Initial Sales of Palm i705 Strong

Posted By: Ryan Thursday, February 7, 2002 12:22:57 PM

Palm reported on Wednesday that the initial demand for the new Palm i705 has been surprisingly strong. Palm sold over 13,000 i705's in the first week on sale, 4,000 of them through Palms online store. The company also reported that the majority of users have opted for the unlimited wireless service through palm.net.

A news.com report mentions, Palm has been talking about another wireless handheld it plans to introduce in the fall. The device is expected to include voice service and utilize the GSM and GPRS networks and look more like a traditional handheld. The device will most likely utilize the TI OMAP processors that Palm announced in December.

Furthermore, according to COO Todd Bradley, next year the company plans to introduce a handheld with built-in support for Wi-Fi, or 802.11 wireless networks.

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Another wireless palm at the end of the year?

I.M. Anonymous @ 2/7/2002 12:54:13 PM #
Why would I buy an i705 now that I know that there will be a device out there this year that will run on a totally better network? And this new palm will have a phone built in? Why does palm continue to throw these "filler" palms out to the public? Why don't they ever make the large jump to a new standard?

RE: Another wireless palm at the end of the year?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/7/2002 1:14:32 PM #
If that's the way you feel, you'd better not ever buy /anything/ again. Don't buy a computer because a better one will be announced before you get it home. Don't buy a car because better ones will be out in the fall. Don't buy a hamburger because McDonald's has better ones being developed now.

RE: Another wireless palm at the end of the year?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/7/2002 1:40:00 PM #
you are speaking out of context.
I'm sure you do not get attached to your burger the same way you get attached to your handheld.

You do not expect to spend money on a piece that is then surpassed just a year later.
Cars take a few years.
Computers can be opened up and upgraded
Burgers tasted good and have gone to belly
but
Palm will live on till you buy the next.

RE: Another wireless palm at the end of the year?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/7/2002 2:01:57 PM #
And your i705 will get you always on wireless email until the new one is out and even long after.

RE: Another wireless palm at the end of the year?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/7/2002 2:02:28 PM #
"you are speaking out of context."

and you are speaking out of your ass!

who will buy the i705? well 13 000 people already have, so stop being such an idiot...

RE: Another wireless palm at the end of the year?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/7/2002 2:12:57 PM #
"You do not expect to spend money on a piece that is then surpassed just a year later."

We all spend money on things that are "surpassed" in a year and in some cases less then a year. Computers, PDA's, Digital Camera, DVD players, etc are all things we buy and new and better ones are just around the corner. If you wait to buy the new wireless palm due out later this year, A new one will be coming out in 2003. You can not win.

RE: Another wireless palm at the end of the year?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/8/2002 3:20:19 PM #
One should counter-balance both view points to find where the advantage lies (or doesen't as the case may be).

On the one hand, a new product is launched to great acclaim with functionality that is in demand. It is however somewhat disingenuous for Palm to announce a more advanced product so early with production promised within the normal lifecycle of the existing product. Excepting the "must have's" one should question the purchase if the new Palm device.

Yes, we have become accustomed to fast product developments, but I find that it certainly delays my buying decisions if I hear of a more advanced model coming down the line in 6-8 months. I'll wait every time, until I absolutely need to buy, or until the value prospect is more easily defined.

For example, The last PDA I purchased was the REX-6000, for $120. It has paid for itself many times over and while I do not use it every day, it is invaluable to have in my wallet.

Of course it would be excellent to be able to read email on the move, but what we all want is a combined replacement for our phones & PDAs in one solution. Nobody minds if the next model isfaster or smaller if the original functionality has a defined value prospect.

I'm definitely going to wait until this combinationbecomes reality, other wise one would end up with technology in every pocket, with overlapping functionality.

Ranter

What a stupid announcement!

I.M. Anonymous @ 2/7/2002 12:56:43 PM #
"A news.com report mentions, Palm has been talking about another wireless handheld it plans to introduce in the fall. The device is expected to include voice service and utilize the GSM and GPRS networks and look more like a traditional handheld. "

Isnt it stupid to announce a better i700 days after it was lauched? Now people who are planning to buy the 700 will wait for what the unseen device has to offer.

hmmmm unless services starts at $99


graph

RE: What a stupid announcement!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/7/2002 1:03:51 PM #
Fall is a long time from now in terms of this market.

RE: What a stupid announcement!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/7/2002 1:04:34 PM #
Well a handheld with voice... ie. a phone ala Treo or the Sprint phone is very different from what the i705 is trying to achive. They are totally different things and imagine each has a place.

RE: What a stupid announcement!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/7/2002 1:07:21 PM #
The new network is going to be two to three times faster for internet users though. I would be angry if I had bought an i705 almost six months ago and now a new device comes out with internet access that much faster. And then in a year there will be a color version. Why is everything so conservative with Palm?

RE: What a stupid announcement!
peter167 @ 2/7/2002 1:09:18 PM #
The question remains is that when the GPRS coverage will become better in the U.S.

RE: What a stupid announcement!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/7/2002 1:14:19 PM #
Very true.

RE: What a stupid announcement!
Scott @ 2/7/2002 1:32:09 PM #
Does GPRS support always-on push technology? If not, the i705 will have the edge there. Other advantages might include cheaper unlimited usage costs and better coverage. Personally, I don't think we need high-speed wireless as much as we need low-cost, unlimited usage, great coverage wireless.

Scott

RE: What a stupid announcement!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/7/2002 1:38:10 PM #
I have an i705 and I've used it not only with Palm.net but also with GPRS (VoiceStream's iStream service). GPRS is faster and works outside the U.S., but the connection frequently fails. Palm.net is more reliable, penetrates further into buildings, and has a lower latency. So both systems have their place. Those of us who rely on wireless need multiple options.

RE: What a stupid announcement!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/7/2002 2:22:31 PM #
How do you use both on the i705?

Using both
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/7/2002 5:28:13 PM #
One way would be to work it with a cell phone (whether with a cable or through the IR port) for out-of-US use.

RE: What a stupid announcement!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/7/2002 7:22:07 PM #
I agree, and to think that the i705 sales are doing so well..
http://pdan.has.it

RE: What a stupid announcement!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/7/2002 10:45:59 PM #
I use GPRS on the i705 in exactly the same way you would use it on an m505 or any other Palm: connect via IrDA to a phone, in my case a Motorola p280. The mail client Aileron can retrieve email either through GPRS or Palm.net. In fact, it can be set up to retreive mail at regular intervals, thereby emulating the always-on capability of Palm.net mail. As I wrote above, GPRS is very flaky, so I wouldn't want to depend on it, but when it does work, it's great.

RE: What a stupid announcement!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/8/2002 11:55:14 AM #
Do you need a driver for the Palm to make the IrDA connection between the Palm and your P280? If so, what driver did you use? I have a P280 and a Palm V running PalmOS 4.1. I have been trying to get the Palm SMS application to run using this combination but without success. I have downloaded both the Motorola Timeport L Series and the Generic GSM drivers from palm.com but I cannot get the Palm and the P280 to connect using either one. I have had success with an older Motorola phone, a P7389, using the Motorola Timeport L Series driver, but that phone does not have GPRS. Any thoughts you have would be appreciated. Tnx.

RE: What a stupid announcement!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/8/2002 1:49:55 PM #
I have never been able to get the p280-Palm connection to use SMS or to transfer phone numbers, despite trying every driver and every combination of settings. I have heard rumors that the problem lies in the p280 firmware.

RE: What a stupid announcement!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/8/2002 3:46:46 PM #
Yet the person authoring the 2/7/2002 10:45:59 PM message seems to have gotten his P280 to work with a Palm i701. Curious.


RE: What a stupid announcement!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/8/2002 5:48:12 PM #
Let me clarify: I *am* that person. I can get my p280 to work with the Palm for GPRS, but not for other phone functions.

Bluetooth vs. 802.11b: And the winner is?

I.M. Anonymous @ 2/7/2002 1:06:33 PM #
PalmSource: Where next for Palm?
Thursday 7th February 2002
ZDNet UK staff

Palm rolled out its latest operating system, new hardware appeared and Bluetooth is promised. Palm's chief executive explains what the next steps are. A ZDNet UK News Focus

Palm using Bluetooth with it's New Software called Cambio: check the following Video

Streamed video: PalmSource unveils syncing software
Palm's OS company shows off an early version of its synchronization software, code-named Cambio, to PalmSource 2002 keynote attendees.

http://news.zdnet.co.uk

Palm OS 5 Preview
The Foundation for the future of Mobile Computing.
http://www.palmos.com/platform/os5/Palm_OS_5_backgrounder.pdf
http://www.palmos.com/platform/os5/

Palm Bluetooth Starts Here

Few technologies in recent memory have stirred up as much interest and speculation in the computer industry as Bluetooth. This wireless radio technology is intended to free mobile customers from the burden of cabled connections, while providing more connectivity options for handheld devices than ever before.

Bluetooth will connect Palm Powered® handhelds to a wide range of computing and telecommunications devices such as laptops, handheld computers, mobile phones, and network access points. From there customers can benefit from services such as data exchange, collaborative applications, the corporate network, or the Internet.

For more information, please download our Bluetooth whitepaper (PDF, 881kb)
http://www.palmos.com/dev/tech/bluetooth/palm_bluetooth_mwp_r1.pdf

Why Bluetooth?
http://www.palmos.com/dev/tech/bluetooth/

Bluetooth vs. 802.11b: And the winner is?
Dr. Jennifer Bray, Cambridge Silicon Radio

One can only put [Bluetooth negative press] down to worries and fears of business planners— given the recent downturn— and/or uninformed and under-researched reporters.

This may be a contentious headline for a column, but we in the RF community need to grab attention if a Bluetooth voice is to be heard above recent press focusing on hyping a Bluetooth vs. 802.11b "war." In fact, some people who should know better have even been quoted as saying Bluetooth is in full retreat. Retreat? Retreat from what? Whatever the case, some people lately are getting a real kick out of knocking Bluetooth, in favor of 802.11b. The real situation is that 802.11b and Bluetooth are highly complementary, as the following simple side-by-side contrast of the key differences portrays:

802.11b is a higher bandwidth standard optimized for rapid transfer of large amounts of data. Although voice can be sent (as compressed files), it's not ideal for audio. Bluetooth has a reasonable data transfer rate suitable for handling moderately sized data files, plus designed-for-purpose audio channel capability.

more
http://makeashorterlink.com/?O24A6536

RE: Bluetooth vs. 802.11b: And the winner is?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/7/2002 1:18:35 PM #
Jeez when will people learn that Bluetooth is just replacing line of sight IR and cables.

and 802.11b is a whole different bucket of fish?!

RE: Bluetooth vs. 802.11b: And the winner is?
Xian @ 2/7/2002 1:50:59 PM #
Dunno.. wish they would pretty soon though. The entire BT vs 802.11b thing is silly as hell. I use both at home and each has it's own place and function.

RE: Bluetooth vs. 802.11b: And the winner is?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/7/2002 2:43:13 PM #
hey don't paste stupid things, you cannot compare bluetooth vs 802, stop wasting our time.
Bluetooth is just a close-range cable-replacement protocol.

STUPID CONSUMERS!

I.M. Anonymous @ 2/7/2002 1:02:42 PM #
We are all guilty of encouraging companies in this behaviour!
We rant and rave when a new product comes out and say it is crap and moan and bich about it..........but.........heres the funny bit.......we go out anf buy them by the thousands.

And then we start moaning and bitching again when we notice that we knew the product was crap and would be bettered soon but still went ahead and bought it anyway!
Duh!
When will this madness end!?!

13,000 gone out, 4000 online sales? Thats like loads of PalmInfocenter readers and readers from other palm related sites who probably contributed to posts ripping the machine apart. WHY?! WHY BUY THEN?!

I hope they are all crying into their beers at the prospect of having their GREAT purchase being replaced.

When a company releases essentially the same machine a year later it is like saying "Hey first try was not what we wanted it to be, lets have another go"

Palm is different to Sony in this way.
Palm releases something and then betters it.
Thin small black and white expensive
Cute small black and white cheaper
Thin small color expensive
Cute small color cheaper
memory slot added to color
memory slot added to black and white
Fix thin color
Finally fix ancient wirless

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sony releases something to fill each and every price range and preference slot.
With mp3 thick expensive
Without mp3 thick cheaper
With mp3 thin (still to come)
Without mp3 thin
Black and white thin expensive
Black and white thick cheaper
Bluetooth and Wireless built in (still to come)

Bah my head is spinning now!

Tv

RE: STUPID CONSUMERS!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/7/2002 2:21:26 PM #

Wrong. It's not the PIC readers who are buying these, it's the ignorant user's who think that a higher number right away means it's better then anything else. I these low-end management types talking about how they have the best and always ask "Well 705 is higher than the 505 right?"

PIC readers know better. At least they should...

RE: STUPID CONSUMERS!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/7/2002 2:48:00 PM #
30 days later, there will be 12999 units go back to their ma ma.

RE: STUPID CONSUMERS!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/7/2002 3:03:31 PM #
I'm one of the "stupid" consumers who bought the i705. It does everything I want.
Push email, stock quotes and trades. In fact it does more than I expected. I can even
access this site from it (as a pqa and through the browser). As for color
screen, mp3, and everything else. . . that would be cool if you could fit it in a device of the
same size and battery life. I carry this thing everywhere with me in my pocket.

I will enjoy this device for what it does for a long time, regardless of what new tech comes out.
If you are like me, and need a device to have constant access to your equity portfolio and email, you will
not be dissapointed by this device.



RE: STUPID CONSUMERS!
Ed @ 2/7/2002 3:55:23 PM #
Mike Mace has some statistics on the typical "stupid" Palm buyer. 64% have a 4-year college degree. About 5% have a doctorate. Mean income is $83 thousand.

---
News Editor
RE: STUPID CONSUMERS!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/7/2002 8:56:38 PM #
Yes...but what Mr. Mace didn't tell you is that over 75% of PPC users earn in excess of $200,000 per year.

RE: STUPID CONSUMERS!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/7/2002 9:25:37 PM #
Good one Ed!

Now who is stupid ?

RE: STUPID CONSUMERS!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/7/2002 9:26:50 PM #
"over 75% of PPC users earn in excess of $200,000 per year."

Where does this come from ? Do you have a link for this information ?

Also, don't forget the actual sales between Palm and PPC.... percentage of PPC is much much smaller. PLUS the units are much more expensive than the Palm units...


RE: STUPID CONSUMERS!
Scott @ 2/7/2002 11:07:05 PM #
Heck, judging by what most of the PPC users on the other boards use their devices for (watching video clips, playing games, etc.) I'd venture that they make a *lot* more than 200,000 a year.

...or, I guess they could be mostly kids with credit cards.

Scott

RE: STUPID CONSUMERS!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/8/2002 10:55:41 AM #
Ladies and gentlemen, the relationship between income and intelligence is not always direct. There is NO shortage of wealthy boneheads. Just as there are plenty of middle class and poor people who are quite brilliant.



Really Slick Demo Running

I.M. Anonymous @ 2/7/2002 1:16:29 PM #
The i705 took a long time to launch, I think due to the FCA approval taking so long.

It appears Palm put the time to good use with the demo that runs on the i705 at the Best Buy store I visited. It looks better than 160 by 160 resollution. The pictures and fonts were choosen VERY carefully to maximize the look.

I even wanted one for a minute and it I have absolutely no use for the features and wouldn't settle for mono again. But it really was a wonderful demo.

I look at lots of PDAs and they don't even have a picure to look at on the PPC or Palm to tell what the screen would look like. Do they want us to have to buy and return over and over just to see if we could use something at all?

The Palm looked really good, though and all the accessories available make it attractive even though I can't for the life of me think why someone would want an 1705 when they could have a Treo.

(Boy, will I get it for that last line!)


Timothy Rapson


RE: Really Slick Demo Running
Scott @ 2/7/2002 1:34:34 PM #
See my comments above, Timothy. The advantages of the i705 include better coverage, lower unlimited usage cost, and push-technology. I could be wrong about these things, so someone feel free to correct me.

Scott

RE: Really Slick Demo Running
Xian @ 2/7/2002 1:52:08 PM #
I saw the Treo at PalmSource yesterday. Nice design, but for me, I just don't like having a phone that thick. I guess I've been spoiled on my Ericsson T28 World.

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