Comments on: Palm CEO Carl Yankowski Has Resigned

Palm's Chief Executive Officer Carl Yankowski has resigned. Eric Benhamou, Palm chairman of the board, will serve in his place until a permanent successor is named.

"With Palm's transition into two individual businesses almost complete, my role has changed, and it no longer matches my aspirations," Mr. Yankowski said. "I leave confident that our separation and solutions strategies, combined with the new leadership at the helm of both businesses, will result in increased shareholder value. It has been an honor to lead Palm."

Mr. Yankowski did not announce his future plans.

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Hey Sony, offer to buy Palm!

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 5:09:31 PM #
while they're at a mess... they'll listen to terms more, and will be more open-minded.

RE: Hey Sony, offer to buy Palm!
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 7:43:59 PM #

If Sony buys Palm, I will swich devices in a hearbeat!

What in the world could Sony do for Palm except slap a Clie' sticker on all the devices and rip out the SD slot and throw in a mem stick slot.



RE: Hey Sony, offer to buy Palm!
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 9:53:48 PM #
They would also install an nice, bright, high resolution screen and an MP3 player. And reduce the price by $50.


;-)

RE: Hey Sony, offer to buy Palm!
Scott @ 11/9/2001 9:26:35 AM #
Sony has not demonstrated the competence or desire to provide a solid environment for end-users or developers. They're great at pushing the technology to the limits, but I would not want them in charge of the OS.

Scott

RE: Hey Sony, offer to buy Palm!
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/9/2001 10:11:04 AM #
It is unfortunate to see that some people think that Sony buying Palm would be any kind of positive thing. As another poster implied, I'd switch to a non-Palm OS PDA in a heartbeat. Maybe if Apple bought Palm that would be good (or maybe if some other OS company like Be or QNX), but otherwise I'd really probably rather see Palm stick it out on their own.

RE: Hey Sony, offer to buy Palm!
mikecane @ 11/9/2001 10:35:17 AM #
I must agree that Sony buying Palm would be a grave mistake. Not everyone wants that 320x320 screen. I've done some testing of apps on an m505 and on an N610/710 -- and not everything works well. The 160x160 on the hires CLIE screen is a *emulation*. Images -- such as photos -- actually look "hairier" on the CLIE when displayed at 160x160.

I have a mono S320. I'd like Sony to produce a 160x160 color unit as an upgrade path (that 320x320 mono T415 is a mistake, I think). But I doubt they will.

Of course, all this would be moot if Palm would do what most of us want: go 240x320 with Soft Graffiti.

RE: Hey Sony, offer to buy Palm!
rldunn @ 11/9/2001 10:43:11 AM #
Why would you look at pictures in low-res on a Clie N-series? The pics look outstanding in high-res.

RE: Hey Sony, offer to buy Palm!
mikecane @ 11/9/2001 10:57:01 AM #
Not all photo programs have been modified for hires. And since I have not bought an MStick, it seems I am SOOL for using PGPocket (which would be the only way I could get a hires test pic onto my S320 for beaming and test viewing on a 610/710).

RE: Hey Sony, offer to buy Palm!
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/9/2001 11:00:47 AM #
Looking for new SONY CLIE for 320*480 screen with soft graffiti

RE: Hey Sony, offer to buy Palm!
mikecane @ 11/9/2001 11:28:58 AM #
That'd be great if they could pull it off. Would the next gen Dragonball be able to handle that? (The SuperVz is it called?)

RE: Hey Sony, offer to buy Palm!
rldunn @ 11/9/2001 11:46:22 AM #
Actually, PGPocket works just fine with images in RAM. And it's actually a pretty good image viewing program.

RE: Hey Sony, offer to buy Palm!
mikecane @ 11/9/2001 11:51:19 AM #
As you might or might not know, I was given this S320 as a gift two weeks ago. Have been trying a lot of stuff. From what I (mis?)understood, I thought I needed an MStick to get PG-format pics onto the unit -- because RAM will not accept JPG, etc. I haven't read the PG PDF, and the software itself is awful, so I went and got Album to Go. But now we are well off-topic...

RE: Hey Sony, offer to buy Palm!
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/9/2001 2:34:28 PM #
If Sony bought Palm, any positive hardware thing Sony could do would be offset by them driving the Palm OS into the ground and running other 3rd party Palm OS device makers out of business.

It's about Time!!!

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 5:24:12 PM #
It was very obvious that this was going to happen. Carl has done squat for Palm. He had no vision when he spoke, he seemed very off about us users. The m100 series is really the only device that Palm has played around with... which again is the consumer market focus. He left all of us hanging. No Palm IIIc replacement or nothing new. I'm glad he's gone!

RE: It's about Time!!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 5:37:14 PM #
In case you haven't heard - there is a new device called the m505! It's a color device (ie replacement for pig ugly IIIc). It's also quite revolutionary wrt previous devices (usb, universal connector, 16-bit color, sd expansion... need i go on?)

Also Palm are in the retail business - so they will always produce retail focused devices.

But I do concur that it is about time...

RE: It's about Time!!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 8:14:18 PM #
you dont need to go on, because your list is about all there is new about the m505

revolutionary?
Kaitou @ 11/9/2001 12:29:12 AM #
"It's also quite revolutionary wrt previous devices (usb, universal connector, 16-bit color, sd expansion... need i go on?)"

USB - didn't handspring have it for a while before?
universal connector - not very revolutionary, just a different shape then the previous ones
16bit color - visor prism
sd expansion - handera (trg pro) had it, so did handpring and the clie
shape? just an update on the V form factor

so what's the revolution?

Universal Connector
bcombee @ 11/9/2001 1:10:23 AM #
Actually, I'd argue that the UC isn't revolutionary, but its a nice piece of evolutionary technology created through the learning done on the original Palm devices.

It combines a 230KBps serial port, a device-side USB port, charging pins, device detection pins, and a compact hardware connector along with a standard set of connecting hardware. Its pretty good engineering, and it should serve Palm devices well for the next few years, at least until they decide they need USB 2.0 or Firewire support.

RE: It's about Time!!!
Scott @ 11/9/2001 9:30:10 AM #
Agreed. This is not a revolutionary device, but it is pretty state of the art. Who else is offering a color device with memory expansion in this form factor?

Scott

RE: It's about Time!!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/9/2001 12:27:59 PM #
Ummm...Sony?

Better screen, almost as small.

..

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 5:32:04 PM #
HALLELUJA!!!!!!



RE: ..
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 8:13:19 PM #
ditto

RE: ..
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/9/2001 2:45:04 AM #
ditto ditto

You are the weakest link, goodbye!

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 5:32:34 PM #
Yankowski should have banked when he had the chance.

RE: You are the weakest link, goodbye!
mikecane @ 11/9/2001 10:39:00 AM #
I just had to say that I love the title of that message!

May or may not be a good thing

popko @ 11/8/2001 5:43:00 PM #
This may or may not be a good thing. Lets hope the new CEO will build on what's alrady here and make it better.

RE: May or may not be a good thing
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 5:54:04 PM #
It will depend entirely on who they get to replace him.

RE: May or may not be a good thing
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 7:30:18 PM #

Hopefully, its not another shoe salesman...


RE: May or may not be a good thing
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 8:10:26 PM #
whats already there? they need to bring back Handspring & co. that would save palm. nothing else will.

Shoe salesman?
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 8:23:15 PM #
Yep. It's Al Bundy.

RE: May or may not be a good thing
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 8:26:48 PM #
Bring back the Handspring team? Nothing else will save them?

Oh, and Handspring is sure doing well as a company.

That's sarcasm, by the way.

I have to explain this, because you evidently aren't too bright. Handspring. That's a riot.

Yes

frauen1 @ 11/8/2001 4:55:13 PM #
The only question for the past several weeks has been when. Someone takes a hit for the stock price, and he's shown some inexperience at this job.

RE: Yes
Spock9 @ 11/9/2001 10:51:04 AM #
I must say, the stock drop had little to do with Carl's management. More to the market itself and the fact that Palm is still a fledgling tech company.

Palm shares jump 23%
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/9/2001 11:19:25 AM #
Palm shares have climbed 53 cents, or about 23%, to $2.80. It was among the most active issues on the Nasdaq Friday morning.

Don't let the door hit you in the ass.

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 6:03:25 PM #
So long, Carl, I can't say it's been fun. You'll be lucky to get work as a product manager for Keebler. Moron.



RE: Don't let the door hit you in the ass.
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 6:35:59 PM #

To the anonymous dork (pot) calling the kettle black:

Get a life. As for sensitivity: It's a business. And the Keebler Elf ran it into the ground. Yankerkowski is gone because he messed with investors, employees, and customers. I'm all for sensitivity if it doesn't affect others but in the case of the ELF, he messed with everyone. And with the bucks he was making $667K I don't have any sympathy. So, take your new age "beliefs" elsewhere.

TANX.

RE: Don't let the door hit you in the ass.
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 6:36:26 PM #
Yeah, Keebler rocks anyways!!

RE: Don't let the door hit you in the ass.
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 8:26:39 PM #
Uh-oh... Time to sell my Keebler stock!

RE: Don't let the door hit you in the ass.
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 8:36:02 PM #
Keebler? I don't think so... Carl, repeat after me: "Would you like fries with that?"

Right on!!!! Now let's get a real visionary.

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 6:29:14 PM #
Perhps we can get lucky and Sony will buy Palm.

RE: Right on!!!! Now let's get a real visionary.
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 7:32:59 PM #

How in the F*%K would Sony buying Palm be a good thing.

The good: Financial backing

The bad: All new palm devices and OS related features having a "Sony in your face" slant. That would be just great for inovation and competitive fairness. It would be M$ all over again.

It would be a freakin nightmare!


RE: Right on!!!! Now let's get a real visionary.
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 7:58:44 PM #
Nightmare...think of life without the Clie N series right now.....Its the best PalmOS based unit out there.

RE: Right on!!!! Now let's get a real visionary.
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 8:28:26 PM #

Well, we all now know what device you own.

The BEST dear boy is all a matter of the features matchin each individual persons needs/wants.

If you were to ask me, I would say my handheld is the BEST. But that doesn't mean it is.

Speaking strictly of technical inovation, Sony is by far not at the cutting edge of the PDA market. They have a color screen that simply blows up the pixels to 320X320 and glued a MP3 player to it with barely any integration of the OS at all!

RE: Right on!!!! Now let's get a real visionary.
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 8:29:28 PM #
CLIEs, the best units? Debatable.

Sony sure as hell would wrech Palm though.

RE: Right on!!!! Now let's get a real visionary.
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 9:14:43 PM #
We know that you are either a handspring user or PPC. The 320x320 is very useful when you have programs that support it (DateBK4). It is still the best screen out there and the color is outstanding so **** you.

RE: Right on!!!! Now let's get a real visionary.
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 10:20:26 PM #
"Speaking strictly of technical inovation, Sony is by far not at the cutting edge of the PDA market. "

Innovation (according to Webster): "the introduction of something new"

Then who is? Palm? Well, it's pretty evident by their recent introductions that they have rested on their PAST innovations too much. For example:
- m505: crappy screen and old V/Vx casing (SD slot/card pretty much useless until more products enter the market. memory stick can do NOW what SD promises in the "future"
- m500: old V/Vx casing with SD slot
- m125: why even bother commenting
- i705 is not even out, so can't really comment there because anyone can leak product information 6 months ahead of time and claim that it will have everything under the sun)

Handspring? Besides the 16-bit color support, they really haven't done much. Sure they integrated the Springboard, but they're not the ones producing the modules. It's the third party guys. If anything, HS is assuming all the glory for the innovation of these companies.
Visor Prism: 16-bit color screen that's useless outdoors
Visor Edge: thinnest? V/Vx retains that title.
Treo products: (same as i705), plus Samsung and Kyocera already have products in the market that do the same thing, so there's no innovation there.

"They have a color screen that simply blows up the pixels to 320X320"
Sony is the FIRST to introduce the NEW 320x320 resolution. Their color screen is the best in the Palm OS camp. iPaq's screen has been praised to no end that its color screen is the best, but you know what? It's a Sony screen!

"and glued a MP3 player to it with barely any integration of the OS at all!"
what's the other options? add-ons like HS and Palm's? You're right, there's a real winning combination. While the idea of putting an mp3 player on a palm handheld is nothing new, Sony is the FIRST to integrate it. (keep in mind, i'm talking about Palms. PPCs have their innovations too, but i don't have the time to get into them). Plus, the 710/760 units get a decent battery life (11 hours). To put this into perspective the new iPod goes for 10 hours and costs $400, and all it does is play mp3s.
And how much integration to the OS do you need? You can run other apps while listening to music. Isn't that the purpose of an integrated mp3 player?



RE: Right on!!!! Now let's get a real visionary.
Ia3n @ 11/8/2001 10:46:58 PM #
While which handheld is the best for you is a matter of personal needs, Sony definitely has technically the best units out there. The screen is brighter and higher resolution, the graphics card is more powerful, and so on. The only thing the Palm m505 has got over it is form factor and style, much of which is just a matter of art rather than hard tech specs.
To whoever complained about the Clie blowing everything up to 320x320, what would you prefer? That it runs in a tiny square in a corner of the screen? And it doesn't just blow it up, it sharpens the text and widgets. And that's just what happens for 160x160 applications.
The N-series definitely beats all else as far as the tech specs go.

RE: Right on!!!! Now let's get a real visionary.
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 11:21:55 PM #
Other Sony innovations:

VFS - it tall started in their S300

MS Import (aka AudioPlayer->Transfer) - direct connection from your computer to your expansion memory

4.0 to 4.1 fix - isn't it ironic Sony was the first to use it?


RE: Right on!!!! Now let's get a real visionary.
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 11:35:56 PM #
If you're talking about innovations of technology, then Sony is definitely a sure winner. However, I disagree that Sony is an innovator (VFS isn't invented by Sony, and so does MP3 add-on). Instead, Sony advances these innovations.

If you're talking about visions, then you should also focus on company philosophy, too. For example, HandSpring doesn't invest on hardware (remember that HandSpring originated from a software company?), but HandSpring introduces an idea then HandSpring uses the appropreiate technology to develop it.

In the earlier post, some guy mentions that HandSpring i705. This model can best descripe how HandSpring's philosophy functions. They want a successor of their VisorPhone, and they've learned that customers want a slim, light and easy-to-use visorphone. So what does HandSpring do? They take away their HandSpring module slot(one of their main advantages), make the whole unit smaller, adds a thumb-type keyboard into it.

Do you think Sony will take away a MemoryStick slot because the MemoryStick slot doesn't fit a particular model?

RE: Right on!!!! Now let's get a real visionary.
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 11:50:00 PM #
Forget to clarify the difference between "innovations" and "innovation in technology."

Innovation - Introduces a new idea
Innovation in technology - Not only Sony brings a 320x320 screen in Palm (Note: Sony didn't introduces this 320x320 idea.), but also Sony introduces a new form of hardware accelerator that gives its refresh rate four times higher than other PalmOS products.

RE: Right on!!!! Now let's get a real visionary.
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/10/2001 12:24:02 AM #
VFS was first developed by TRG Inc (Handera) with their TRG Pro model which was out waaaaaay before the Clie came out.

I think it is also safe to say that 320X240 with a virtual graffiti is a bit more inovative than pixel doubling a 160X160 res. It is also quite a bit more daring. Here is a company of 48 employees stepping up to the plate and attempting to advance the Palm OS in a meaningful and lasting way. This is truly an admirable move. They also thoughtfully included (always have) an enhanced speaker and a built in microphone for voice recording and .wav playback.

Sony is a great entertainment gadget, but lets face it, it'didn't go out on the limb with any of its features. They just add features they think are "hot" give it a fashionable design and sell as many as possible. if Palm went down the tubes, Sony would be the first to drop them and move on to something they can quickly assemble and market.

One good example is their new T415... hehe, they boast about how it is geared towards the business user. hehe, they slap the enhanced speaker on it but forget a built in microphone for voice recording. Talk about careless! Then they add and "enhanced" IR port (up to 15 feet) to be used a a goofy remote contorl. Yeah right! business users don't need voice memo's, they need remote controls! Nice going Sony.

This is why I have little respect for Sony, they are NOT INOVATORS! They are FOLLOWERS, and half ass ones at that.

RE: Right on!!!! Now let's get a real visionary.
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/10/2001 2:29:20 AM #
Actually no, VFS didn't come from HandEra/TRG. TRG had its own card access API, called FFS. VFS was, in fact, developed by Palm, and they let Sony put it into the original CLIE S300 in a late beta form as a bribe to get them into the Palm market.

No Rotary club speeches for him!!!

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 6:32:14 PM #
I'll make sure that doesn't happen!

Our Long Technological Nightmare is Over!!!

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 6:32:06 PM #
I feel as though I should break out in song, as though there should be dancing in the streets. I imagine millions of downtrodden, afflicted Palm users, their heads hanging in oppressed shame, looking up to see the drought ended, the grime being washed from their faces by rain--sweet precious rain--and their chains breaking free as they run and laugh and cry.

And maybe this is happening, but I could care less, anymore. I've already lost faith and converted to PPC. I would love to come back, but I doubt that there is enough capital and time left for Palm to be saved (by anyone other than Sony, who will mold it into their own proprietary oppressive dominion).

RE: Our Long Technological Nightmare is Over!!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 10:18:25 PM #
Wasn't that an Apple commercial from the 1990s?

And isn't Palm like Apple was? Wow! I amaze myself sometimes! ;-P


RE: Our Long Technological Nightmare is Over!!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/9/2001 6:25:07 PM #
Actually, I think you are referring to the famous 1984 Superbowl ad.
http://www.uriah.com/apple-qt/1984.html

Hello, My good friend SONY!!!

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 7:09:42 PM #
I've owned my Palm Vx for a long while now, and saw no reason to buy another one. For no apparent reason Palm changes the M500-M505 so....

One can't use the old Palm Vx cases

One can't use Palm Vx snap ons (Like GPS module, or other peripherals....because they change the bottom syncer, apparently for no good reason...

They haven't done squat with their SD Cards yet...

Y'know, I am going to wait and see for a couple of more months to see what they do with new products, but I am probably going to upgrade to either Handspring Prism or the Sony Color Clie'

Palm couldn't even give us a half decent color screen.. Sony can! I've seen it.....Very fair size compromise, very fair price, and great COLOR screen..

Oh, by the way, I STILL wouldn't buy PPC!!!! It is totally incompatable with the software I need to use for my business...


RE: Hello, My good friend SONY!!!
Altema @ 11/8/2001 7:27:50 PM #
I mourned the loss of my extra hardware, and I still have the modem and auto/air charger for my IIIc. Fortunately I received a full credit on the III style keyboard. I do think that the universal connector was a good long-term step though, as we now get USB and full rs232 compliance (IF your cradle works right!) in one connection. Even if they could stick with the same mechanical configuration as the V, it would not work with the old peripherials. I'm waiting to see what comes of the SD options. It seems like a lot of manufacturers are trying to utilize the universal connector and leave the SD slot alone. This is fine by me, as Sony has already taken a hit in the foot with the MS camera. Lose ALL your external storage to a device that needs it the most? I'd rather keep the card in place. Nothing wrong with a 72Mb Palm...

Of course, Kodak went to the other extreme: Leave the card AND the USB alone, then adapt their old technology to the universal connector, but use only the serial lines. I took mine back to the store for that, and the image quality problem.

RE: Hello, My good friend SONY!!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 8:30:58 PM #
>One can't use Palm Vx snap ons (Like GPS module,
>or other peripherals....because they change the
>bottom syncer, apparently for no good reason...

No good reason? D'oh, what brainiacs we have in here today.

How about native USB? Improved functions for standardization across the whole product line.

You are chastising them for not doind something (standardizing) that they are in fact doing and that's why you are mad.

People sure are sad.

RE: Hello, My good friend SONY!!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/9/2001 12:53:57 AM #
Obviously you don't know much about technology. USB is a device to host protocol (ie palm to computer), not like a device to device protocol, such as the old serial system or 1394.

Kodak couldn't do a PalmPix to the m500 series using the USB signal lines because USB simply can't handle it at all.

RE: Hello, My good friend SONY!!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/11/2001 6:54:41 PM #
The reason why Palm and other manufacturers haven`t done squat with the SDIO Cards is beacuse the SDIO Standard hasn`t been approved yet.

All these manufacturers have all these goodies just waiting there and they can`t do squat with them cause if they would produce them and the final guidelines would be totaly different then they would have a useless product.

Palm 2001 = Apple 1997?

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 7:14:20 PM #
First, they get rid of the goofball CEO (Amelio/Yankowski). Hopefully now they will bring back their previous visionaries (Jobs/Hawkins&Dubinksy), merge the formers' companies (NeXT/Handspring) and turn themselves around!

It could happen... Handspring's running out of cash and Jeff & Donna only left because they didn't want to be a part of 3Com...

RE: Palm 2001 = Apple 1997?
popko @ 11/8/2001 7:31:55 PM #
Finally someone with something (or faith should I say?) that is not Sony buy out nor going PPC.

RE: Palm 2001 = Apple 1997?
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 8:14:15 PM #
Finally Handspring is bancrupt and Palm is heading in fast pace in the same direction - that is what differs from historic Apple comparisons.
There bancrupt, the bad management has filled the own pockets and stolen investors money, lied to developers and customers as well and given bad service in all directions - and leave only rubble in back onn side and in front.
It wopul have been a chane after the newton - but the king is dead.
Lets face it - the name Yankonowhere is history as well as palm is - it leaves bitterness on all levels.
Its time to kiss the pda aera goodby for good.
Probably Steve Jobs is right - the PDA is no business - get a mp3 player and lets swing...

RE: Palm 2001 = Apple 1997?
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 8:48:04 PM #
"Finally Handspring is bancrupt and Palm is heading in fast pace in the same direction - that is what differs from historic Apple comparisons."

There are differences, but Apple wasn't doing so well back then either.
Palm and Handspring haven't been able to design new products at the rate they did before the Handspring split so perhaps their current problems are partly due to dilution of the engineering talent? If so, a merge wouldn't be a bad thing.

FINALLY

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 8:06:16 PM #
I had lost faith in palm. hopfully this will bring back people to palm with better management. The guy had done NOTHING while in charge

RE: FINALLY
johnwong @ 11/8/2001 8:59:34 PM #
No, he did ruin the company. He bring stock price from $65.75 to $2.28.
Bill will say thank to him.

JW

RE: FINALLY
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 10:10:20 PM #
Certainly not defending Carl, but this example using stock prices is somewhat unfair. Was Palm's stock ever actually worth this much? After the IPO, Palm's market capitalization was higher than 3COM, but 3COM was the largest shareholder. Anyone who bought at those outrageous prices has no business blaming the CEO for their losses.

RE: FINALLY
Scott @ 11/9/2001 9:33:17 AM #
I can't agree more. People all look at how far the stock has fallen and blame Carl. Every company who jumped into these inflated IPO situations either went bankrupt or saw their stock plummet. The biggest mistake I saw Palm make was overestimating the market for 2001 and getting themselves into a situation where they had too much inventory of old devices.

Scott

RE: FINALLY
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/9/2001 5:23:56 PM #
>>
After the IPO, Palm's market capitalization was higher than 3COM, but 3COM was the largest shareholder.
<<

That situation was entirely logical, because of way the spin-off happened. When the mighty network hardware giant 3Com bought US Robotics, the Palm Computing division was little more than an afterthought in the merger. However, by the time of the spin-off, market commoditization had killed both 3Com's core NIC business and USR's modem business, but the PDA market had exploded, making the source of the majority of 3Com's revenues and assets in Palm. So, when the much-awaited spin-off happened, Palm took the lion's share of not only the assets, but also the stock price. Sure, after that, Palm's stock went through the roof (irrational exuberance). But, if 3Com hadn't spun-off Palm, 3Com's worsening situation would have continued to bring down Palm, and the COMS stockholders wouldn't have been happy. As it was, the tanking economy brought both stocks down, but not after a lot of stockholders sold both PALM and COMS at their height, and ended up making a lot of money.

Carl wasn't responsible for the stock price of PALM tanking, not exactly anyway. Carl WAS responsibile for having no good new products (the m505 was overhyped, the m125 useless, the i705 still nonexistent), for flubbing the introduction of the new products they did have, and (Palm's real on-going problem) for not having an operating system robust enough to support the applications its current and prospective user base needs. While I understand things like a new OS take time, ARM-based Palm OS should have shipped in July 2001, which means it should have been a #1 prioity for the company 6 months to a year before it was announced. Instead, under CEO Carl's direction, the company appears to have been focused on Michael Jordan Palms, slick marketing campaigns for product line-ups with obsolete PDAs, and schlepping R&D from licensees rather than generating any useful R&D of their own. So, when the economy did Tank Bigtime, everyone realized Palm had no direction, which caused it's stock price to sink even further than it would have otherwise.

Congrats, Carl: through your almost complete lack of vision, you ran a very profitable company almost in the ground and have (probably) turned it into yet another source of dog chow for the mighty three-headed Microsoft. Red Hat Software, a company that has never turned a profit, but does have a clear vision, closed today at more than twice PALM's price today. Yeah, Carl, don't let the door hit you on the way out.



WOW thank you HE IS GONE

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/8/2001 8:59:42 PM #
Like a lot of people I loved my first palm the idea seemed so cool and hi tech to me. I currently own a M505 which I like dispite some problems with the color. I am also an unfortunate stock holder of the company. I orginally bought the stock at 50 almost 2 years ago. I have since seen my money vanish.

Ill be the first to say the market for what palm sells has had an amazing turn around from very great to ****y. So I dont think everything was entirely mr Carls fault. But this guy is an idiot. He helped sell shoes for rebock for god sakes. And he never did a damn thing at that company.

Palm has consitantly stayed a step behind everyone else in the industry and I hope they get some one in there who wants to expand the product vastly.

Carls thing was basically lets take the same product that we have been selling since we sold our first Pilot with a crapy screen and give them 8 MB instead of 2.

Ill admit I like the SD slot I think it has potential. But the leadership was never there for Palm. If it was this company would have turned around a long time ago. And the stock price wouldnt be at 2 bucks.

Yankowski was happy to see himself running this into the ground. I really hope Hawkins and others had something to do with this man getting his ass out of there. Because if I am Hawkins I would be thinking to myself this was my company and he is screwing it up.

Anyway terrible leadership, no inovation, and a M100 line.

Mr Yankowski how the hell did you EVER get to be a CEO?

Thank God your gone now and we can put this whole ****y chapter behind us.



Hawkins

Admin @ 11/8/2001 9:47:08 PM #
It's very unlikely that this would even happen but, Wouldn't it be interesting to See Jeff Hawkins back in control of the company and product he founded?
-Ryan
RE: Hawkins
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/9/2001 1:16:48 AM #
"notice the handspring message above"

RE: Hawkins
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/9/2001 1:39:42 AM #
More likeley that Yankowsky will join HS! Jeff is not leaving HS He has much more power at HS than he ever did at 3com

RE: Hawkins
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/9/2001 1:41:14 AM #
Anyway, Palm has screwed up its priorities so far that Jeff couldn't do anything anyway... It's too late for that lousy company. They're fast dying with no innovation and SD is crap. I can't believe it that Palm is so slow catching on to what the market wants and not just crappy repackaged two year old garbage


M10x is junk!! M50x Is satan! Ripoff city

RE: Hawkins
mikecane @ 11/9/2001 10:42:19 AM #
Ryan: I don't know that Hawkins would be good for Palm. The Edge design does not show he still "has" it. (Yeah, the Treo is interesting; but I can't really judge since I don't like cellphones to begin with.) And the Visors are still plain ugly.

Palms are still popular and still selling. But "power" Palm users are still frustrated. We want Soft Graffiti -- and 240x320. I hope this is in the works.

And as for pricing... they must come down. Hasn't anyone noticed the gap in Palm's line? There's room for a *slotless* m505 in it. (Don't laugh -- the slotless Vs are still selling!)

Cheap mono units are fine to broaden the market -- but color prices should come down some too.

Thank you Jesus!

Foo @ 11/8/2001 10:18:38 PM #
Hurray! I got my first Christmas present early! =)

RE: Thank you Jesus!
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/9/2001 8:31:52 AM #
>Hurray! I got my first Christmas present early! =)

Sorry No - about one year to late - now the christmastree is rotten for good...

Good one!!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/9/2001 12:34:03 PM #
> Sorry No - about one year to late - now the christmastree is rotten for good...

Ding Dong the Witch is Dead

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/9/2001 3:02:06 AM #
It's about friggin' time. Unfortunately, he may have done permanent damage; this buffoon should've been gone 6 months ago.

Sending Palm my resume...

Trevethan @ 11/9/2001 5:47:21 AM #
I think Palm's next CEO should be a user, not a marketing weenie... someone who uses the product, loves the platform and has quite clear ideas about the future.

I think most people reading this board agree that Palm needs to get its act together re: new processors and OS 5. That colour is important, and while many get on just fine with b&w, colour will win as it did in television and in PC's. Resolution is a key area and 160X160 really doesn't cut it. On top of that wireless connectivty, which we were promised (by the end of last year I believe) is also important, be it Bluetooth, telephony or some kind of wireless access we access.

I know all these things take time and money to develop, and Palm doesn't have a huge pile of either any more, but if the company is to survive it needs to make a concerted effort in that direction.

Admittedly Palm has addressed a few issues, in particular, USB connectivity, expansion through SD, and they have produced a colour device with a slim form factor. Most of the improvements in OS4 seem to have been innovated by others, Handera, Handspring et al. And SD hasn't been the universal success that was promised. Even Handspring's much maligned springboard introduction had more modules out on the market than SD has some 6 months after launch.

The time has come for someone with real vision, drive and passion to take over and move the company in the direction that we, its customers, want.

Heck, maybe I should send them an application?

Regards,


Nick Trevethan

Devon
UK

RE: Sending Palm my resume...
Scott @ 11/9/2001 9:36:24 AM #
Sorry, but I don't agree. I think that Palm has done just fine with the game plan they've had. Could they step it up a bit and come out with newer technology sooner? Sure. Everyone here is living in their own private reality. Let me let you all in on something: It's not the real world.

The real market is, was, and forevermore shall be, low cost PDAs. Is there a market for expensive multimedia hi-res with everything-but-the-kitchen-sink thrown in? Yes, but it's a significantly smaller market. Does that mean that Palm should ignore this market? Of course not, it makes good business sense to offer products to this market as well. Still, their biggest market is in low-cost devices. If they forge ahead thinking that "what they really want" is the latest high-tech gadget to compete with the PPC OS and the low-cost market suffers as a result, that's when they'll really lose.

Their stock plummeted because they jumped on the IPO bandwagon a couple of years ago and found themselves with a grossly overinflated stock value which later came down to reality. Every company (and investor) that played this game looking for lots of free money ended up losing.

They also made a mistake in overestimating the growth of their high-end devices for 2001, without accurately estimating how much their licensees would cut into this and without giving enough credit to the new (at the time) PPC OS. One of the things about Palm devices which is great for end users and not so great for Palm the company is that they can be low-cost yet last for a few years. So, to sell new devices you have to sell to new buyers (most of which want something inexpensive) and previous owners (who want something more advanced or, atleast, with more memory). The m505 had difficulty selling at the levels they had hoped because it was introduced into a market with some serious competition.

Palm stuck with the concept of keeping things small, light, easy to use, and with great battery life. We've all benefited from this. They relucantly released colorful gizmos at the cost of several of these factors because a small market of people said that they wanted them, despite the size/battery life. Now, I fear, the investors are convinced that the stock plummeted because of Carl and his vision (or perhaps the former Hawkins' vision). Most of the so-called technology "journalists" have declared that the PPC is the future and will overtake the Palm OS within a couple of years, and everyone seems to believe it. Well, not so fast. The recent sales reports have shown Compaq's sales fall significantly.

If Palm jumps head-first into OS5 and sacrifices backwards compatibility and the necessary tweaks, improvements, and cost-cutting to the "simpler" Palm devices, that's when they'll go bankrupt. Should they work on OS5? By all means. I want high-res color and all the gizmos, too. And I want it in a device with the usability level of the current Palms. But don't put all of your eggs into this basket, because it's a small basket.

Scott

RE: Sending Palm my resume...
Ed @ 11/9/2001 10:36:39 AM #
Scott, you make some good points but I wanted make sure you and everyone knows that the very first design criteria for Palm OS 5.0 was backward compatibility with current Palm applications. Last year, Palm demoed an early version of OS 5 running on an ARM-based chip that ran current Palm OS apps. They even beamed an app from an off-the-shelf Palm to the demo one to prove that the apps hadn't been tweaked in any way.

So have no fear. Palm is aware that one of its greatest strengths is the large number of third-party apps available and that it would be suicide to give them up.

This is only speculation, but I believe that application compatibility between Dragonball-based handhelds and ARM-based ones is going to be the cornerstone of Palm's hardware strategy for a while. Palm is aware that an ARM-based handheld isn't going to be as cheap as Dragonball-based ones are now. Therefore, only high-end Palm handhelds will be ARM-based. The low-end will continue to run Dragonball processors and cost around $100. With both groups able to run the same apps, there shouldn't be a problem with this strategy.

Of course, there will be high-end apps that will only be able to run on high-end devices. This will include esoterica like video players and graphics-intensive games. But there is no reason why a word processor can't be written that will work across the entire line of handhelds, like they do now.

Again, this is what I think will happen because it makes sense to me. I can only hope it makes sense to Palm's management, too.

---
News Editor

RE: Sending Palm my resume...
Quik_Fix @ 11/9/2001 1:06:43 PM #
Scott, Ed,

Well written commentary. Its nice to hear a shade of grey in here every once in a while instead of black and white rhetoric.

Scott is dead-on. Most of the semi-tekkies I know have m series, III series, or at most, V series Palms. They look at my 330 like its a mutant, and they've never even heard of it.

"Who makes that?"
"Handera."
"Oh, it's got a slot. That's a Handspring."
"No, Handera."
"Right, by Handspring."
"No, its a totally different company..."
"Hey, Jim. Check this out. Brian's got a Handspring..."
"Sigh..."

We, the gadgeteers and gizmo lovers, are still the minority. Even in the world of Palm.

...In accordance with the prophecy...

Quik_Fix
quikfix@hotmail.com

Apple should buy Palm

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/9/2001 6:31:42 PM #
I think Apple, with its $4 billion in cash reserves and excellent engineering/industrial design/product vision. After all, it was Apple that really invented the modern PDA with the Newton. Just a little ahead of their time. Steve Jobs could really turn them around I think but I'm not sure if Apple wants to spread themselves too thin with a PDA. I know Steve Jobs is interested (he's been quoted in articles stating that and they tried to but Palm in 1997 I believe). It'd be nice and maybe the Mac support would suck anymore (when is the next version of Palm Desktop for Mac coming out?)

Why not just wait a few months?
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/9/2001 9:27:00 PM #
The sharks are just waiting for the independent PalmOS company to become availabe once the hardware part of Palm declares bankruptcy next year. Sony must be laughing their collective heads off. They let Palm and Handspring do the legwork and then strolled in and out-engineered the competition.

Watch most of Palm's first-time users now start upgrading to Sonys. All Palm will have left is the bargain basement $50 - $99 m100 class to fight over. How sad.

Relevant...

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/9/2001 9:22:34 PM #
http://btrules.tripod.com/m505_byecarl.gif">

Love the color on that m505! - (Ir)relevant
I.M. Anonymous @ 11/9/2001 9:35:19 PM #
Love the color on that m505!

No chex, no sex

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/12/2001 5:31:53 AM #
It would be horrible if Sony bought Palm cuz that would mean jacked up prices!!!

Stock Market Effects

skoty @ 11/12/2001 2:04:28 PM #
Has anyone seen what Handspring's and Palm's stock prices have been doing since this change? It's like the investors are saying, "It's about damned time they let that fool go!"

Sniff, Sniff, saying goodbye.

I.M. Anonymous @ 11/12/2001 4:19:49 PM #
Hey Carl when you get your severance check do you think you could reimburse me for my Palm stock that took a dump, oh say $10,000 would do.

M505 battery extension

spazmanian @ 12/26/2001 11:35:49 AM #
Does anyone know where I can get a battery extension to my M505. I have been creating a database with thinkdb and need the backlight (night use) which is really eating up my batteries. I need something to extend it. Any ideas? Thanks

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