View Full Version : Vaporware 2002: Tech Up In Smoke?
Janak Parekh
01-03-2003, 07:15 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,57023,00.html' target='_blank'>http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0...4,57023,00.html</a><br /><br /></div>"As 2002 ends, there is a lot of unfinished business in various corners of the tech world. We are referring, of course, to vaporware: hot, must-have products promised but never delivered.<br /><br />Wired News put out a call to readers for the technological wonders they most looked forward to in 2002 but never saw because developers delayed release or, in some cases, abandoned them altogether. Then we tabulated nominations and selected the top 10 -- or should we say bottom 10? -- most-waited-for-in-vain products."<br /><br />BTW, the OQO made the list! :) Got any of your own?
KyleC
01-03-2003, 07:29 PM
Five of the ten products are games, with the number one vaporware product being Duke Nukem Forever, a game that was promised years ago. :wink:
Hey! This post apparently makes me an Intellectual! :D
Jimmy Dodd
01-03-2003, 07:30 PM
If there was a list for Pocket PC vaporware, I think @Mail would probably be in the top ten. I guess they are still struggling with a bug that just won't die. Their forum has turned from a lot of excited fans waiting eagerly for the release to a few of us who seem to have fallen into despair.
The latest promised release date: 2003.
:(
KyleC
01-03-2003, 07:32 PM
If there was a list for Pocket PC vaporware, I think @Mail would probably be in the top ten. I guess they are still struggling with a bug that just won't die. Their forum has turned from a lot of excited fans waiting eagerly for the release to a few of us who seem to have fallen into despair.
The latest promised release date: 2003.
:(
I've never heard of @Mail. What is it, and what does it do? Does it allow you to view HTML mail??
Janak Parekh
01-03-2003, 07:36 PM
http://www.pocketinformant.com/AtMail.php
We all want it. Rest assured a front-page post is going up as soon as it's released. I wouldn't blame Alex, he's running a small company and already has his hands full with PI. I'm sure they're working diligently on it.
--janak
Jimmy Dodd
01-03-2003, 07:38 PM
If there was a list for Pocket PC vaporware, I think @Mail would probably be in the top ten. I guess they are still struggling with a bug that just won't die. Their forum has turned from a lot of excited fans waiting eagerly for the release to a few of us who seem to have fallen into despair.
The latest promised release date: 2003.
:(
I've never heard of @Mail. What is it, and what does it do? Does it allow you to view HTML mail??
That and more. Check out http://www.pocketinformant.com/AtMail.php for more information.
They did get the Journal Sync plug-in released, so I've got to give alex credit for that, at least. :wink:
Jimmy Dodd
01-03-2003, 07:39 PM
http://www.pocketinformant.com/AtMail.php
We all want it. Rest assured a front-page post is going up as soon as it's released. I wouldn't blame Alex, he's running a small company and already has his hands full with PI. I'm sure they're working diligently on it.
--janak
Well if PPCT would quit giving him prizes maybe he would spend more time at work instead of playing with his new PPC toys! :wink:
KyleC
01-03-2003, 07:41 PM
http://www.pocketinformant.com/AtMail.php
We all want it. Rest assured a front-page post is going up as soon as it's released. I wouldn't blame Alex, he's running a small company and already has his hands full with PI. I'm sure they're working diligently on it.
--janak
Thanks for the link! Now that I see what it is and what it can do, I
a) also want the product :twisted:
b) wonder why Microsoft didn't include this kind of functionality in the first place :roll:
ender
01-03-2003, 07:51 PM
Remember the MOXI digital center. I hope this doesn't become Vaporware, because I have been waiting for this beauty for my living room since it was announced.
MOXI where are you?
-Ender
bdegroodt
01-03-2003, 08:20 PM
SD WiFi :evil: Looks like I'll be upgrading my 3975 before I see a SD WiFi card on the market (Late Q1 '03).
KyleC
01-03-2003, 08:27 PM
SD WiFi :evil: Looks like I'll be upgrading my 3975 before I see a SD WiFi card on the market (Late Q1 '03).
I have to agree with you there. I have been looking forware to Wi-Fi for my e310 for a long time. However, I don't forsee an upgrade like you. :(
Pocket Quicken for the Pocket PC.
Landware (Maker of Pocket Quicken for Palm) has been claiming that they have been porting it to PPC platforms for what seems like years (might actually be years). Every time they come up to their declared release date they push it off another two quarters or so.
Come on kids. If they can make this app work on a lowly Palm, they can surely make it work, better, on a PPC.......
:evil:
alex_kac
01-03-2003, 08:45 PM
@mail isn't dead. I'm not working on it. Its being independantly developed by a developer on my team (he's an employee).
As for its delay...yes, its very frustrating. Yes, its not fun. I could probably write a tale over intrigue, fast women, and lots of politics around this - but I won't.
Lets just say that its being worked on in full time and the issues basically have to do 100% with the completely undocumented territory in the CEMAPI mail system. We're just seeing some strange things occurring in the deep bowels of the CEMAPI system and are trying to figure out why.
Let me also add, when PI 3 was announced in August of 2001, it was expected to be ready by October/November. We finally finished it on March 5th of 2002. @Mail was announced in September with a November finish date. I'm expecting it realistically in jan/february now.
KyleC
01-03-2003, 08:45 PM
Better battery life! Okay, so this was really johncjs idea, but I decided it was good so I posted it! :D
http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6752
Jimmy Dodd
01-03-2003, 08:46 PM
Pocket Quicken for the Pocket PC.
Landware (Maker of Pocket Quicken for Palm) has been claiming that they have been porting it to PPC platforms for what seems like years (might actually be years). Every time they come up to their declared release date they push it off another two quarters or so.
Come on kids. If they can make this app work on a lowly Palm, they can surely make it work, better, on a PPC.......
:evil:
Good one. I actually chose MS Money over Quicken on the desktop in 2002 because of the Pocket Quicken vaporware. I doubt it hurt the company to lose my $29 but I doubt I'm the only one.
disconnected
01-03-2003, 08:47 PM
I'm waiting for --
the SD WiFi card.
A really nice case for my iPAQ 3975 and SS2 (first Vaja said maybe, and never made one, then Inooch was going to make one and never did); if there was one as nice as the Inooch for the naked iPAQ, then I wouldn't even need the SD WiFi card, I'd just carry the SS2 all the time.
Updates and Today Plugin for PenAgenda (due by fourth quarter 2002)
ANYTHING good from Sprint -- a CDMA PPC Phone Edition, a Smartphone (with SDIO), a Bluetooth phone, or even a Yiso card that doesn't require a large additional battery (would still require a new case option).
An auto power adapter for my husband's new V35. Actually this isn't even vaporware; apparently Viewsonic sees no need for such an item.
The new caching system for Thunderhawk, so a whole page (not just a screen) would be downloaded at once.
jizmo
01-03-2003, 08:52 PM
PocketHobbit, the long awaited C64 emulator seems to now become a vaporware. Judging by the screenshots it was almost finished and now there hasn't been any updates to the site for three months. Oh well .. :evil:
Let's just hope that CastCE, the Atari ST emulator that's due to come out this week doesn't become vaporware as well.
/jizmo
KyleC
01-03-2003, 08:53 PM
Let me also add, when PI 3 was announced in August of 2001, it was expected to be ready by October/November. We finally finished it on March 5th of 2002. @Mail was announced in September with a November finish date. I'm expecting it realistically in jan/february now.
So this means that we can expect it around May? :lol:
JonnoB
01-03-2003, 09:09 PM
As an old Amiga fanatic, I find it sad to see the platform slowly die. When news of a new Amiga coming to market, I was excited, but then to read it is really a new shell on a Linux core, I gave up. The AmigaOS was awesome and ahead of its time, now it is nothing special anymore.
It really hurts for me to say that.
My vote would go to SDIO for the Pocket PC in general.
daS
Pocky2003
01-03-2003, 09:29 PM
Pocket Quicken anyone? :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:
bdegroodt
01-03-2003, 09:31 PM
My vote would go to SDIO for the Pocket PC in general.
daS
What does this mean? I thought it was a pretty common feature for PPCs sold this last year. :?:
bdegroodt
01-03-2003, 09:34 PM
Pocket Quicken anyone? :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:
No kidding. I tried using the MS Money program but found a really intersesting bug that causes the balance on your PPC to show a different balance than what is really in your account. I use it for business accounting ( :( ) and if you receive payment on an invoice, it doesn't carry that balance to your PPC, just the computer's balance. Real pain.
My vote would go to SDIO for the Pocket PC in general.
daS
What does this mean? I thought it was a pretty common feature for PPCs sold this last year. :?:
No - SD memory slots are common, but SDIO supports more than memory (like the Toshiba SD Bluetooth card, etc.) Sort of like having the USB port on the Pocket PC, but only being able to use it for sync'ing and not for connecting to keyboards, cameras, etc. (Yes, I know that a couple of PPCs - like my Casio E200 and the Toshiba support some USB devices, but still few drivers are available.)
David Shier
www.BluetoothNews.com
handheldplanet
01-03-2003, 10:04 PM
Sorry to change the topic a little bit, but I can't help it. The OQO made the list, but I've been watching www.antelopetech.com for awhile and it looks like it's still going to be released. I've actually played with their handheld and it's really cool!
Jonathon Watkins
01-03-2003, 10:05 PM
My vote would go to SDIO for the Pocket PC in general.
daS
What does this mean? I thought it was a pretty common feature for PPCs sold this last year. :?:
There are hardly any devices that acually used SIDO as opposed to the standard SD slots. We can all use memory/storage in the slots - but are stil waiting for the SIDO Wifi cards, Camera cards, GPRS cards, Bluetooth cards etc.
bdegroodt
01-03-2003, 10:05 PM
My vote would go to SDIO for the Pocket PC in general.
daS
What does this mean? I thought it was a pretty common feature for PPCs sold this last year. :?:
No - SD memory slots are common, but SDIO supports more than memory (like the Toshiba SD Bluetooth card, etc.) Sort of like having the USB port on the Pocket PC, but only being able to use it for sync'ing and not for connecting to keyboards, cameras, etc. (Yes, I know that a couple of PPCs - like my Casio E200 and the Toshiba support some USB devices, but still few drivers are available.)
David Shier
I know what it is, but from where I look, I see Toshiba, HP/Compaq, and Viewsonic all support SDIO (That's not all of the market, but it's pretty much the majority.). I'm sure Dell will come along soon enough.
bdegroodt
01-03-2003, 10:07 PM
There are hardly any devices that acually used SIDO as opposed to the standard SD slots. We can all use memory/storage in the slots - but are stil waiting for the SIDO Wifi cards, Camera cards, GPRS cards, Bluetooth cards etc.
Mine can! :D
Jonathon Watkins
01-03-2003, 10:08 PM
Sorry to change the topic a little bit, but I can't help it. The OQO made the list, but I've been watching www.antelopetech.com for awhile and it looks like it's still going to be released. I've actually played with their handheld and it's really cool!
Well, it would be nice to atually see it - we Have been waiting a while since it was announced. It really is an interesting sounding device. How did it feel/look to you?
Jonathon Watkins
01-03-2003, 10:10 PM
There are hardly any devices that acually used SIDO as opposed to the standard SD slots. We can all use memory/storage in the slots - but are stil waiting for the SIDO Wifi cards, Camera cards, GPRS cards, Bluetooth cards etc.
Mine can! :D
OK - I phrased that wrongly - I meant the hardware devices themselves - the wifi, bluetooth cards etc. Where are they?
bdegroodt
01-03-2003, 10:19 PM
OK - I phrased that wrongly - I meant the hardware devices themselves - the wifi, bluetooth cards etc. Where are they?
Bluetooth SD cards are available. I used one when I was mad at MSFT one month and bought a Palm. Worked great. Camera's are available in SD format (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3268). Margi has an SD presenter card for Palms...
EricMCarson
01-03-2003, 11:00 PM
What about pinpoint tools' Trans/ACT 2.0? They were promising it all last year to fix the problems with speed, interface, and getting all of your data into a useable ACT! onto the PPC platform. They have yet to deliver and continue to postpone the release date! (and they wonder why version 1.0 won't sell...)
I know what it is, but from where I look, I see Toshiba, HP/Compaq, and Viewsonic all support SDIO (That's not all of the market, but it's pretty much the majority.). I'm sure Dell will come along soon enough.
Okay, so what SDIO cards run in these devices? Over a year ago (Nov 2001) Toshiba et. al. showed mockups of everything from a TV tuner to a camera in the SD formfactor. So far, there's the one Bluetooth card and from what I can tell, Toshiba is really only pushing it with the Palm logo on it.
Actually, I'll admit that for most of us, the lack of SDIO support is not a big deal because most Pocket PCs support CF cards for IO and the SD slot can be used for memory. The place that SDIO is needed is in the Pocket PC Phone Edition models that don't have any support for Bluetooth, or LANs.
David Shier
www.BluetoothNews.com
SassKwatch
01-04-2003, 03:09 PM
BTW, the OQO made the list! :)
That there be #1 on my list. It was the one *announced* product in the last couple yr that had the plastic just itching to jump out of the wallet.
I *SO* want to be able to disconnect from the desktop yet retain it's functionality. The iPAQ does some amazing things, but doesn't quite reach the desired level. Notebooks have never really thrilled me all that much....tablets even less. The Mira devices had my eye for a bit, but then I got to wondering why I would spend $1300 for a mobile 'screen' when a halfway decent notebook could be had for roughly the same.
vBulletin® v3.8.9, Copyright ©2000-2019, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.