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Treo, Combination Cellphone and PDA
-homb- writes: "Finally, Handspring has done it before everyone else: The Treo, a combination cellphone, wireless POP3 email, and PalmOS PDA. Plus, the first version comes with or without a keyboard. I love my Blackberry, and it looks like the keyboard is the way to go for email. And the next version coming later on next year will have color." We mentioned these earlier.
Can it make coffee?
it looks kinda like a make up kit.. especially where the screen is.. which kind of reflects the light in the advertisement like a mirror.. or is it just me ?
"There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness."- Friedrich Nietzsche
Hasn't the Mitsubishi Trium Mondo (a CE-based PDA/Phone) been available for a while?
:)
As a side note - I recently picked up a Sony CMD-J5 to find it also does SMTP/POP3 in addition to the normal WAP services - and the WAP browser (Microsoft Mobile Explorer) can cope with 'simple HTML' - it's good enough to browse Slashdot in 'light' mode, at least
Looks like they basically took this springboard module and integrated it.. But this device doesn't have the springboard modularity. And quite frankly since using the iPaq, I can't see dealing with a greyscale 160x160 screen again..
air and light and time and space
Great product, nice to see more Smartphones, but first? You could have bought (months ago in some cases):
Ericsson R320 (Symbian)
Nokia 9210 (Symbian)
Mitsubishi Trium Mondon (PocketPC)
Sagem WA 3050 (PocketPC)
Kyocera QCP 6035 (Palm)
Qualcomm PDQ phones (Palm)
I'm probably leaving some out. So, great idea yes, first, no.
--- There's no place like 127.0.0.1
So where is the bluetooth connectivity on this one?
Dual Band Worldphone?? Why would I want this thing, so my boss can get a hold of me while I'm on vacation in Europe? Fuck that! I'm not paying $400 to give people a way to distract my time off even more than they already do!
This device has been around for a while. As a bonus it's cellular therefore is available where GSM is not.
War is necrophilia.
Where in Canada will I be able to obtain this, and which digital network will provide service for this device? Cantel AT&T? Bell Mobility? Fido? All offer very different levels of service, and which network provider will be carrying this service will be a significant factor in it's purchase.
Urban Detail
Karma Whore?
I wonder if these smart phones will get mainstream or if they always ill be the tech kid's gadget. Take the nice Sony VAIO's for instance: nice machines, but too small to really "use". Will you read your e-mail on a smart phone? Do you get your mail subjects on your regular cell phone right now? Better question even: Do you want to?
StarTrek.org Free Webmail
a beowulf clu.....
you get the picture
I've been using a Kyocera 6035 since July. Combined tri-mode CDMA phone, Internet, and PalmOS PDA make it the most useful comm device I've ever used on a daily basis.
_ se ries.htm
http://www.kyocera-wireless.com/kysmart/kysmart
I'm glad that Handspring is hopping on the bandwagon and bringing combo devices like this further into consumer conciousness.
What was the name of the PDA Cellphone combo from about 1993/1994? I remember seeing it in all the magazines back in the hayday of the Newton/Zarus/Psion/Zoomer/etc. It looked about the size of a household cordless phone (narrow, tall) but had a narrow, tall touch-sensitive LCD on it. As I recall, it wasn't anything too special, and wasn't compatible with anything, but it still was very cool
I'll have to dig thru my old PopSci issues if noone else can think of it. I remember being wowed by that little gizmo.
I'm still waiting for proper handwriting recognition for the palm. The keyboard on the treo looks a little small, and after using the Psion series 5, I wouldn't settle for anything less.
What Palm need is a cheap faster processor (XScale?) which can run proper cursive (joined up) handwriting recognition. I know the PocketPCs have this but >$300 for one is a bit steep for a student. Here's hoping Palm can cram this into something for roughly $150.
Everyone's pointers to prior art seem to be missing the same thing - keyboard! People who have used the RIM find the keyboard faster and more accurate for short email messages.
So that's the combo - Palm, cell, keyboard.
Being GSM is not a problem - that's the direction that AT&T is headed, so that coverage is coming. And GPRS instead of cellular means that the mailer can step out occasionally to look for mail, without the network having to push it all the way down to the handset.
Some one should tell all the 'little girlies' that seem to buy new mobile phones every other month to keep up with the latest ring tone, vibrator mode, or plastic cover with mickey mouse on that a proper web able phone would let them use chatrooms.
That would immediately become the new killer app. They would kill their brother for one! They would become mass market items, the price would plummet!
Then 'we' wouldn't be forced to pay stupid amounts of money for this kind of kit, on expensive tarriffs.
They'd be Xmas present territory!
How good would that be? We should start a campaign!
What kind of "service activation" in mentioned there?
$399 with service activation
$549 without service
Phone activation on which company? Am I missed something here? Thanks
--
Error 500: Internal sig error
So where the spec says it's a 'world' phone, it aint.
IMO 900MHz + 1800MHz + 1900MHz = world phone.
...Kirk to Enterprise
Find funky gifts
It's as thin as their Visor Edge (0.4") and has a TypeII Card adaptor (so it can handle IBM microdrives).
Then you'd have a PDA/cellphone/MP3 player.
Give it a 200dpi screen, and you'd have a book too.
You can find more information on:
www.palmopensource.com
They don't make 'em anymore, though.
Blue skies, Barthy Burgers, girls...
You can find more information on:
www.palmopensource.com
The Treo is the innovative product the Palm community has been expecting from Handsping, and I believe it will be a huge success. Here, in no particular order, is why:
1) Size. Have there been other smartphones? Yes. Like this? No. This is neither a clunky phone-grafted-onto-an-organizer nor a strange organizer-grafted-onto-a-phone. This is a truly integrated product. It is small enough that I will finally be able to ditch my Palm/OmniSky and Nokia for one pocketable device.
2) Keyboard. Even though I've used Graffiti for several years, I have to admit that it is still a pain. Some may disagree, but the fact is that the vast majority of users will be able to enter text faster and more accurately with a QWERTY keyboard--even a thumb keyboard. If you think such keyboards are too small, just look at the success of the RIM Blackberry to see how much people love them.
3) Software. Handspring has done a great job integrating the Palm OS with the phone. They didn't just include a "Dial" app, they've included Blazer (their wonderful browser), Messaging (SMS), Phone Book (a Palm Address Book upgrade that has dialing capabilities), a POP3 client, etc. Out of the box, this will be a true Internet phone.
4) GSM. My fellow Americans may question this (since GSM has relatively limited coverage in the U.S.), but GSM was the right choice for Handspring. When GPRS rolls out (in the U.S. Voicestream has already started), you will be able to upgrade your Treo to support an "always on" wireless connection. Always on is much better than dial-up, even Sprint's "Quick Network Connect" dial-up (which basically just means that Sprint PCS is your ISP). Other, more popular U.S. mobile standards (CDMA, TDMA) are not moving to always on as quickly as GSM (although I've heard reports AT&T is upgrading to GPRS), and a true smart phone needs an always on connection. The other (obvious) advantage of GSM is that Handspring can sell the Treo in Europe and Asia.
Anyway, I will certainly buy a Treo when it comes out, and I think many others will too. The real question is how the Treo will stack up to competitors like the Danger Hiptop.
Before anyone else? I think not. I have had a Kyocera SmartPhone (PalmOS + Cell) for almost 6 months. Complete with wireless irc, ssh, web, and yes even pop3 email. The only thing that sucks that there are currently no keyboards available for it. It makes a great mobile h4x0r^H^H^H^H^H^HInternet tool.
My bad .. it says GPRS-upgradeable (or somesuch). As it is, it's a GSM 900/1900 phone.
I think that would make it sufficient as a worldphone (where GSM is concerned) as most countries either support 900/1800 (Europe/Asia) or 1900 (America)
This is an interesting device, but I see a few problems:
- no GPRS at launch time - this is amazing given the early 2002 launch, surely this device is meant for GPRS? There are already several Pocket PC devices with GPRS that can be bought today (in Europe anyway), but I'm still waiting just for an *announcement* of a Palm OS device with built in GPRS support. The device is meant to be software-upgradeable, but it's unclear when that upgrade will be available.
- can't use Graffiti with keyboard version - there is no built in Graffiti *at all* with this version, not even a pop-up Graffiti window. You have to download a third party tool to do this. What are Handspring thinking?
And Handspring are still using Palm OS 3.5 for no very good reason, and still not using flash for the OS (unlike virtually every mobile phone). The openness, software and integration looks nice, but until they fix these issues I'll just have to carry on waiting.
Finally, Handspring has done it before everyone else
From the website: Coming early 2002
Sounds to me they haven't done anything yet.
Talk about being first: I bought my Nokia Communicator many _many_ years back. (mainly for the l33t telnet client hehe)
Well this is a dilemma, i already have too many damn palms laying around (a VII, IIIc and a Handspring Visor Deluxe I got as a gift) and i had intended to pick up an ipaq, but i'll be damned if it doesn't look like this is a much better solution.
except for:
why so damn tiny? who asked for something that is only slightly larger then a WAP enabled cell phone display.
the iPaq (which my spellchecker wants to call Iraq) has a cell phone module pending, and it will also do GPS. And if you are married to the PalmOS and want color today you can get the color Handspring Visor Prism and add the Cell Phone module for free (with activation) only with neither of these you don't get the spiffy keyboard... (heh) also the prism isn't as quick as the the Treo, though it does have a bigger 16-bit color display today .
oh hell i just talked myself out of the Treo, and another palm... because well... even though i have heard that the cell phone springboard module actually rocks, the PalmOS development seems to be stagnating while the iPaq not only does every goddamn thing in the world and with a better diplay, you can also jack linux into it when you get sick of WinCE.
man... as a long time Apple guy (easy angry kiddys, i have been building x86 boxes since before you were born and EISA was a hot new bus archetecture) i really hate to see what was once the innovator and hands down best hand held solution (PalmOS) get trumped by another microsoft branded product... i'd help them if i can but i already have three...
1: Good hardware. Handspring doesn't have it. They've got a 33Mhz 16-bit Motorola Dragonball processor. It can (slowly) serve the most basic mobile data needs (email, instant messaging), play a couple of neat little games, and be a pretty effective organizer, but that's about it. Palm OS devices are stuck at 8 or 16MB's of total capacity, which sure as hell means you won't be storing any large files (movies, MP3s, etc) on it. They need modern hardware, like an ARM-derived platform, to overcome these inherent limitations. (I know, I know, Palm says it's working on it, but that was supposed to materialize how long ago now??)
2: Good software. The Palm OS is an old, creaky 16-bit rag that maxxed-out its potential back in '98. Memory isn't protected, there is no support for multi-tasking, and just getting color on that thing was a chore and a half (you still find it only on the most expensive devices). You need a modern 32-bit OS like Symbian's EPOC (or even Pocket PC 2002) to do these things natively. Along with a modern OS comes support for faster, better hardware (both Symbian EPOC and Pocket PC run on ARM-derived RISC processors), and more storage space (like IBM microdrives).
3: Decent network support.The Treo has network connectivity tacked-on as an afterthought. Again, this is the Palm OS's fault, not Handspring's. Back in the day, the Palm OS just wasn't designed to be doing the job it's doing now. But other mobile operating systems were built around this stuff, and can handle wireless network protocols natively. Microsoft's Smartphone platform (code-named Stinger) is set to be deployed in GSM and CDMA networks all over the world next year, and Nokia's 9210 (running on EPOC) will be in both the European/African/Asian and American GSM markets. It'll be pretty simple to add GPRS/EDGE (and then UMTS) support to the device because that's what it was designed to do.
I applaude Handspring for forging ahead, but they've inhereted a real huge (possibly fatal) liability from Palm with that ancient operating system.
Blue skies, Barthy Burgers, girls...
Can you run it on Linux? ;-)
The FAQs for the Treos are here.
Quick sum-up:
Treo 180 = Keyboard, 180g = Graffiti.
No Springboard functionality.
Colour due mid 2002 (extra $200!!).
North America providers = Cingular, VoiceStream, Rogers AT&T, Microcell.
Trade in available for VisorPhone customers.
CDMA version in the works.
The one thing I really want from a phone/PDA combo is to have checkboxes for appointments to turn the ringer off, and back on when the event is over. I usually forget and leave my ringer on untill someone else's phone rings during class, and then turn the ringer off, forget, and leave it in vibrate until I miss a call. It's not _that_ big a deal because nobody ever calls me, but it would be a nice feature anyways ;-)
I like the idea but, they aren't the first (as mentioned before) and they have one marketing flaw:
they are ugly as hell Plus you'll need a Magnifying glass to actually READ your mail...
back to the drawing board guys
Fighting for peace is like fucking for virginity
This is not the first cell phone/palm... it is however the coolest looking one looks like they tool a lot from the Motorola i1000 the one that can flip up that's a Nextel phone.
This must be Thursday, I never could get the hang of Thursdays.
These look really yummy :-) But the mail client seems to be POP-3 only... Where's IMAP? IMAP is _way_ better for cell phones because on the slow connection you don't want to download attachments, and with IMAP you can just read the mail bodies. And with IMAP the email stays on the server so you can deal with attachments when you get back.
Oh no, not again!
Must... get... chastitybelt... for... creditcard.
Road to Hell is paved with frozen door-to-door salesmen.On weekends many of the younger demons go ice-skating down it
This Samsung phone looks more practical to me in the short term: Palm interface and PalmOS, color, and dual-band. Yes, I wouldn't mind having the keyboard and GPRS of the Treo, but who knows when the Treo will actually be shipping, what the service availability and coverage will be, what kind of surchages they will add, etc.
CDMA is no more cellular than GSM
GSM just happens to be the world standard, when will the Yanks understand this?
Dont worry? Your standard GSM SIM card will not work OS unless you pay an extra fee with your Telco.
The benefit is that when abroad you can buy a pre-paid GSM SIM card account so you are contactable to people you choose to give that pre-paid account's number out to.
under the flip lid.
The best PDA keyboard ever
guy2: Excuse me sir, do you have the time
guy1: (dropping suitcases) Sure, it's 10:25am guy2: Hey, that's a great watch. Seems to have some fancy stuff. guy1: Yeah it does. It has a built in phone, the ability to send faxes and it can encrypt any communication with a 124000 bit key guy2: (impressed) Wow, I'd like to buy that guy1: that's not all. it also has built in gps and you can display any map, anywhere in the world with your current position on the display. guy2: I really have to have this watch guy1: It further has the built in time tables of any public transportation anywhere in the world. Also, it manages your investments, calms down your spouse and boils a perfect tea, warns you of earthquakes and wins the lottery. I also plan to implement beaming capabilities, you know, like in Startrek. guy2: OK, I give you 1'000$ guy1: This is impossible sir, it's a prototype. Building it cost me well over 10'000$.And so they haggle for quite some time until they finally agree on a price of 25'000$. Guy2 hands over the money, wears the watch, has a proud smile on his face and walks away.
The seller with obvious effort lifts the two suitcases and yells:
Hey man, don't forget the batteries...
ich bin der musikant
mit taschenrechner in der hand
kraftwerk
It will have color.
;-)
Its Palm compatible so it'll have many applications out of the box (which I guess was implied).
Its obvious from the pictures that they learned a lot from the VisorPhone, I keep getting my screen dirty. With this cover...
I can't wait to buy the color one even for that price, now who wants a Prism+VisorPhone combo?
What was Handspring thinking? The SpringBoard slot is the only reason I purchased a Visor as opposed to a Palm or Sony device.
Without a SpringBoard slot, what compelling reason would I have to purchase Visor if there are equivalent offerings from Palm and other PalmOS licensees?
Not having a SpringBoard slot just insures that a competitor can quickly bundle in equivalent functionality into their offerings.
A SpringBoard slot on this would rock! I'd love being able to take a quick pic using my Eyemodule, and email it to someone!
I sense desperation here.
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What the hell is this all about? I was not prompting garbage like this. WTF?
3cx.org - A truly bad website.
Compaq'2 product website for the IPaq shows a new Expansion sleeve that turns your IPaq into a phone see: http://www.compaq.com/products/handhelds/pocketpc/ options/expansion_packs.html for Details, though not sure if you can slot a CF or PC card at the same time. and It's GSM/GPRS system compliant.
Just a few points:
1. I've been using my Visor Deluxe daily for 2 years (this month is my anniversary, I'm so proud!) and have had only 1 OS crash where I had to do a "cold restart".
2. 8 megs of RAM have served me well, better than I ever imagined...After 2 years of daily use I have over 5 megs still available.
3. 3 months ago I bought a VisorPhone and threw away my cell phone. The Visor still fits in the RhinoSkin case I bought for the Visor alone, and still fits in my hip pocket, albeit a little more tightly...
4. I routinely get 2 to 3 months between battery changes. And AAA's are available anywhere, including Ukraine, which is extremely conveinient...
5. Handspring's service has been great. I dropped my Visor on a concrete floor after 6 months of ownership and the screen shattered (hence the RhinoSkin)...Handspring shipped me a replacement Visor Deluxe, overnight, FOR FREE! Think Compaq would do that?
So, I don't see your point. Why should I subject myself to more of Microsoft's BS?
My Handspring is one of the most useful things I own, right next to my Swiss-Army Knife...I don't leave home without either one...
Goofy, Geeky Gifts and More!
Still does not help me as a Canadian wanting to use this in Europe as well. So, no not a world phone but certainly neat.
What's the alternative? Microsoft's handheld platforms are nowhere near as usable, mature, or efficient as PalmOS. But unlike Palm, the Microsoft handheld platforms also really don't want to talk to anything other than Windows, and you can't develop for them on anything other than Windows.
As far as I'm concerned, PalmOS is still the best game in town for handhelds and phones. Maybe some of the Linux-based devices will make it out the door at some point. Maybe Palm will come out with a decent, modern 32bit OS soon. But I doubt Microsoft ever gets a clue and starts untying their different systems from one another or starts using open, well-documented ways of storing data; and until they do, I think it's foolish to put your data on their devices.
iPaq's that according to your analysis have these features are huge bricks that only Ubber geeks will carry.
When mobile VideoPhone's become standard then we will need video on the road but it will come with specialized compression hardware (you will need more than 200 mhz).
Its all a matter of weight/form factor/battery usage etc... Adding MHZ require voltage which shortens battery life. To increase the battery you add weight and size... In devices EVERYTHING costs. A better OS will spend more CPU cycles which cost in battery life etc...
Sure palm/handspring can get these features, but right now as the iPaq proves they arn't nearly as capable as the m500 in terms of battery/form factor. Frankly I think the iPaq is amazing but all the iPaq owners I know leave them on the desk, where I can't get out of my chair without my Visor.
Work for Handspring?
Own Handspring stock?
Sell/Buy anything to/from Handspring in the course of your work?
and no GPRS support - this is sad!
...
we have GPRS available 5 months or so.
it sure is nice if you use GPRS phone and you like to have fast and mobile internet connection any time you need one.
lets wait for the next one
:(
"Coming early 2002"
> Finally, Handspring has done it before everyone else
Bill Gates has taught you well, slashdot contributor.
Well look at Samsung's SCH-I300 just released this Sept. and it has color.
seriously, how would you type on that tiny thing?
i'll stick with my psion, thankyouverymuch.
This Palm phone has been useful from late 1st quarter this year. The handspring module was supposed to be working from beginning this year.
Notice also how this product isn't even SHIPPING with useable service yet.
*yawn* get back to me when it works, k?
Missing:
Color (c'mon B&W is growing old)
Video (a la casio E115) or mp4 codec support
Microdrive
Camera (for video phone or whatever, camera is cool, need it. heh...)
If they want me to pay 600$ canadian for that thing, ish... not!, having a cell phone and a palm III right now is okay with me and it costed me a fraction of that, but I'd be willing to pay a bit more than 600$ if it would have all the features mentionned above, and I am sure a lot of other people here would just drool over a jam-packed pda like that.
--- Metamoderating abusive downgraders since my 300th post.
http://www.compaq.com/products/handhelds/pocketpc/ options/wireless_packs.html
The new 3870 series Ipaq will also have integrated bluetooth.
Antennas which project from a unit are awful. Even the supposedly sturdiest antennae break eventually, and in most cases will eventually take out the mount that they screw into.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
If I want to use a Optus, Telstra or Vodaphone Australia SIM card account abroad I have to pay an extra fee.
If you go abroad with getting 'roaming' as you call it activated & accept the surcharges/fees that involves, the phone won't log onto the networks overseas, when its turned on.
BTW, even though carrier locked GSM phones exist, they are as rare as hens. Everyone I know in Oz who owns mobile phones have changed carriers at least a couple of times, & most quite a few times. None have had any trouble putting SIM cards from other carriers in their phones.
I agree. It looks like they're trying to get the jump on Palm, IMHO. Palm got nailed for pre-announcing their m50x series last spring, which caused people to stop buying their current product in anticipation of the new ones, which complicated their inventory overstock... Many problems there.
So maybe Handspring figured, since they're sales are down like everyone else, it couldn't hurt to try to get their stock up and get back in the news by pre-announcing this.
Dunno about a Blackberry/Palm/phone combo, though. The VisorPhone was a resounding dud (they've practically been giving them away). And while they've imitated the little tiny Blackberry keyboard, as well as the email functionality, I can't help but think that if it was that important (read compelling) to a user, wouldn't they have gone and bought either a Blackberry or Palm VII by now?
I continue to find Handspring much less imaginitive than I expected.
I could forgo the springboard slot if it at least offered an SD/MMC slot or equivalent, but stuck at 16 MB this thing is just a cell phone with a medicore PDA attached to it.
What I want is a new Visor Prism with a CF+ slot (in place of Springboard) as well as an SD/MMC slot and VFS, plus a Sony CLIE type high res/high color screen. Let me add my prefered wireless phone service via a CF+ card (if that is possible - otherwise stick with Springboard + an SD/MMC slot) so I can easily swap in the device I need at the time.
--- What?
Finally, Handspring has done it before everyone else
A coworker of mine currently has (and has had for over a month) a combo cell-phone and Palm III PDA after he got tired of his separate cell-phone and Palm V.
He said he got it from AT&T, I believe - I don't know if it has the whole POP3 email thing, but it is a combo unit.
The Palm forms part of the screen, and the microphone flips down revealing the full thing, and I think a keypad underneath for dialing. It actually isn't a bad integration, though it is a little wide.
I checked on AT&T's website for it though, no dice - maybe it is discontinued?
Reason is the Path to God - Anon
I'm going to hold onto my hard-earned cash until one comes out with GPS and MP3 capabilities also.
Preferably one that allows the mp3's to be stored on a removable hard drive.
Oh yeah, and a headset jack.
I'm surprised there hasn't been more mention of the Samsung I300 - what seems to be the best Palm/phone combo currently available (with color to boot). As was mentioned above, here is the link to the Sprint I300 page (Verizon coverage is coming soon). Downsides include the traditionally short battery life (although 5hrs with the extended battery isn't terrible), no expandibility slot, and a steep $500 price tag. However, it does weigh only 6oz, which doesn't seem bad for a color Palm. If they would have added a CompactFlash slot and MP3 player, this would have been a killer device.
Where are these features?
.. :)
Before I buy another phone it should do phone functions, SMS, wireless web, mp3, PIM and take pictures..
That way you can store the pictures of the hotties with their number/email and voice dial them up, along with scheduling dates in with them, always bringing along their favorite tunes
-b
anyone else notice how similar it looks to the old generation Star Trek communicators?
Aside from that, the main problem with PDAs and cellphones in general right now is the problem of input...
QWERTY keyboards are great (maybe not as great as DVORAK, but great) if you've got ten fingers to type on. Graffiti, to me seems a poor solution for devices of the palm-size form factor. A better solution for any device with a stylus is the FITALY keyboard layout, designed for either a stylus, or one finger.
FITALY is great, but as screens get cheaper, and power gets more abundant, we're gonna want Star Trek style pads, and we're going to want them bigger than the current palm-size form factor. We'll need a bigger size, and for that, I don't think FITALY is the right input method either. What will be needed when devices of that form-factor come out is a one-handed, or five-finger keyboard. Any mathemeticians out there want to have a crack at a layout? ;)
cheers, joshua
When in danger or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout!
Now before you start flaming me as just another Borg, corporate use has been the source of the explosive growth of Blackberry. I have been a Palm user since 97 and currently have a visor platinum with an MP3 player that's great. But my company gave me a Blackberry, and the ability to use my work inbox from just about anywhere in the U.S. is incredibly useful. This is particularly true given the small form-factor and the keyboard. I say that as a reasonably adept Graffiti user. Without this feature the new Visor product is not very attractive. I guess it could be offered by VAR's, but they really should highlight in the announcement if so. My dream is a Blackberry with a Springboard interface so that I could sync the two and read long or html messages on the Visor, plus maintain a single contact list. Still could happen I guess.
PocketPC is exactly what a mobile OS should not be. It's typical Microsoft Bloatware.
No wonder you need 64MB in your iPaq. Microsofties don't know how to code efficiently.
I have a normal Sanyo 4500 phone (Sprint PCS) and it has a built-in calculator, games, web browser, messaging, etc. I use it for web & email more than for phone calls actually. It cost me $50. I've yet to see a good PDA sell for that much. Now if only they'd make it possible to jack into their network over the Internet and add an 802.11b interface to the phone. :)
At what price learning? At what cost wisdom? The price is a man's peace of mind, and the cost is his life.
Question: Why can I not play networked Quake III in color on a PalmOS PDA? (or process 120 page documents in Word or fry up a side order of hash browns with my Handspring?)
Answer: That is not what a Portable Digital Assistant is for.
Its why Microsoft cannot take a significant chunk of the PDA market. Yes, I can ooh and ahh at the little color videos in the Ipaq. But it is useless as a PROFESSIONAL tool if I have to hunt down a charger after being disconnected for 8 hours. People use their PDAs to keep track of tasks (in rapidly changing order), appointments, and have an address/phone book handy. Those are critical functions. The PDA is not worth crap if I have to worry about whether the battery will hold out.
I don't see what you are bitching about network support. Palm VII and Handspring's with wireless network modules (or even phone module) can do networking. Filesystems, microdrives, blah, blah, blah... Its not what people buy PDAs for.
What you fail to realize is that the PalmOS was designed IN CONJUNCTION with the hardware to be efficient. Until the hardware becomes capable of supporting more (new) features and still be battery efficient, there's no point in changing the OS.
I agree that I would like to see Palm or Handspring move to better hardware. I agree that once the hardware allows for added capabilities, that the PalmOS will need to be revamped or scrapped. I wish Handspring was more financially viable so they would be able to make that jump independent of Palm. But a phone/PDA is not such a critical hardware change that they are crippled with PalmOS. To the contrary, they would be crippled if they went PocketPC or some other feature riddled OS.
(And as a sidenote, I wish more Palm software developers would use Forth for their coding. Its going to make porting less painful when eventually the day to port arrives...)
There is no America. There is no democracy. There is only IBM and AT&T and DuPont, Dow, General Electric, and Exxon
For doing this, you could have bought a Nokia 9000 communicator in Summer of '96!