Comments on: Tapwave Shifting Focus?

The latest word from Tapwave is that the company is undergoing a transition and is moving away from creating their own branded models. However, the company still plans to develop co-branded products with other leading electronic companies and will continue to develop a next generation multimedia platform.
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Sad...

vesther @ 5/4/2005 5:37:11 PM # Q
I can't believe that this could be true...

Powered by Palm OS since March 2002
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This was read in the tea leaves 18 months ago

hkklife @ 5/4/2005 5:30:55 PM # Q
This doesn't come as a surprise at all to me. In fact, it sounds eerily similar to the death throes (and final grandiose plans) of 3D0 (the hardware company), Atari, VM Labs et al to incorporate their technologies/IPs into a variety of affilited/partnership/spin-off products.

Right now the best thing Tapwave could do is let P1 gobble them up for pennies on the dollar and try to shoehorn the LifeDrive/Zodiac 3 (assuming SOME development has already been done on a followup model) into a "Veld" line of low volume, high margin, media-centric handhelds that happen to be able top play games a bit better than the Tungstens and Zires. P1 would need to take extra measyres in order to stress that gaming is not the primary focus of such devices (that's what PSPs are for). Such devices would have to still be very robust PDAs with none of the flagging developer support or apallingly absent apps (*cough* web browser *cough*) that sealed the Zod's fate.

RE: This was read in the tea leaves 18 months ago
LiveFaith @ 5/5/2005 10:46:33 AM # Q
HKK,

I must agere with the subject line here. When Tapwave announced the product I was very impressed. When they named it after the pathetic zodiac I was shaking my head is disbelief. But when they announced that distribution channels were online only and almost non-existent in retail channels, I knew it was doomed unless some investor just had bottomless pockets.

A few days before the PSP was launched I was in an Electronics Botique with my kids. I talked to the owner and a regional Sony rep about the PSP, then she pulled one out and let me play a game and watch Spiderman on it. Very impressive without a doubt.

I asked the owner if he carried Tapwave products. He and the Sony rep both said "what's a Tapwave?". I described it based on Palm OS etc etc and pulled out my T3 for a slight comparison. They both thot the T3 was cool and knew about PDAs ... but the point was taken.

When the insiders in the retail business don't have a clue what Tapwave is after a year, then the curtain is soon to fall. To bad a great device has to go the way of the albatross.

You have to get a product into a lot of marketing channels to get it in kid's/adults hands. TW did not come close and it is left with Palm fans to pay the bills. There are not enough of us.

Looks like it will have to be the PalmOne Treo, Tungsten, Zire & Tapwave now.


Pat Horne; www.churchoflivingfaith.com

RE: This was read in the tea leaves 18 months ago
JSwinden @ 5/5/2005 11:20:06 AM # Q
It is definately a bad idea not to sell directly from major retail stores. One of the most important things I do when deciding on which PDA to buy is to compare the screens of all the models I'm interested in. So many otherwise great PDAs have been plagued by crappy screens. I also like to physically handle the unit and try it's buttons. I certainly won't buy a PDA I've never seen in person.

Thanks,

Jack Swinden

See my PDA themes and skins at: www.JackSwinden.com

RE: This was read in the tea leaves 18 months ago
InsGuy @ 5/5/2005 11:32:20 AM # Q
Very true!

Unfortunately, this was the best POS pda I owned prior to changing over to my Axim. Even sadder still, in many respects, the Z2 is comparable to the "Lifedrive" that P1 is about to release. I for one DON'T want a hard-drive in my handheld, Z2 is thinner, has a GREAT screen, duel SD slots (for more storage than I would need), and a huge battery. It was a nice pda, and my wife still loves hers and probably won't part with it for any other POS handheld (she DOES like my X50v though).

If this is how Tapwave wants the future to go, then in hindsight, it would seem that they NEVER DID plan on making any follow-up devices. They just wanted to start out, show some expertise and revolutionary thinking, and then let someone else take them from there.

Sad, as they could have been a pretty good pda maker, IMO. :(

All good things...

RE: This was read in the tea leaves 18 months ago
ackmondual @ 5/5/2005 8:51:52 PM # Q
@[b]LiveFaith[/b]

Which EB Games were you at? All my local Targets, Wal Marts, Game Spots, and EB Games don't have any PSP demo units. Even the Sony Atrium Plaza in Manhattan, where they sell nothing but their own products doesn't have a PSP demo model from what i've heard. I'd really like to try one in person just to see it.... even though i have no interest in buying it.

RE: This was read in the tea leaves 18 months ago
Kesh @ 5/7/2005 1:49:56 AM # Q
Tapwave does sell Zodiacs through CompUSA. I've seen them on the PDA displays at several stores in different parts of the USA, along with the Tapwave accessories and some of the SD game cards.

However, the point is taken. They just didn't get well-entrenched in the market.

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Most ambitious statements when going down?

Surur @ 5/4/2005 5:36:58 PM # Q

Many companies make their most ambitious statements when going down. They down want to scare of their remaining customers and don't want the bank to start foreclosing on loans.

It still sounds like the lasts gasps of a failed business plan.

Surur

RE: Most ambitious statements when going down?
RhinoSteve @ 5/4/2005 7:58:27 PM # Q
Yes and no.

There is a saying in comsumer electronics that goes "Building a brand is more effort than building the product." Since these low coast electrioncs are so consumer, they are purchased on more brandname than functionality.

Example, "It's a Sony!" is a tag line but also a designation of good and bad issues with the branded product. Also, "Palm" has done a hell of a job building a brand which itself maybe more valuable of an IP than the Palm OS source code.

The timing of this announcement is just right for the Tapwave distributor lines to have givem TapWave corporate feedback on just how much of an 800-lbs monster move the PSP actually was. Think of it, what has more consumer affinity for a purchase, "Sony" or "TapWave"?

Also, Tapwave dropped the ball themselves big time by not putting enough effort into building their brandname. Where were the Tapwave sponsored concerts, television events and game prizes?

Thus here they go a la TRG (a.k.a. HandEra) for "offering technology." However, unlike HandEra, the TapWave folks do have a sense of style and good corporate location (Silicon Valley.)

This puts TapWave in a good position getting a Sony competitor to a private branding deal. Frankly, I can see TapWave being sold to a Sony competitor before the next CES show as an exit strategy for the founders.

We will see how this nose dive is pulled out!

RE: Most ambitious statements when going down?
ackmondual @ 5/5/2005 3:08:11 AM # Q
Yeah, stuff like the Comcast Center.... a big multibillion $$ basketball/arena/atheletics staidum/facility are prime gold... but could Tapwave afford even sponsoring events, concerts, and prizes? They're a really small comopany compared to the likes of SOny, Dell, etc.

It's a shame that they only choose comp USA to distrubute their wares. Half the cUSA's i've been to don't even properly maintain their PDA lineup. Many of them are uncharged with a paper image over the screen, and Zod units are nowhere to be found. If u do find one there, it won't let u demo it. It's just a bunch of ads saying how great the zod is. Bullocks. I can read up on that on Tapwave's site and in reiviews. I want ot play with the OS and the demo unit doesn't let u do that.

If Tapwave can utilize the resources of other companies for distribution and marketing, then I'd say more power to ya. First run could've been much better.

RE: Most ambitious statements when going down?
RhinoSteve @ 5/5/2005 1:31:37 PM # Q
That is what I mean. Very few of those big promo deals are in fact 100% paid by the manufacturing firm. They could have easily gotten some deals like that if they gave a distributor more margin or better, cut deals with the promoters.

Overall, Tapwave will say they were underfinanced, didn't have enough money, blah, blah, blah. This could have been done right with the right advertising and promo firms at the helm with the marketing types and engineers keeping their techno-egos a bay from messing up the promo calls.

You can do promo and PR for pennies with the right exec given enough helm and hutzspah to run the show. My guy feeling is some PC mindsets came in and they were afraid to offend some small market segment. With that, they never made a mark that is recognized and remembered. Remember, the most offensive works have been the must successful for mindshare and sometimes revenue.

Money Morning Quarterbacking? Maybe, but a lot of folks didn't work with TapWave for them playing too safe and slow.

Tapwave - They could NOT ever do it right.
Surur @ 5/5/2005 3:44:32 PM # Q

Their biggest mistake was to start in the first place. There was no way a small company can compete with the giants in the hypercompetitive gaming arena. The margins on devices were just too thin and the upfront cost to create the market presence and interest just too high. Its the same reason I think the gizmodo will die.

Only a giant company like Sony, MS and Nintendo can even try. I wonder if any other companies are up to it. Maybe Samsung?

Surur

RE: Most ambitious statements when going down?
ackmondual @ 5/5/2005 8:56:18 PM # Q
Any1 know how big Samsung is compared to Sony in terms of finances, product coverage (their range of products), marketshare (where they have consumers around the world, in a %tage, etc.?)

Even if Samsung won't try, i hear they're doing a nice job of sticking an ice pick or two at Sony's side in the coimpetition for cellphone, TV market, among other electronics.

M$ is gunning for Sony next time around with XBOX2. M$ released a statement that while the Xbox was just to enter the vid game market vs. PS2 and GC, it plans to crush Sony's PS3 w/their Xbox2.

RE: Most ambitious statements when going down?
The_Voice_of_Reason @ 5/6/2005 12:03:21 AM # Q
Surur @ 5/5/2005 3:44:32 PM


Their biggest mistake was to start in the first place. There was no way a small company can compete with the giants in the hypercompetitive gaming arena. The margins on devices were just too thin and the upfront cost to create the market presence and interest just too high. Its the same reason I think the gizmodo will die.

Only a giant company like Sony, MS and Nintendo can even try. I wonder if any other companies are up to it. Maybe Samsung?

Surur

Gizmodo was dead before it was even released. Ditto for Nokia's odious N-Gage.


RE: Most ambitious statements when going down?
ackmondual @ 5/5/2005 8:56:18 PM

Any1 know how big Samsung is compared to Sony in terms of finances, product coverage (their range of products), marketshare (where they have consumers around the world, in a %tage, etc.?)

Even if Samsung won't try, i hear they're doing a nice job of sticking an ice pick or two at Sony's side in the coimpetition for cellphone, TV market, among other electronics.

M$ is gunning for Sony next time around with XBOX2. M$ released a statement that while the Xbox was just to enter the vid game market vs. PS2 and GC, it plans to crush Sony's PS3 w/their Xbox2.

Samsung is "the new Sony". They have a full range of products that rival Sony's, in addition to a major semiconductor division. They also are now crushing Sony in terms of profitability. Samsung's most recent quarter saw sales of $13.6 billion (US) and profits of 1.47 billion (the previous year's same quarter profits were 3 billion!). In the past YEAR, Sony barely made 1 billion in profit, with electronics being a major money loser. In fact, half of Sony's profits came from its film division. Sony recently decided to join forces with Samsung and the two companies will now be sharing hundreds of patents in an effort to cut costs. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

Samsung's failure to market it's PalmOS devices is partly due to decisions by carriers, and partly due to stupidity by Samsung. Samsung could EASILY steal a huge chunk of Treo sales if only their new smartphones were available.

I wouldn't put too much stock in Microsoft's marketing hype. Look at all the hype that surrounded N-Gage, Nintendo DS and those other platforms that turned out to be pure crap. Cut the hype and show us the money. PSP did exactly that, and people are lining up for it. What I've read about PS3 suggests it will have some unBElievable hardware. What I've read about Xbox 360 suggests that its reign as King of the Hill will end the day PS3 arrives in 2006. Either way, these days a lot of people are saying, "Nintendo, who?"



------------------------
Press release: CUPERTINO, California — February 11, 2005 — Apple® announced today that Steve Jobs will begin selling his own feces to Apple Cultists beginning March 1. Apple's new iPoo™ lineup is expected to easily surpass the iPod shuffle as the company's most popular product. Yes, Apple Cultists can already easily create their own iPoo™, but feces didn't seem cool until Jobs told them it was cool. Remember, kids: the ONLY cool feces is Jobs' highly individualistic, rebellious iPoo™ (coming soon in six different colors/flavors, including the red [hematochezia] and black [melena] U2 GI bleed model)

------------------------
Sony CLIE UX100: 128 MB real RAM, OLED screen. All the PDA anyone really ever wanted.
------------------------

Say hello to my little friend...

Reply to this comment

I anyone noticing a pattern here?

justauser @ 5/4/2005 6:59:53 PM # Q
Seems every company that tries to package a feature based / multi-media Palm OS device only has a couple of years life in it (Handspring, Handera, Sony and now Tapwave). Perhaps it's just as well that Palmone ignores the back-seat-CEO postings on this site which are constantly complaining about lack of innovation. Perhaps, just perhaps, there is more to it than shove WiFi in your T5? But I'm sure there will be someone who can blaim Palmone for this too....

RE: I anyone noticing a pattern here?
Surur @ 5/4/2005 7:27:55 PM # Q
Oh come now. The failure of tapwave was completely predictable. You can only make money from a gaming device if you are mass market. You can only go mass market if your device is cheap. Their device was never going to compete om price with a game boy.

I think the Lifedrive might actually execute this media player thing a whole lot better, but their Achilles heel is the limited appeal of Palm (vs e.g. Apple currently) and the high likely cost. Still, they may finally give pocketpc a run for its money. Unfortunately I understand magneto will have all the features of the lifedrive (e.g. USB mass storage and integration with Napster to Go), but since Palm makes the software and the hardware they may pull it off better. I bet though PalmOne will do at least one thing to spoil it, e.g. bad battery life, mono sound, bad build quality, incompatible software, no ram at all etc.

Surur

RE: I anyone noticing a pattern here?
ganoe @ 5/5/2005 2:47:39 PM # Q
This has little to do with PalmOne and everything to do with PalmSource. I posted this years ago when HandEra bailed, but PalmSource has priced itself out of the small player market. You can create a Windows CE based device for next to nothing. I believe Microsoft gives you most everthing you need for next to nothing and then you just pay what I believe is a small license fee per device. In contrast becoming a Palm licensee is expensive (as well as being an annual cost) and I don't get the impression that the per device licensing costs are that good either. Maybe someone in the know can pony up the numbers, but that is the impression I have of the situation.

If you ever wonder why there seems to be these regular rumors of PalmOne doing a Pocket PC PDA, it's because it'd cost them next to nothing to try it.

That model may have worked when PalmOne, Sony, Acer and other big names were selling or considering selling Palm OS devices, but it's a horrible model when you are trying to attract new players to the Palm OS platform (and or keep the ones you had).

RE: I anyone noticing a pattern here?
AdamaDBrown @ 5/5/2005 4:25:53 PM # Q
Well said, ganoe. PalmOne may produce anemic hardware sometimes, but 90% of the current problems with the platform fall on PalmSource.

RE: I anyone noticing a pattern here?
The_Voice_of_Reason @ 5/6/2005 1:50:32 AM # Q
ganoe, you don't have a clue what you're talking about. PalmSource may be messed up as a company, but Tapwave's failure was due to a half-baked business model, poor timing, HandEra-style (i.e. horrible) marketing, and a couple of embarassing defects in their platform. The failure was inevitable, and has NOTHING to do with PalmSource. Tapwave would have failed even if PalmOS was free.

PalmSource deserves to be bashed for contributing to the decline of PalmOS, but cut the crazy talk. Your post is ridiculous.


------------------------
Press release: CUPERTINO, California — February 11, 2005 — Apple® announced today that Steve Jobs will begin selling his own feces to Apple Cultists beginning March 1. Apple's new iPoo™ lineup is expected to easily surpass the iPod shuffle as the company's most popular product. Yes, Apple Cultists can already easily create their own iPoo™, but feces didn't seem cool until Jobs told them it was cool. Remember, kids: the ONLY cool feces is Jobs' highly individualistic, rebellious iPoo™ (coming soon in six different colors/flavors, including the red [hematochezia] and black [melena] U2 GI bleed model)

------------------------
Sony CLIE UX100: 128 MB real RAM, OLED screen. All the PDA anyone really ever wanted.
------------------------

Say hello to my little friend...

RE: I anyone noticing a pattern here?
hkklife @ 5/6/2005 10:05:50 AM # Q
Tapwave actually has the gall (their death throes must be invigorating them) to yank the playable game demos from their site.

P1 might as well capitalize on this week's hectic news releases (Tapwave speaks, LD leak on Amazon) and make their official announcement of whatever new goodies they have to offer.

If they want to save face at all, they'd bundle the Zod2 with a couple of decent accessories or games, drop the price down $75-$100 and show their support to the community by getting a real web browser out the door. Rock-solid stable wi-fi drivers mated to a real web browser and a good e-mail client combined with a 2gb SD card, and an SDIO wi-fi+memory card in a Zod2 still would make for a nice LifeDrive alternative.

RE: I anyone noticing a pattern here?
ganoe @ 5/9/2005 6:45:28 PM # Q
> Well said, ganoe. PalmOne may produce anemic hardware sometimes, but
> 90% of the current problems with the platform fall on PalmSource.

Well, PalmOne's issues come from not respecting their symbiotic relationship with the Palm OS platform. By milking OS 5 for all it's worth instead of advancing the platform OS-wise, I suspect PalmOne makes it very difficult for PalmSource to stay competitive price-wise.

So both PalmOne and PalmSource need to face reality and work together to get things back on track.

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Speculation on partners?

alexp @ 5/4/2005 10:35:43 PM # Q
So TapWave's product will be branded with something more recognizable.

Any guesses as to whose name?

I suggest an Apple-branded game/video player, with Tapwave's input and Palm OS Cobalt, would be one sweet device. But that's probably a pipe dream.

RE: Speculation on partners?
Timothy Rapson @ 5/7/2005 9:06:14 PM # Q
Pipe dream? Yeah! A crack pipe. What in the world are you smokin'!

I guess dreams are free and it would be a nice one, but there is less than 0% chance.

RE: Speculation on partners?
Gekko @ 5/7/2005 9:24:29 PM # Q

Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny.



Reply to this comment

Hey Nagel - How many Licensees are still really viable?

Gekko @ 5/4/2005 10:44:29 PM # Q
Aceeca
AlphaSmart
Fossil
Garmin
GSPDA
Kyocera
Lenovo
palmOne
PiTech
Samsung
Sony
Symbol
Tapwave

http://www.palmsource.com/partners/licensee.html



RE: Hey Nagel - How many Licensees are still really viable?
Gekko @ 5/5/2005 2:10:43 PM # Q

I want some answers, NAGEL!!!

RE: Hey Nagel - How many Licensees are still really viable?
ackmondual @ 5/5/2005 9:01:47 PM # Q
Is that rhetorical? It seems like you already know the answer. Humor us and cross off the Licensees yourself ;)


[signature0]the secret to enjoying your job is to have a hobby that's even worse[/signature0]
[signature1]My PDAs: Visor --> Visor Neo (blue) --> Zire 71 --> Tungsten T3[/signature1]

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Scratch Tapwave.

AdamaDBrown @ 5/5/2005 3:28:19 AM # Q
Had to see it coming from day 1. A pure gaming unit couldn't survive in this market, let alone something as mismanaged the Zodiac. Now it's a deathwatch to see whether Tapwave hits bankruptcy or gets bought out for pennies on the dollar. A shame, since the build quality was decent and the specs were good, but they did everything in their power to make sure it couldn't succeed.

RE: Scratch Tapwave.
LiveFaith @ 5/5/2005 10:37:13 AM # Q
That's what happens when you follow the ZODIAC. At least their failure is true to the results of a future based on star-gazing.

Pat Horne; www.churchoflivingfaith.com
RE: Scratch Tapwave.
InsGuy @ 5/5/2005 11:43:33 AM # Q
Had to see it coming from day 1. A pure gaming unit couldn't survive in this market, let alone something as mismanaged the Zodiac. Now it's a deathwatch to see whether Tapwave hits bankruptcy or gets bought out for pennies on the dollar. A shame, since the build quality was decent and the specs were good, but they did everything in their power to make sure it couldn't succeed.

EXACTLY!!! This should've been marketed as a nice handheld, that ALSO played games pretty well. I couldn't agree more that they did everything in their power to make sure they didn't suceed. The part that really upsets me is that this WAS A GREAT HANDHELD. Oh well, I'll quit ranting now.


All good things...

Reply to this comment

Tapwave mismanaged

silkentiger @ 5/5/2005 3:29:55 AM # Q
From day one with the analog stick problem, to how they have treated their core supporters, to getting partners and international distributors, to the ridiculous spin-filled emails that do not even touch reality sent by Bryon Connell (that guy should be in politics), Tapwave has been one of the most poorly managed startups since the tech bubble burst. Its so sad when a good product with lots of potential is killed by incompetence. I hope, like I have from January of 2004 (two months after my Z2 came in), that they get bought out by a much better outfit. Good riddance to Tapwave, I say, and hello Sony Zodiac 3!

RE: Tapwave mismanaged
silkentiger @ 5/5/2005 3:40:19 AM # Q
Heh, looks like Adma was posting the exact same thing at the same time I was. Guess this feeling is universal outside of the Zod fanboys.

RE: Tapwave mismanaged
borgiaX @ 5/5/2005 9:24:29 AM # Q
Mismanagement is an easy charge to float, hard to substantiate.
I think it was more a question of delivering on a very very ambitious bussiness model.
Think of it, Tapwave would make a cutting edge device which could take advantage of the thousands of Palm Games already made, and built on the hope that they could sign up developers to make additional games to leverage the strengths of their device.
Game Boy Advance and PSP pulled developers into an orbit around the "big boys" and left Tapwave with no new games.
They were so successful at making a cutting edge device that older games would need tweaking to play in landscape or with the the non standard screen resolution.
A gaming device without a steady stream of games or brand name recognition is a big problem. At least it can be said of them that they were innovative and had excellent build quality. If only that were enough to ensure success.


Flagrans Veritatis Studio

RE: Tapwave mismanaged
Doo @ 5/5/2005 11:09:15 AM # Q
I hate to admit it, but you're right. MIsmangament killed the Z. Righto out of the gate with shipping baffoonary. I pre-ordered mine the 1st day, and with the Completed big bundle. But others got thiers weeks before I got mine. I should have cancled and gotten a T3. I still love my Z and hope it will live long with some dedicated programs like Picard.

RE: Tapwave mismanaged
RoadKnight @ 5/5/2005 11:20:08 AM # Q
It's actually a pretty easy charge to substantiate.

I was really looking forward to developing for the Zodiac until I had a look at the license agreement that came with the developer kit, which appeared to state that by using their developer kit, I was licensing my code to Tapwave.

This sounded completely ridiculous and unheard of, and I was sure I was misreading something somewhere, but a lawyer friend or two I ran the agreement by read it the same way I did and I could never get Tapwave to respond to my email trying to clear this up, so, no Zodiac apps from me.

I'll wait until they go on clearance @ Fry's and pick one up then. I'm glad I got a T3 instead.


RE: Tapwave mismanaged
silkentiger @ 5/5/2005 11:51:12 AM # Q
There was a time I could've listed everything down for you. I had a mental list with dozens of serious snafus by Tapwave; and by snafus I mean things that went wrong because of bad decision making and/or mistakes by the Tapwave. However, that list is long gone along with my Zodiac. Glad I got rid of it when people were still willing to pay full price for a used one with a game or two thrown in. Soon you'll be able to get a new one on clearance sales. I understand this is already the case in the UK. Fact is, the device should've sold itself. The big buzz kill was the analog controller screw up right out of the gate. Who would spend $500 on a device from a noname company with such a huge problem? As it turns out, it was the fanboys (and I don't mean that in a bad way, just a descriptive way) who were willing to overlook the bad company over the great device. Unfortunately its the company that makes a device great, not the device itself. I just find it sad that there are people who would still believe the drivel being shoved out by Bryon Connel and Tapwave.

RE: Tapwave mismanaged
AdamaDBrown @ 5/5/2005 1:38:05 PM # Q
Tapwave's failure goes well beyond an over-reaching (and highly impractical) business model. There were failures of design (building the Z in such a way that it could only be comfortably used in landscape), failures in PR (if you only knew what they put sites through to get a review unit), and failures of common sense (wasting so much time and energy on direct sales from a no-name company).

RoadKnight, that's utterly insane. No wonder almost no one developed for the Zodiac. If there's a better way to scare off devs, and consequently screw your product, I don't know of it.

RE: Tapwave mismanaged
LiveFaith @ 5/5/2005 2:29:14 PM # Q
emails that do not even touch reality sent by Bryon Connell

Silk,

Why don't you track down some of those and post them with a link. That would be some fun reading and educational especially for the younger crowd yet to find out how corporate promoters will suck their last dollar dry on a sinking ship, only to golden parachute over to another 6 figure job when the original company dies.

The great Peter Lynch, manager of the world's largest mutual fund once said ... "don't be so sure, that stock can go to zero!"

Pat Horne; www.churchoflivingfaith.com

Hear the vultures circling...
Masamune @ 5/5/2005 2:48:58 PM # Q
Wow. Way to kick a company when its down. I have used my Zodiac on a daily basis and I haven't come across any "analogue stick" problem. I don't disagree with the fact that Tapwave's been ominously quiet recently and that the clearence sale prices in the UK haven't re-assured people. But the fact remains that the Z2 is a good PDA despite is game styling that has put the last few efforts from PalmOne to shame in build quality.
RE: Tapwave mismanaged
hkklife @ 5/5/2005 3:34:22 PM # Q
Instead of the nearly identical Z1 & Z2, Tapwave should've dont a "proper" Zodiac 1 and had a slightly smaller T5-style device but with the metal casing, dual SD slots (if possible), big battery and definitely the 128mb RAM.

Then you could have had the landscape "zoom zoom gamer" unit (Zod 2) and the business/power media user's standard portrait configuration Zod 1.

Somewhere, somehow, it'd be nice to see the best aspects of the LifeDrive and Zod2 merge to create the POS handheld that power users have been anxiously waiting, oh, three years to see.



RE: Tapwave mismanaged
ackmondual @ 5/5/2005 9:31:36 PM # Q
I'm guessing they made the zod1 & zod2 almost the same so they could cut down on tech support costs. Else, it would actually be 2+ products to cover
RE: Tapwave mismanaged
ackmondual @ 5/6/2005 12:56:58 AM # Q
@RoadKnight
or any1 else who can elaborate:

What would be the cons with licensing your code with Tapwave? As I understand it, you're still the owner of the program and code, but it means Tapwave gets to borrow parts of it for their own uses and even gets a portion of your profits?

RE: Tapwave mismanaged
Hal2000 @ 5/7/2005 1:28:03 AM # Q
Yes, of course you are all right, except you think the hardware is poor, which makes you all misinformed. I have 1st. edition stamped on mine.(early release) Bugs like P1? Sorry folks but there are none. Four foot drops to concrete weekly, and I was a beta tester for about 3 programs a week. ROM updates went perfectly. Guess what? RARE crashes. I use mine daily for heavy business use.Never had a analog problem. TCMP Media player on this is incredible. I say grab 'em while you can. F the games. This is the best palm out there right now. And it fits in my pocket fine thank you very much. The new web browser was released and then pulled. Should be back any day now and up for sale. The stock one is not unusable however for most people. Build quality rivals Sony. And the controlls are all where your figers land. Sorry, no Lifedrive bricks for me. This baby won't die.

Zodiac2/T616/WiFi'd
RE: Tapwave mismanaged but..
Hal2000 @ 5/7/2005 1:56:00 AM # Q
gotta love my 128 + 2GB + 2GB !

Zodiac2/T616/WiFi'd
RE: Tapwave mismanaged
Scott R @ 5/9/2005 10:11:03 PM # Q
"I was really looking forward to developing for the Zodiac until I had a look at the license agreement that came with the developer kit, which appeared to state that by using their developer kit, I was licensing my code to Tapwave."

What are you talking about? Can you be more specific? I've never heard of this. You do realize that numerous companies and software developers have made use of Tapwave's APIs and sold their wares through Tapwave's online store, right?

If you're suggesting that making use of Tapwave's SDK and/or selling through their online store somehow results in you giving up the rights to your software, you're mistaken.

http://Tapland.com
- Tapwave Zodiac News, Reviews, & Discussion -

RE: Tapwave mismanaged
silkentiger @ 5/10/2005 5:10:35 AM # Q
[quote]Why don't you track down some of those and post them with a link.[/quote]

Actually, Scott could do that. They have all been articles on Tapland (great site BTW Scott, used to vist when I was a Zod owner). The one where Bryon spun the heck out of the upcomming DS and PSP in terms of their competition to the Zod would be particularly entertaining. Funny now that both are avalible on the market now and the Zod is dying. Wonder how Bryon could spin that?

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soon......

wincat @ 5/6/2005 5:54:12 AM # Q
Zodiac1/2 will be released in China before June.

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Tapwave's Zodiac 2 is the best PalmOS PDA still available

The_Voice_of_Reason @ 5/7/2005 3:25:11 PM # Q
Once they reach $199 in the coming closeout, smart shoppers should scoop up all of Tapwave's remaining stock before they go the way of Handera. Add a Wi-Fi card and a 1 GB memory card and you have a he11 of a PDA for less than $350 total.

Like the TRGpro and Handera 330, the Zodiacs deserved a detter fate. Too bad Tapwave ran out of money before they could revamp the lineup and release a more traditional PDA.

Peng Lim should have listened to those of us who warned him three years ago. Dumba$$. And Byron Connell was like an albatross around the company's neck.

goNE. doNE. playED OUT.
Tapwave
b. 2003 - d. 2005
RIP


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Press release: CUPERTINO, California — February 11, 2005 — Apple® announced today that Steve Jobs will begin selling his own feces to Apple Cultists beginning March 1. Apple's new iPoo™ lineup is expected to easily surpass the iPod shuffle as the company's most popular product. Yes, Apple Cultists can already easily create their own iPoo™, but feces didn't seem cool until Jobs told them it was cool. Remember, kids: the ONLY cool feces is Jobs' highly individualistic, rebellious iPoo™ (coming soon in six different colors/flavors, including the red [hematochezia] and black [melena] U2 GI bleed model)

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Sony CLIE UX100: 128 MB real RAM, OLED screen. All the PDA anyone really ever wanted.
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Say hello to my little friend...

RE: Tapwave's Zodiac 2 is the best PalmOS PDA still availabl
Hal2000 @ 5/7/2005 7:15:09 PM # Q
Thankyou. Goodnight.
Elvis has left the building.

Zodiac2/T616/WiFi'd
RE: Tapwave's Zodiac 2 is the best PalmOS PDA still availabl
mikecane @ 5/7/2005 7:24:02 PM # Q
Enjoy the 4K Memos, blisterbag.

RE: Tapwave's Zodiac 2 is the best PalmOS PDA still available
ackmondual @ 5/8/2005 6:28:45 PM # Q
screw the 4K memo limit. Just get a 3rd party alternative
RE: Tapwave's Zodiac 2 is the best PalmOS PDA still available
The_Voice_of_Reason @ 5/9/2005 9:50:41 PM # Q
That would make too much sense. Then what would Clueless Cane have to complain about?


------------------------
Press release: CUPERTINO, California — February 11, 2005 — Apple® announced today that Steve Jobs will begin selling his own feces to Apple Cultists beginning March 1. Apple's new iPoo™ lineup is expected to easily surpass the iPod shuffle as the company's most popular product. Yes, Apple Cultists can already easily create their own iPoo™, but feces didn't seem cool until Jobs told them it was cool. Remember, kids: the ONLY cool feces is Jobs' highly individualistic, rebellious iPoo™ (coming soon in six different colors/flavors, including the red [hematochezia] and black [melena] U2 GI bleed model)

------------------------
Sony CLIE UX100: 128 MB real RAM, OLED screen. All the PDA anyone really ever wanted.
------------------------

Say hello to my little friend...

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