment as if you knew something? :?

[mookie123]

ah ah, not that I know anything about real number, but hey there is my Crystal ball and my wizard back envelop calculation.

-amazon consistently list Zire as top selling PDA. (But is it exactly cannibalizing everybody else, breaking new market, or just plain replacement of m100/105?)

I would say Zire gives Palm market share gain, but not my huge margin. The $99 price is hard to beat.

-TT is selling OK, but not a blockbuster. It is answering a pent up demand of Palm power user who ask for better model. The real challange will be in Q1. But the Q4 number will be OK for Palm, if not gaining a little.

Now for completely unscientific market share number. Palm Inc will have 35% (plus or minus 5%...lol...I need to cover my ass). They gain a few percent from last Q, but Q1, they will have bloody nose for sure, post holiday price war is looming.

[Kati Compton]

I actually would recommend the Zire... perhaps to my grandfather who is ready to replace his analog pocketwatch. For just about anyone else that migrated into this century, I save them the pain of over-simplicity - otherwise known as the 'Zen of Palm.'
No - don't - with its nonstandard button layout and the lack of backlight, it's even a lame watch, IMHO. Get one of the m1xx series, which you can get some great deals for. And it has that watchlike functionality too. ;)

Right - for like $10 more you can get a backlight and connector, etc, with one of the M1xx. I've seen ads for around $90 for that, and $80 for the Zire.

[Foo Fighter]

Then why your initial comment as if you knew something? :?

Zire has been topping the list at many online retailers. But that may not be the case with brick and mortar stores.

[JonnoB]

It's getting harder for me to recommend low-cost Palm PDAs since Dell hit the market like a wrecking ball. Do I recommend a $150 Sony SJ20 when a full color/full function Pocket PC can be had for $199 or less? :?

Do I see a light bulb over Foo Fighter's head?

[bjornkeizers]

I don't know *what* to think of the Zire. It's the cheapest thing out there. Hell, it even *looks* cheap..

But let me put it this way..

I bought a Palm III C last april for the low low bargain price of 139 euro's.

After checking some sites.. I see that a Zire will cost me 139 euro's.

Uh oh.

So, nowadays, I pay the same amount of cash for a device without color or backlight, no flash [AFAIK], and a quarter of the memory?

That's inflation for ya.

I wouldn't recommend it to new users.. simply because I can get an under-warrenty 100 for less then half of what the Zire will cost. How stupid to they think we are?

[Janak Parekh]

That's inflation for ya.

I wouldn't recommend it to new users.. simply because I can get an under-warrenty 100 for less then half of what the Zire will cost. How stupid to they think we are?
I think Palm is only preferring this unit over the m1xx's because they have better margins on it. Still, how much margin can you have on a unit going for $80-$90?

--bdj

[bjornkeizers]

I wouldn't know what margins they have on the Zire.. nor do I care.

I see that this thing costs more then a M100, and offers less. Would it make sense for me to buy something that's more expensive then the competition [from the same company, no less.. silly people @ palm] and offers less features? It can't even play most of the bloody games!

[Janak Parekh]

I see that this thing costs more then a M100, and offers less. Would it make sense for me to buy something that's more expensive then the competition [from the same company, no less.. silly people @ palm] and offers less features? It can't even play most of the bloody games!
Theoretically the Zire is supposed to be cheaper. But I agree with you, I don't quite get the Zire. It looks sleeker than the m105, but couldn't they have just kept the m105's internals and changed the casing?

--bdj