Registered: Oct 2001
Location: Silicon Valley
Posts: 66

What does Palm need to do to keep its dominance?

I was thinking of a few things palm needs to do to keep ahead of Microsoft.

1. Add mp3 support to all Handhelds
2. All Palm devices need a springboard slot
3. Add blazer to all HH and find a way to put java in
4. Bundle lots of software - office compatible, vpn support, ect
5. Standerize the screen resolutions
6. Should make the Handera screen standard
7. Rim Keyboards
8. MAKE MORE COLOR DEVICES!!!!

Care to add any?

Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 380

I disagree with 1, 2, 6, & 7. Other than that, you are on the right track.

Registered: Oct 2001
Location: Silicon Valley
Posts: 66

Please elaborate why?

Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 380

1 - Most people wouldn't want to pay the extra money for this feature. Look at the Sony 610 vs 710/760. You need to sell both. the Microsoft can include this feature basically for free since the processor in a PocketPC is powerful enough to decode MP3 streams natively. Palm OS units need to have additional hardware, therefore additional cost. I think that it is a good option. Using Sony as an example again, there is now an add-on MP3 decoder that plugs into the bootom of the 320 and 610 (and 300?) to give MP3 playback. It basically just contains the decoding circuitry. This is a good solution.

2 - Same argument (kind of). Most people that want to buy an organizer will never put anything into it. I would rather have a smaller device with a memory only slot. I don't care if it is MS or MMC/SD, but size is one of the main advantages of the Palm OS platform. Of course some people want a generic peripheral slot, so there is a place for it, but not on all machines. Even HandSpring believes this since they left the slot off of the Treo platform.

6 - You can find my previous posts on this subject. 240x320 is a terrible resolution choice for the Palm platform. A soft graffiti area is a great idea, but the 'normal' screen area needs to be an even multiple of the normal Palm resolution. This is why Sony selected 320x320. Apps that write directly to the screen, or replace fonts may have problems running on a hi-res screen. in this case, you need a fall back to standard 160x160 resolution. On the Sony, this means filling the whole display, but using four hi-res pixels (2x2) on the display for each low-res legacy pixel. The whole screen is full. On the HandEra, these apps are run in a miniature window that only fills about two-thirds of the screen in each direction. This gives you a viewable area that is almost too small to be comfortable - bad solution. This is why the HandEra is billed as a business organizer - it is lousy for entertainment. I would love to see 320x480 so that there was a double-res screen as per Sony along with a soft graffiti area.

7 - This would be a nice option, but I am faster with graffiti than I am at typing with my thumbs. Plus, using the keyboard and switching to the stylus to do a screen operation and then back to the keyboard is too much of a pain for me to deal with. Once more, this is a nice option for some models and as an add-on accessory for others.

Just my $.02

Registered: May 2001
Location: Chicago
Posts: 236

Well i have no $ 0.00 cents so dont pay attention to me

1. mp3 players are awsome butt i dont think everyone wants it to takes up memory on there PDA. I belive in the Minijam idea cause when i buy an mp3 player it most likely wont conect to my egde.

2. I cant really say about the SB slot! The memorystick MMC/SD and spring board slot i great ideas. And i think Its acually personal usage. If i were a business dude (which i will be in two years), i dont want to lug around a bunch of springboards. the MS, MMC & SD are so small. BUTT i love the fact that i can have a small camera, mp3 player, voice recorder, presenter to go, gps, & ect. its all about your personal style. SB slot to biggg

3. well hell yeah it should be standard

4. i Dont like bundled software i would rather pick my own.

5. & 6. Well as technology goes by 2002 there will be something better than 320x 320. and the handera screen is a good idea but try it and you might not like it but if it is improved i would

7. I dont need to type with my thumbs i can barely type 25 words per minute with a real keyboard. I love graffitti!!!!!!!

Well ok to add more is to maybe break the 16mb.
i am total ok with the speed im just running out of room.

If you sit back and look at your PDA for a couple minutes, you might realize that dang it is 4 steps away from you getting rid of your laptop.
i think any little improvement in palm OS or any PDA hardware is still way head of the times!

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No not for that!!!!!!!!!!
Use it to reffer to PalmaSutra, silly???????

Registered: Oct 2001
Location:
Posts: 6

After using a Blackberry for more than a year now, I have to say that thumb typing rocks. It's awkward at first but as soon as you get the hang of it, you can really fly. Asking around, a couple other people I know with Blackberries agree. I think it would be a great option and much less of a hassle than a fold out keyboard. As for MP3 I'm not sure everyone really wants that in a handheld. Someone should do a poll of Pocket PC users and see how many of them use the MP3 capabilities and how much they use them. With all the new mini disk/MP3 units coming out that store at least 310 min of music, why would anyone use their PDA unless a CF or MMC card slot came standard. You couldn't swap out springboards and have all the flexibility of modules if you had to leave one in all the time to have somewhere to store your MP3s. I also think at least an internal memory of 16 MB should absolutely be standard.

Registered: Oct 2001
Location: Silicon Valley
Posts: 66

You guys have really good reasons and I appreciate the feedback. Lets keep this thread from becoming flame like.

1. With palm switching to the ARM processor this really won't be an issue, I am thinking it will be standard.

2. With the edge form factor, this won't really be an issue. People can choose a sleek or a large. Whatever suits their needs. With the people who like the sony memory stick handspring will have an adaptor soon.

3. I like larger screens not just higher resolution screens. Everyone agrees that the silkscreen needs to go away. I think the sony resolution is nice but a little small.

4. Graffiti sucks needs to die. I never liked it from the day I tried it. After trying my Motorola talkabout pager a keyboard it was a necessity. Very easy and fast didn't take long to learn, while I still can't use Graffiti efficiently after 2-3 months. Besides if the Handera screen was standard then you could have both.

Keep your thoughts coming, just keep it clean. I really like this thread. Please submit your own ideas!

Last edited by Alslayer on 10-25-2001 at 10:01 PM

Registered: Jan 2000
Location: Arizona
Posts: 43

Here is my take.

1. I view MP3 in the same way I view the whole dotcom thing. Its great, it may change the way some of us do some things, but it is over-hyped and won't change the world. I like MP3s, I have them on my computer, but untill they are as easy and as good as CDs, my mom aint going to listen to them. So I think the perceived need to put an MP3 player on everything is false. Not necessary, but if the processor is there, it would nice.

2. I like smaller form factor than a Springboard will allow. I agree that expansion is necessary, but it doen not have to be Springboard unless they can make the device smaller.

3. Agreed.

4. I would like some software, but I like to pick my own stuff. Especially if it is going to make the device more expensive.

5. This one is the biggy. I agree 100% with bradhaak on this one. Palm needs to standardize on a screen res soon, before more divergence takes place, and it has to work well with all the legacy apps.

7. A choice would be the best. Maybe a soft area that could be graffiti or a keyboard.

8. I agree with this one too. From my point of view PalmOS has done this one the right way though. The device needs to be small and have good battery life first, then color. I think the screen (res and color) is the major downside of PalmOS.

Now some added ones:

9. More memory standard. I mean at least 32 MB. Sure apps are small, but if you start adding maps, books, Avantgo, etc. it can add up. Memory is dirt cheap, so lets skip 16, maybe even 32 MB and just put a bunch on there.

10. Screen protection. I know this is a small thing, but I like to put my PDA in my pocket, so good built in screen protection is a must. Sony needs to work on this one. I think Handspring is the best at this.

11. Expansion standard. I hate to say this, but we need to standardize expansion, and it may not be the Sprinboard. Developers would go crazy if they could make on add-on, and it would be sellable to the whole PlamOS market. We would see a lot more, and cheaper add-ons. I know this one is a pipe-dream though, Sony will never leave MS, and the others won't go to MS.

12. All in all, the little things that make the device easier to use and carry everywhere should be kept and improved upon. This is where PocketPC falls on its face, and this is where I think Handspring is the best. They make the little tweaks that make the device that much easier to use.

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Registered: Oct 2001
Location: Silicon Valley
Posts: 66

One big thing they need to do is redo the Operating System. They need to include skinning and backgrounds. Maybe a media player and like I said blazer (that needs java).

Anyone got anything else?

Registered: Sep 2000
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 832

I think Palm needs to continue on it's current track, making a kickin little OS that's simple and receives it's little additions from hardware manufacturers like HS's Springboard, Handera's hi-res screen, etc.

Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 380

quote:

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Originally posted by Alslayer
One big thing they need to do is redo the Operating System. They need to include skinning and backgrounds. Maybe a media player and like I said blazer (that needs java).

Anyone got anything else?

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Registered: Oct 2001
Location: Silicon Valley
Posts: 66

I just thought of 3 more things

1. Make the palm a removeable drive on Windows
2. Flash Upgradeable
3. More memory 64mb ram 32 mb flash

Last edited by Alslayer on 11-02-2001 at 09:39 PM

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: I'm not sure, but I see lots of lights everywhere.
Posts: 1287

Re: What does Palm need to do to keep its dominance?

quote:

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Originally posted by Alslayer
1. Add mp3 support to all Handhelds

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My blog: Pocketfactory

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: I'm not sure, but I see lots of lights everywhere.
Posts: 1287

quote:

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Originally posted by Alslayer
1. With palm switching to the ARM processor this really won't be an issue, I am thinking it will be standard.

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My blog: Pocketfactory