Rumor: New Handhelds from Sony and Nextel

Posted By: Ed Wednesday, April 17, 2002 9:55:43 AM

Sometimes, rumors of new handhelds are filled with details or at least give some of the characteristics of a not-yet-released device. But not always. Info on two new handhelds has leaked out with minimal details.

According to Brando's news site, Sony is planning to release a new Clié model in June. And that is all he knows.

It should be pointed out that Brando was the first site to have word that Sony would release a color version of the T415, which, obviously, turned out to be correct.

The timing fits in with Sony's aggressive schedule for releasing new handheld models every few months. But it seems a bit odd as OS 5 devices are expected near the end of the summer. It seems too late to release an OS 4 handheld but too early to release an OS 5 one.

PalmSource says the final version of OS 5 will go to licensees in June. It doesn't seem likely that Sony would be able to release a handheld with OS 5 on it that same month, though it might be barely possible because all the licensees have had access to beta versions of the operating system for months.

Nextel
According to someone from Nextel, it is going to release a Palm-based smartphone sometime soon. Again, that's all that the info that was leaked.

Still, some conclusions can be drawn. Nextel doesn't make its own phones; Motorola makes them for it. So it seems likely that what this leak is saying is that Motorola is making a smartphone that will run on Nextel's network.

This seems possible. Motorola licenced the Palm OS way back in 1999, though it has never released a handheld.

Even if this only means that Nextel will begin to offer some already available Palm OS smartphone, it will have to be a special version for its wireless network. Nextel doesn't use GSM or CDMA. It uses something called iDEN, or integrated Digital Enhanced Network.

Nextel has shown an interest in the smartphone market. It and RIM are working together to develop a BlackBerry pager with both voice and data capabilities.

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It must be...

I.M. Anonymous @ 4/17/2002 10:17:37 AM #
The NR series without the keyboard
RE: It must be...
I.M. Anonymous @ 4/17/2002 10:25:37 AM #
Or a lower cost color handheld to compete with the M130.
RE: It must be...
I.M. Anonymous @ 4/17/2002 10:28:36 AM #
Now that is a very interesting point. I had figured lately that Palm would let Sony have the high end devices and keep the middle for themselves. However, the idea of a $279 Clie with a hi-res screen is downright intriguing.
OR Maybe...
I.M. Anonymous @ 4/17/2002 10:35:18 AM #
OR it's a cheaper thinner 615c with the keyboard off the NR70!

THAT would be sweet.

RE: It must be...
I.M. Anonymous @ 4/17/2002 10:44:56 AM #
I'm expecting a T-615... With virtual grafitti.

Or, a robust gaming palm, with big easy to use buttons.

RE: It must be...
I.M. Anonymous @ 4/17/2002 11:15:56 AM #
I hope it's a competitor for the m130. I really like the N610 series, and there are lots of peripherals available (Stowaway, modem, etc.). It'd be nice to take the basic screen technology of the NR series, put it in an N-series/S-series form factor, put decent buttons on it, and price it competitively. THIS handheld would truly rule the market, OS 5 or not.
Hopefully...
I.M. Anonymous @ 4/17/2002 11:22:55 AM #
This will turn out to be a T615 with 320x480 virtual grafitti (hopefully the new standard for Clié's), better battery life, possibly a magnesium case like the NR70's, and improved buttons. Also, get rid of that small hoop thing on the side above the jog dial, and this device would be perfect...
RE: It must be...
Altema @ 4/17/2002 11:23:21 AM #
If it had the keyboard, I doubt it would be thinner OR cheaper. The only way to make it thinner would be to go to a monoboard design by incorporating the video chipset on the system board.

As far as the buttons, there are already devices out there with good gaming buttons.

RE: It must be...
I.M. Anonymous @ 4/17/2002 11:25:39 AM #
If there's anything Sony left out on their OS 3/4 Palms, it's a Combo PDA-Phone. Their PDA's had the whole line-up covered. Monochrome, Thin/Color, Mp3 playback, Virtual Graffitti, Built-in Keypad, what else is left....
RE: It must be...
I.M. Anonymous @ 4/17/2002 11:58:45 AM #
My prediction:

Revised T615 with
- 66 mhz processor
- virtual graffiti
- better buttons

I'll buy it.

RE: It must be...
I.M. Anonymous @ 4/17/2002 12:38:00 PM #
My thought is a device like the GBA. Horiontal, with color screen & big buttons. A good color screen with an ARM processor. Lots of games coming. Of course, there are PDA functions as well, but not for primary usage. It should have bluetooth built-in as well, so that people can surf the net via the phones.
RE: It must be...
Altema @ 4/17/2002 1:31:49 PM #
"I'll buy it."

Me too...

RE: It must be...
I.M. Anonymous @ 4/17/2002 2:49:06 PM #
How about a wireless device? No, not bluetooth, or 802.11. Something similar to the i705. Probably won't happen however as they are coming out soon with a Symbian smart phone.
RE: It must be...
I.M. Anonymous @ 4/17/2002 5:38:20 PM #
Not sure if Sony would want to leak the existence of a keyboardless NR70 just after the NR70 went on sale in Japan and just before it goes on sale in N. America.

So it seems more likely that this will be a variation on the T615--perhaps with mp3, or perhaps with enhanced battery and improved color fidelity and better buttons.

On the other hand, sometimes Sony's strategies make no sense to me (who am I? some pipsqueak at a terminal who is sony? a powerful international electronics corporation), like releasing new units so dang often that peripheral makers are giving up on supporting them. So maybe the keyboardless NR70 is on its way. I know I'd buy one.

RE: It must be...
I.M. Anonymous @ 4/17/2002 5:42:05 PM #
If this new model is a T615 with the more vibrant 480x320 screen from the NR series, I'm there. As cool as the NR keyboard is, I'd rather save weight and do without both it and the MP3 player.
RE: It must be...
Timothy @ 4/17/2002 7:34:42 PM #
"Revised T615 with
- 66 mhz processor
- virtual graffiti
- better buttons

I'll buy it."

-from above-

I would too. This is really what I was expecting when they dropped the NR70 bomb. But I don't think they would redo the T615C now, since it is selling well as is.


RE: It must be...
Alan @ 4/18/2002 5:19:02 AM #
"My thought is a device like the GBA. Horiontal, with color screen & big buttons. A good color screen with an"
"ARM processor. Lots of games coming. Of course, there are PDA functions as well, but not for primary usage."
"It should have bluetooth built-in as well, so that people can surf the net via the phones."

For me that would be the ideal machine and Sony are surely the people in the PalmOs world to see
and realize the potential for a mobile computer that is also a games machine. Put standard gamepad
buttons on the machine (unlike the existing very limited buttons on all Palms), and it would be
the dream machine for mobile gaming). A 200Mhz Arm would leave the GBA standing and I'm sure
there's loads of PalmOs games developers who would love to support such a machine from day
one. (And for once, a gaming machine that is an open programming platform (PalmOs), so it gets
and can allow support from independent smaller shareware developers supporting it as well as the
usual big developers).

.. if only it were true :( ... Sony's new machine could possibly (hopefully?!) maybe the
first of the PalmOs Arm machines, but I guess its most likely to be another PDA instead of
a true PDA+Games machine.

Still, its good to dream :)

Alan Barton
info@3dagames.com
http://www.3dagames.com


RE: It must be...
I.M. Anonymous @ 4/18/2002 9:29:45 AM #
It could be NR60,
the NR70 without MP3!!!

Just like N710 and N610....

RE: It must be...
I.M. Anonymous @ 4/18/2002 1:29:22 PM #
and BlueTooth inside
RE: It must be...
I.M. Anonymous @ 4/21/2002 3:34:30 PM #
My prediction:

- T415 case
- color screen (240x320)
- virtual graffiti
- 66 mhz processor
- mp3 playback

Best PDA ever!!!

RE: It must be...
I.M. Anonymous @ 4/23/2002 9:14:17 AM #
How about a collaboration with Ericsson (as in T68i), combining the NR70 with a GSM world phone (tri-band please!). If the Treo would be tri-band, I would buy one tomorrow. None is making a true pda/world phone. Doesn't anyone travel anymore?

I think you left out ''5''

sub_tex @ 4/17/2002 10:33:37 AM #
"PalmSource says the final version of OS will go to licensees in June."

Should that read "PalmSource says the final version of OS 5 will go to licensees in June."?

RE: I think you left out ''5''
Ed @ 4/17/2002 10:50:55 AM #
Correct, thanks.

---
News Editor

Customer Feedback

I.M. Anonymous @ 4/17/2002 10:34:46 AM #
I can just picture a bunch of Sony Execs sitting around a table and laughing at our speculations of something that they haven't even announced yet.

I guess that would be one way of finding out what the consumer wants.

RE: Customer Feedback
Ed @ 4/17/2002 10:51:54 AM #
> I guess that would be one way of finding out what the consumer wants.

I can assure you that people at Sony read these boards. Both in the U.S. and the developers in Japan. When we got swamped right after the NR series was announced and had to turn off the comments to cut down on bandwidth use, I got a call from Sony asking us to turn them back on as soon as possible so they could read them.

I know that people from Palm and Handspring read them, too. So people are hearing what you are saying.

---
News Editor

RE: Customer Feedback
EnocH @ 4/17/2002 12:23:36 PM #
We where all launghing about the NR serious ever coming out so early after PalmSource thinking that it had to be a mock up model, but Sony shocked us all! So I won't be surprise anymore.

----------
God Bless,
EnocH
RE: Customer Feedback
I.M. Anonymous @ 4/17/2002 3:19:01 PM #
Ed, if Sony is that interested in the comments you should squeeze them for a working unit to review. I am a half step away from the pre-order but I want a real shake-down of unit first.
RE: Customer Feedback
davidkshepherd @ 4/17/2002 4:57:26 PM #
I second that. I really want one, but I don't want to buy until I read a review from someone that I trust... That's you, Ed.
A pocketpc device
I.M. Anonymous @ 4/18/2002 8:00:16 PM #
can you believe it?
RE: Customer Feedback
I.M. Anonymous @ 6/3/2002 4:43:58 PM #
If Sony was listening they would get rid of those VERY STUPID WORTHLESS little buttons that the 615 has! Aside from this drawback the 615 is perfect! (For an office techie of course)

Motorola does have a PDA Phone

quake97 @ 4/17/2002 10:43:46 AM #
I would consider the Treo a Motorola PDA phone. Anyone that has used a Motorola phone would know what I mean. There are parts of the Treo that make me think its based on something from Motorola. For example, the blinking light for coverage and no coverage. The picture for the cell coverage, just like a Motorola phone. There are a couple of other things, but I can't think of them at the moment.

Joe

RE: Motorola does have a PDA Phone
I.M. Anonymous @ 4/17/2002 11:17:24 AM #
Really, the Treo almost looks exactly like the Nextel Motorola flip phones (not sure the model number). Just a bit wider and squattier looking, but basically the same.
RE: Motorola does have a PDA Phone
I.M. Anonymous @ 4/17/2002 11:36:46 AM #
It's the i1000...

Since Nextel offers a combo network today that is always-on, this would be a fantastic coup. The Blackberry device is not supposed to be ready for release until late Q4. A Treo-esque device that is data and voice-enabled today, via Nextel's network, would make a lot of people very happy.

Where did this rumor spring from? Any more info?

RE: Motorola does have a PDA Phone
mrhockey @ 4/17/2002 6:56:54 PM #
I use Nextel, and was just at a research group to test the direct connect feature of their wireless system, since, in my daily job duties I use that more than the phone part of their phone. The lady there told me they would be introducing a couple of new phones, but did not mention anything specific like this. If they were going to do something like a smartphone, I would think that unless they were way out on R&D that they would be plastering it all over their site since they are primarily a business oriented cell phone company. Just my two cents.

-mrhockey

RE: Motorola does have a PDA Phone
escobar @ 4/17/2002 7:16:36 PM #
The phone part is from Motorola! I've tried one for about a month, and there is written "Motorola" on the charger! So they helped HS with making the Treo I believe!


RE: Motorola does have a PDA Phone
I.M. Anonymous @ 4/17/2002 7:28:47 PM #
I owned m505 and charger is Made by Motorola. Motorola doesn't help Palm develop m500 series. Motorola produce generic things that could be use.
RE: Motorola does have a PDA Phone
mrhockey @ 4/18/2002 10:53:41 AM #
Escobar:

Did you use this phone on the Nextel network?

I would be interested to hear how it worked, since buying those would allow me to eliminate two devices for my team to haul around.

-mrhockey

This is what drivers me crazy about Sony!

I.M. Anonymous @ 4/17/2002 12:01:19 PM #
<rant>
Why don't they just come out and SAY what they are doing. What is the big deal???? What! Are they afraid of losing to themselves? C'mon if it's one w/out a keyboard - SAY IT!

Heck with them, I dumped my 760 (since it appears there will no longer be support for hardware!). I wown TONS of Sony products, but why don't they stick with a cool model and make what WE want. Make a damn dual MS slotted PDA! Make an 802.11 MEMSTICK! Geeze guys, c'mon!

Oh now I can look at fluffy on PDA that takes pictures! BIG DEAL! What about us network guys that are looking for a nice Palm device that is an extension of my desktop! Anywho - I jumped ship and bought the Vox Maestro - yes PC2002! $209 at Staples and yes it has both SD and CF card slots ON BOARD!!!! You listening Sony????

Am I the only one that feels like this???
</rant>

RE: This is what drivers me crazy about Sony!
I.M. Anonymous @ 4/17/2002 12:35:42 PM #
Unfortunately for us, Sony seems squarely aimed at the teen and 20-something market -- afterall, Clie's are supposed to be about entertainment -- so, built-in 802.11b, dual MS slots, and other useful additions are not appearing. You have to wonder how many people have the $$$ to shell out for PDAs with toy cameras and MP3 players. I love my 760, but I'd prefer a PDA with more serious computing features and fewer entertainment ones. I wish Sony would address the business PDA market -- they'd surely turn out something amazing. (My tiny, expensive VAIO laptop is simply the best subnote available. Sony knows how to go after the business marketplace when so inclined.)

RE: This is what drivers me crazy about Sony!
I.M. Anonymous @ 4/17/2002 1:34:57 PM #
Not everyone wants, or needs, 802.11 support built in. Not everyone needs 2 expansion slots. Not everyone needs Bluetooth, but Sony has made a BlueTooth MS available. Seeing as how I can drop my 760 in my cradle and move files off and on different memory sticks with my windows based desktop, how could you say that it isnt an extension of your desktop?? This is perplexing.

You see, the Sony Clies can and do function as business units. Sony just recognized that business users aren't the entire market. They have to tap into all facets to make the most money without creating specialty units. I just finished editing a spreadsheet with Sheet to Go and am now typing a memo to my employees on Wordsmith while listening to Linkin Park (damn good song by the way). You PPC owners really need to shut up about the multimedia functions of the Clie units because the PPC'S started the whole thing.


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