An Apple PDA - My ideas

[Performa5200CD]

Well, there has been a bit of speculation about Apple PDAs, and I would like to add my two cents.

Apple have the iPod at the moment, which looks very nifty, and has been getting general good reviews. Here is my idea

- Case of the iPod
- Same sized screen as Palm M500/505 (this wont need a larger case, will it, i have never seen the two side by side)
- Screen capable of thousands of colours,can be tuned down to 256, or grey, or b&w to save battery
- Similar processor to Palm M500/505
- Graphiti writing space
- Connected to computer and charged through Firewire (Alternative charger like iPod's as well)
- Latest version of PalmOS, aqua-ised to give it that Mac feel, but still be familiar to a Palm user
- Access to all Palm applications
- The same programme as used in iPod to play MP3s and allow syncing with iTunes
- Here is the biggie: an explansion socket so you can add any of the following: Airport aerial, FM aerial, cellphone aerial, GPS aerial, keyboard, digital camera, removable media drive (SD or whatever)

This would make for a pretty decent PDA, perhaps, given Apple's pricing structure, a bit more expensive than the top of the line Palm, but with superior features. iPod would probably drop in price a bit too, being the basic MP3 player offered by Apple.

This device offers it all, from MP3 player to Palm to Cellphone. By having the removable media drive as an add-on, not built in, people can chose what sort of removable media they will use. The sky's the limit with what sort of goodies could be developed to fit into the slot.

Ideas, anyone?

Performa

[CapnPyro]

that would be 'yet-another-pda' though, it wouldnt offer anything over any other pda really, except firewire and an aqua interface (the gadgets every pda has..), and the firewire would be nullified by the fact that when you update your address book your maybe sending.. 100k at most?

i think its lacking that something really special that would make it an apple product

[Performa5200CD]

It would have the iTunes compatability. It would be stylish. It would have the look of OSX wwith the system of Palm. It would have high end specs. What else can you put in it, realistically? I am open to suggestions...

Performa

[Bogie]

Apple will not release any computing device that runs a 3rd party OS. Just the way it is, and I don't believe they will release a PDA anything like a Palm, Palms and PocketPCs do not have enough going for them, not enough functionality.

[Mike Eggleston]

[quote]Originally posted by Bogie:
<strong>Apple will not release any computing device that runs a 3rd party OS. Just the way it is, and I don't believe they will release a PDA anything like a Palm, Palms and PocketPCs do not have enough going for them, not enough functionality.</strong><hr></blockquote>

I whole-heartedly agree. If Apple was to do a PDA-like thing I think they would do a couple of things:

Make it run a version of OS X, like PadX or something to that effect Yes, Firewire to have the recharging, but interfacing to many different applications. Definiatily in color. Might have an EMULATOR for Palm-based software (Classic for the Palm), but would not run nativily the OS It would have a Hard Drive in it.

This would make it the ultimate in PDAs. Because it would have basically a fully operational OS that is compatible with current technologies. As for the whole idea of Grafitti, I don't think Apple would want to take that step backwards.

As for applications, I could see them making versions of like iTunes, Mail, iMovie, etc for this thing. It would become the ultimate portable, while not making it quite the Laptop's capabilities.

[ 11-22-2001: Message edited by: Mike Eggleston ]</p>

[neutrino23]

[quote]Originally posted by Bogie:
<strong>Apple will not release any computing device that runs a 3rd party OS. ...</strong><hr></blockquote>

The iPod's OS and software were written by a third party.

[Bogie]

Before I argue that the iPod is not a computing device - its a music player/hard drive - and therefore my statement stands ... why don't you back that up by explaining who the 3rd party is and where I can verify that.

[Scott_H]

[quote]Originally posted by Performa5200CD:
<strong>
- Screen capable of thousands of colours,can be tuned down to 256, or grey, or b&w to save battery</strong><hr></blockquote>

I'm not sure that would save battery life at all.

[Bogie]

Actually on an LCD the amount of colors displayed is determined by the amount of light you shoot through the pixels so the less light you use the less power you need and the less colors shown. Any old trick on PowerBook 5300s and earlier color PowerBooks was to turn them to grey scale to conserve power. At this point however I do not this that would be well received as a "feature" of battery saving.

[gorgonzola]

Moving to Digital Hub.

[Fran441]

Grafitti? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[crawlingparanoia]

Here's my idea for an Apple PDA: No.

[ihxo]

- my newton wokeup from deep sleep last week :D
- That reminds me of how good newton's HWR is
- that get's me to my final point
- GRAFITTI SUX ..........

btw: apple's going to make a PDA, I'd love them to join the EPOC team instead.

[His Dudeness]

If Apple put a new PDA on the market, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. No questions asked. Imagine what Apple would do to the PDA market...

[torifile]

[quote]Originally posted by Bogie:
<strong>Before I argue that the iPod is not a computing device - its a music player/hard drive - and therefore my statement stands ... why don't you back that up by explaining who the 3rd party is and where I can verify that.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Bogie,
I was going to call you on that point as well, but then I noticed that you carefully said "computing device". I believe Pixo makes the OS for the iPod. <a href="http://www.pixo.com" target="_blank">www.pixo.com</a> They make some interesting products. I wonder what's in store for the next round of iPod devices...