Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Toronto, ON, Canada
Posts: 47

ARM-based Palms: Will you wait?

Hey folks,

Now that Palm is about to officially announce steps to signify their move to ARM-based processors, it appears as though there is a lot of power and a lot of possibilities just waiting for us on the horizon.

Now I'm sure many of you have just purchased new Visors/Palms this year with great new units like the m50x, Prism, Edge, and Clie. But how many of you who have not upgraded this year (or even those who have) are going to now hold off and wait for Palm to release Palm OS 5 and ARM-based handhelds late next year (well, that's the expected timeframe)?

Registered: Apr 2000
Location: St Petersburg Fla
Posts: 224

Waiting

My VDX does everything I need it to do. Will wait and see what Handspring does. Hopefully, my modules will work with the new architecture.
Definitely would like a larger screen and better resolution.
Color a plus but depends on cost.

Registered: Sep 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 501

In a word, no.

All the improvements I want that will get me to leave my VDX -- higher resolution screen, color (maybe), ability to run programs from removable memory cards -- can be done with the current Palm OS, using various 3rd-party software, without a more powerful processor.

The thing that would get me to change my mind is an application that is so nice that I desperately want it, but requires more power. But I don't see anything on the horizon -- including handwriting or voice recognition -- that excites me enough to want to buy it.

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Jeff Meyer

"And he died like he lived: with his mouth wide open."

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 434

Personally, I think the Palm OS machines DO need a more powerful CPU, but first on my list is actually a better screen. The resolution of current screens is really too low.

Even though PocketPC machines are overpriced for what they do (for most people) they do have some pretty sweet hardware, and prices are dropping so the Palm and Handspring really need to keep on their toes. As far as I'm concerned, there will not be great improvements in the Palm-based products without significant improvements in the hardware.

The other consideration is that a higher resolution screen does NOT require a bigger screen. The pixel density of the Palm screens is actually quite low in comparison to many products on the market.

Oh yeah, also OS stability is becoming an issue. Much of that is due to crappily written software, but I'm of the belief that a great OS should be semi-immune to crappy software. It's gotten to the point that PocketPC is now beginning to rival Palm OS stability.

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Elkins Park, Pa
Posts: 577

What is an ARM based proccessor?

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-Bernie

"One word sums up probably the responsibility of any vice president, and that one word is 'to be prepared'.
-Dan Quayle

Registered: May 2001
Location:
Posts: 5

Yes yes yes

I have been saying for a while now that whilst I love my VDX the next PDA would be the Compaq if Palm don't pull their fingers out and make a rocket fast PDA...

I want to take my PDA to have a higher resolution screen (colour of course) and be able to handle a much larger range of possibilities including video....

at the moment my VDX struggles on big spreadsheets and word docs and I really want something that is starting to feel like a pocket rocket rather than a pocket spectrum...

I definatly don't want to buy Microshaft and so YES YES YES give me ARMS! And of course they were designed here in good ol blighty...

Registered: Sep 2000
Location: Michigan
Posts: 14

I love my VDX, however I'm finding that the more that I try to do with it the more that I wish that it was faster. Like with the CF Adaptor and transfering files. Also I've had the opportunity to play with the higher res units and I have to say that now I want one.
Yes my VDX works well, but now I find myself wanting MORE! I would buy a new unit with the "old" style processor and let the new ones grow up a little before I make the big switch.

Registered: Mar 2001
Location: Out of my skull, back in five minutes
Posts: 1435

ah, the right to bear ARMs ...

ernieba, ARM stands for "Advanced RISC Machines" a company now known as ARM Holdings.
http://www.arm.com/
They desgin computer chips. "ARM Based" means it's based on an ARM design format (AFAIK).

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Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 380

Both of my palms are already arm-based. If they weren't, how could I move them around or grab things.

Sorry - I couldn't resist ('tho maybe I should have)

Registered: Aug 2000
Location: The Matrix
Posts: 718

I'm trying to wait til I see the whites of their eyes.

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-Mikedemo
It's all about how you spend the money.