A Treo With The Pocket PC OS On It? Not Ruled Out.

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://ir.palmone.com/ireye/ir_site.zhtml?ticker=plmo&amp;script=1010&amp;item_id=847233">http://ir.palmone.com/ireye/ir_site.zhtml?ticker=plmo&amp;script=1010&amp;item_id=847233</a><br /><br />palmOne had a conference call earlier this week hosted by Morgan Stanley about the future of palmOne after the HandSpring merger in October of 2003. One of the analysts asked about a Treo running the Pocket PC operating system now that palmOne was only a hardware manufacturer. Recall that PalmSource, the OS maker, has been spun off into a separate company.<br /><br />Todd Bradley, the palmOne CEO and Chairman <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/hansberry/2004/20040304-treopocketpc.wma">answered the question</a>. <i>(118kb)</i> It wasn't a denial, or even a <i>hint</i> of a denial. Very interesting. You may want to listen to the entire broadcast at the link above. It is about 43 minutes in length.<br /><br />You'll need Windows Media Player 9, PC or or Pocket PC 2003, to listen, or <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=06FCAAB7-DCC9-466B-B0C4-04DB144BB601&displaylang=en">Windows Media Player 9 codecs for WMP7</a>.

[oruvail]

That would be a killer device. I use both the Treo 600 and an I-Mate/Qtek 2020/XDA II and like them both; but the form of the 600 is really nice.

[huangzhinong]

I posted it before and I post it again.

http://www.infosyncworld.com/news/n/4532.html


The title is "palmOne considering alternative platforms", the key sentence is Palm OS was indeed "not viewed internally as a religion".

[rmasinag]

dang! I might get this one instead of the ipaq 8O

I love the Treo 600 formfactor!

[PPCMD]

Yeah but it needs a better screen and a swappable battery, then maybe I would go with one. Oh and not on Sprints Network either.

[Foo Fighter]

That seemed like an open-ended answer. Todd was just covering all bases, so to speak. I wouldn't rule a Palm PPC Phone out, but I doubt we'll see one in the near future. For one thing, if PO had licensed Windows Mobile, wouldn't we have heard about it by now....even if a deal was done behind closed doors? :?

[Jeff Rutledge]

Hmmm...this makes things interesting for certain. Perhaps this is the beginning of the eventual evolution of these technologies. The hardware and software vendors start expanding their reach by covering as many solutions as possible.

I don't think it's really feasible, but it would definitely be cool to be able to mix-and-match your hardware and software.

[Ed@Brighthand]

I was told by someone at PalmSource that if palmOne wanted to release a Pocket PC, it would have to change its name. PalmSource owns the trademark on "Palm" and as part of the agreement that allowed palmOne to use the word in its name, it had to agree to never release a device with any other operating system as long as it still has "Palm" in its name. Of course, it could undergo another name change and then release a Pocket PC.

[Ed Hansberry]

I was told by someone at PalmSource that if palmOne wanted to release a Pocket PC, it would have to change its name. PalmSource owns the trademark on "Palm" and as part of the agreement that allowed palmOne to use the word in its name, it had to agree to never release a device with any other operating system as long as it still has "Palm" in its name.
Could be. His statement though is pretty clear.
...We haven't announced any Microsoft based products, but there is nothing that would preclude us from building one. Emphasis mine.

My gut says no, not in the foreseeable future, but I thought the comment worthy enough to highlight.

[TheZodiac]

The name palm is about as generic as "windows" and microsoft is being watched on that one too. Give me a break.

[arebelspy]

How about a quotation, so we don't have to listen? :D

-arebelspy

[Ed Hansberry]

How about a quotation, so we don't have to listen? :D
It is 43 seconds. :roll:

[Wiggin]

It is about 43 minutes in length.

Ah, 43 seconds is infinitely better than 43 minutes! :D
:way to go:

[Jimmy Dodd]

You'll need ... Pocket PC 2003, to listen...

At the risk of drifting off-topic:

Is there a way to get the link to work directly with Pocket PC 2003, or do you just have to save it via the desktop and copy it over? Clicking on the link in PIE just gives me a bunch a text. :?

[Janak Parekh]

Is there a way to get the link to work directly with Pocket PC 2003, or do you just have to save it via the desktop and copy it over? Clicking on the link in PIE just gives me a bunch a text. :?
Thanks for pointing that out. I fixed the MIME type on the server, so PIE should now handle it correctly...

--janak

[Cipr0]

I migrated from an Ipaq to RIM 957 to Good G100 to the Treo 600.....


I really miss the Pocket PC OS......but this little Treo is simply awesome.....with Goodlink installed it really lets me leave the office for days at a time with 1 device.....no more laptop...no more cell phone + PDA......


The form factor and the thumb board is the real deal......just the Palm OS is weak.

Upgrade the screen, Install PPC OS.....and its a winner....

Cipro

[nishka]

I will admit here that I have not touched my Dell Axim since I bought my Treo 600.. There, I said it :).

This thing is a killer device but I'd love to have PocketPC running on this thing.. PalmOS is just simply not as nice as the PocketPC I've been operating with for the last several years. Nonetheless, the functionality of this device far outweighs the OS disadvantages.

[Ed Hansberry]

It is about 43 minutes in length.

Ah, 43 seconds is infinitely better than 43 minutes! :D
:way to go:

Guys, please read the full post in context. I snipped a 43 second clip out. Wiggin - do the full quote. You may want to listen to the entire broadcast at the link above. It is about 43 minutes in length. :mrgreen:

[Ed Hansberry]

Is there a way to get the link to work directly with Pocket PC 2003, or do you just have to save it via the desktop and copy it over? Clicking on the link in PIE just gives me a bunch a text. :?
Thanks for pointing that out. I fixed the MIME type on the server, so PIE should now handle it correctly...
So, why do you have to do a different MIME type for the PPC when the desktop sees it perfectly? :?

[Ed@Brighthand]

I was told by someone at PalmSource that if palmOne wanted to release a Pocket PC, it would have to change its name. PalmSource owns the trademark on "Palm" and as part of the agreement that allowed palmOne to use the word in its name, it had to agree to never release a device with any other operating system as long as it still has "Palm" in its name. Of course, it could undergo another name change and then release a Pocket PC.
I've spent much of the last couple of hours trying to track this down and finally did so. Turns out what I was told before was hooey. The "Palm" trademark is owned by a brand-holding company that is owned jointly by PalmSource and palmOne. As Bradley said, there is nothing to restrict his company from releasing a Pocket PC while still named palmOne.

Sorry to have repeated incorrect information.

[Ed Hansberry]

Sorry to have repeated incorrect information.
Thanks for the clarification. This makes Bradley's answer all the more interesting.

You just know palmOne has a copy of the Pocket PC platform builder in house messing with it. I am sure they have one for Symbian and Linux too.

[Kirk Stephens]

I haven't been active in the Pocket PC scene for some time now, so the title of this post gave me quite a shock!

[Jimmy Dodd]

Is there a way to get the link to work directly with Pocket PC 2003, or do you just have to save it via the desktop and copy it over? Clicking on the link in PIE just gives me a bunch a text. :?
Thanks for pointing that out. I fixed the MIME type on the server, so PIE should now handle it correctly...
So, why do you have to do a different MIME type for the PPC when the desktop sees it perfectly? :?

I still can't hear it on my PPC, though I'm now back at my desktop and can hear it there. :roll:

EDIT: Now it works. I had do delete my cached files.

[Janak Parekh]

So, why do you have to do a different MIME type for the PPC when the desktop sees it perfectly? :?
Because IE on the desktop is broken -- it ignores MIME-types completely. Ideally, since not all OSes work by file extension, MIME-types are supposed to be a clean abstraction.

What's totally bizarre, though, is that Microsoft is inconsistent on its brokenness. PIE 2003 is "standards-based" with respect to MIME types, but is horribly broken on animated GIFs. :roll:

--janak

[Kevin Daly]

I wouldn't read too much into that answer.
I think he was spelling out the fact that they're not under any contractual or whatever obligation to only use a Palm OS.

That doesn't mean they have any intention of using anything else just now (and why do the extra work when they presumably have confidence in what they already have?).
And why would they sidestep their developer base?

Also, given that Palm hardware has always been designed with the assumption that it would running a Palm OS, I can imagine that adjusting any of their designs to run anything else could involve lots of headaches (and a very long test cycle).

So the incentive would have to be significant, and I don't see it.

[Charles Pickrell]

Perhapsa PalmOne would want to license their hardware designs to other manufacturers. I imagine that a company such as Sony or Dell would be interested in selling one device that could run PalmOS or WindowsMobile. That might make it financially viable for PalmOne and also give them the opportunity to expand market share.

[felixdd]

I wouldn't read too much into that answer.
I think he was spelling out the fact that they're not under any contractual or whatever obligation to only use a Palm OS.


That's what I thought too -- he sounded as if he was trying his best to give a perfectly neutral response. And it seems that way.

That said, I think any good company would want to know its competitors/alternatives well. So the presence of a PPC, Linux, or Symbian SDK is a given -- just to see they work.

Maybe somewhere in house, they may have a palmOne device (i.e. T3?) running PPC, linux, or even Symbian -- just to see the possibilities. Or maybe it's a W?BIC sorta thing... :lol:

[Michel]

Just listened to that snippet.... I agree with Ed about him [the Palm rep.] leaving it pretty clear that they have every "right" to go with PPC if they wish to; he certainly didn't deny that posibility, nor the spring release date posed by the reporter.
Interesting.....

[Fishie]

I was told by someone at PalmSource that if palmOne wanted to release a Pocket PC, it would have to change its name. PalmSource owns the trademark on "Palm" and as part of the agreement that allowed palmOne to use the word in its name, it had to agree to never release a device with any other operating system as long as it still has "Palm" in its name. Of course, it could undergo another name change and then release a Pocket PC.
I've spent much of the last couple of hours trying to track this down and finally did so. Turns out what I was told before was hooey. The "Palm" trademark is owned by a brand-holding company that is owned jointly by PalmSource and palmOne. As Bradley said, there is nothing to restrict his company from releasing a Pocket PC while still named palmOne.

Sorry to have repeated incorrect information.

Slaps you on the wrist, now dont do it again ya hear.

[TMAN]

I have owned the Sprint PCS Treo 600 for about 2 months and I have almost completely forgotten about my iPAQ 5555 and T68. The functionality of this device is simply amazing I don't even care what OS it has in it.

It is finally nice to have one, VERY FAST, device that can be operated in one hand. All I can say is if the Treo 600 had Windows Mobile as the OS, it had better be as fast as it is with the Palm OS.

Anyone want to buy an iPAQ 5555, 1GB Sandisk CF, 1GB Lexar CF, MemPlug Dual CF SS5 and T68? :wink:

[Ed Hansberry]

For those following this: http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=38424