Palm Confirms New Mobile Device Announcement Tomorrow

== "Buy the rumor, sell the news"

I agree.
Just buy the device and buy the stock.
Mobile computing is not going away, Palm is in the right business and the stock investment is a long term thing.

Vampy,
I don't even think the comments editor on this site would have allowed such a comment 1 month ago. Whatever happened to Palm is Dead around here. :)

Palm on the verge of ANYTHING newsworthy in the past 3 years has gotten us a bit charged I must say. I almost don't want them to reveal anything, because the atmosphere round here is so good. After tommorrow, it may be "I can't believe no WiFi" and "Palm is Dead" again for the 37th time!

Pat Horne

I , for one, hope that the Hawk is ready for purchase ASAP.

________________________________________
If you feel like you're under control, you're just not going fast enough.

== "Jeff Hawkins...will host a live video webcast on
== Wed., May 30, to describe a new category of mobile
== device. The webcast will follow the announcement
== of this new product at the D: All Things Digital
== conference in Carlsbad, Calif..."

That is, he's gonna say "Gosh! It's coming soon!" at the D conference then have a PALM-based webcast where PALM can control things much tighter.

I strongly suspect we're going to see a big push from the carriers for lower priced data plans. I also wouldn't be suprised if Sprint offers a huge discount on this device to get it under $500 with a 2-year commitment for a bundled unlimited voice/data/SMS plan that they're starting to roll out. This device will be made for it...

so what's the killer-app that makes it unique?

Thanks for the info.

Now, let's think about this a minute. The price being thrown out there fro the "Hawk" in Europe is $1,100, right? So assume a 15-20% markup and call it a cool $1000 for the US market straight up.

With a 2yr contract, the carrier subsidizes roughly half of the full retail price of a current 7550/700p, so $299ish.

Assuming everything else is apples to apples, with carrier subsidies and a 2yr contract, the "Hawk" will be $550-$600.....same as the iPhone!

I would count on Sprint either throwing in some freebie accessories (BT stereo headphones? A mail-in rebate?) and/or being very aggressive with their pricing or even have specially-priced data/voice bundles with this new device. That said, IS there confirmation that it'll offer voice functionality or is it totally data-centric?

P.S.
Now IF Palm are smart, they will still realize that there is STILL a market for traditional PDA-style devices that are bought with no strings/commitments/carrier agreements.

So they could (and should) offer a cut-down version of the "Hawk" that omits the CDMA/GSM radios in favor of just wi-fi and Bluetooth. This would make for a killer $400 retail item to replace the TX. Then bump the existing TX down to $200-$250 and Palm maintains their retail presence AND comes up with a nifty new wireless device to keep the carriers & their power users happy.

P.P.S. "Remote access to audio/video/files, including streaming capabilities"
I wonder if Palm is going to somehow license/buy and integrate Slingplayer (or something similar) technology into the next-gen version of Palm Desktop?

Pilot 1000-->Pilot 5000-->PalmPilot Pro-->IIIe-->Vx-->m505-->T|T-->T|T2-->T|C-->T|T3-->T|T5-->TX-->Treo 700P

If that's the case it would be a quite a disappointment, though quite typical of Palm. Lack of wimax (though non existent where I live) is also surprising.

--------------------------
Hey Admin: Why do we have to keep two profiles?

The absence of WiMax (for now) isn't a big surprise since there isn't any WiMax to speak of yet. And since Palm said last month that they weren't going to be first out of the gate with WiMax products.

I have no idea if this thing can be used as a phone or not. If it was any bigger than the N800 I don't think it would make a very good one.

David Beers
Pikesoft Mobile Computing
www.pikesoft.com/blog

Well, let's assume that the Hawk is at least as capable of a web browser as the Nokia N800. Beersie loves his N800...so I think the "killer app" in this new Palm device is actually going to be a combination of fast wireless (wi-fi + EVDO) + ease of use (the familar Palm OS UI) + gigs of localized storage (20gb HD is what I predict), + access to hundreds of gb (maybe even tb's!) of media/files on a server or PC located elsewhere with fallback voice functionality thrown in if necessary.

But look at the roadmap going from the the original Pilot of 1996 to the Palm Pilot of 1997 to the Palm III of 1998 to the Palm V of 19999 to the mm500 line of 2001 (the paradigm of conventional PDA design IMO). You basically had three generations of evolutionary improvements followed by one huge leap in size/formfactor/design that maintained the same feature set. Then you had one more mild tweak (the m500) before the essential "palm-sized" PDA as such was basically perfected and, for all intents and purposes, became a secondary focus for the Palm companies.

If you cut those 5 PDA generations down to 3 for the Foleo/Hawk, I expect the Hawk's 2nd generation to bring forth the formfactor improvements. Then the 3rd generation to really beef up the specs and the first real signs of Hawkins' Numenta influences.

Pilot 1000-->Pilot 5000-->PalmPilot Pro-->IIIe-->Vx-->m505-->T|T-->T|T2-->T|C-->T|T3-->T|T5-->TX-->Treo 700P

Voice functionality? Remember the Tungsten W? It had voice ONLY by a hardwired earpiece. No speakerphone on the device, no mic+speaker on the unit itself and no Bluetooth (anyone remember the lame flip-cover speaker+mic accessory?)

Yes, it made for a lousy phone, yes, but it was still usable as a phone in a pinch. At the time of its release (fall '02) I remember thinking they should have sat on it another 6 months, omitted the voice entirely, and made it a data-centric OS5 wireless device.

At any rate, Palm would be foolish to try to shoehorn real phone functionality into the Hawk. Either have it as a speakerphone + BT headset-only implementation or just leave it out entirely to focus on data & multimedia.

Pilot 1000-->Pilot 5000-->PalmPilot Pro-->IIIe-->Vx-->m505-->T|T-->T|T2-->T|C-->T|T3-->T|T5-->TX-->Treo 700P

what's the killer-app that makes it unique?

That's the $64 question, isn't it?

During the Analysts Day presentation we had strong statements from Palm that they are focusing on the web experience:

* The fastest, most compelling web experience with connected web applications

* Creation, sharing and sync of your critical content

* World-class email and PIM for prosumers and business

* Easy backup and restore from the web with integrated system updates and software delivery

There's a lot of interesting work to be done on making browsers integrate with the underlying operating system better. Mobile browsing is a bad application experience today because it doesn't work if you go out of network (even inside some buildings) and you don't have access to input methods like the camera, BT radio or microphone in a browser app. I don't know if that's where Palm is going with this, but it would be a very interesting path that fits with the focus they say they now have.

Web applications. Not exactly what you think of as Palm's forte, right? It'd be pretty funny if after all the waiting for both Google and Palm to start the next revolution we found out they've been in cahoots ever since all those PalmSource developers migrated to Google.

David Beers
Pikesoft Mobile Computing
www.pikesoft.com/blog

It's more like the killer app is going to be the sum of a bunch of little niceties rolled into one.

No, Gekko's right. Even if it makes improvements to a lot of areas, it's got to have a leading application, a solution to a specific problem that Palm can focus their marketing on. Every successful Palm device has had this. The Pilot: PIM apps. The Treo: mobile communication. The ones that failed, like the LifeDrive suffered as much from not offering a clear, readily understandable solution as they did from technical shortcomings.

I think this will be useful for lots of stuff that I want to do, but I think Palm is going to sell it as "the first handheld device that makes the web really usable." I'm hoping they've got some good tricks up their sleeve for how to make browsing and web applications easier and/or more useful than it is on a smartphone today. As much as I do like the N800, it succeeds more by brute force (so many pixels) than by innovative software integration. (Yes, the zooming buttons are brilliant.)

David Beers
Pikesoft Mobile Computing
www.pikesoft.com/blog

Drive Mode and Camera Companion aside, the LD brought NOTHING to the table that hadn't been seen in at least one previous Palm Inc. device. Yes, it was the first to have wi-fi and Bluetooth standard but that's hardly revolutionary, especially considering how this was the first model where Palm actively began crippling its BT DUN capabilities.

And the aborted USB Host box that was shown but never released for sale would have added at least a bit more functionality to the LifeDrive.

Now, had Palm ushered in a major Garnt UI revamp with the LifeDrive or had it shipped with a overhauled Palm Desktop with integrated media manager and online functionality, that might've made the "Mobile Manager" category a bit better defined. But I'll always just see the LifeDrive as the followup device to the T5 that should've had gigs of flash but Palm got cheap/lazy/greedy and used gigs of mechanical HD storage. They paid the price dearly then and I am worried about a smallish 20gb HD in the Hawk/Foleo now.

For me personally, there's no point in putting up with the potential drawbacks of a hard drive in a mobile device unless it's packing at *least* 40gb of strage (preferably more). 8gb SDHC cards are cheap, widespread and here today. 16gb SDHC will be here soon. Palm would have been better off going with dual SDHC slots (like the Zodiac or N800 but SDHC of course) if they are not going to bring at least 60gb of hard drive space to the table from the get-go.

Pilot 1000-->Pilot 5000-->PalmPilot Pro-->IIIe-->Vx-->m505-->T|T-->T|T2-->T|C-->T|T3-->T|T5-->TX-->Treo 700P

Now tell me why I want to pay to access over the air stuff I own when I'd rather have it *with* me and not pay a 3rd party for the privilege of access?

This is progress?

I don't think so.

Actually there is nothing new in this leakage. If tomorrow's press confirm this leakage, I can see the same failure as LD for this device.

Now tell me why I want to pay to access over the air stuff I own when I'd rather have it *with* me and not pay a 3rd party for the privilege of access?

I think the answer to that question depends on how you work. I just finished a contract that had me flying back and forth to a client in Chicago twice a month. I stopped using my desktop PC entirely during that time because it was too much of a pain to keep it synched up with my laptop and because the consequences of version control problems were too dire to take a chance on it. Unfortunately, that meant I was lugging a 5 lb laptop around a lot more than I would have liked. I'd love to be able to VPN into my home office and work directly with documents and project data over the network using a small, light tablet that doesn't take 3 minutes to boot up and that doubles as my PDA. This device would be a lot more useful to me than my Treo, and I'd carry it with me in places where I hate to have to carry a laptop.

David Beers
Pikesoft Mobile Computing
www.pikesoft.com/blog

the streaming idea is not popular anymore.

Not with anyone but the carriers and the companies they acquire exclusive media rights from.

Sure, everyone would like to download all their music and videos to their local storage and watch them any time they want. Or share them with others. But that's exactly what most of the content companies *don't* want you to do--hence all the DRM crap. Being able to support streaming means you'll be able to use this device for viewing/listening to a lot of content you'd not be able to get otherwise because streaming is the only way the carriers will deliver it to you. Like it or not, it sounds like Palm is trying to make this device carrier friendly, which helps them negotiate more aggressive carrier subsidies and leverage carrier marketing muscle.

David Beers
Pikesoft Mobile Computing
www.pikesoft.com/blog

Dunno about you, Mike, but my personal media library is fast approaching terabyte territory. Scarily fast, and it passed the point where I could carry the whole kit and caboodle around (on any brand of portable media player) a long time ago... Fast 3G streaming could be the answer. Of course, we also need reasonably priced unlimited plans to go along with that...

David Beers
Pikesoft Mobile Computing
www.pikesoft.com/blog

Giggle.

You are silly.

Yeah, seems you've got a point there. :-P

I used to think I was immune to the rumor recycling game and that I was perfectly fine with sticking to facts I could document, but it looks like I got suckered on this one.

Oh well, makes me feel young and stupid again! Which is more fun than old and jaded.

David Beers
Pikesoft Mobile Computing
www.pikesoft.com/blog

Here in HK, we have many carriers offering unlimited 3G data services and all of them do not allow excessive use of the 3G network. So the idea of streaming video/audio/files are already implemented here, but not everyone's using it because of the prices (around 60 USD per month for the unilimited) that we have to pay and the limitation that the carriers are putting into the service. On top of that, if you do excessive video streaming, the carrier has the right to make additional charges (besides the $60 that you are paying) based on your usage. Also, one reason is that 3G service is not flying here is that wi-fi here is everywhere. You can go to a 7-Eleven store and connect your laptop there :)

So freakout, I believe we are still waaaaayyyy off for the true 3G solution that we are all dreaming about. ^_^

http://socialnews.palm.com/rssfeed.aspx

[blockquote]

Palm Advances Mobile Computing with Its First Mobile Companion Product
from Palm by Palm, Inc.
Core News
#
Palm, Inc. today announced the Palm Foleo, world’s first smartphone companion product.
#
Foleo has a large screen and full size keyboard to view and edit email and office documents. Edits made on Foleo automatically are reflected on its paired smartphone and vice versa.
#
Foleo and its paired smartphone stay synchronized throughout the day or at the touch of a button.
#
Foleo turns on and off instantly, features fast navigation, a compact and elegant design, and a battery that lasts up to five hours of use.
#
U.S. availability for Foleo begins this summer with pricing expected to be $499 after an introductory $100 rebate.
#
Built on an open Linux-based platform,Palm hopes to replicate earlier success with developers by drawing a large community to create new applications that will extend the mobile companion’s capabilities. Already, Palm has partnered with DataViz and Opera Software, demonstrating ease with which applications can be ported to the Palm Foleo.
Quotes Attributable to Jeff Hawkins, founder of Palm, Inc. and the visionary behind the Foleo’s concept and definition
#
"Foleo is the most exciting product I have ever worked on. Smartphones will be the most prevalent personal computers on the planet, ultimately able to do everything that desktop computers can do. However, there are times when people need a large screen and full-size keyboard. As smartphones get smaller, this need increases. The Foleo completes the picture creating a mobile-computing system that sets a new standard in simplicity."
Quotes Attributable to Ed Colligan, president and chief executive officer of Palm Inc.
#

“As we did with the PalmPilot more than a decade ago, and more recently with the Treo smartphone, Palm is driving innovation and capitalizing on emerging opportunities in mobile computing, a market full of potential. The Palm Foleo represents our first product in a new line of solutions that will redefine how people work while away from their desks. It starts today with a focus on wireless email, and we expect the Foleo to grow in features and expand its capabilities as the platform grows.”
Multimedia

Foleo Head On

Foleo Open

Foleo and Treo

Falcon B-roll [/blockquote]

Brian

Does it pair with the smartphone over Bluetooth? Or is there a physical connection and a shared cellular radio like this: http://www.pikesoft.com/blog/index.php?itemid=10

Very very interested in seeing this!

David Beers
Pikesoft Mobile Computing
www.pikesoft.com/blog

Does it pair with the smartphone over Bluetooth? Or is there a physical connection and a shared cellular radio like this: http://www.pikesoft.com/blog/index.php?itemid=10

Very very interested in seeing this![/blockquote]

Interesting concept of yours David. The Foleo sounds like a "modular concept" and folding folio ;-).