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  #1  
Old 08-19-2003, 11:48 PM
Jason Dunn
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Default What Does the Future Hold for Your PDA?

http://www.pcworld.com/news/article...n081903X,00.asp

"The continued evolution of mobile phones and growing sophistication of converged mobile devices means a bleak future for traditional personal digital assistants, market research firm IDC predicts. "From mobile phones to converged mobile devices, which combine the data capabilities of PDAs with the voice communication capabilities of mobile phones, competing device types will draw buyers away from traditional handheld devices," the firm notes in a new report, "Worldwide Smart Handheld Devices Forecast and Analysis, 2003-2007." According to the firm's prognostications, this year the worldwide handheld device industry will decline by 8.4 percent to 11.35 million units, its second straight year of decline."

Does this surprise anyone? It doesn't surprise me - converged devices offer many advantages, although I know many Pocket PC Thoughts readers are fans of the "two device solution". I see more phones taking on PDA-like characteristics (a la Smartphone) rather than huge numbers of PDAs suddenly becoming phones. We're just now edging into the true second generation of these devices, so while there's still a lot to figure out in terms of usability, I think the day that every Pocket PC is also a phone or a wireless device of some sort is quickly approaching. What do you think?
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  #2  
Old 08-19-2003, 11:58 PM
portnoy
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Personally, I find a PDA to be a very handy device. I keep appointments straight, phone numbers and address' as well as notes that otherwise would be an unmanageable wad in my wallet. I keep mine full of books to read and pictures of family. But I have absolutely no use for another phone. If anyone wants to contact me I have email and and answering machine on my home phone line. The last thing I ever want is something attached to my hip giving people all over the ability to annoy me no matter where I am.
 
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  #3  
Old 08-19-2003, 11:59 PM
Bob Anderson
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My first thought is that convergence = compromise.

With that said, if convergence means an ever smaller screen forget it.
If it means higher cost for the so called "convenience factor" forget it. If it means yet another proprietary "wave" in the name of innovation, forget it, and finally, if it means blending the mission of several devices, instead of selling compatible, unitized, products I'm not interested.

I haven't tried a SmartPhone, but I can't imagine using a smartphone to the same degree I use my PPC. But I could see the day that the two integrate well together, letting the phone be the communicator and the PPC being the "organizer/controller" and replicating as nearly as possible the power of a real PC.

That's my two cents worth...
 
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Old 08-20-2003, 12:11 AM
IpaqMan2
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I personally think it's a buch of bull....

I like having my sepereate devices. I like being able to jot notes down on my PDA while I am on my cell phone. I like being able to take quick memos onmy PDA if needed while speaking to someone else on my Cell phone as well. I also like being able to know that I can drop my Cell phone provider anytime I need to, to go to another provider and not worring about needing to change or buy a new PDA as I currently have to do with my Cell phone and last of all... I like that cell phones can be cheap and I can leave all my planning on my PDA and use bluetooth if needed to connect to my cell phone to surf and fax if needed.

The Cell Phone market will keep getting bigger.....But if you really look at who the people are that are buying all these PDA/Cell phones these are the same people who would probably never use their computers for nothing more than to surf and check email. PDAs are ment to do much more than just that. So I dont think PDAs will just go away, they will always serve a purpose for those power users who need more to do than a datebook, and PIM functions....which are what most PDAs are designed to do...which is more than just that.
 
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Old 08-20-2003, 12:20 AM
hdsalinas
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I always wanted to use my PDA as a phone, but now that I think of it I rather not.

For me, the best combination is a smartphone + bluetooth + a PPC. I think is a good idea to have communication between these devices and to keep them separated.

I find the OS in new cellphones very primitive and disorganized, adding a standard, logical and complete OS as microsoft�s would add value to our cellphones. For me a smartphone would complement rather than replace my PPC.

Now, a PPC with an integrated GPS would be great!!!!

man! I want a smartphone too! [/b]
 
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Old 08-20-2003, 12:21 AM
Tammy Westgate
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I've already told everyone I know that my next pda - I currently own an HP 3900 - will be one that has an integrated phone & GPS & camera & whatever-else-is-available-at-the-time. I can see a pda with a walkie-talkie type phone...which would enable you to talk & work at the same time. :idea: For privacy's sake, it would be cool if the incoming voice could be translated to text.
 
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Old 08-20-2003, 12:21 AM
dh
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Anderson
My first thought is that convergence = compromise.
That's my thought as well.
Look at the current crop of PDA phones, non of them offer a specification anything like as good as the average PPC. It seems they take so long to develop that they are obsolete by the time they arrive on the market.
This applies to all types, Palm as well as MS.
MS smartphone seems to be the worst compromise of all. Too big to be a phone, nothing like the fuctionality of a PPC. I really don't see the point in this, neither it would appear do the US carriers.
Unless there is a major breakthrough, it's seperate devices for me.
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  #8  
Old 08-20-2003, 12:24 AM
djl
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You know, convergence isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I can't help but wonder if it's a good thing. I, personally, don't think we're much better off with Big is Best and All-in-One-Devices rule the day. I love my iPAQs because they store contact information, calendar stuff, miscellaneous notes, pictures of the family, and all sorts of other things with a relatively large, well-lit screen that fits reasonably well in my hand and pocket. The PDA phones I've toyed with still don't fit all that well, and if PDAs are moving more toward phones the screens will be smaller, not larger, than they are on PDAs now -- and that begins to defeat the purpose of having a robust pocket computer. When I want to use the phone, I use my cell phone. When I want to listen to mp3s, I'd much rather listen to a sturdier mp3 player than to risk dropping my $$$ iPAQ. I want the PDA of the future to do what it does now even better, including wireless connectivity. I'll just get a super small Bluetooth phone to go with it.
 
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  #9  
Old 08-20-2003, 12:26 AM
fireflyrsmr
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having the phone in the pda may be nice but i could never see giving up the pda with a bigger screen. i agree with ipaqman2 that the phone pda thing is great for someone who primarily wants a phone. we may see that we are a minority and that there will be a premium to pay for gear that can really compute but there will be a market. for those of us trying to shed the laptop someday but can't imagine walking around with a slate future versions of the pda are the hot setup. I see a smartphone and a newton size pda in my future. or a spotwatch and a pda.

my family uses the short message stuff on the phone more than voice when we are apart.
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  #10  
Old 08-20-2003, 12:28 AM
PoweriPaq
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It would be nice to have all in one. One that would do both. Both in terms of having a cellphone and ppc in one. Having the PPC as your cellphone as well, but, instead of using wired headsets, it would be wireless and as small as your ear. So just plug it into your ear when you have a call, or hook it to your ear.

As for the Smartphone, those screens are small. Kind of worthless to me, that's my 2 cents.
 
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