Registered: Nov 1999
Location:
Posts: 36

It seems that Apple is considering selling a PDA based on PalmOS.
I couldn't find anything on the Apple's website but I found some pictures:
http://www.PalmPilot-gaulois.younix.com/p_mac.html

Sorry for the text (it is a french site).

Interesting no?

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Texan in Calgary for a while
Posts: 1361

Thanks Ludo! I posted that link to the conceptional picture in the news.

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James Hromadka
VisorCentral.com
Personal Website: http://www.Hromadka.com

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: venice, ca. USA
Posts: 32

Guys:

Let's not get too hasty. If you look closely at that page and decipher some of the French, this was just a design exercise by an independent designer who is hoping for feedback from Apple. Note that he modified the logo to read Appleple (sic).

This is how rumors get started.

f

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factoid
venice, ca
http://www.well.com/~factoid/

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 61

Interesting Design. The huge Apple logo/ latch thing I think gives it away as a nonApple effort, not quite as refined.

But know that Apple will throw a lot of industrial design into this effort.

jonpod

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Dayton, TN, USA
Posts: 66

Sources say the prototype is a hybrid of the Palm V and the Handspring Visor, with the Palm V's form factor, a color screen, and an expansion slot. It also will be compatible with Apple's Airport wireless networking hub, and will integrate seamlessly with the Mac OS.

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Copied from ZDNet today. If that expansion slot is the springboard, it'll be one small step for the iPalm/iNewton/iWhatever and one giant leap for the Springboard.

Would this be a great device or what? Palm V size, color screen and a springboard? What else could you want?

Registered: Nov 1999
Location:
Posts: 37

If Apple uses the Springboard expansion slot, that would be the best thing that could happen for the Visor. It would give Handspring a shot in the arm to make them continue to innovate, especially if the iPalm is as good as is rumored. I also read that the handwriting recognition of the Newton was much better than Graffiti, so Apple would probably implement that into the device as well, which would be a welcome addition. All I can say is if this thing is as good and cheap as the Register article makes it out to be, it is going to sweep Palm and Handspring out of the market if they don't respond quickly.

Does anybody know if the Springboard expansion slot is only able to be used by Handspring, or can anyone make a device with Springboard support?

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 11

Don't get too excited yet. It's 100% speculation at this point. The most credible reports are from anonymous sources and concern the production of prototypes. Even if true, there's no guarantee Apple will ship a product.

As the owner of both a Visor Deluxe and a Newton MessagePad 2100, I've got to address the handwriting recognition subject. In my opinion, the Newton's HWR is far superior to Graffiti. I print in a fairly clean, block style. With the Newton, I get close to 100% accuracy. Most of the errors involve capitalization. It also converts as fast as I can write and I don't have to restrict myself to a special area of the screen. Admittedly, I've only had the Visor for three weeks and I'm still learning Graffiti. But I doubt I'll ever manage to create or edit multi-page documents with it as I have with the MessagePad.

Now even with my preference for the Newton HWR, I doubt it will make it into an Apple branded Palm. It's a simple matter of computing power. I can't quote benchmarks but I do know that the MessagePad 2Ks run on 162MHz StrongARM RISC processors. I'd imagine they offer significantly more computing power than even the fastest DragonBall.

More tantalizing to me is the rumor that under Mac OS X, a Palm will mount on the desktop (or dock?) just like a removeable drive. I don't know about you but to me that sounds like PDA Nirvana.

Again, it's just a rumor. Though the next few months should prove interesting.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Texan in Calgary for a while
Posts: 1361

Right, everything is pure rumor right now. That's why I said that it was an artist's conception in the news item.

We shall see!

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James Hromadka
VisorCentral.com
Personal Website: http://www.Hromadka.com

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 61

I know we are in the wonderful world of rumors here but with all the iMac digital video stuff going on I have seen several ads with Sony digital video cameras.

So instead of either Flash or Springboard - both of which might not "fit" into a Palm V type package, how about MemoryStick.

jp

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 9

agghhhh
Don't tell me I have to buy another toy
btw I miss my newton too :P
g8