Comments on: Rumors Continue About Palm/Handspring Merger

So much for the "Great God of PDAs".

I always think of the internet firm (forgot it's name) run by a bunch of 20 somethings. They received about 30 million in VC, through a 20 million launch party in Vegas, and spent another 10 million on advertising A sure sign the end was near.

A company is worth $100 a share if it earns sufficient profits to justify that price. Handspring has never made a profit.

One more word of advice: Don't give up your day job.

It's called competition. If your company doesn't offer consumers the products they want, you are going to fail. This is what happened to Handspring. They are selling products that offer no compelling features or value. Just more of the same generic Palms that already flood the market.

Sony has surpassed Handspring as the number 2 PDA maker. There is a lesson here, I think.

You mean it's too bad _you_ can't check your email on a Clie. Some of us Clie owners have no need or desire to check email every second of the day, but I can understand how it makes a lot of people feel important to be "connected" 24 hours a day.

I picked up a Clie T615 last month, trading up 3 weeks later to the new T665 and am not looking back. My wireless was never really "there" anyway, invariably frustrating me when I most wanted it to work. The Clies are far superior to any of the 3 Visors I owned and helped make the disconnect of my wireless a few days ago painless. Not to mention the fact that I always held my breath hoping I didn't get stuck in a reset loop [aka hard reset] when I switched modules. I don't have to deal with that with my Clie.

They're bumbling geeks in the worst way - they're oblivious to the needs/wants of their users. I can't wait for them to DIE!

Another thing, when did this rumor start anyway? I never read any concrete evidence, just people in forums shooting their mouth off.

Don't get me wrong, I have a Visor Platinum, and am thinking about buying a Treo. I'm not talking about handhelds here. The discussion topic is successful (or not so successful) companies. The fact of the matter is that Microsoft is much more successful than Handspring and Palm are. Everyone who's using their software agrees with me whether they like it or not.

Interestingly, Donna Dubinski has been at the helm of more than one company hasn't she. Take not as to how each of these companies is doing.

Good 'ole US of A... eh?

Big, beaurucratic companies getting brought down to earth (which is different than "crashing", Mr. Jack*ss), is exactly the economic condition that gives small, smart startups the ability to stay alive, and then thrive.

I don't know where you're from. Your country probably has a lower murder rate than the U.S.....fair enough.

But I guarantee your people *WISH* they had the freedom and happiness that we in the U.S. enjoy. These tough times make us closer, not snottier.

I bet you've never even spent 5 MINUTES trying to think of something that nobody else had!

Enjoy your sick country, you jealous idiot.

Handspring has attempted to be innovative on the hardware side, but there's only so much you can do with an outdated OS.

Sony has done some interesting things, but once again the outdated OS holds them back.

Microsoft has made some strides with PocketPC 2002, but still can't get the simple stuff right. I like my iPAQ but it's far from perfect.

The only "PDA" I use everyday is my BlackBerry, which I use only for wireless email and calendar. But it's not good for much else and it's expensive. I tried the 5810 phone version and didn't like it.

I think a real catalyst for this sector will be if PalmSource releases a much improved OS. OS5 doesn't appear to be much of an improvement, but hopefully it will be. HandSpring is done unless someone buys them.

I wish Sony would buy Palm and really put the heat on Microsoft with their innovative style, not just with PDA's but other platforms as well like the PlayStation vs. X-Box.

I really don't see how buying Palm and Handspring will stunt Handhelf growth LoL. Palm Inc. has nothing but their name left, and Handspring is in a even worse situation, they are digging their own grave right now by releasing those so called smartphone, instead of competing in an area that they are (kinda) the leader, they goes to challenge Nokia and SonyEricsson.

Isn't that what Sony's been doing for the last year? Rebadging PDAs and then sticking a keyboard on one. Palm outsells Sony 5 to 1 in PDAs, and that isn't changing. When Palm starts selling hi-res OS 5 devices (very soon), Sony's only advantage is gone. Long gone.

Sony squanderd every chance they had by going after the wrong segments of the PDA market and blowing tons of R&D money on their latest flavor of the month. All of Sony's effort has left them barely second, but essentially tied with Handspring, a company that pretty much everyone here knows how poorly they're doing. They're barely outselling some PocketPC and other OS PDA companies as well. In fact Sony will lose marketshare as OS 5 devices start to come out.

Sony will drop out of the PDA market within the next year unless they can gain significant marketshare. That is the business model of big companies like Sony, as they won't continue to bleed money into a market that isn't showing significant return.

> Please tell me what your GAY ass M105 does that a
> PALM III cant do? UMMM what would that be?

Cost about one-third as much. Provides good returns to Palm because of high quantity sales and lower production and supprt costs.

> Now a Sony NR70V can do a HELL of a LOT more than a
> III can and you piss ant M105.

For at least 4 times the cost, and actually it doesn't DO that much more. The same applications are there. It is essentally just a N610C with a slightly better screen and a poorly designed keyboard (that actually just provides space for the massive battery that is needed). 99.9% of people don't need it, and that has everything to do with economics.

> When YOU learn something about ECONOMICS then post again!
> Bet you invested in Pets.com.. you flake!

Come back after you invest in a course in English and grammar. Maybe grow up a little too, while you're at it.

Other than some play MP3s and provide a built-in camera on their MOST EXPENSIVE model, I have no idea what you mean by this. They don't DO anything more than any other Palm.

BTW- Palm IS heading in that direction. Didn't you read the story about Eric Benhamou hinting at 3 new handhelds, an entry-level Palm, a power-user's Palm, and a smartphone?

•Bosco
My Palm m105 is my baby, but is that child abuse when I drop it?

I think Handspring are trying to get in early on the developing market for covergent devices like the Treo. Ultimately the allure of one unified device will win out. Speaking personally, I have had a combined PDA/phone for the last two years (two Nokias and now the Treo) and I would never go back to carting around multiple devices. At the end of the day, I need to be able to carry around my diary with me, my phone with me, and the bonus of mobile internet is nice too.

The thing people seem to forget is that the Treo is not designed for Palm afficionados. For examples, I've always stayed clear of Palm because I hated Graffiti and wouldn't have even entertained the Treo had it not had the keyboard. Even if a pen-based machine read my handwriting perfectly, I can type faster than I can write anyway (even on a Treo thumb-board).

Also remember that SMS (text messages) are absolutely HUGE in Europe, especially the UK. I predict many textaholics will buy Treos and any similar machines that hit the market purely for the ease with which SMSes can be sent. And I am not that unique in the UK with my requirements, either. If the Treo is marketted properly in the UK, there is the potential for Handspring to grab a HUGE marketshare here.

The Treo is a great unit as a phone, and a decent enough PDA. There are better PDAs out there (although I think you'd struggle to flip that on its head and find a better phone) but ultimately, what do you want from a PDA? I want my diary, my contacts, and mobile internet. Most people won't even be that bothered about mobile internet, although WAP (another thing the US doesn't seem to be into yet) on a Treo-sized screen might change that.

Handspring are trying to get in early on a new market, and it's a market the US isn't really ready for yet. But that doesn't mean they don't have their heads screwed on. And it doesn't mean they aren't going to sell well in Europe.