Sony departure from PDA maketplace explained - the Palmtops are coming

Sony departure from PDA maketplace explained - the Palmtops are coming

Published by johnbartley
08-30-2004

Sony departure from PDA maketplace explained - the Palmtops are coming

Here's a quick <a href="http://www.handtops.com/show/news/34">review of upcoming palmtop PCs</a>; machines which will fit in a very small purse, coat pocket, and maybe pants pocket, (but not a shirt pocket), and run Windows and/or Linux to give you all of your desktop apps while out in the field.

Drop a 1xRTT or EDGE card in these, plug in an earset, connect to Skype or other VOIP providers, and You've Got Voice. Palm has got to be sweating blpod over these, as it kills the top end of their market. It also explains why Sony retreated from the market.

I've actually used two of these, the OQO and the FlipStart, as well as a lot of other mobile computing gear. Since I've just had the touchscreen on my Fujitsu Lifebook 1032 one-kilo notebook fail, with a probable repair cost of 75% of a new unit, I appreciate that the Vulcan folks might have left off the touchscreen for ruggedness reasons.

The Ultimate Convergence is upon us with VOIP and micro PCs such as these, which makes it even more imparative that PalmPhone vendors focus on ruggedness, reliability and ease of use, to grab the loyalty of folks who don't want to have a full-blown PC in their pocket.

__________________
John Bartley K7AAY | http://celdata.cjb.net | http://kiloseven.blogspot.com

Latest 5 articles

Is Palm Over Playing Their Palm Pre?

Sprint Reported to Have Palm Pre All To Itself for 2009

The First Victim of Apple's iPhone...

A PDAPhone for Under $100?

First Look: Treo 755P Review Published

#1 (permalink)

By Marctronixx on 08-30-2004, 04:22 PM

there is a guy in the G forum who has a sony palm top...

#2 (permalink)

By midibach on 08-30-2004, 09:49 PM

I think I could un-converge a while for something like this, Especially with the instant on feature. Palmtop with a CF connection card in one front pocket, very small cell phone with my keys in the other.

#3 (permalink)

By CarlGalgano on 08-30-2004, 11:42 PM

I might be interested in something like this to suppliment my smartphone, but certainly not replace it. Any idea on price and availability? I would love a device between my treo and my laptop for personal trips/vacation, when light usage might be needed.

I currently have an HP820 palmtop that is nice, but I can not use my Sprint Merlin 201C card in it because it uses the old CE OS.

#4 (permalink)

By tntgeb on 08-31-2004, 10:22 AM

If they would improve the ability of the bluetooth headsets to work properly everytime to where you could leave this in a breifcase or backpack and make your calls I would use one. Lighter and smaller is better for road warriors.

#5 (permalink)

By dwdod on 08-31-2004, 10:22 AM

Price is going to be an issue. Most of us are used to convergence devices in the $400-$600 range. These "handtops" are in the $2500 range, and that is without any accessories. Add docking station, VOIP card, keyboard, etc., etc., and it is considerably out of my price range. Pluse, the only way you can use it as a phone is with a headset. I suppose that I could get used to that if I had to, but I sure don't want to.

#6 (permalink)

By midibach on 08-31-2004, 02:34 PM

Depending on the application, having one computer for home, work (docking stations) and wherever to replace current equipment may make the cost more feasible. A Bluetooth headset would work OK if it had good voice recognition. I'd hate to have to open up a Flip Start every time I want to make a call.

#7 (permalink)

By amirmckelvey on 09-01-2004, 10:23 PM

If it's around $800 on ebay I would get something like that, paying $550 for my G1000 was nice coming w/ 256 meg sd card and Pharos GPS.

Last edited by amirmckelvey : 09-02-2004 at 01:27 PM.

#8 (permalink)

By maxnix on 09-02-2004, 08:48 AM

I have to wonder if the device is large enough to have a truly usable keyboard for data entry. That's the failure point for most of these devices, and why I don't see anything below the size of a mini-laptop being truly useful as a self-contained unit for data entry and editing.

#9 (permalink)

By dwdod on 09-02-2004, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by maxnix
I have to wonder if the device is large enough to have a truly usable keyboard for data entry. That's the failure point for most of these devices, and why I don't see anything below the size of a mini-laptop being truly useful as a self-contained unit for data entry and editing.

There will be a docking station available for the unit so that you can use a full-sized keyboard and/or a full-sized monitor as needed.

#10 (permalink)

By tntgeb on 09-02-2004, 10:49 AM

Why don't they incorporate a fold-out keyboard in one of these devices? Or one of those virtual keyboards for desktop use.

#11 (permalink)

By dwdod on 09-02-2004, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by tntgeb
Why don't they incorporate a fold-out keyboard in one of these devices? Or one of those virtual keyboards for desktop use.

The virtual keyboards can be configured to work with just about any device, but I haven't met anyone who actually likes typing on one.

#12 (permalink)

By tntgeb on 09-02-2004, 11:36 AM

Yeah but wouldn't it be neat if you could open the clamshell and an infared that is mounted on the device projects the keyboard on the desk in front of you. They could then make only a thumb keyboard for when you not at a desk and then use the virtual when you are sitting down. Actually this would work on any device even the h6315 style.

#13 (permalink)

By dwdod on 09-02-2004, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by tntgeb
Yeah but wouldn't it be neat if you could open the clamshell and an infared that is mounted on the device projects the keyboard on the desk in front of you. They could then make only a thumb keyboard for when you not at a desk and then use the virtual when you are sitting down. Actually this would work on any device even the h6315 style.

Perhaps you haven't looked at the pics, but the unit will have a mid-sized QWERTY keyboard when you open the clamshell.

#14 (permalink)

By tntgeb on 09-02-2004, 11:51 AM

Ok, sorry I am designing here. Everyone wants a fullsize keyboard, in a perfect world, that would be usefull and mobile to use with their PPC. If they built the virtual keyboard into the device then you would have a mid size or compact if you are walking around or do not have a flat surface and you would have a full size for those long e-mails or word documents.

#15 (permalink)

By monkeyboy on 09-18-2004, 12:52 AM

Not sure why you think these units explain why Sony left the PDA market. These $2000+ units, simply updates to the Libretto, are not competitors to $200-500 PDAs and Palm is not competing with these. There isn't 1/1000th the market for these compared with a $200 PDA. I wouldn't mind a more modern Libretto but I'm nearly the only one I know of that has used a palmtop/handheld whereas I know dozens that use PDAs and many that are eyeing Smartphones.

#16 (permalink)

By johnbartley on 09-18-2004, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by monkeyboy
Not sure why you think these units explain why Sony left the PDA market. <snip> I wouldn't mind a more modern Libretto but I'm nearly the only one I know of that has used a palmtop/handheld whereas I know dozens that use PDAs and many that are eyeing Smartphones.

Yep. Sony has exited markets in the part when they become saturation markets and commoditized. The palmtop market, however, is a growth market and Sony can lead it, whereas with Palms they were following Palm.

#17 (permalink)

By tntgeb on 09-18-2004, 03:31 PM

I used the original Palm top that was sold retail.