PalmGear Acquires Palm Digital Media In Deal With PalmSource
PalmGear and PalmSource today announced a strategic alliance designed to bolster the success of the Palm Economy. As part of the alliance, PalmGear acquired PalmSource's subsidiary Palm Digital Media, and will power a new PalmSource online software store.
PalmGear, together with Palm Digital Media, will provide a strong distribution channel for Palm OS software applications and offer Palm Powered consumers increased access to more than 19,000 applications and over 10,000 eBook titles. The acquisition of Palm Digital Media by PalmGear strengthens its position as the industry's leading provider of third-party content for Palm Powered mobile devices, bringing the company's total software application and eBook offerings to nearly 30,000. In addition, PalmGear anticipates that Palm Digital Media's existing relationships with more than 75 publishers, including industry leaders HarperCollins, Penguin Group (USA), Random House, St. Martin's Press, Simon & Schuster and Time Warner Book Group will enable PalmGear to further expand its current product offerings.
Separately, PalmSource has chosen PalmGear to power the PalmSource Web site's new online store exclusively devoted to Palm OS applications. The agreement provides that PalmGear will provide the backend infrastructure, Palm OS software catalog, and customer and technical support to users purchasing software applications via the PalmSource Web site.
The strategic alliance with PalmGear builds on PalmSource's commitment to helping its 275,000 Palm OS developers grow their businesses by offering them an additional sales channel for software applications. PalmSource's online store is designed to provide increased exposure for Palm OS developers to successfully promote and market their Palm OS software applications, while enabling PalmGear to broaden its reach to the millions of users of Palm Powered devices. PalmGear will also license the "PalmGear," "Palm Digital Media" and "Palm Reader" brands.
"The strategic alliance with PalmGear reinforces our commitment to the Palm OS developer community and supports our effort to make Palm OS applications more readily available to Palm Powered consumers," said David Nagel, president and chief executive officer of PalmSource, Inc. "With more than 29 million Palm Powered devices sold, we believe this is also a compelling way to encourage new uses of Palm Powered mobile devices and fuel growth in the handheld and smartphone market."
"The addition of third-party solutions and content to Palm Powered handhelds is a key driver for the Palm Economy," said Ryan Wuerch, president and chief executive officer of PalmGear. "Our acquisition of Palm Digital Media is a natural evolution for PalmGear as we continue to be the leading provider of applications and content for Palm Powered devices."
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RE: *gasp*
The pricing structure at PDM has changed for the better over time. Now, I can get a brand-new release for much less than the cost of the hardcover version(previously, it used to cost just as much). With the acquisition of PDM by PalmGear, my fear is that this rational pricing structure will change for the worse.
I'm also afraid that if PalmGear alienates publishers the way they have developers, there will be no channel for getting national bestseller-type new book releases on the Palm platform.
I'm probably overreacting. Hopefully, everything will stay the same (especially PDM's website - I'd hate to see it start looking like PalmGear's). Maybe we'll be surprised, and PalmGear will offer an even better selection of ebooks at lower prices. Unfortunately, I'd be less surprised if PDM gets driven out of business.
RE: *gasp*
RE: *gasp*
RE: *gasp*
RE: *gasp*
Palm digital Media is the only Part that make BIG money in Palmsource. No wonder THe whole stock tank today.
RE: *gasp*
RE: *gasp*
I guess I can expect two or three times more spam in my e-mail Inbox once PG start work with the mailing lists they inherit from PDM...
RE: *gasp*
For me, too! I'm off to download all of my e-books right now before Kenny West loses all of my account information or tries to get me to re-buy all of them!!!
How I long for the halcyon days of PeanutPress, PalmStation, small independent developers advertising their wares without needing to jump through a wanna-be-monopolist (or perhaps a megolomaniacal tyrant with delusions of grandeur), and Palm WebRings...
/me sighs...
Good and Mostly Bad
As for the alliance with PalmGear....bad, bad, bad. Only more fuel on the fire against developers. PalmGear has become more and more developer-unfriendly as time has passed (pulling developer's links to support, increasing their percentage cut, the infamous lack-of-payment dramalog, and the recent debacle over required About links back to PalmGear only).
I was really hoping PalmSource would start their own repository for software and put PalmGear where it belongs...out of business. Oh well.
RE: Good and Mostly Bad
And it's a little galling they have enough money to buy PDM but not to pay back all that owed to developers as is their rightful and legal due...
So that's somewhere else I won't be spending my money.
RE: Good and Mostly Bad
Peanut Press
RE: Peanut Press
I hope that PalmGear keeps PalmDigitalMedia running essentially as it is now. Their DRM system is one of the most elegant implementations out there; there's a great selection of books which is easily searchable; the reader is regularly updated to take advantage of new device capabilities yet supports old devices.
A question for the posters who claim that PDM was a money-losing division of PalmSource: is that speculation, or can you back that up?
Cheers,
Dan
RE: Peanut Press
(That said, the PalmReader software has really evolved into a nice, elegant, and stable app-I hope it is updated regularly and properly maintained in the future). Still, I've personally read far more "classics" from Memoware than from PDM/PNP.
RE: Peanut Press
I'd much rather have the e-book rather than lug around the hard copy versions.
RE: Peanut Press
What about PalmReader for PPC
While I am a Palm user, I am also an e-book reader and I have always thought that having cross-platform e-books was good for e-books and their continued adoption by PDA users everywhere.
If PalmReader for the PPC is discontinued, I think it would be a step in the wrong direction for e-books.
In the Spirit of Umoja,
Ronin
Hey Nagel, Berkin, and Mace!!!
These people have scammed developers and flat out lied. PalmSource should require that every single overdue dollar be paid to developers immediately. They *should not* participate in any relationship with PalmGear until they come clean and restore trust with the development community.
PalmGear told hundreds of small and independent developers that they didn't have money to pay. They gave them the option of accepting pennies on the dollar or spreading out payment over many months. They used the royalties owed to developers as operating cash, paying legal expenses and god knows what else.
Now it seems like they have cash to acquire companies. How many developers are still owed their royalties?
Come on PalmSource!! Wake up!! Don't be fooled by that smooth talking Kenny West. Do you homework and find the truth for yourself.
Please post here if you're a developer and still owed money by PalmGear.
RE: Hey Nagel, Berkin, and Mace!!!
I mean, compare PG to most of the dotcom darlings of the late 90's - not many of them have lasted as long as PG has, despite PG's business missteps. PG has done enough good faith moves for me to accept them. Others may make different decisions and that's fine by me.
I also suspect that part of this move is PalmSource making sure that their is a Palm-specific software distributor. I'm sure it's a good move from their point of view (otherwise they wouldn't have made it).
(BTW, Kenny is not the CEO, Ryan is.)
RE: Hey Nagel, Berkin, and Mace!!!
To give a little background on this announcement, our overall goal is to drive more sales of Palm OS apps. We're doing a lot of things to help, including the online applications directory and Expert Guides that we already launched and that will continue to grow (www.palmsource.com/applications).
We decided that in addition to those resources, we needed a Palm OS software store on PalmSource.com. We spent several months looking at *a lot* of options, both in house and with other companies. No choice was perfect. But when we balanced everything, the relationship with PalmGear looked like the best overall choice.
Unfortunately, this is a situation where it's impossible to please everyone. All I can tell you is that we tried to make the best decision for the overall Palm economy, and for our business. And I think we did.
Someone asked if this means something bad for the Handango-powered store on palmOne.com. Not at all. PalmOne is now operating like a separate company, and they make their own decisions. And speaking for PalmSource, we value all the software stores out there, and we'll continue to support them. We just had to pick one to power our own store.
Mike
CCO, PalmSource Inc.
RE: Hey Nagel, Berkin, and Mace!!!
I appreciate your comments here (and elsewhere), and your motivation is understandable. But if your interest is also in supporting your developers, consider polling the satisfaction of developers for their opinion of PalmGear's behavior. While PalmGear has made some real improvements (like the recent addition of automatic code generation, promised for...um...five years or so), they have also made some severely unwise decisions as well, and not all of those in the distant past.
Perhaps with your deal PalmSource can have some *positive* influence on PalmGear's policies? How about restoring developer's links to technical support or FAQs, or offering some viable alternative? How about building some simple utility to grant PalmGear it's coveted exclusive "About" page, without requiring developers to cut a special version of their software that "complies" with their insane new policy? (I'll calmly realize there's little you could do about a timely and "in-full" pay-out for past-due monies, but these others are real issues you *might* be able to change/influence. ;-P)
If PalmSource is really now "in bed" with these guys, it is in your best interest to address some very real compaints and concerns which PalmGear has ignored in its unfriendly (hostile?) attitute toward developers.
After all, without the developers, there is no "gear." Or, for that matter, much of a "Palm."
RE: Hey Nagel, Berkin, and Mace!!!
I think it's embarrassingand a real discredit to PalmSource to enter into a relationship with PalmGear.
These people have scammed developers and flat out lied. PalmSource should require that every single overdue dollar be paid to developers immediately. They *should not* participate in any relationship with PalmGear until they come clean and restore trust with the development community.
PalmGear told hundreds of small and independent developers that they didn't have money to pay. They gave them the option of accepting pennies on the dollar or spreading out payment over many months. They used the royalties owed to developers as operating cash, paying legal expenses and god knows what else.
Now it seems like they have cash to acquire companies. How many developers are still owed their royalties?
Come on PalmSource!! Wake up!! Don't be fooled by that smooth talking Kenny West. Do you homework and find the truth for yourself.
Please post here if you're a developer and still owed money by PalmGear.
It is understandable that you and other developers want to be paid immediately. However, I would suspect that the money is not there to pay everyone immediately. You now essentially hold debt in PalmGear and want them to repay you. You can either a) write it off as a bad debt, b) negotiate a deal with them to repay you the debt, c) do nothing. PalmGear can only pay you with money they actually receive. Therefore if you have come to an agreement with PalmGear concerning repayment you want PalmGear to make as much money as possible. If PalmGear will make more money by acquiring PDM they have a better chance of being able to pay you back. I would advise you to evaluate options a,b,c concerning the money that is owed to you and make what you believe to be the most logical (not emotional) decision. In addition you should judge PalmGear by their actions and not their words or the personalities of their executive team.
When you feel like someone has stolen from you (as I suspect you do based on your comment) it is very hard to make an objective and logical decision concerning how you should proceed with debt collection and future business arrangements. Your emotions are perfectly valid and need to be expressed. It may help to go to a batting cage or driving range and let it out. However, your decision must be made on logic.
RE: Hey Nagel, Berkin, and Mace!!!
Mike
CCO, PalmSource Inc.
RE: Hey Nagel, Berkin, and Mace!!!
You said that "Unfortunately, this is a situation where it's impossible to please everyone." This is true. Unfortunately, from what I've experienced and what others have said, the ONLY person / group you will please will be PalmGear. You should be getting the message very loudly and clearly that NONE of your cash paying customers expect to see any benefit.
I'm very sorry that PalmSource has made such a short-sighted blunder. This will hurt you, Palm Digital Media, and me - your (possibly former) custome.
Thank you,
Panagiotis
He who plays in the cesspool winds up smelling like SHI*...
Why would Palm tarnish their name even further by associating with PalmGear? Instead of grabbing at straws, trying to instantly correct the mistakes of the past three years, Palm shold be concentrating on doing things correctly the first time. Chosing PalmGear simply because they seemed to be the best of a bad lot shows the kind of lack of judgement that has now become the Palm M.O. in recent years.
The easiest path is often not the wisest path. Remember the m505...
RE: Hey Nagel, Berkin, and Mace!!!
RE: Hey Nagel, Berkin, and Mace!!!
> (like the recent addition of automatic code
> generation, promised for...um...five years or so)
zane, keep in mind that i finished this module in 2000.
http://www.ardiri.com/palm/jCode/
it just took PGHQ over 3 years to get everything into order and get it migrated into their servers. part of the problem is that they have dumped 3-4 web site designers, and, then opted to code the e-commerce engine themselves, for easier integration.. the jCode system is so far out of date, i doubt many developers will even be using it.
now, in regards to PalmGear?
damn - they owe me and my partners money big time - i dont think i'll ever see it from them; and, i doubt i will ever list any of my software on their website for sale ever again. this is a VERY bad move.
how much was the 'inquisition' of Palm Digital Media? i guess, instead of buying that - why didn't PalmGear pay outstanding monies owed to developers. if this is the case, it just makes matters worse. once again, they are using our (developer) money to fix something they should be using external (investment) money for. its not the developers who should suffer.
PalmSource should have written their own engine.
// az
aaron@ardiri.com
http://www.ardiri.com/
http://www.mobilewizardry.com/
RE: Hey Nagel, Berkin, and Mace!!!
Having been involved in setting up a "chat" between developers and PalmSource at the developer seminar last May all I can say is that the PalmSource folks ARE listening to them and doing a pretty good job of it. The problem is that the developers are really not a united community. The big fish have different needs than the small fry and those who are in the middle. And a lot of the smaller developers make decisions as much on emotion as business benefit. (And, again, they have tried - I think Larry Berkin has the patience of a saint here ;) )
RE: Hey Nagel, Berkin, and Mace!!!
Is that really the case, or is it simply easier for PalmGear to take advantage of the "small fry"? How many chances has PalmGear been given over the past five years? At what point should users decide that this company cannot be trusted to behave in an ethical manner? Many would argue that PalmGear ran out of chances to redeem themselves in 2001.
Given the millions Palm has squandered over the years it is baffling to see that they have not bothered to invest a few hundred thousand dollars in setting up a site devoted to showcasing the very thing that makes the Palm platform so useful: the software. A well-designed download site maintained by Palm could easily have been promoted (e.g. include it on billboads, in the Welcome screen on Palms, etc.) and would quickly have been embraced by developers. Once more newbies saw what their Palms could do, they might actually start buying programs and stimulate the much-talked-about "Palm Economy". What would be the downside of such a move by Palm? The expense of a few servers and coding a reliable site? If Palm wanted to avoid getting into the responsibilities associated with handling payments, they could have left this up to individual developers. Yes, this would have resulted in the death of PalmGear +/- Handango, but is that really a bad thing?
Mr. Mace: since you apparently lurk here frequently, I challenge you to lead your company where it needs to go. As it now stands, Palm continues to make misstep after misstep at a time when you can't afford further mistakes. Yes, there's always the buyout by Sony to fall back on, but why not at least try to fix the company on your own? Where is the leadership here? Between Sony's product line, "smartphone" proliferation and the tardiness of development of the Palm/Handspring PDA-phones the future looks somewhat grim. I'll probably buy a Treo 600 (partly as a way of thanking Palm for creating a great platform), but I wonder if there will ever be a second generation of the device.
Sometimes the truth just isn't pretty™
Palm Digital Media AND Online software store
BTW, Kenny West is no longer the CEO of PalmGear, he's the CSO. Ryan K. Wuerch is the CEO, President, and Chairman of the Board so I would guess he's calling the shots.
www.palmgear.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=contact.executiveteam
TD
RE: Palm Digital Media AND Online software store
RE: Palm Digital Media AND Online software store
RE: Palm Digital Media AND Online software store
i think palmsource were just trying to get rid of PDM before the spinout. it made their books look bad for all the money they were losing. as a developer i am mad that palm would let PG spend the developers money to pay them for PDM. pay us the millions you owe us first palmgear!
hmm... I like this PalmGear + PalmSource deal.
RE: hmm... I like this PalmGear + PalmSource deal.
Maybe I'm just nostalgic but PalmGear has always been the 1st place I go when I am looking for a new app.
Just my .02 cents!
RE: hmm... I like this PalmGear + PalmSource deal.
Besides all that, where is my money going when I do pay Palmgear? Obviously there's some bad management going on there. Hopefully they can pull themselves together, but until I hear the developers are happy, I won't be going through Palmgear for software.
**************************************
Ann - happily using her Garmin iQue3600
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*gasp*
I've put so much effort into avoiding PalmGear for the last couple years due to their sometimes very shady business practices, I just can't comprehend having Kenny West et al running the PDM bookstore, too. This is a raging disaster.
I may have to migrate to MobiPocket.
While I realize that the policies in place at PalmGear that I disagree with probably won't migrate to the bookstore, I still feel queasy about giving my money to PalmGear. I don't like supporting a business that doesn't respect it's developers or customers and institutes policies preventing developers from distributing *their* product how and where they want.
I have long felt that PalmGear is intent on creating a monopoly in the distribution of third party Palm software, and this only justifies that suspicion.
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