Comments on: Palm Announcing New Smartphone Tomorrow

DigitalLife CentroPalm and Sprint are holding a press conference tomorrow at the DigitalLife Tech show in New York City. Palm has sent out a news release confirming the announcement of a new "Palm Smartphone", widely expected to be the Palm Centro. PalmInfocenter will be there to bring you the news from the show and a webcast of the event is being made available for members of the press. Read on for the event details.
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Uh...credentialed, huh?

SeldomVisitor @ 9/26/2007 10:21:51 AM # Q
== "...Palm and Sprint invite credentialed media, as
== well as market and financial analysts, not
== attending DigitalLife to join a one-hour live,
== streamed webcast..."

Wait a minute while I check my billfold...yes!...yes!...I am credentialed!

Okay, I'll be there at the webcast!

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Memo To Palm: BRING FOLEO!

mikecane @ 9/26/2007 12:03:27 PM # Q
Stuff your damn cellphones. They are fodder to be crushed under the iPod.

Bring a damned Foleo I can molest and write about!

Here are instructions:
http://mikecane.wordpress.com/2007/09/21/memo-to-palm-bring-a-foleo/

RE: Memo To Palm: BRING FOLEO!
mikecane @ 9/26/2007 12:03:58 PM # Q
Dammit. iPod = iPhone.

Bring the Foleo anyway.

RE: Memo To Palm: BRING FOLEO!
Poopie @ 9/26/2007 2:45:09 PM # Q
It would be great it they could bring it with some additional software that *MUST* have been under development for it... like a VNC or RDP client.


USR Palm Pilot 1000 --> Palm Pilot Professional --> TRG SuperPilot --> Palm IIIc --> Palm V --> Palm M505 --> Palm M515 --> Tungsten T|2 --> Treo 600 --> LifeDrive --> iPhone

RE: Memo To Palm: BRING FOLEO!
midtoad @ 9/26/2007 4:48:42 PM # Q
Mike, why would Palm bring a Foleo, when they've alredy killed it?

I mean, I though the Foleo had promise, and I was disappointed they killed it, but bringing the Foleo to tomorrow's event would be like bringing your mistress to your wedding anniversary - an embarrassing distraction. It would simply muddy the message they want to get out tomorrow. Far better to hold a separate event, when they're ready, to announce Foleo 2.

At this point Palm desperately needs a base hit, not another foul ball (sorry for the sports analogy).


Stewart Midwinter
PDA user since 1992 (Sharp PC-3100)
Palm TX

RE: Memo To Palm: BRING FOLEO!
mikecane @ 9/26/2007 5:28:35 PM # Q
You should have read the link. It's for ME to see, not for them to publicly display.

Dismissed.

Next!

Palm wants to FORGET the Fooleo!
Gekko @ 9/26/2007 6:27:59 PM # Q

"Let the name of Fooleo be stricken from every book and tablet, stricken from all pylons and obelisks, stricken from every monument of Sunnyvale. Let the name of Fooleo be unheard and unspoken, erased from the memory of men for all time."


RE: Memo To Palm: BRING FOLEO!
SeldomVisitor @ 9/27/2007 6:12:21 AM # Q
> "...earased from the memory of men..."

This is cyberspace.

Nothing is EVER forgotten.

RE: Memo To Palm: BRING FOLEO!
Gekko @ 9/27/2007 6:53:01 PM # Q

nobody caught the reference?


RE: Memo To Palm: BRING FOLEO!
theseus @ 9/28/2007 9:56:59 AM # Q
The Ten Commandments, duh... ;)

-e

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Why Sprint?

4s @ 9/26/2007 12:17:31 PM # Q
Why is Sprint getting this first? Other than having nice, cheap data plans, Sprint kind of sucks. Haven't they been given the dubious honor of having the worst customer satisfaction rating in the industry?

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RE: Why Sprint?
AdamaDBrown @ 9/26/2007 1:06:12 PM # Q
Probably because Sprint has a long history of working with Palm, and it's the only carrier on which they can have high-speed internet without the many headaches of Verizon.

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RE: The Fatal Blow: Apple to do PDA again
mikecane @ 9/26/2007 1:24:18 PM # Q
Palm, you better bring that frikkin Foleo! Your people are already in NYC. If they don't have one, OVERNIGHT one. NOW.

RE: The Fatal Blow: Apple to do PDA again
justauser @ 9/26/2007 6:53:23 PM # Q
If Apple release a Newton - that's it for me, I'm off.
iPhone/iTouch = bah.
Mike should get his Foleo if only to prove it wasn't just an etcha-sketch they were showing off.

RE: The Fatal Blow: Apple to do PDA again
hoodoo @ 9/26/2007 8:27:48 PM # Q
Apparently it will have the revolutionary "copy and paste"



RE: The Fatal Blow: Apple to do PDA again
hkklife @ 9/26/2007 10:37:14 PM # Q
While I'd LOVE for this rumor to be true, I have a feeling that the iPod Touch *IS* essentially Apple's "Newton 2.0".

Apple will likely continue the glacial progress of adding a PDA feature here & there to the iPhone & the Touch, bit by bit. Aside from the lack of removable media, IR, a stylus, handwriting recognition, hard buttons, and 3rd party apps, the iPhone/Touch twins will probably mostly resemble an early Palm OS PDA by their 3rd generation (at least as far as PIM capabilities) that no one will really mind.

Now, if Apple IS serious about this (I have to wonder Jobs' enthusiasm, Apple's R&D budget + gang of industrial engineers & codemonkeys can support five "core" product lines) then Palm had better hang it up. In fact, good bad or otherwise, with the relase of the TX in '05, Palm was inching close to PDA perfection, despite the limitations of Garnet. Had Palm continued to roll out annual improvements to their PDA line it's very likely HP would have thrown in the iPaq towel completely and Apple would never have given a Newton 2.0 another thought.

This is yet another situation (assuming the rumor is correct) where Palm manages to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. So, Palm, if those "PC guys" cannot do a phone right the first time around, can they at least do a PDA right? After all, Apple costly Newton fumbles paved the way for nearly everything the Pilot got right initially back in '96.


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

RE: The Fatal Blow: Apple to do PDA again
Poopie @ 9/26/2007 11:54:54 PM # Q

Palm manages to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory

The heading of a chapter in a future business school textbook?

USR Palm Pilot 1000 --> Palm Pilot Professional --> TRG SuperPilot --> Palm IIIc --> Palm V --> Palm M505 --> Palm M515 --> Tungsten T|2 --> Treo 600 --> LifeDrive --> iPhone
RE: The Fatal Blow: Apple to do PDA again
mikecane @ 9/27/2007 9:34:41 AM # Q
>>>Apparently it will have the revolutionary "copy and paste"

ROFTLMAO.

Don't forget it was Apple that popularized that. (Note I did not say INVENTED. But what was Xerox PARC doing with it? Zilch...)

BTW, I'd say look at the trackpad on the new thin MacBooks coming soon. I think we'll see a hint of what's in store for this future Apple UMPC.

RE: The Fatal Blow: Apple to do PDA again
ChiA @ 9/27/2007 9:49:48 AM # Q
Well as the Appleinsider article pointed out, Steve Job's Apple had already made a PDA a few years ago, but had taken the decision not to sell it.

Seeing that the iPhone and iPod Touch both run OS X it's probably not difficult for Apple to add handwriting recognition should the need arise:

http://www.apple.com/uk/macosx/features/inkwell/

I've noticed some of the Inkwell's dialogue boxes and options are suspiciously similar to those displayed in the Newton's handwriting preferences.

removable media, IR, a stylus, handwriting recognition, hard buttons, and 3rd party apps

Well the entire Newton range had all of these over ten years ago, so it can't be difficult for Apple to add these features to a device now that parts are smaller, faster and cheaper. It's simply a matter of whether Apple thinks there's money to be made from such a device. Remember, Apple has a PDA which it decided not to market. I'd be unsurprised if the iPhone and iPod Touch were actually based on this unreleased PDA.

I'm skeptical about these reports unless Apple is thinking of offering an OS X UMPC. I think Apple/Jobs see UMPCs as niche and toy devices, Apple is definitely after the mass market. However the iPod Touch may well be the Trojan Horse that transforms into a PDA, especially if Apple achieves this via a software update of existing Touches and allows 3rd party apps. This will totally kill off the Tx. Mind you, even Palm wants to kill off its own Tx and PDAs.

RE: The Fatal Blow: Apple to do PDA again
mikecane @ 9/27/2007 12:36:08 PM # Q
>>>This will totally kill off the Tx. Mind you, even Palm wants to kill off its own Tx and PDAs.

ROTFLMAO.

It kills Palm, period.

Reply to this comment

My predictions

hkklife @ 9/26/2007 10:49:25 PM # Q
I'm going into this thing with VERY low expectations. I expect it to simply be a cut-down version of the 755p mixed in with a few of the 500v's styling cues & battery/stylus. In fact, I expect this to basically be a one-off budget model designed to give Garnet one last release and will be a Sprint exclusive release.

-Tiny 320x320 LCD touchscreen (smaller than any Treo or Palm PDA to date) with good brightness and color saturation
-Tiny keyboard that's nearly unusable (smaller than any Treo to date)
-~60mb usable RAM, just like 755p and 700p
-Less DBheap/cache than 755p/700p
-200mhz CPU
-1200mAh removable battery, same as 500v
-2.5mm headset jack
-IR
-No ring/mute switch on top of the unit
-No voice recorder app standard (but will work fine w/ mVoice, SoundRec, CallRec etc)
-Still no voice dialing standard but they will try to force subscriptions to the same Voice Command service that's on the 755p
-Even more trialware/bloatware in ROM than the 755p
-MicroSDHC located under/adjacent to the battery
-Same versions of Blazer & VersaMail in ROM as 755p
-Garnet 5.4.9, no changes from 755p other than the beefed up ROM apps and no DocsToGo
-The "bigger story behind the Centro" will be a non-beta version of the MyPalm beta somehow integrated into the device and/or at least certain elements of it (wireless device backup, improved Downloads app). I'd also expect some kind of tie-in to the Sprint music store. At any rate, this won't be an iPod/iPhone/iTunes wireless killer.
-$99 w/ contract, Sprint will be the exclusive provider for this model. Full retail will be $300 to $400.
-miniUSB connector (no Athena port)
-Palm Desktop 4.2 still included on the bundled CD with a notice in the box where the beta Vista version can be downloaded from Palm's support site.


I can't wait to see how many of 'em I get right!


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

RE: My predictions
DrewT3 @ 9/27/2007 2:16:29 AM # Q
I think you are being wildly optimistic thinking this is Garnet's last release. Unless Palm liquidates and gives the money back to the shareholders.

RE: My predictions
SeldomVisitor @ 9/27/2007 6:23:47 AM # Q
RE: My predictions
SeldomVisitor @ 9/27/2007 6:31:07 AM # Q
BTW - I'm out of the loop w.r.t. costs of data at various carriers but I thought Sprint's unlimited data package was =$15/month=.

The site above says $25/month...simply me being out of the loop again?

RE: My predictions
SeldomVisitor @ 9/27/2007 8:55:37 AM # Q
I checked - the standard "unlimited" data plan is indeed still $15/month.

So tack on (a two-year additional) $240 to the cost...


RE: My predictions
mikecane @ 9/27/2007 9:36:13 AM # Q
My prediction for DigitalLife today.

Me: "I'm Mike Cane. Did you bring the Foleo?"

Palm: "No. Wanna see our new phones?"

Me: "&%$# off!"

RE: My predictions
hkklife @ 9/27/2007 9:45:09 AM # Q
PhoneS? As in plural?

Nah, it's new PHONE,as in singular!

And now.....Engadget is reporting a $199 EFFECTIVE price with a $100 lame mail-in rebate that'll likely never materialize?

NEXT!

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

RE: My predictions
SeldomVisitor @ 9/27/2007 9:55:32 AM # Q
> ...Engadget is reporting a $199 EFFECTIVE price with a $100 lame
> mail-in rebate that'll likely never materialize?...

Don't need Engadget to rumor that - the Sprint web page directly says it.

But...if yer gonna say THAT, then you MUST add in that additional $240 over the contract period to get $439.

Or...if you are being charitable and say the $100 rebate actually DOES materialize (I would, BTW), you MUST add in that $240 STILL and get $339.

RE: My predictions
TreoAnon @ 9/27/2007 11:36:53 AM # Q
Idiots!

It has a $199 price with a $100 mail-in coupon if you sign a 2 year contact for a net purchase price of $99. Either way a vey good price.

RE: My predictions
SeldomVisitor @ 9/27/2007 11:42:51 AM # Q
Silly person.

The "standard" Sprint data plan is $15/month.

This phone, however, requires a $25 (or more) per month "data" plan.

That is, it requires $240 extra (at least) over the two-year contract term.

Idiot indeed - nothing like ignoring something that might be...you know...critical to a buying decision...

RE: My predictions
hkklife @ 9/27/2007 12:09:43 PM # Q
Methinks Palm is going to try to can their final PDAs (or at least the Z22 & E2) and push those would-be PDA purchasers and/or current PDA owners longing for an upgrade to this device.

Ah, clever, aren't they?
They are masking the phone's hardware costs by forcing Centro purchasers to subscribe to a pricier data plan.

Now, SV, I'm no math whiz but how are you getting $240 over 2 years?

24 months x $25/month= $600!

And I think all of the CDMA carriers mandate that you must have a voice PLUS data plan on their "smart" devices. I know I tried to get Verizon to let me have a data-only plan ($45/month I believe) on my 700p. But they INSISTED I take the minimum $80/month "Smartphone/PDA voice + data plan. So I get 450 mins a month of voice time on my 700p and I probably only use about 45 minutes per month (if that!)


Hey, Palm, here's a tip to get the c00l kidz, hipsters, AND PDA faithful buying your stuff again:

Take THIS device (the Centro). Call it a Z33 or something. Remove the cellular & voice "stuff" entirely but keep the microphone and speaker. Throw in wi-fi, same as the TX. Replace the 2.5mm headset jack with a proper 3.5mm stereo headset jack. Stick a gig or two of flash memory in it. Sell it for $200-$250 at retail as a replacement for both the Z22 and Tungsten E2 and a kinda/sorta iPod Nano/Touch competitor. Partner with someone and "hint" that it can be used as a solid VOIP handset in addition to a poor man's PMP & PDA. People have been begging for a non-Graffiti, QWERTY PDA for years, ever since the Treo 90 died a quiet death.

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

RE: My predictions
SeldomVisitor @ 9/27/2007 12:18:31 PM # Q
I was using the incremental cost over the "regular" data plan, not the actual bottomline cost.

RE: My predictions
SeldomVisitor @ 9/27/2007 12:19:41 PM # Q
BTW - the show begins in either 2 minutes or 17 minutes:

-- http://www.videonewswire.com/event.asp?id=42256

RE: My predictions
SeldomVisitor @ 9/27/2007 12:20:25 PM # Q
Goodness! In theory you can submit a question from that link!

RE: My predictions
mikecane @ 9/28/2007 12:21:49 PM # Q
I said PhoneS because I thought they'd also display the Treo. Nope, it was Centro only.

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Oh man - the presentation is getting totally screwed up

SeldomVisitor @ 9/27/2007 12:45:27 PM # Q
First a lead-off video was incomprehensible, now their live video feed is gone.

Sheesh.


RE: Oh man - the presentation is getting totally screwed up
SeldomVisitor @ 9/27/2007 12:47:19 PM # Q
Okay, it's working now.

RE: Oh man - the presentation is getting totally screwed up
mikecane @ 9/28/2007 12:22:50 PM # Q
Hey, this is the Internet.

Nothing is ever forgotten.

Nothing ever works correctly.

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