04-14-2002, 03:31 AM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
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Overview of Pocket PC 2002 and the PDA market
http://wirelessnewsfactor.com/perl/story/17233.html
C. Marshall sends us this link of an article entiled "Reality Check: Pocket PC 2002." Has some pretty good comments.
� Since its debut last fall, Pocket PC 2002 has helped handheld device makers using the platform cement its popularity in the enterprise market. But observers say Pocket PC 2002 still has a long way to go to win the hearts and dollars of users outside the workplace, most of whom prefer Palm (Nasdaq: PALM)
� "They did a good job updating the things that enterprise buyers want," Dulaney told Wireless NewsFactor. "But they didn't wow me on the applications that the rest of us use these things for -- scheduling, e-mail, etc."
� Among the improvements Gold cited are features making it easier to attach Word documents to e-mail and the capability of streamlining connections between the device and a company's back-office infrastructures.
� While Pocket PC is looking to improve its standing in the consumer sector, device makers are not shedding tears over the situation. In fact, said Meta Group's Gold, the Pocket PC is likely to reach a 50 percent penetration among enterprises over the next three years. "The Pocket PC is going after the higher end of the spectrum," Gold said. "It's not really meant to be in direct comparison with Palm."
So what do you think? Sure the Pocket PC has room for improvement. What device doesn't? Obviously Palm thinks they have room for improvement or they wouldn't be finally abandoning their 6 year old OS when OS5 ships this year. You have got to love some of the stuff Pocket PC's in general and Pocket PC 2002 in particular enable you to do. Email attachments, voice recording (I use this heavily while driving), music, remote access to Terminal Server or XP Pro, keeping the important data from Outlook right in my pocket, etc. Do Pocket PC's compete with Palm OS devices? Not the $100 device to be sure, but what about plunking down $400 on a Sony Clie that lags far behind what a $500 iPAQ 3700 can do? Will consumers want to use their PDA as a cell phone? Handspring, Samsung, HP and others are betting the answer is yes.
Tune in next year, same bat time, same bat channel, when all of these multifunction devices have shipped to find out the answer. Meanwhile, click the discussion link and tell me where you think it is headed. :-)
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04-14-2002, 04:58 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 69
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If only.....
Being an enterprise user myself, I too would "love" what the PPC 2002 can do in terms of attachments, terminal server, etc. The problem for me was that everytime I needed it to do those things, the battery was dead, it was being repaired for a non-existent backlight, the number of open programs put such a drain on the device as to require a soft reset, or my email recipient received a Word attachment that looked like I just learned to compose my first document. What's more, the best place to use any PDA to do such tasks is in a "wireless" scenario. The problem there is that the network speeds are just too, too slow (obviously, this last part is not the fault of the PPC).
PPC is full of potential for what it can do. The problem is that potential doesn't get you there, particularly in "mission critical", enterprise scenarios. Notebooks are still the way to go. The pocket pc can be a decent compliment, but for $525 to $650?
Maybe Palm is only building in items like VPN, a full web browser, 802.11 and GPRS hooks, etc. to compete with MS, but you can't deny their timing. Cost and lack of availability of high speed wireless has made such features practically useless until the (hopefully) very near future. For all the lack of innovation they're accused of, they could be positioning themselves nicely.
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04-14-2002, 05:25 AM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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If only.....
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Originally Posted by fundmgr90210
For all the lack of innovation they're accused of, they could be positioning themselves nicely.
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Quite possibly, but just like with multimedia and other features that were mocked at the Pocket PC launch two years ago, I think MS is gaining valuable experience in the market and honing their apps - Palm will be starting at 1.0, and that's always a little tough. :-)
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04-14-2002, 05:34 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 69
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If only.....
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Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
Palm will be starting at 1.0, and that's always a little tough. :-)
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Agreed (if you're referring to the fact that they're porting their OS over to a new processor). While it's vapor at the moment, the current reports are that 80% of the current applications should work fine (a good portion of the 20% are simply hacks). Something that should help Palm a great deal however in this regard is the size of it's developer base. I doubt too many of the big selling apps for the platform won't work on OS 5.0.
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04-14-2002, 01:21 PM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 516
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The article you linked to doesn't seem to offer any new insights or information. It's just a hodge-podge of previously stated comments and statistics. I'm curious about this comment:
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"They did a good job updating the things that enterprise buyers want," Dulaney told Wireless NewsFactor. "But they didn't wow me on the applications that the rest of us use these things for -- scheduling, e-mail, etc."
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Wouldn't scheduling and email be two of the biggest things that enterprise buyers want?
Scott
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04-14-2002, 02:10 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Scott R
Wouldn't scheduling and email be two of the biggest things that enterprise buyers want?
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The Pocket PC has better scheduling and email capabilities than the Palm does - sending meeting appointments, accepting invites, email attachments, etc. I think they were referring to the Calendar UI itself and lack of wireless email. Wireless will be taken care of with SmartPhone 2002 and Pocket PC Phone Edition 2002 soon. Calender? Well, www.pocketinformant.com handles that. :-)
The other things it added was terminal server support, VPN, AV API, etc. Things the enterprise is very interested in.
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04-14-2002, 02:21 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
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If only.....
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Originally Posted by fundmgr90210
Being an enterprise user myself, I too would "love" what the PPC 2002 can do in terms of attachments, terminal server, etc. The problem for me was that everytime I needed it to do those things, the battery was dead, it was being repaired for a non-existent backlight, the number of open programs put such a drain on the device as to require a soft reset, or my email recipient received a Word attachment that looked like I just learned to compose my first document.
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Yes, the Pocket PC does have room for improvement in many areas. But lets look at each of these examples from the competition's side.
- Dead battery - color Palm's don't last significanly longer than Pocket PC's, mainly due to the anemic 33Mhz processors and 66.67% fewer pixels to power. The t-615 from Sony seem to have about the same battery life as a Pocket PC.
- The repair issue - I guess PPC users should feel lucky here. Last time I checked, it wasn't Pocket PC's causing people to replace motherboards on their PC because their PDA shorted it out. And how many M50x's went back after they absolutely QUIT working with their USB cradle. At least the PPC problems have been annoying, but rarely a total show stopper.
- The use of PocketNav or other task switcher handles the memory issue quite nicely. Palm's of power users are hacked up beyond belief to do the simplest things - like show you a contact without forcing you to close your current app. Why is it so bad to have to install a simple task switcher? :roll: Easier to complain I guess.
- Yes, Pocket Word needs work, but at least when I send an email to someone with a Pocket PC, or when someone sends me email, they know for a fact that I will be able to open it. Palm has admitted that no one third party app is installed on even 10% of Palm OS devices, so less than 10% of Palm users can even compose a Word document to send. Assuming they have installed an email app!
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04-14-2002, 02:30 PM
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Moderator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 6,878
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Even when the Pocket PC was launched, Palm had to know they would have to give up on the Dragonball and the current (at the time) OS. I really think the "Why would you need that" campaign was just an attempt to blow smoke. Palm needed time to do one of the following:
1) Create a new OS.
2) Buy a new OS
Don't get me wrong, I started out with a Palm III (Changed out the 2 meg card with 8 meg from TRG as soon as it was available), but if they screw up OS 5.x, I think they will be history...
Just my .02
" same bat time, same bat channel" Loved the old Batman show. Check out the Batmobile....
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04-14-2002, 07:55 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 327
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Lesser of 2 evils
I was a die hard Palm OS user for years before I got my iPaq. I only switched when I got a job in a company which uses CITRIX metaframe for all its connectivity, and Pocket PC allowed me to administer it from afar. I did not like my iPaq at all when I got it, the first night I had it the battery went dead, and, unlike the Palms I owned, there is no such thing as a one sync restore (still the single greatest feature of a Palm). I really disliked the then horrendous Pocket Money, and the calendar and address book, but soon found other applications (such as Agenda Fusion) which overcame these obstacles. Ultrasoft Money for the Palm OS still BLOWS AWAY Microsofts anemic Money, but it is now at least usable (and does not destroy my data, though I still do not trust it). It did not take me long to find applications that would do all I ever wanted to do with my Pocket PC, and then some. I now do not have any need whatsoever to carry my laptop with me when I travel or go to a job site. My Pocket PC and a few peripehrals can do it all with nary a hitch. What really proved to me that I had made the right decision is when we got a new guy in the company and I needed to help him set up his Handspring. What a nightmare! USB sync is sporadic at best. It occassionally just decides to delete all of his emails. Even using a simple expense calculating spreadsheet with Documents to Go will not work. I showed him my 3870, and all it can do, and he immediately fell in love. I showed him how I can take Yahoo! maps and directions and save them on my device, and view them in all their glory on my iPaq. I let him listen to some Mp3's and watch some movies. I showed him a huge spreadsheet which functions just as niceley on my iPaq as on the desktop. I showed him how fast it syncs, and that it requires no button presses to do so. I showed him how I can print my expense report by pointing it at the IR port of his HP LaserJet. He just stared at his Visor with a blank look on his face.
Is the Pocket PC perfect ? No! Is it easy to use ? With a little practice, absolutely! Will I ever go back? Never!!! :!: :!: :!:
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04-14-2002, 08:49 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 69
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If only.....
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Originally Posted by Ed Hansberry
Quote:
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Originally Posted by fundmgr90210
Being an enterprise user myself, I too would "love" what the PPC 2002 can do in terms of attachments, terminal server, etc. The problem for me was that everytime I needed it to do those things, the battery was dead, it was being repaired for a non-existent backlight, the number of open programs put such a drain on the device as to require a soft reset, or my email recipient received a Word attachment that looked like I just learned to compose my first document.
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Yes, the Pocket PC does have room for improvement in many areas. But lets look at each of these examples from the competition's side.
- Dead battery - color Palm's don't last significanly longer than Pocket PC's, mainly due to the anemic 33Mhz processors and 66.67% fewer pixels to power. The t-615 from Sony seem to have about the same battery life as a Pocket PC.
- The repair issue - I guess PPC users should feel lucky here. Last time I checked, it wasn't Pocket PC's causing people to replace motherboards on their PC because their PDA shorted it out. And how many M50x's went back after they absolutely QUIT working with their USB cradle. At least the PPC problems have been annoying, but rarely a total show stopper.
- The use of PocketNav or other task switcher handles the memory issue quite nicely. Palm's of power users are hacked up beyond belief to do the simplest things - like show you a contact without forcing you to close your current app. Why is it so bad to have to install a simple task switcher? :roll: Easier to complain I guess.
- Yes, Pocket Word needs work, but at least when I send an email to someone with a Pocket PC, or when someone sends me email, they know for a fact that I will be able to open it. Palm has admitted that no one third party app is installed on even 10% of Palm OS devices, so less than 10% of Palm users can even compose a Word document to send. Assuming they have installed an email app!
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The t615c has a superior battery compared to any normally aspirated PPC device, period. I own a 568 (the best of the PPC lot) and a T615C (the supposed worst of the Palm lot). The 615 burys the 568's battery by a 3+ hours life in my use. Do you own the Sony, Ed or least extensively used it?;
I shouldn't need to use an add on in terms of memory management (and we're talking about the general market here BTW, most users wouldn't even know about Pocket Nav); however, I have used that program, Wisbar, and others and have experienced a significant general slowdown in the device. It's a pain, anyway you slice it;
I agree with you on the attachments side regarding Pocket Word vs. Palm offerings; however, the formatting of so many commonly used enterprise docs makes Pocket Word embarrassing for me to use. I mean that literally, I don't want to receive a formatted document, edit it, and send it out to someone in a Pocket Word format. They'll think I'm completely incompetent. Slight advantage PPC;
Yes, there were some 500 series Palms with a cradle (or SUDS) problem. Palm is replacing the cradles in question. I don't even think most of the dyed in the wool PPC users here would argue the fact that PPCs have had horrendous quality issues, particularly when compared to Palm OS devices. If you argue against that, then it really is apparent where you are coming from, and it's not someplace with any intellectual honesty.
You know, your response is more or less fine and expected. But comments such as "easier to complain I guess?" suggest that I'm just shelling for Palm and completely ignoring facts (something I've seen you get accused of doing for Microsoft quite a bit). You might want to consider cutting down on the "roll-eyes" as well. I and others find it weak. It makes it appear as if you're under the assumption that you have some sort of intellectual superiority and the rest of "just don't get it". It makes you look insecure.
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