Comments on: Most Handhelds are Under-used (Updated)

They might try a few thing here and there, but then they decide they will not use it as much or its too spensive!!

The other is that the average user does not know where to get software, for their information

!pZip $8.00
FlashPro 2.0 $4.95

Back in late '99 I wrote several Palm programs, which you can view here: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/mcdan
The programs have been (I think) mildly successful. Certainly not enough to live on, as one posted put it, but not a bad income for a hobby, either. The three pieces of software that I sell--GadgetHack, Padlock Plus and Graspeedy--are all $4.95 and are sold on PalmGear and Handango. (Handango has been responsible for a negligable amount of sales. All sales come through PalmGear.) Both sites take 20% of the price of the program ($.99) for every license sold.

To date I've received $11,024.04. And I haven't updated the software in two years. So I guess you could say that it's been a nice residual income, although if I don't get my tail in gear it will soon phase itself out. My best month was January 2000 (which, due to the way PalmGear waits 30 days before cutting a check means that it was from Christmas 1999 sales), for $1,405.80. Last month I received a check for $186.12.

Some of the sales have come from multiple licenses. A large customer in Canada (I don't think I should say their name) paid $1,000 CDN for a number of licenses--we made a deal so they could finish out their year's budget. However, I believe most of the sales are from people interested in security--Padlock Plus is the best seller of the three--and don't mind paying $4.95 for a program. For a while, a freeware version of Padlock Plus, PadlockHack, was on PalmGears Top 50 page. A lot of early sales may have come through that link.

I think that if I devoted all my time and energy into creating Palm software and doing Palm consulting I could make a decent living. However, I already make a decent living as a programmer during the day and I'm not prepared to make that leap of faith.

You may have thought, "Wow, $11K is a lot of money. What'd he do with it?" Well, $11,000 _is_ a lot of money. Unfortunately, the IRS takes nearly half. (Self-employment taxes are really rough.) I also donate 20% of the pre-tax sales to charity. At the time of the greatest sales I was getting married, so all my available money went to that. And after that we made it a priority to get out of debt. So even though in a lump sum, it's a lot of money, over a month to month basis it hasn't made a large dent--I haven't bought myself a plasma display, kept up with the latest and greatest Palm device, bought all the coolest accessories, etc. I _have_ used it to pay for my "technology pays for technology" adage: my monthly cell phone bill and cable Internet access.

Anyway, it's been nice receiving a royalties check in the mail each month, even if the dwindling amount is a constant reminder that the public desparately needs an update that will work on OS 3.5.2 and OS 4.0 and that I feel that my skills are getting rusty and don't even know of my sources will compile with the latest palm dev kit. But I hope the above information proved interesting. Thanks for reading this far.

Daniel McCarty

I hardly have any need to carry anything else in my pocket other than my m505 since I am carrying quite an abundant source of medical material just by having it with me.

Others have several versions of the Bible as well in their Palms including myself. Most of the software I have with the exception of Epocrates were purchased but there are quite a number of free applications out there dealing with the medical field.

Ray

So long as those using it realize they don't have the "whole story" it shouldn't be a major problem.

However, a basic use of a PDA is to let you carry around reference information very useful to you,
that you might not easily lay your hands on. Many of the third party apps (especially the data bases)
address this issue, and failing to use them is underutilization for most people (let's exclude reference librarians and people with
eidetic memories, who probably do not need an extra 8MB on their person).

Almost everyone can greatly benefit from carrying some lists, DBs, refererence memos, restaurant reviews, grocery items, etc., not to mention info specific to almost every type of job and hobby.
The study points out (sadly) that most people are not able to go all the way through the process of:
- recognizing their need
- finding a way to meet it on the palm
- remembering to use that capability.

I think the big PDA companies (such as PALM) should be running ads that highlight awareness of
this type of PDA use. How often have you seen an ad in which a specific problem is solved by a specific PDA
add-on capability?

- toby robison
cpaths@bellatlantic.net

I didn't outgrow a meg of memory until I started keeping ebooks and maps on my Palm.

Jon Acheson

Have you even tried to fluctuate the price of your product to see demand? How good is the rotating screen for your product at palmgear? How much does the blurb describe its full functions? If it is anything like the average, NOT THAT GOOD AT ALL.

The shareware market, PC or Palm is a price gouging market. Some of these developers go on what they "deserve" vs. what it's really worth. Why would I ever pay a TENTH of what my Palm V cost me for a software that what... replaces what my Palm V has already come with? Are you joking? Deserve has nothing to do with it. When these so called developers are willing to accept the market and how it runs, and begin to do price changes to see more demand, that is when the earnings will come. You can't start like microsoft or sony... you have to give into the consumer first... period.

You want money? Make a product that is better than what's available freely. Make the nag-screen sensible. Make product purchase security comparable. Lastly, make it worth the money the consumer is paying. Your sense of "deserve" shouldn't be a part of the equation, Mr. Small Time.

If you don't want to buy the software, then don't, just don't make baseless accusations of price gouging, when Palm software developers are not engaging in that.

It amazes me that the person who wrote this, has a computer at all. When I look at commercial software, I see prices from 500.00 for Microsoft Office 2000 to 50.00 for Quicken. Each new version must be purchased over and over again. (Sometimes at only a small savings).

Shareware, on the other hand, typically has better support, more frequent updates at a lower cost, and is "try it before you buy it" which means I get to actually install it and use it and then not pay for it if I don't like it. All this at a consistantly lower price the "commercial software"

Go to your local retailer and try to buy your commercial software, open the box, install and use it for 30 days and then try to take it back and ask for your money back.

I don't write programs, but I do buy them. Specifically I have bought well in access of 200 programs for my Palm under the shareware plan. Only 2 programs out of that 200 have been a disappointment and that was from an upgrade perspective.

You keep buying your commercial software in a box, and I'll keep supporting the shareware community, then we will both be happy.

I have a computer, and I finance software that deserves a cut of my paycheck. I haven't bought a product off the shelves for years, and shareware tidbits that I buy lead to my only contribution to the software market. But hearing complaints only make it obvious that the people complaining are unwilling to simply... change their business model and attempt to offer a product that makes it _hard_ for a palm user not to try out and buy. If you think this is an off-the-wall viewpoint, try asking most and all consumers out there. No one cares about your pain, or your countless fruitless nights. What they care about is the finished product and how it will benefit them. If you are unwilling to be a part of this sort of industry, perhaps writing (no no no... not writing... SELLING) software isn't for you.

ciaran

I have only registered two programs on my Palm devices: KarKare and Parens. Everything else I use is freeware. I use X-master instead of Hackmaster, AvantGo is free, BigClock is free, AcroRead is free, the version of AporisDoc I use is free (but limited), and all the games I play are free. I use ListDB because it is free AND fits my needs, so I don't have to buy another database. I want Quicken but won't pay their price for it. I have QuickOffice only because it came with my Handera 330, and now that I do, AportisDoc may disappear. I paid for Parens and KarKare because the price was great for the functions I got. They have added value for me.

There are two problems here as I see it. First, I won't pay a lot for software that has limited functions for a big price. Why pay $30 just so I can read documents? Charge $5, and I might do it. If I am to pay $30, it had better convert to MSWord and PDF on the Palm device or have a seamless Windows/Mac/Linux app that does the conversion, and be able to beam it to a HP printer. Then there's software that I want, but just can't see paying their price for. That's why I still use the built-in datebook instead of DateBk4. DateBk4 is a great product, but I'm not willing to pay that price for it to get the added functions, which are slowly working into the built-in datebook anyway. Which brings me to the second problem. That is, why would I buy some software when I can look around for something else that is free and fills my needs? ListDB is a good example. It's a very basic database, but it works well and is free. Now with Quicksheet I don't need ANY other database. I was about to pay for HanDBase until I found ListDB. If I had paid for it, and only then found ListDB, I would have kicked myself. I learned from that to look around THOROUGHLY for a free version of something before registering something else.

Of course, I see a trend that freeware is fading away, so that shareware or commercial software will be all that is left. That's too bad really. If the Linux world had that attitude, we wouldn't have Linux.

Nice guy too, actually.

One of Palm's strengths is the undoubted support of the developer community. (The developers of over 10,000 programs can't all be wrong.) M$ are merely trying to belittle this stunning success.

Couple of points:

A) Its great that people so high up at Palm take an interest in what's said here. Many doomsayers in the past have complained Palm takes little notice of the guy in the street. It looks like maybe they are now trying to keep their finger on the pulse a little.. and hopefull this will pan out into more exciting innovative products in the future.

B) Having read other Gartner reports, (they were the wazzocks that came up with the conclusion the Ipaq outsold Palm and that enterprises did not use the Palm platform. They made now mention of the fact that Palm was releasing two new models are customers were holding off purchasing), their conclusions are dubious, methodology is poor and you have to wonder who is funding the crap they turn out.

Nick Trevethan

Devon
UK

Palm's done some things:
the Palm Solutions Guide by Affinity Publishing is thrown into every new Palm device box... many software solutions in it, and even a Palmgear ad everynow and then. Trouble is, this is always stuff done that benefits Palm. They likely get a "cut" of the income from advertisers, plus Affinity gets lots-o-cash...while the developers face the pressures from the market saying "we'll buy it if it costs $5 and is as good as Microsoft". Gee. Tough crowd.

The food chain always benefits most those at the top. Palm would need to give developers a hand and pull them up the food chain to change the situation. That's unlikely to happen in their current situation, no matter individual Palm employees thoughts. Capitalism demands self-preservation and profit. Palm does things that benefit Palm, Inc. The "Palm Economy" is so much of a marketing smokescreen to wow analysts at update time. Look at the dialog here about the number of "real businesses" based on Palm OS. Not many.

Lot's of guys coding from 10:30-2am... selling software for beer money. The few "real companies" based PURELY around Palm apps are few. Not avantgo, not Dataviz, not Vindigo (oh, they aren't really even a "business" yet are they...), etc...

As a device user for 5 years, I understand ALL the sides I see here. I even can understand Palm's self centered behaviors. That doesn't mean there isn't cause for complaint about pricing of apps, quality of apps, difficulty in locating "real useful or quality apps", etc. Looking at an issue from all sides can uncover possible solutions.

I am glad Palm's got someone working there with the guts to post here, name and all, and provide data. So where's the rest of the information about the "palm economy", Mike? You afraid you know more than Microsoft and holding info back? Provide the "real numbers" to contrast...

What is the big deal ? If your buddy doesn't like it, then he shouldn't even offer a trial version and go for broke by trying to sell his software, hoping people will just buy it as is without trial. Good luck.

There are just too many applications out there, and some of them really good ones. I try out a lot of software and delete a lot as well.

But your friend is only one... There are many others who are making money, and rightfully so.

5 Star rating from ZDNET ? Ha

Examples: Abroad! (Travel software) - 5 star rating. Tried it, just for the heck of it, deleted it. Has nothing to do with the fact that I like using demo-software. All it was, I was directed to the software purely by the 5 star rating, nothing more. I wasn't even looking for travel software, but curious me, I had to try it out, didn't like it (didn't need it) and deleted it. Big deal.

If software developers really want to make money, I agree with another comment that has been made here, "Don't copy already existing apps, make something original, useful and user-friendly."

Don't expect users to come in droves to your rescue in buying applications that already exist, usually better anyway, or are just copied of freeware software without anything else added, with the exception of a different interface.

Uh, another thing, Avantgo software, is free, and even though they are losing money (now, and who knows if they ever will) the company is worth 68.5 million Dollars!, go figure. It is a great application and I am sure, many people would be even willing to pay for it. That is the trick, get something great out there and quit whining.

and again, 5 star ratings mean nothing, unless YOU, the USER want it. It doesn't mean the application is that great.

Reviews you read here and there ditto.

CNET review on Palm M505:
ZDNet review on Palm M505: 7.8 (out of 10)

I have an M505 and don't care what people say, I love it and wouldn't trade it for anything that is available right now.
I don't want a PPC for several reasons, biggest of them all is their size and OS.

Does that mean that the ZDNet 7.8 is a valid number ? All depends on who you are. In my opinion, the price was a bit high, but I am more than happy with all other aspects, therefore, 7.8 in my opinion is wrong and should be a 9. But who am I ?

Go read some reviews on MSNBC, PPC vs. Palm products, you "might" be surprised anout a subtle hint of "biasedness" towards PPC products, who just happen to run on the "MS" part of MSNBC.... But no, we read reviews and take it all for granted, like lemmings, we are supposed to take it and go out and buy it (or scrap it if the review was bad).

aaaah, feeling better now. :)

Nonsense!! One every PC there is a keyboard, so computer is just a typewriter?

Don't forget there is a mouse and icons on the screen and if you move the mouse pointer over to the icon, you can do many things!

> companion: It is my "legal pad," my Bible, [...],
> my erotica, [...]

Hmmm...somehow those two don't seem to fit. ;-)

Have you ever read "Song of Solomon"?

I'm a married adult, and God permits (yes even encourages) me to enjoy my sexuality bacause I'm engaging in it on His terms.

The Bible is use is Laridian's "New International Version." ($29) and the erotica I refered to way PalmSutra (freeware sex manual).

-Brette Blatchley

Geez these Gartner guys are are very dumb.. or perhaps not dumb in slanting their questions in this way.

An out of the box survey is about as useful as a chocolate barbeque.. To tell the truth I didn't use my PDA straight out of the box at all as it needed a 2 hour stint in the charger.

The survey definitately detracts from Palm.. after all Palm has all the software available. If some un-informed person gets fed the line "Only 1% of users install third party software... the Gartner Group said so..." by some dopey salesman looking to flog some WinCE product, Palm loses one of its major selling points.

Gartner Group need to stop carrying out half arsed surveys like this and they need to make some kind of statement re-iterating the premise of this survey...

Experts like this are 10 a penny.. and unfortunately you get what you pay for....

This dumb survey would be far more useful

Download Free Applications

You can easily download lots of freeware, shareware, and commercial applications from the Internet. Just follow these steps:

1. Select and download applications from any Palm related web site (e.g. www.palm.com).
2. If the downloaded application is a Zip file, unzip its contents to the add-on folder in the Desktop Software directory (e.g., c:\palm\add-on).
3. Open the Palm Desktop software and click Install (or run the Install Tool from the Palm Desktop software directory). Then click Add. Select the applications you want to install. Click Open, then click Done.
4. Perform a HotSync operation to transfer your new applications to your handheld.

Second that. Palm could start with the Palm Certified software - what better incentive for developers to sign up for the programme!

Stay tuned. I can't promise that we will do everything (a lot of other stuff is on the plate), but we'll do our best.

Thanks, and keep the ideas coming.

Mike
CCO
Palm Inc.