Quickies: PalmSource, SJ20, NR70, Medical Dic., Seattle, Contest

Posted By: Ed Monday, August 19, 2002 9:45:35 AM

PalmSource Logo PalmSource has a new company logo to go with its newly redesigned website. -Gavin Maxwell

SonyStyle is now taking orders for the new, monochrome PEG-SJ20 at $200. A review of this model was published last week. -Ed

Circuit City now lists the Sony NR70 as "Closeout - While Supplies Last". This doesn't apply to the NR70V. This could be a sign that the version of this model with the camera is out-selling the one without. -saw9000

MedicineNet's Pocket Medical Encyclopedia is now available. Based on MedicineNet.com's doctor-produced online medical dictionary, the encyclopedia is a consumer medical reference with over 10,000 entries and allows for easy access by mobile users such as healthcare professionals and students. It costs $50. -PR

The Seattle Palm Users Group will be having its next meeting tomorrow, August 20. Handspring's Brian Jaquet will be there to show and tell what's happening with Handspring devices and services these days. -Greg Gaub

PDA Avenue is giving away five copies of Astraware's Nisqually. To enter, register on the site's forums. -PR

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Black and White's last stand......

I.M. Anonymous @ 8/19/2002 10:05:40 AM #
From now on it is very difficult for firms to do Monos........
RE: Black and White's last stand......
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/19/2002 10:15:05 AM #
Reminds me of the last days of monochrome laptops back in the early 90's.
RE: Black and White's last stand......
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/19/2002 11:39:14 AM #
... and back in the real world, monochrome Palm OS devices still outsell color ones.
And Handspring admit not having color is a mistake......
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/19/2002 12:13:22 PM #
So anyone who in their right mind thinks that B&W will out sell monochrome ones will be in for a big surprise...
RE: Black and White's last stand......
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/19/2002 4:10:22 PM #
I hope the last poster realizes that monochrome is just more shades of grey and grey is made from black and white. 0_o
RE: Black and White's last stand......
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/19/2002 10:09:34 PM #
That was probably his point. ;)
RE: Black and White's last stand......
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/20/2002 9:50:08 AM #
When they make a color screen that has less power draw than monochrome, let me know. Till then, I like black and white just fine.

What's the point of buying an ultra-svelte PDA if you've got to lard yourself down with car chargers, wall warts and spare cradles to get more than 8hr of use out of it?

Oh, you never go anywhere other than home or work! I get it! Poor you.

NR70 closeout

I.M. Anonymous @ 8/19/2002 10:20:04 AM #
Don't closeout sales usually reduce the price?
RE: NR70 closeout
Davy Fields @ 8/19/2002 10:57:27 AM #
I thought there was a $25 dollar off coupon for it somewhere, but it's certainly not much of a sale. Perhaps it's more that they just stopped making the NR70's and are selling off the inventory.

-Davy Fields
www.davyfields.com
NR70 Closeout.
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/19/2002 11:40:29 AM #
"Circuit City now lists the Sony NR70 as "Closeout - While Supplies Last". This doesn't apply to the NR70V. This could be a sign that the version of this model with the camera is out-selling the one without."

It could also be a sign of just the opposite. Sony's rapid development schedule suggests that they probably do a 'limited' production run, and then when they're sold out, the next one in the pipeline just slides on in. Perhaps, they're "clearing" the last of the NR70s so that they can drop the NR70V price in a month or two and have their next high-end machine take its place. After all, if it wasn't selling well, one would think that they'd drop the prices a bit more than including a $25 gift card.

RE: NR70 closeout
mikemusick @ 8/19/2002 11:47:02 AM #
"Perhaps it's more that they just stopped making the NR70's and are selling off the inventory."

Bingo... sort of. If anybody hasn't figured it out by now, Sony makes each model in one large batch, and one batch only. There is no continuous manufacturing, nor repeat tooling-up for old models. The rapid turnover in their product line attests to this as they repeatedly underestimate demand and are therefore caught short.

Such a problem to have! ;-)

RE: NR70 closeout
mentalsrule @ 8/19/2002 5:45:00 PM #
there is no way they only make one batch, as in first come first serve.

they continuly make them, when needed, and if sales are right.

i dont see where you would pick that kind of info up.

____________________
Ever notice how fast Windows runs?

Neither did I.

Communicators in development

Boze @ 8/19/2002 10:18:14 AM #
Check out this paragraph from http://www.palmsource.com/palmos/wireless.html

"While many companies are still talking about their plans for wireless, Palm OS licensees have actually been shipping it in products for more than two and a half years. The third generation of Palm Powered communicators are now in development. They include:

* Smart phones that include both a mobile phone and a handheld in a single small device.
* Wireless handhelds designed specifically to manage e-mail and web browsing: some with voice calling capability.
* Two-piece products using Bluetooth wireless radios, that enable a phone and handheld to communicate with one another. So the handheld can use the phone as a modem to check e-mail or browse the web, and the phone benfits from the handheld's address book."

The first two bullets I already knew about... It's the third that really intrigues me...

====
Boze
====

RE: Communicators in development
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/19/2002 10:25:03 AM #
Isn't that third point just a Palm OS device having a bluetooth chip in it talking to a bluetooth enabled cell phone. The technology used now all over Europe... and by the folks around my office. There are bluetooth cards for the Palm 5xx body as well the Sony Memory Stick. Both of these allow the palm os device to be on the net via a bluetooth phone (like the Ericsson/Sony T68), in your pocket. Cool stuff. There is way more capability yet to be explored that we don't have in the US. I saw a demo of the phone caller id showing on the palm screen and then the user selects if they answer, send to voice mail, answer with text or a particular voice answer.
RE: Communicators in development
Ed @ 8/19/2002 10:28:12 AM #
According to an anonymous source, all future models from Palm will include Bluetooth, the same way all of them include an infrared port.

I think that's what they are referring to in that third paragraph.

---
News Editor

RE: Communicators in development
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/19/2002 10:42:54 AM #
I can do everything in #3 today with my BT SD card.


Gavin.

RE: Communicators in development
Phil @ 8/19/2002 10:43:28 AM #
Yep, itīs already here. Iīm from Europe and I have a Ericsson T68i with build in bluetooth and a Palm m515 with a bluetooth SD-Card. If you have a bluetooth headset, too, you can dial a number from your palm adress book, the phone connects to that number and you can talk through the headset. Itīs like a scifi-movie. You can of course connect to the Internet, send eMails or SMS. The only new thing about the PalmSource info is the Palm with build in bluetooth. But there are already some pocketPCs with that available. I really hope "Oslo" will have bluetooth.

Phil

RE: Communicators in development
big_raji @ 8/19/2002 10:46:27 AM #
> I can do everything in #3 today with my BT SD card.

...everything except for running programs from your SD card at the same time.

Personally, I can't wait for integrated Bluetooth. I'll probably pick up the first device with Bluetooth, since I've been itching to take advantage of my Ericsson T39 for almost a year.

Hopefully, that first device will be a Sony, otherwise I'm going to have a few memory sticks for sale on eBay.

---
Wooo!

RE: Communicators in development
big_raji @ 8/19/2002 10:51:35 AM #
> If you have a bloototh headset, too, you can dial a
> number from your palm adress book, the phone
> connects to that number and you can talk through the > headset.

Not sure if we're still on topic here, but I'm just wondering what Palm program you use for the Bluetooth dialing? I had heard of problems doing this, since the Palm doesn't "Release" the BT Phone in time to connect to the BT headset.

I don't know anything about this first hand, so I have no idea if I'm making any sense.

---
Wooo!

RE: Communicators in development
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/19/2002 10:52:37 AM #
>...everything except for running programs from your SD card at the same time.

Well, yeah - but that was't mentioned in the list was it?

Also looking forward to integrated BT...


Gavin.

RE: Communicators in development
Boze @ 8/19/2002 11:02:02 AM #
I already know about Bluetooth-enabled PDAs and mobile phones. I'm more interested in which company is going to offer everything in one box, as the quote suggests. Will it be like the Japanese FOMA 2-piece product that came out recently (see www.infosync.no/show.php?id=2140)?

====
Boze
====
RE: Communicators in development
Phil @ 8/19/2002 11:26:21 AM #
Wooo!:

I donīt own a BT headset (yet). So I was just guessing. But I am sure it will work because all BT-devices a putting up a network (piconet) that should allow realtime dual connections.

Anyway, would be pretty cool if it worked.

Phil

RE: Communicators in development
iain.collins @ 8/19/2002 1:06:02 PM #
I have an Ericsson T39m, Ericsson HB15 HeadSet and Palm 500m with SD BlueTooth card - they work flawlessly together for sending SMSs and dialing numbers.

The BlueTooth card comes with additional software to dial the the number, work with SMS and a WAP browser (though the WAP browser is good it's about 1 MB (!), which is clearly silly).

There is no problem dialing a number when using the headset or the phone, works just fine.

The only trouble is, now I have an NR70V, and don't use the Palm or the SD card! I waited for weeks and weeks to get one from Expansys, but after they said "it should arrive in the next 4 days" everyday for over a month, I got fed up and canceled the order. :-(

RE: Communicators in development
Ed @ 8/19/2002 1:14:09 PM #
Iain, did you consider ordering a Bluetooth Memory Stick from Brando?

http://shop.brando.com.hk/ms_bluetooth.php

---
News Editor

RE: Communicators in development
iain.collins @ 8/19/2002 1:38:55 PM #
OMG, thanks Ed!

Now don't get me wrong - I have been paying attention and did know about that site as you've printed the address before, but I have no credit card (I ran up lots of debts last year, like a G4 PowerBook and a DV camera, yadda yadda and I am waiting to pay them off first :-) and without a regular credit card I didn't think I'd be able to buy anything internationally.

But just out of curiousity for the first time I just hit the checkout button and was surprised to see they take Solo (an odd UK debit card). This was quite surprising a lot of shops don't even take it.

I can't wait :-D

*excited!*

It's a shame there isn't a way to buy stuff that would give PIC a kickback!

RE: Communicators in development
bobes @ 8/19/2002 4:16:02 PM #
I think you can purchase from Brando without a CC. You can just wire the money into his bank account.. Check the site for more info

Palm, Kyocera and Sony go Bluetooth
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/20/2002 8:53:28 AM #
Palm, Kyocera and Sony go Bluetooth; Kyocera To Make Bluetooth Module For Mobile Phones
http://www.pdastreet.com/forums//showthread.php?s=&threadid=70


Palm vs. Pocket PC

I.M. Anonymous @ 8/19/2002 10:29:35 AM #
The new PalmSource website isn't afraid to compare directly to Pocket PC. I like it. I bet Microsoft do more of that in their advertising. Bring it on Microsoft.

Shane

Please tell me where I can get a BT memory stick......

I.M. Anonymous @ 8/19/2002 11:43:30 AM #
If they are cheap and popular I would be on the bandwagon already.
RE: Please tell me where I can get a BT memory stick......
Ed @ 8/19/2002 11:51:09 AM #
You can get one here:
http://shop.brando.com.hk/ms_bluetooth.php

Unfortunately they aren't cheap, which is holding back their popularity.

---
News Editor

RE: Please tell me where I can get a BT memory stick......
digilaw @ 8/19/2002 7:49:42 PM #
The real question is where is the Bluetooth stick that sells in the US for near the price of the SD bluetooth? I've been waiting for it since the rumor of it surfaced. Its been selling in Japan (and where Brando is I guess) for almost a year. Come on Sony! What's the hold up. I've been forced to use the Bluetooth dongle for the past 2 years which has Japanese drivers and randomly crashes my Clie (4 times unintentional hard reset *ugh*). My former employers paid an arm and a leg for it (hehe) and I refuse to shell out the price of a handheld ($200) just to import the stick. For every one thing sony does right they do one thing wrong.

Sorry, rant over.

Logo

Cheetah @ 8/19/2002 1:44:35 PM #
Somehow Palm Source has been able to create a logo even more boring than Palm's logo.

Palm has had at least two logos that I know of, and both were equally lousy (I guess the current one is better than the first one).

I would have liked a logo like Body Suit's (although obviously they could not copy their logo). It would have had a much bigger impact, stand out in the crowd, and had a broader appeal, especially in the consumer market.

Palm source showed no creativity in their logo, only thinking of keeping a common look with Palm.

Oh well.

RE: Logo
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/19/2002 2:28:28 PM #
The Palm and PalmSource logos look fine to me- not particuly exciting, but then it is impossible to create a logo with global excitement appeal.

What is this Body Suit logo like? Got a link?

RE: Logo
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/19/2002 5:54:37 PM #
I think heīs talking about the Body Glove logo...

The Applause logo is nice also, but both maybe too cartoonish to appeal to corporate and professional markets. Itīs not the same to sell surfing wear and toys than a PDA.

But thinking again, look at Apple logo...

RE: Logo
cyruski @ 8/19/2002 6:46:31 PM #
I actually like both.

But to be honest, the finder logo of MacOS is the best :)

RE: Logo
danger @ 8/19/2002 7:19:49 PM #
The old Palm Button logo rocks. Not so hot on the new PSource logo. Boring and unbalanced.

The new website looks like a www.macromedia.com ripoff. The www.palm.com look & feel was better.

RE: Logo
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/19/2002 10:33:19 PM #
They musta spent a whole 5 minutes on that logo. ;)
RE: Logo
I.M. Anonymous @ 8/20/2002 12:41:20 AM #
>The new website looks like a www.macromedia.com ripoff

Huh? Can't see the resemblance myself...

>They musta spent a whole 5 minutes on that logo. ;)

Good, might've saved us shareholders a few dollars...!

I think the new logo is quite nice pesonally... not that *any* logo amounts to much in terms of generating sales. Any company who relies on a logo or brand to sell is just waiting to be sunk. Not that I'm saying PalmSource are doing that (Palm, Inc maybe...) - I believe PS have a great story moving forward.

RE: Logo
Brucew @ 8/20/2002 8:46:43 AM #
I like the original logo was on Palm V/Vx when it was still called Palm Computing. The Palm.inc and Palm resouce's logo realy simple and boring....

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