Quickies: iWalk, Developer Finder, PDA HandyMan

Posted By: As Listed Thursday, January 3, 2002 9:00:23 AM

SpyMac has what it claims are pictures and movies of a PDA that Apple will announce next week. According to it, the iWalk does not run the Palm OS. Update: The info has now been removed from SpyMac's site. -Ed

PalmGear.com is introducing a feature that will allow visitors to find a Palm OS developer for custom software development. MobileCoders.com powers the new locator. Visitors can search by criteria such as technical expertise, rate, location and industry experience. They can then contact the developer directly to request a proposal. -Brandon Lackey

PDA HandyMan is in the process of being pieced together for an official opening later this month. Join this list to share your views on the site's content and approach. -Tyler Regas

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iWalk=Fake

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/3/2002 9:24:29 AM #
Sorry to say but the iWalk is a fake. But a good one. This is the same site that had spy photos of the iWalk before MWNY. I must this version looks much better than those they showed before. Check out http://forums.macnn.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=45&t=001772 member j3kyll gives a great anaylsis of some mistakes.


RE: iWalk=Fake
jayhawk88 @ 1/3/2002 10:48:40 AM #
I can remember all the "It's a fake" posts when places like this started leaking pics of the iCube and iPod as well...

RE: iWalk=Fake
stephen007 @ 1/3/2002 11:04:15 AM #
Hmmm... I was gullible (?) enough to buy it at first.

There's an article at MacSlash that seems to raise some good points as to why it is a fake... http://www.macslash.com/comments.pl?sid=02/01/03/0345207&cid=81

I'm just not sure one way or the other.

Stephen

RE: iWalk=Fake
I.M. Anonymous @ 1/3/2002 3:19:25 PM #
Don't forget all the "it's a fake" comments posted after the first pictures of the m505 came out -- which were completely accurate to how it looks.
Just dig through the archives here, "it's a fake" seems to be the typical knee-jerk reaction any time pictures of something not officially released yet show up.

RE: iWalk=Fake
ahecht @ 1/3/2002 7:04:52 PM #
Watch the bootup.mpg carefully. There is obviously a cut. The finger reaches over and presses the bottom button, and then it cuts to another shot where the wheel is already half turned. Definatly fake.

RE: iWalk=Fake
ahecht @ 1/3/2002 7:18:03 PM #
Also, watch sayhello.mov. In the upper left of the movie (on the desk), there is a short black line which blinks in time with the cursor, and it changes position as each word is drawn. This can only be an artifact of adding on the cursor, and cannot be explained by compression.

RE: iWalk=Fake
Smaug @ 1/5/2002 12:04:56 AM #
Right, but you have to understand they already leaked pictures of another iwalk device, that was another fake. Remember Steve Jobs said no to a PDA device, and its ridiculous to bring one out to an oversaturated market there is now.

RE: iWalk=Fake
Ed @ 1/7/2002 8:44:36 AM #
This week's issue of Time magazine is out and the cover story is the new flat-panel iMac Apple will announce later today. I guess Steve Jobs decided all the free advertising was worth having the surprise ruined. Anyway, there is absolutely nothing in it about the iWalk. Cnet has the story:
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1006-200-8388611.html?tag=cd_mh

---
News Editor
RE: iWalk=Fake
mikecane @ 1/7/2002 9:16:02 AM #
Feh! I'm going to Apple's NYC office to watch Jobs's keynote live via video -- and all I'll see is that "desk lamp" iMac?! No iWalk?! Feh!

Looks like Newton is back!

MadMax @ 1/3/2002 9:15:48 AM #
I saw the .mov files and can say it definitely behaves like a Newton. ..Sort of a Hi-res Color screen. As an Ex-Newton user, and Long time 'Palm'er, (I currently use a Sony 710) I've always maintained a great deal of respec for the Newton. For those of you who only saw the OMP (that's "Original Message Pad") the MP2x00's were fast & accurate when it came to recognizing handwriting -both print and cursive- on the screen. The synergy between applications far better than that of Palm (especially if you used "Moreinfo")
Looks like I may have to BART in to the City for Mac World after what has been a very long hiatus.
The Road Rarrior

RE: Looks like Newton is back! Not
MadMax @ 1/3/2002 9:38:58 AM #
Ouch! The more I review the video the more I doubt it legitimacy. At first I saw the mono screen Then, the color "bootup.mov" file made me think it was color. Look again at that blue apple- it totally super-imposed from top to bottom on the landscape screen. As far of the rest as I said above about behaving like a Newton... If it walks like a Newton, Talks like a... ...It must be one.
I guess I'll go to the BV for Irish coffe instead.
TRW

Where are the URLs?

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/3/2002 9:34:15 AM #
Does anyone know why PalmGear has stopped listing developer urls on their software download pages?

RE: Where are the URLs?
I.M. Anonymous @ 1/3/2002 9:43:07 AM #
Probably because they'd rather you registered the software at PalmGear than at the developer's site. I think most developers would, at this point, prefer that you register software anywhere but at PalmGear, since they are three months behind in paying developers for software sold.

In all fairness, Handango also does not have direct links to developer sites. And, this is no different than other online retailers, like Amazon, BestBuy.com, CompUSA.com, etc.

RE: Where are the URLs?
ChiefPilot @ 1/3/2002 12:54:34 PM #
My perception is that PalmGear is a company on the brink. They're struggling to stay alive, and to their credit they are coming up with new features for their site.

That said, they have basic problems with their site. Orders are not always sent to the developers in a timely fashion. They pay on a net 90 basis, it seems. Their site is sometimes slow, and more than once I've received server errors. Ultimately, I guess I have come to think of them as ... a Pilot 500 compared to Handango's m505. They do the same thing; one is a lot more capable, professional, and reliable than the other.


RE: Where are the URLs?
I.M. Anonymous @ 1/3/2002 1:57:37 PM #
I've heard about PG's slow turnaround to developers before. And I've learned more about Oracle just by looking at their error pages than I could have picked up in a class.

My experience with Handango is no better though. They were supposed to get my PiDirect code to me in two (2) business days. My emails were never answered, and I had to finally talk to PiTech directly to get the code.

RE: Where are the URLs?
I.M. Anonymous @ 1/3/2002 9:50:26 PM #
I'm a Palm OS software developer and has been a PalmGear and Handango software partner (one who submits software to their site) since April 2001. PalmGear claims that their legal battle with Handango, which the former won, has drained their juice thus becoming late on their payments to developers.

The reason they omitted the URLs to the developers' website is due to some developers abusing PalmGear's service. Apparently, these developers showcase their app at PalmGear but handles the sales themselves therefore PalmGear doesn't get any profit from them and yet these developers uses expensive bandwidth and web space being paid by PalmGear.

For these reasons, I now have a new favorite site -- http://www.palmvenue.com. This site allows developers to list their software for free and lets the developers handle their own sales. No commission whatsoever is taken from the developer. Plus, the URLs of the developers' websites are being displayed. I have already signed up in www.palmvenue.com and submitting software is as easy as 1,2,3. Everything is automated. It's just like having PalmGear and Handango in one great site. I just hope that this website will stay up and running for a long time.

asar - http://www.asaronline.com

iWalk?!

mikecane @ 1/3/2002 10:34:46 AM #
Those are very interesting pictures. I can't view the .MOVs, so I have to rely on the discussion that sez FAKE! Well, Monday will reveal all.

Lots Of iWalk Interest

Ed @ 1/3/2002 1:39:54 PM #
There's sure is a lot on interest in the iWalk. People also don't seem to think this small mention is enough because 3 or 4 more more readers have sent us notes about it today, apparently without noticing this quickie. Still, you won't see much coverage on the iWalk, even if it is real, as the fact that it doesn't run the Palm OS puts it outside our scope. If it makes it big, maybe there'll be an iWalk Infocenter someday. :-)

---
News Editor
RE: Lots Of iWalk Interest
popko @ 1/3/2002 1:57:27 PM #
"the fact that it doesn't run the Palm OS puts it outside our scope"

Maybe it's a good time to start covering eveyting PDA. Palm OS and related are nice but there are lots more out there that's worth a look.

RE: Lots Of iWalk Interest
Coyote67 @ 1/3/2002 2:13:27 PM #
No, lets not do that. This site works well because it focuses on Palm OS related. Please ED, don't change.

---------------------------------------
When you have a Clie shoved up your mouth, you can only talk in vowels.
RE: Lots Of iWalk Interest
popko @ 1/3/2002 2:55:02 PM #
That's a good point.

But if you extend your coverage, you get more traffic. Hence the site expands as well. Just split the site into different sections or have different posters focus on their pice of the pie of choice.

RE: Lots Of iWalk Interest
I.M. Anonymous @ 1/3/2002 3:23:54 PM #
iiiiiiiick. enough of my favorite palm sites have gone either PPC or split into two, and I really think that the coverage suffers as a result.
this is a nice little home for palm evangelists, and I'd like it to be kept that way.


RE: Lots Of iWalk Interest
Ed @ 1/3/2002 3:28:05 PM #
When people send us PPC-related news, I tell them that our motto is "Do one thing; Do it well." Our motto used to be "Don't steal your motto from a truck company" but we changed it.

Joking aside, it's really a question of how much time I have and how much space there is in my head.

A lot goes on in the Palm world and I have to be able to keep it straight. Throwing in a whole bunch of unrelated info might be more than I can handle.

For example, with a few seconds thought I can list you all the clip-on keyboards available for Palm OS handhelds. That way, when I hear about a new one, I know that it really IS new and I don't make a big deal out of something that came out 3 months ago. If I had to also keep track of all the clip-on keyboards for the iWalk or iPaq, the job would be twice as hard and I'd make mistakes.

Also, this is already a full-time job for me. Doubling my workload isn't an option. There's just so many hours in the day.

If we ever decide to offer other versions of the site for different handheld platforms, we'd almost certainly have to find someone else to be responsible for the new site's news.

---
News Editor

RE: Lots Of iWalk Interest
I.M. Anonymous @ 1/3/2002 11:30:17 PM #
If the iWalk ever comes true – what I doubt – we are ready to take this task on together with you Ed in English and German language.

Boris v. Luhovoy
publishing editor
Palmtop-Pro Magazine
www.palmtop.at

RE: Lots Of iWalk Interest
I.M. Anonymous @ 1/5/2002 4:25:40 PM #
Ed, While reading your post about being to busy to cover other handheld platforms I couldn't help but think of similar comments from the Psion sites I used to visit four years ago. Psion was going strong and rolling out the hardware back then. Scroll down to next post -> offer from Palmtop Pro to help. No doubt they have time on their hands with the death of Psion. Keep fingers crossed for the health of Palm OS or diversify coverage.

iWalk ''features''

Davy @ 1/3/2002 2:38:44 PM #
The iiWalk has advanced considerably over the last weeks. Previous versions spotted at the Apple campus featured firewire- and network-ports (located within a port-replicator connected to the device using what is appearantly called the "gigawire"-port) in addition to Apple's own AirPort-technology. Though AirPort was dropped a while ago due to high power consumption, it appears to be back in by now. The network-port was replaced by a standard 56k modem which allows direct access to data stored on Apple's iDisk servers.
The current version of iWalk does not appear to be ready for mass-production by now and therefore will only be announced on Tuesday 23rd but won't be out in the stores until somewhen in December (approximatly two weeks before christmas).
So what is the "iWalk"? Many people have asked that question. The iWalk is a kind of PDA with a lot more features than one could have previously expected: It features a high-color TFT-screen with handwriting recognition (using former newton-technology so it's a lot better than current palm os recognition) and direct access to both data stored on local macs (using AirPort) or on iDisk-volumes (using either routing through AirPort or the built-in modem). It has audio in- and output-ports so it can act as a usual mp3-player when connected to a stereo. The amazing feature is that mp3 files don't have to be stored locally on the device but can be streamed via AirPort from any Mac that has an AirPort-card and iTunes 2 installed which is going to be released on Tuesday as well.
This is not the only feature of iWalk though: Is has all the usual PDA-applications installed and is capable of recording speach as mp3 files using a build-in microphone. (It has built-in speakers as well but those aren't of good quality as it seems)
The operating system of this device appears to be a scaled-down version of OS X. Don't get this wrong: OS X in its current form would be painfully slow on any processor slower than a G3 but it is a modular system which appearantly allowed Apple to skip many parts of the OS that require a lot of processing power and instead concentrate on the basis functionality such a device requires. Aqua has not been implemented but instead a UI similar to the QuickTime- and iTunes-interface is used that can be controlled via touch-screen and handwriting-recognition.
Features of the current version (which is likely to be the one that is going to be announced on Tuesday) include:

TFT-Display (512x256 resolution, 65k colors)
memory of 128 MB for low-end-version, 256 MB high-end
one firewire IEE 1394 FireWire-port
one 56k MoDem
OS X (scaled-down "newtonlike"-version)
LiIon-battery (20 h / approx. 9 days standby)



RE: iWalk ''features''
Davy @ 1/3/2002 2:42:36 PM #
I personally.... doubt this heavily. Especially since the dates are all weird.

RE: iWalk ''features''
Ed @ 1/3/2002 3:19:56 PM #
Where did you find this?

---
News Editor
RE: iWalk ''features''
I.M. Anonymous @ 1/3/2002 3:26:23 PM #
iTunes 2 released on tuesday?
that's strange, I got my copy about a month ago from the apple website.

this whole thing looks highly suspect.(not the iWalk, just this guy's comments)

RE: iWalk ''features''
Davy @ 1/3/2002 3:44:21 PM #
Uhh... I was just searching around for some info. I'll try to find an address quick.

RE: iWalk ''features''
I.M. Anonymous @ 1/3/2002 3:45:23 PM #
What is that guy smoking? I am pretty convinced that it's a fake. Even the Apple/Mac fan sites themselves proclaim that it's a hoax!

RE: iWalk ''features''
Davy @ 1/3/2002 3:45:26 PM #

this whole thing looks highly suspect.(not the iWalk, just this guy's comments)

Did you not see my post right under that? I'm just relaying facts here, buddy.

RE: iWalk ''features''
Davy @ 1/3/2002 3:49:09 PM #
I got this from a cached google page. The "iWalk" was also "revealed" before MWNY in July, and I think this is from then. I just found it to be intresting.

http://makeashorterlink.com/?L5FE6244

But.... Who knows? This very well could correct, and it could very easily be blatantly wrong. It's hard to play the rumors game.

RE: iWalk ''features''
Davy @ 1/3/2002 3:57:27 PM #
Well, Apple released the iPod on that tuesday, and Macspy.com said the photos appeared to be fake. But then they said in the next weeks news that

The other sources insisted on the technical specifications to be correct however. The pictures of iWalk had led us to the conclusion that this was the digital appliance product that was going to be introduced on Tuesday 23rd, but we should have listened more carefully to our other sources who we learned from that the device (as we wrote in our article) is not yet ready for mass-production.

The iWalk is definitly being worked on at Apple and its presentation to the public is but a matter of time.

Intresting. Very Intresting.

RE: iWalk ''features''
I.M. Anonymous @ 1/3/2002 6:41:07 PM #
Jobs Keynote is on Monday. This is when all product annoucements are made. Nothing will be released on Tuesday.

iWalk Looks More Like iWish
I.M. Anonymous @ 1/3/2002 8:33:21 PM #

http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,49463,00.html

Apple iWalk PDA rumor

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/3/2002 4:01:02 PM #
This is only a rumor. We will know next Wednesday during Jobs' speech.

But... the Newton may rise back from the dead.
http://www.spymac.com/

RE: Apple iWalk PDA rumor
I.M. Anonymous @ 1/3/2002 6:51:45 PM #
Make that Monday

Even if it wasn't fake...

red_vette @ 1/3/2002 5:14:22 PM #
It looks sorta like a big, wide Clié to me. IF it isn't fake, it would be too big and wide for me. If anything, I'd rather wait for a color Handera. That may become reality faster than the iWalk, anyway.

Yet another PDA with another OS? Good luck! PalmOS works quite well and will continue to do well.

RE: Even if it wasn't fake...
I.M. Anonymous @ 1/7/2002 1:05:32 AM #
PalmOS works quite well......
Maybe......
You have never seen the Newton......

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