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Palm to Buy Handspring

Posted by michael on from the get-another-one-in-case-the-first-one-breaks dept.

liam193 writes "CBS MarketWatch is reporting that Palm has agreed to buy Handspring for $169M. If you were purchasing a PDA right now, would you choose Palm, Handspring, or avoid them entirely? I guess one of my concerns is that Handspring has some really cool features that Palm may want to keep. Any merger spells elimination of product lines. So what gets dropped? Palm which has probably a nicer "case" style or Handspring with its less desirable case but some features you don't find on Palms."

4 of 382 comments (clear)

  1. Why? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I don't get it - what does Handspring bring to Palm? Certainly a couple of years ago they had nice features compared to the palms of the time, like expansion ports and such like, but now Palm has that too.

  2. Uhhh... by kikta · · Score: 5, Insightful
    "So what gets dropped? Palm which has probably a nicer "case" style or Handspring with its less desirable case but some features you don't find on Palms."


    Wouldn't they most likely use the best features from both?
  3. choose, but choose wisely.... by sweeney37 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If you were purchasing a PDA right now, would you choose Palm, Handspring, or avoid them entirely?

    I would avoid both of them entirely, but not because of the sale, but because of the clunky design, smaller screen size, and general lack of innovation. With Handspring came along, it pushed Palm to adapt and made their products cheaper, and smaller. But overall both of their products we're basically the same. I mean how long did it take for Palm to develop USB functionality, even Handsprings came with it right out of the box?

    Then the Palm OS market changed when Sony came along, they pulled the 6 Million Dollar Man on the competitors. They made their handheld, faster, smaller and added functionality the others were lacking. I did my research and at the time bought the Clie PEG-SL10 and I haven't looked back. Palm may of been one of the originators but Sony has been the innovator.

    I think this sale is bad for everyone, competition always spurs more innovation.

    Mike

  4. Elimination? by thamaht · · Score: 5, Insightful

    A merger doesn't always mean elimination. In many cases there's actual merging.
    I don't see why it has to be one or the other. Palm has been smart, and if they continue to be, the features of the Handspring will be added in to the next Palm Pilot revision.