palmOne Announces New "Mobile Manager" Product Category

Posted By: Ryan Monday, May 9, 2005 12:01:01 AM

palmOne has announced today the creation of a new category of mobile-computing products – the mobile manager. The first product in this category is expected to be announced later this month. The new line is targeted towards a growing number of people that want access to greater volumes of digital business, personal, entertainment and online content.

The introduction of a new category reflects usage patterns palmOne has tracked over time, especially among customers for its premium products. Customers of palmOne’s high-end Tungsten T3 handheld computer, for example, show a strong affinity for taking full advantage of the included DataViz Documents To Go software, which puts Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents at their fingertips. Customers also have asked palmOne to provide them with convenient ways to carry, file and manage rich digital content, such as music and video. While overlap exists, palmOne has identified three major customer segments and assigned three corresponding product lines to better serve them. They are as follows:

Mobile managers are designed for customers who are eager to take full advantage of the trend toward “digital everything” – from documents and email to music, images and video, as standalone files or in organized folders;

Handhelds attract customers whose first and foremost interest is in basic organization tools, such as calendar and contacts. These customers often incorporate additional applications and add music and images to their handhelds, but their central purchase driver is organization. palmOne’s Zire branded handheld computers serve consumers, and Tungsten branded handhelds serve mobile professionals in this customer set; and

Smartphones attract customers whose primary interest is in a single converged device that is an outstanding phone that also delivers excellent email access and organization. The Treo smartphone from palmOne serves this customer set.

“In studying customer trends, we found that some people want to carry dozens of documents and hundreds of songs while others want to carry a thousand-plus photos and enjoy videos,” said Page Murray, palmOne vice president of marketing. “Organization functions were highly valued by nearly all our customers, but some wanted much more business and personal file-management capabilities. We listened and will deliver a new category of mobile-computing product that will let customers fuse their own mix of personal and business content in ways never before possible in either handheld computers or smartphones.

“We’ll bring to market a new type of product that simplifies our lives and makes work and play more productive and more fun,” said Murray. “Stay tuned.”

Article Comments

 (179 comments)

The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. PalmInfocenter is not responsible for them in any way.
Please Login or register here to add your comments.

Start a new Comment Down View Full Comment Thread

Palm's 2nd wind

scellis @ 5/9/2005 12:35:06 AM # Q
Here comes LifeDrive! palmOne may yet save me from ensnarement by the Dark Side.

RE: Palm's 2nd wind = flatulence
The_Voice_of_Reason @ 5/9/2005 9:52:41 PM # Q
HA.


------------------------
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: Palm's 2nd wind
LiveFaith @ 5/10/2005 10:12:26 AM # Q
It's Photoshop! :-D

Pat Horne; www.churchoflivingfaith.com
Reply to this comment

Yawn.

AdamaDBrown @ 5/9/2005 12:55:07 AM # Q
What was that noise? Oh--that was any remaining miniscule amount of suspense flying out the window.

RE: Yawn.
LiveFaith @ 5/10/2005 1:40:26 PM # Q
Adam,

What exactly is it that would keep you awake?

Pat Horne; www.churchoflivingfaith.com

RE: Yawn.
AdamaDBrown @ 5/10/2005 6:12:50 PM # Q
I just find it kind of silly on P1's part that they're trying to drum up suspense when the torrent of leaks have quite clearly let the horse out of the barn.

RE: Yawn.
fermi337 @ 5/10/2005 6:48:18 PM # Q
I doubt palmone even knows that there are rumors of this circulating.

RE: Yawn.
AdamaDBrown @ 5/10/2005 8:27:43 PM # Q
Oh, they're very aware, just totally unable to do anything about it.

Reply to this comment

P1 desperate for a business spin on Life Drive

Surur @ 5/9/2005 2:38:24 AM # Q

Since when do you "manage" your media? Organize maybe, but manage? They are desperate to position the life drive not as a toy for college students (who could not afford many in any case) but as an upgrade for business people.

Unfortunately these are the very same people who think twice about a large thick device which will need a bigger case to protect the screen.

It sounds to me like this device might die from marketing schizophrenia.

Surur

RE: P1 desperate for a business spin on Life Drive
InsGuy @ 5/9/2005 10:40:31 AM # Q
"It sounds to me like this device might die from marketing schizophrenia."

I think that a lot of people have already decided NOT to buy this device, for that very reason. It is a neat device, but there is no real clear-cut niche that it seems designed to fit into. It's too big for business users, and too pricey for younger college kids. I just hope that the life drive doesn't turn out to be 'too little too late'. We'll see.

All good things...

RE: P1 desperate for a business spin on Life Drive
JSwinden @ 5/9/2005 11:28:14 AM # Q
I keep hearing that the rumored Lifedrive is too big for business use. That is simply not true. When I was at IBM, we had to lug our notebook computers to almost every meeting. At 6+ pounds and definately too big to place in your pocket, this was a definate inconvenience. PDAs at that time (and still today) did not have the ability to replace the notebook computer in such meetings. I think the Lifedrive will be small enough and light weight enough to fit in a shirt pocket. Now if it has the ability to easily store and use business type files, like PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Project, etc., then it would be a godsend to a lot of business people, myself included. However, it will have to have the capability to easily connect to a LAN (required for many business meetings), and be able to instantly exchange information and data with other Lifedrives and with PCs. Costly addons to achieve these goals will kill it.

Thanks,

Jack Swinden

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

RE: P1 desperate for a business spin on Life Drive
ackmondual @ 5/9/2005 5:48:51 PM # Q
I'm not so sure... i think this would be practical for college students. The price certainly ain't ideal, but they still buy mid level PDAs (PPC and Palm) and ipods. Those who have the cash to spend will have a hybrid ipod and PDA device with BT+wifi.

[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 (with 5 of 6 screws still remaining) --> zodiac 2?
[/signature1]

RE: P1 desperate for a business spin on Life Drive
svrontis @ 5/12/2005 12:21:45 AM # Q
> It sounds to me like this device might die from marketing schizophrenia.

Fortunately, there is no confusion over the Loox 720 - it's an unmitigated piece of garbage.

RE: P1 desperate for a business spin on Life Drive
Surur @ 5/12/2005 2:38:06 AM # Q
svrontis said
Fortunately, there is no confusion over the Loox 720 - it's an unmitigated piece of garbage.

I'm sorry you've had such a bad experience with that device. Some people find using PalmOS dumbs them down so much they cant handle the switch to another OS, especially the concept of running two programs at the same time. Usually people have to be pretty dumb already to be vulnerable to this insidious phenomena. You many be stuck forever on your sinking platform. Good luck using the only brick with built-in WIFI and bluetooth being sold by P1 at the moment.

Oh sorry, its not being sold yet. Keep on waiting then. Thats what Palmistas are good at apparently.

Surur



RE: P1 desperate for a business spin on Life Drive
svrontis @ 5/12/2005 5:06:45 AM # Q
> Some people find using PalmOS dumbs them down so much they cant handle the switch to another OS, especially the concept of running two programs at the same time.

Your response is just so typical with what we have come expect from you - misleading and insulting.

Multi-tasking is not neeeded for any of the things that I use my palmpilot for. Why? Because it switches from one program to another (and back again) in a flash - so it's almost as if two programs are running at once. In doing so, it doesn't tie up system resources, so the application which is running does just that - it runs without interference from other 'open' applications.

Contrast that with WinCE/PPC/WinMob/whatever devices. Sure you can run more than one app at once, but after you have couple running in the background, this slows down the whole system. (One of the more popular PPC hacks is used to 'close' programs to prevent them from continuing to run in the background - NB this means that people are spending good money to prevent multi-tasking where it is not needed!)

In addition, multi-tasking adds another layer of complexity, which inevitably means that you need a faster processor just to achieve reasonable performance. A faster processor typically means that you need a bigger battery. All this adds to the cost of the device.

I accept that 'power users' may want multi-tasking sometimes (eg, when surfing the web they may want to switch to another app without interrupting the web connection). However, for me, multi-tasking is more of a burden than a benefit.

RE: P1 desperate for a business spin on Life Drive
Surur @ 5/12/2005 5:56:14 AM # Q

I think its pretty rich accusing me of being misleading and insulting when you call my pocketpc an "unmitigated piece of garbage" with no explanation or justification at all.

Regarding multi-tasking, just say P1 does not build for power users anymore (or ever) and be done with it.

Surur

RE: P1 desperate for a business spin on Life Drive
mikecane @ 5/12/2005 10:41:03 AM # Q
Surur the Whore: WTF are you doing here? Did Dunn and his Dunnites kick you out of their little circle jerk? Or is it that you're even *more* pathetic in their clique than you are here? Post an URL to show me the PalmOS user equivalent of *you* on a PPC site. You can't do it. Only you PPC weenies like to spread out like a bad infection.

RE: P1 desperate for a business spin on Life Drive
Surur @ 5/12/2005 10:50:48 AM # Q
Post an URL to show me the PalmOS user equivalent of *you* on a PPC site. You can't do it.

Now mike, you should know better than to give me a google challenge.

The new Palm T3 has THREE times the resolution of any PPC???

I am glad to see so many PPC users waking up to the reality that PPC was doomed from its inception.

I went to the Handspring launch party in San Francisco yesterday and all I can say is that once they add a 320x320 and or a 320x480 screen to the Treo line the game will be completely over for M$.

Bottom line is M$ is getting smoked badly!!!

I have been predicting this moment for years and Jason Dunn would always try to discount what I was saying. Jason, I think you should think about PalmThoughts.com

Scott: thanks for the Props. I rest my case your honor.

CASE Closed. (No Pun Intended)

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/for...&highlight=jake


http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=168532&highlight=#168532

As to what I'm doing here, I'm spectating over the demise of PalmOs. Its all the more enjoyable because of all the years of hearing Palmistas claiming their dominance of the market was unassailable, and how no-one would want a computer in their pocket.

Now for my next trick I will reveal the identity of RhinoSteve.....

Surur

RE: P1 desperate for a business spin on Life Drive
Surur @ 5/12/2005 10:59:23 AM # Q
Once more with better formatting:

MikeCane said

Post an URL to show me the PalmOS user equivalent of *you* on a PPC site. You can't do it.

Now mike, you should know better than to give me a google challenge.

The new Palm T3 has THREE times the resolution of any PPC???

I am glad to see so many PPC users waking up to the reality that PPC was doomed from its inception.

I went to the Handspring launch party in San Francisco yesterday and all I can say is that once they add a 320x320 and or a 320x480 screen to the Treo line the game will be completely over for M$.

Bottom line is M$ is getting smoked badly!!!

I have been predicting this moment for years and Jason Dunn would always try to discount what I was saying. Jason, I think you should think about PalmThoughts.com

Scott: thanks for the Props. I rest my case your honor.

CASE Closed. (No Pun Intended)

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/for...&highlight=jake

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=168532&highlight=#168532

Of course posts like this has stopped when MS outshipped PalmSource early 2004. These days MS ships twice as much WM licenses than PalmSource does POS licenses, and the PalmOS market is shrinking. A troll like that would look pretty deluded to claim that "PPC was doomed from inception"

As to what I'm doing here, I'm spectating over the demise of PalmOs. Its all the more enjoyable because of all the years of hearing Palmistas claiming their dominance of the market was unassailable, and how no-one would want a computer in their pocket.

Now for my next trick I will reveal the identity of RhinoSteve.....

Surur



RE: P1 desperate for a business spin on Life Drive
mikecane @ 5/12/2005 1:05:45 PM # Q
Good God! And I thought *you* were bad. But you didn't make your point. That guy is an **EX-PPC USER**. Or did you miss that part in his later post in the same thread?

RE: P1 desperate for a business spin on Life Drive
Surur @ 5/12/2005 1:08:47 PM # Q

And I'm an ex-palm user. For more than a year too. I was browsing the Internet via infra-red using my mobile phone and my trusty Palm IIIe. Clearly however without even a built-in browser it was not the device for me. Anyone who have used PDA's seriously have probably used both.

Anyways, anyone interested in Rhinosteve's identity? I have a cute picture....

Surur

RE: P1 desperate for a business spin on Life Drive
mikecane @ 5/12/2005 2:26:22 PM # Q
No more bloody pictures...

RE: P1 desperate for a business spin on Life Drive
Foo Fighter @ 5/12/2005 4:48:31 PM # Q
We already know RhinoSteve's true identity...

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00004WCTD.08.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

He's spun so many lies and tall tales on this site I can't keep track. Though one of his more memorable (and laughable) claims was that the Tungsten C is one of the hottest selling PDAs on the market, outselling all WiFi equipped Pocket PCs combined. Even Ed Colligan admitted, publically no less, that the TC was a complete failure.

-------------------------------
Editor, http://Pocketfactory.com
Contributing Editor, http://digitalmediathoughts.com

RE: [Peop1e] desperate for a ... Life ....
twrock @ 5/12/2005 8:07:23 PM # Q
Surur, why are you here? (That much is an honest question on my part.) I have never understood the phenomena of people like you who supposedly have "moved on" but keep coming back. Help me understand please, 'cause I don't get it.

Some of us truly know all the faults and warts of Palm and have so far still chosen to stick around. I've complained about Palm OS and hardware. I've looked at WM and PPC's. But if I ever decide to "move on", you won't find me hanging out here anymore. (Although according to Mike, "you'll be back". Come to think of it, maybe that's why you are here! Mike predicted it!!!)

BubbaSteve: a Palm employee??? Oh dear.
The_Voice_of_Reason @ 5/13/2005 3:01:38 AM # Q
We already know RhinoSteve's true identity...

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00004WCTD.08.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

He's spun so many lies and tall tales on this site I can't keep track. Though one of his more memorable (and laughable) claims was that the Tungsten C is one of the hottest selling PDAs on the market, outselling all WiFi equipped Pocket PCs combined. Even Ed Colligan admitted, publically no less, that the TC was a complete failure.

Has ANYTHING BubbaSteve ever said on Palminfocenter been true? Ever? Ignore the bogus halfwit posting style and focus on what BubbaSteve has said since mysteriously showing up on PIC. Do a Google search for "RhinoSteve" and "Palminfocenter" and the truth soon becomes clear. Someone needs to talk to Michael Mace about this. Right, Mike?

The Art of FUD:

The Art of FUD, then, is governed by five constant factors, to be taken into account in one's deliberations, when seeking to determine the conditions obtaining in the field.

These are: (1) The Moral Law; (2) Heaven; (3) Earth; (4) The Commander; (5) Method and discipline.

"All FUD is based on deception."


- Gill Bates, 1984.



------------------------
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...

BubbaSteve to be OUTED at last...
The_Voice_of_Reason @ 5/13/2005 3:23:39 AM # Q


Rhinosteve is ......
Surur @ 5/13/2005 6:33:54 AM # Q
I'm surprised there is so little interest in Rhino's identity, considering how he lorded his real world superiority over everyone here. This is a man who's life philosophy is that your opinion is only as valuable as the size of your bank balance. I wonder how well his business is doing these days.

So.. for your enlightenment and entertainment...

Who is RhinoSteve?


Brownie points for everyone who identifies all the other execs.

Surur

Thanks to ImageShack for http://www.imageshack.us Free Image Hosting

Bring me the head of Steve Ballmer
The_Voice_of_Reason @ 5/13/2005 11:11:57 PM # Q






Reward offered.


------------------------
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...

Rhinosteve is....
Surur @ 5/14/2005 6:47:37 AM # Q
I was going to draw it out a bit longer, but due to general lack of interest....


Really famous, isn't he...

Surur


RE: P1 desperate for a business spin on Life Drive
SeldomVisitor @ 5/14/2005 8:55:44 AM # Q
I know this may appear to be irreverant but...uh...why am I supposed to care who any poster at all is?

I read posts, not posters.

Sheesh.

RE: P1 desperate for a business spin on Life Drive
Surur @ 5/14/2005 9:38:24 AM # Q

When some-one constantly uses Arguments From Authority to support their statements, but wont reveal the basis for their supposed expertise, it helps to know who they are.

Simple really.

Surur

RE: P1 desperate for a business spin on Life Drive
mikecane @ 5/14/2005 11:45:39 AM # Q
I've seen that face before. Somewhere on TV. But I can't think that guy is the same one with the desperate posts done here.

As for the head of Steve Ballmer, I won't even ask what perversions you would visit upon it.

Microsoft's Steve Ballmer dancein like a fool. Just for you.
The_Voice_of_Reason @ 5/14/2005 6:51:52 PM # Q
As for the head of Steve Ballmer, I won't even ask what perversions you would visit upon it.

This coming from a guy that's eternally grateful for receiving "sloppy seconds"? I was going to let you have a turn with the head before I eBay my Ballmer, but now I canged my mind. Maybe if you sit up and beg for Ballmer I might give you a few minutes alone with him next week. Beg, Cane!


Here's a photo of the (still attached) head just to tease you, Cane:

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/steve/default.asp


I know you want a piece of that Dancin' Fool, Ballmer. This is possibly the most disturbing video I've ever seen, ANYWHERE. And that's saying a lot:

http://www.ntk.net/media/dancemonkeyboy.mpg


------------------------
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: [Peop1e] desperate for a ... Life ....
twrock @ 5/15/2005 1:38:05 AM # Q
Yeah, what SeldomVisitor said.

(Apparently some among us haven't yet graduated from the day care center.)

RE: P1 desperate for a business spin on Life Drive
justauser @ 5/15/2005 7:27:52 AM # Q
Wow did I get it wrong. From the hints on the other thread I had him pegged as either; Paul McCartney, Paris Hilton or just some IT professional with a Palm bias...

Reply to this comment

It'll All Come Down To Details Now

souterj @ 5/9/2005 4:39:10 AM # Q
Hi All,

My feeling is that the success or failure of LifeDrive now comes down to the finer details...

1) Does it come with a cradle?
2) Does it really have WiFi & Bluetooth?
3) Is it bundled with a native MPEG1/2/4 / DivX player?
4) Is it bundled with an excellent audio player (e.g. NOT RealPlayer) & great photo viewer?
5) Is the screen any good?
6) Does the implementation of the above provide the elusive "Wow Factor" that PalmOne really needs to whip up a new base of users?
7) BATTERY LIFE! (High capacity and/or removable cell)

Also - the issue that everyone is banging on about - SIZE! iPod is not the smallest digital audio player - but it is the one most people aspire to own. If the LifeDrive has been well designed, well built and most crucially is bundled with the right multimedia apps straight out of the box, it deserves to be a big hit.

Get any part of this wrong and your looking at a large, expensive and undesirable chunk of junk and PalmOne will look foolish in a marketplace where multimedia gadgets are rapidly becoming two-a-penny.

So let's see what PalmOne bring to the table and hope that LifeDrive is a more positive move for Palm fans than the rather uninspiring T5.

*** Although I do really wonder if PalmOne have thought carefully enough about the Audio/Video/Picture software bundle though ***

Afterall, what would an iPod be without it's core player/sync/playlist managment software??? Just an expensive USB hard-drive with headphones!


KultiVator (UK)

RE: It'll All Come Down To Details Now
Frenchie @ 5/9/2005 8:00:45 AM # Q
I would say yes to all of the things you said above, except the ability to play native Xvid and Divx. I would also like to point you out to TCPMP. This is free and opensource.Just google the name and you will find it.

The world will end in 2006. Just as it was predicted in the bible along with the release of Microsoft Longhorn.... :p
RE: It'll All Come Down To Details Now
palmhiker @ 5/9/2005 8:45:53 AM # Q
I'm hopeful, but also somewhat pessimistic. palmOne always seems to find a way to screw one or two important things up.

This device could be a big hit IF they get it right. I do believe we will see it for $399 within a couple of months as $499 is outside of what the masses will pay for a handheld these days.

RE: It'll All Come Down To Details Now
neilmitchell @ 5/9/2005 10:10:12 AM # Q
...and most importantly of all...DID THEY FIX THE CONTACTS FIND BUG?

Atari-Portolio > HP95LX > HP100LX > HP300LX > HP320LX > Nino300 > Nino500 > HP620LX > Jornada680 > PalmV > Vx > m505 > T|T > T615C > T|T3 > T|E2 > (back to) T|T3

------------------
Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm. - Sir Winston Churchill

Each success only buys an admission ticket to a more difficult problem - Henry Kissinger
------------------

RE: It'll All Come Down To Details Now
AdamaDBrown @ 5/9/2005 1:11:06 PM # Q
TCPMP is a fine program, I'm sure, but if it's not bundled with the machine when it's sold 99% of people will never have a clue that it exists. It has to work out of the box.

Reply to this comment
Start a New Comment Thread Top View Full Comment Thread
Achtung! Only the first 50 comments are displayed within the article.
    Click here for the full story discussion page...

Account

Register Register | Login Log in
user:
pass: