Comments on: CNBC on Ed Colligan's Future
Goldman goes on to say that the new entry-level Palm Centro smartphone may represent the future killer app for Palm in that it offers "smart phone status at dumb handset prices". Subsidized, post-2-year-contract price aside, the Centro still sells for a staggering $400, with its older Treo brethren commanding even higher full retail or unlocked prices. No comments are made in regards to Palm's upcoming Linux-based Palm OS successor or the fact that Palm's recent released and rumored upcoming Treo releases appears to be almost entirely Windows Mobile-based.
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Unlocked Treo 680 price
RE: Unlocked Treo 680 price
Killing Foleo?
Ben, what are the chances we will see Foleo 2, let's say, before the end of 2009?
RE: Unlocked Treo 680 price
rpa
Palm Pilot >> Palm Tungsten E user
The PDA are history
I would guess that most people want a device that connects to the Internet whilst they're out on the road. Make no mistake, the Internet is THE killer application for this decade.
In short, I think Palm is on the money in their focus. The only significant consumer market that exists for PDAs is in music/movies/multimedia, and Apple pretty much has that nailed. Palm could try and compete against Apple, but it would be a difficult and possibly futile path.
The success of the Centro proves that there is strong market for low cost yet capable phones.
What palm needs to do is to NOT rush the linux OS out, but rather to ensure that when it is released that it friggen rocks. It must be fun to use, look good, be fast and responsive, and be completely open to third party development like Palm OS is now. If they can do that then Palm will live to see another day.
RE: The PDA are history
I firmly believe the Foleo idea was the correct one - a cut down PC close that offered instant on and connectivity to the internet AS IT'S MAIN FUNCTION. Yes, the execution was flawed - no wi-fi, slow processor, etc - but otherwise a sound strategy.
I have one of the eeePC and the amount of interest it generates is incredible...most people say that they just need a basic machine to get onto the internet, or use it for remoting into the office. A work processor, spreadsheet program and presentation software, plus calendar and email is about it.
And the trade off is that a slower processor will normally mean more battery life (and also somewhat cooler on the lap).
I resntly had an interstate meeting, and left my work laptop at the office, slipping the eeePC into my leather folio. Didn't need anything else, and was a lot more comfortable carrying it, too.
Yes, I have a smart phone (Samsung BlackJack) and I do use it to get emails, but I restrict the download size - and I don't try and view attachments with it. A "smartphone companion" would be ideal.
What people need to remember is that the appeal of having a lightweight, almost full size, long battery life PC is that there will always be a trade off in storage capacity and CPU speed versus battery life and weight. If Palm delivers a product that lasts for 8-10 hours between chrges, is instant on, and weighs less than 1 kg (2 lbs) then don't expect to be able to run the latest gaming software, or stream DVDs.
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
Sir Winston Churchill
RE: The PDA are history
PDA's Past and Present:
Palm TX (Number 2)
Palm - IIIxe, Vx, M500, M505, Tungsten T, TX
Handspring - Edge, Platinum, Deluxe
Sony - SJ22
Casio-EM500
Apple - MP110, MP2000, MP2100
RE: The PDA are history
Palm was a very prolific company during the heyday of the PDA but they went quiet after the Treo 600/650 success. Same problem with Motorola post-Razr. Complacency in the tech sector is not viable as you are soon overtaken by others. Compare these companies to Nokia where there is a new model pumped out every month or so. You might not realize this unless you travel outside the US where Nokia dominates.
rpa
Palm Pilot >> Palm Tungsten E user
RE: The PDA are history
Then there's all of the UMPCs that people want, but can't afford.
In fact didn't we just recently have a thread that the lowly, slow selling, long in the tooth Tungsten TX was still 18% of Palm's units shipped?
Have you seen how much Sony UXs are STILL selling for on e-bay? What 5 years later?
Your right - no market, move along, nothing to see here....
RE: The PDA are history
Do you have any sales figures on these? Unless they're going to sell 500,000+ units of these at a good margin then I wouldn't call it a good market.
>> EEE PC and it's clones are selling like hotcakes
The EEE PC is NOT a PDA, it's a notebook that happens to be damn cheap and very cool. It's what the Foleo should have been.
>> and if the ipod touch isn't a PDA well then meet my nephew the monkey
The ipod touch is not perceived by the market to be a PDA, it's marketed as a funky multimedia device. I don't see those dancing silhouettes on Apple's advertisements entered their to-do list. It's about music and movies.
My point is, the devices that Palm were famous for (Pilot, Palm III, T3, Tx) do not fit it into any of the above categories. They do not have a cool notebook or a sexy multimedia player. What they have works best as a smartphone.
RE: The PDA are history
Doesn't really matter how it's perceived. The fact is that it is capable of doing many of the same things that your traditional PDA can do. Apple sure won't mind selling one to you if your more interested in using it for internet and PIM then listening to music.
>>>My point is, the devices that Palm were famous for (Pilot, Palm III, T3, Tx) do not fit it into any of the above categories. They do not have a cool notebook or a sexy multimedia player. What they have works best as a smartphone.<<<
CorePlayer and Ptunes are very nice on my TX.
PDA's Past and Present:
Palm TX (Number 2)
Palm - IIIxe, Vx, M500, M505, Tungsten T, TX
Handspring - Edge, Platinum, Deluxe
Sony - SJ22
Casio-EM500
Apple - MP110, MP2000, MP2100
RE: The PDA are history
You were using the definition of no cellular access. Small form factor computing without cellular access is not dead. I was addressing small form factor computing as PDAs. I really don't know any other way to define it. The EEEPC is no less PDA than my Sony UX was.
RE: The PDA are history
I'd define a PDA as:
-Core functionlaity of pre-loaded PIM + media apps
-Uses a touchscreen (with or without a stylus) and/or a keyboard for data input. So (IE; an iPod Touch is a PDA but an iPod Classic is not).
-Some kind of PC synchronization component and/or wireless connectivity
-Instant-on power functionality or very close to it
-Uses an OS specifically designed for small FF computing. So an EEEPC running XP is not a PDA...but the original Linux shell + apps provided by Acer does qualify.
Pilot 1000-->Pilot 5000-->PalmPilot Pro-->IIIe-->Vx-->m505-->T|T-->T|T2-->T|C-->T|T3-->T|T5-->TX-->Treo 700P
Colligan: RESIGN!
Of course he'll make a case, you eejit. You think he'll sit there and announce, "I'm FAIL!"???
>>>[Palm is] offering smart phone status at dumb handset prices. And that's why the company's Centro is so important to Palm's future. Some might say Centro IS Palm's future.
So Palm has commoditized smartphones. This is a good thing? Does Palm think it's Asus with an EeePC of cellphones? Whatever happened to those Nokia Dreams, Colligan? Oh I see, you finally HAD to admit what the hell your sorry-assed OS and hardware are WORTH IN THE MARKET.
This is just a very silly article.
And that quote at the end is one I'm sure I'll be posting with a new Dumbazz of the Year mention at my blog a few months from now.
RE: Colligan: RESIGN!
> with a new Dumbazz of the Year mention at my blog a few months
> from now.
Ya think?
Lol!
RE: Colligan: RESIGN!
And didn't we just hear moaning and groaning recently from Palm about their reduced margins due to the Centro's success?
If Ed's quote about computer guys not knowing the phone market was THE quote of last year, then the quote at the end of this paragraph is this year's winner so far.
I've got a new mantra for you, Mike:
"Rubinstein, clean house!"
Pilot 1000-->Pilot 5000-->PalmPilot Pro-->IIIe-->Vx-->m505-->T|T-->T|T2-->T|C-->T|T3-->T|T5-->TX-->Treo 700P
Colligan: MacBook Eated Yur Instant On!
http://mikecane2008.wordpress.com/2008/02/02/macbook-air-mini-fondle/
Where's your Instant On God now, Colligan? Jeffrey? Donna? Bueller? McFly? Hello?
I also learned I can post to my blog with an iPhone. Something I CANNOT do with my LifeDrive!
http://mikecane2008.wordpress.com/2008/02/02/test-post-from-iphone/
http://mikecane2008.wordpress.com/2008/02/02/blog-notes-today-off/
He's Right
He's doing a great job! These people who think that closing the retail stores and killing the Foleo are signs of weakness have no clue how to make a company great.
He is doing a great job. Those of you who think that wasting years of R&D time and money on canceled projects and years of negative profits were detrimental to Palm's stability have absolutely no clue how to make a company great. It's a brilliant strategy. They borrowed the idea from Apple to "Think different." Everybody is trying to make money. Palm is trying to lose money.
Here's where Palm went wrong: too many accountants, too many managers, too many poor marketing teams, and not enough engineers. The company was 95% business/litigation and 5% product development.
-Bosco
NX80v + Wifi + BT + S710a
RE: He's Right
Here's where Palm went wrong: too many accountants, too many managers, too many poor marketing teams, and not enough engineers. The company was 95% business/litigation and 5% product development.
I often wonder about tech companies that staffed up during the dotcom boom: If everyone had to reapply for their job today, how many people would be rehired?
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stupidity
THINGS PALM SHOULD DO:
1) Fast track their new system -- and they better make sure it is an advancement over the competition.
2) WiFi on ALL products -- it is about time.
3) Bring back the PDA with high capacity flash storage (not that expensive anymore), finger-touch compatible interface (heck, buy in to the fad just to grab a bit of the market), and More creative designs (the old design style is pretty, but not enough to capture attention anymore).
4) Its too early in the morning to list more...