Pen-Based PDA Market on Death Bed

An anonymous reader writes "The traditional pen-based PDA market is destined to evaporate within the next four years, according to HP, and it will be focusing its handheld efforts on converged smart phone devices, such as its latest BlackBerry rivals unveiled this week -- the iPAQ rw6800 and the iPAQ hw6900." From the article: "This won't come as a surprise to many, as HP hasn't given its traditional pen-based product line a refresh since the launch of the iPAQ hx4700 towards the middle of 2004. It released the iPAQ rx1950 in September of last year, but this was very much an entry-level product and made few waves among the high-end, tech-savvy consumers that dominate the PDA segment."

Comments

They haven't caught on because the interface sucks

[Colin Smith]

They're crap to use. I mean, they're *useless* for any serious amount of data input, have you ever tried writing a letter on one? and a PDA or smart phone is more useful for displaying data because *it fits in a pocket*...

You want a serious computer, today, it *must* have a keyboard, otherwise it's a data display device.

For those who don't want to carry a PDA, camera, a laptop and a phone, Nokia have the Communicator devices, everything in one.

Big:
http://www.europe.nokia.com/nokia/0,,54106,00.html

Small:
http://www.europe.nokia.com/nokia/0,6771,77854,00. html

I love my PDA

[Lanhdanan]

Been using a PDA for years. Read books, play games, keeps photos, my emails, phone numbers, personal notes, date reminders ... It is a part of my life really. Use it everyday. One thing it doesnt need it a damn phone. Im already around too many phones (most times i dont even bother answering my phone @ home. more bother than what it is worth.)

I will be upgrading when im inclined (to a model around $500-$600 CAD), and i guess with HP going out, that is one less model i need to be concerned with researching when i do decide to purchase. I highly recommend a PDA to anyone who enjoys any of what i mentioned above, cept for the phone thing, if you *must* have a phone, then you will have to sacrifice some things in the name of communication.

Re:Just as long as not everyone believes them....

[digitalgiblet]

I agree, but evidently NON-geeks seem to be adopting the bluetooth "clothespins". I stopped for gas this morning (in a suburb of Atlanta) and of the 5 or 6 people getting gas I was the ONLY one NOT wearing one (and I'm pretty sure I was the biggest geek onhand). The funniest part is that people who wear them DON'T take them off. They were all walking around inside the building getting coffe, etc. while wearing their large, obtrusive ear-pieces. Only Lt. Uhura had a more obtrusive ear-piece!

I've long held the opinion that if you gave one of these things to one of the homeless guys who stand on the street and talk to unseen people, they would cease to look crazy, but rather "productive". Go figure.

Re:Just as long as not everyone believes them....

[6ULDV8]

I think you've missed the aesthetic aspect entirely. It's a clothespin with a beacon. I think it makes you MUCH more attractive than a plain ol clothespin without a beacon.

I was amazed how bright that sucker is in my Plantronics 640 when it strobed as I walked through a dark hallway.

Re:Tablet PCs

[hotspotbloc]

I'm getting atleast three hours of heavy use (100mW 802.11g and the screen full blast) on my 770. Four plus without network usage and a dim screen. It also seems to take less than hour to get an almost full charge. Beautiful hardware and decent, but somewhat immature software. Time will fix that and the lack of apps. Many of the deb-arm packages work if you've rooted your 770.