Handspring Hides Flash ROM in Handspring Treo

miradu writes: "TreoCentral has just posted an intriguing article about how the Handspring Treo has Flash ROM - something that Handspring claims it doesn't. They've worked with Brayder Technology to create applications to utilize this newly discovered feature. It brings up the question, Why do developers lie about features in a device - especially if they are features that are wanted? Does anyone know any other examples?" Strange -- hardware manufacturers don't often underestimate their products' capabilities, do they?

Comments

long range vision

[cr@ckwhore]

I think at least in Handspring's case, they've had a philosophy of planned obsolescense by building their products with hard ROMs.

Obviously, they can't be upgraded that way, so in their all knowing marketing minds, they're hoping users will continue to upgrade to newer products from Handspring.

Originally, they claimed that the lack of a flash ROM was a price saving measure, but I tend to think that in some cases, a flash rom would actually be cheaper.

Now that the treo has a flash rom, and they're lying about it, what do they expect? Of course users are going to make use of that 'hidden feature' now!

Handspring, you ought to 'embrace and extend' now that the gig's up.

Why? Support

[Your_Mom]

It brings up the question, Why do developers lie about features in a device - especially if they are features that are wanted?

Easy, one word: Support. I am quite sure that Handspring doesn't feel like supporting a million handsping Treo's where their users downloaded the lastest PalmOS upgrade that theire neighbor used on their m 505 and burnt out thier Treo. I am reminded of the PA cartoon where nintendo has to support GBAs when peoepl try to install the Portable Monopoly sytem.

Maybe they planned to tell us later, maybe its a fluke and is only in certain models. Who cares?

VW does this with their cars

[qurob]

Take a look at the cars with the 1.8 Turbo engine.

By changing the ECU programming, they can add power by adjusting boost pressure, air/fuel/spark maps...

The car can magically gain 10-20hp between model years, all with the click of a mouse.

Aftermarket ECU tuners can get the same results out of the cars that are just a few years older.

But, "15 more HP than last year" is a great selling point for a car.

Palm OS licensing issue perhaps?

[topham]

Whats the chance they license Palm-OS on a reduced rate because it isn't 'upgradable'?

Some Earlier Examples

[twisty]

> Strange -- hardware manufacturers don't often underestimate their products' capabilities, do they?

It's common for the aspirations of engineers to be lobotomized a little by the larger marketting beast. I've read several articles on the web where a Celeron motherboard could be greatly sped up by placing celophane tape over a single pin of the Celeron's card edge connector. But then we stray into the area of overclockers...

THE EARLIEST EXAMPLE that springs to mind is on Radio Shack's TRS-80 Color Computers. There was some story about doubling the RAM by bending two pins on a socketted IC chip. The story was that the onboard capacity was crippled for the sake of easy in-store upgrades.

Re:And then amazingly in 2 years your engine fails

[Wolfier]

>Do you seriously thing that an automaker would
>advertise their engine as having only 140 hp if
>with a small software change they could get 160
>hp? I mean come on.

Single brand (Porsche, BMW) companies usually don't - but those who have luxury brands and ordinary brands (Toyota, Honda, VW, Nissan, Ford, GM...) do. They want to share parts to reduce cost, but have to intentionally downtune the cheaper brands to prevent it from competing with its own luxury brands.