WinCE places a much higher demand on hardware than Cobalt and now they've gone for Linux - still higher than Cobalt. Plus they've still not even used Cobalt on the few high end models they did do.
If they wanted to still have low end models then they still had the old PalmOS there where Microsoft can't compete at all.
Management was definitely the problem as technically they had it right. However, I think they moved too slowly. The market moved to phones from PDAs and both Microsoft and Palm have been out manoeuvred by Symbian. That will become more obvious in the next year as single chip cheap phones running Symbian ship. Microsoft and Palm are years off.
They haven't used Cobalt. It does put high demands on these devices.
But, there's a attitude that has to be looked at here as well. when you just look at the numbers, you can misunderstand what is happening.
no one expects Windows mobile, ore WinCE to be fast, or responsive. They are also used to it being a resource hog.
But, that's not true for Palm. Cobalt is all of that. I can tell you that what I saw was slow. If Palm came out with a slow system, people would balk. It's more than that, of course. They've had other problems with it as well. But, it's a very noticeable problem.
the other problem of perception is also what is killing them. That perception is that MS is wrapping up the market. The PDA is dead.
I've had a Samsung 1330 for years. It was a great phone. When it came to replace it, Samsung had the 1550 coming out. That was pretty much what every Palm phone person wanted. Others I know would have bought it as well.
But then Samsung and Sprint cancelled it. No reason given.
There are now no new Palm phone designs here. In Asia, yes, but no where else. That kills the market, doesn't it?
It's easy to say that management made big mistakes. Sure! Management always makes big mistakes. MS has sure made theirs. But, so far, MS has been immune to them, other smaller companies have not been, with MS breathing down their necks.
In response to "MS iLife," hasn't Microsoft taken almost every Mac innovation and put it on their system and call it their own? But I don't think it'll be as impressive or as good as the real iLife.
In response to "MS iLife," hasn't Microsoft taken almost every Mac innovation and put it on their system and call it their own? But I don't think it'll be as impressive or as good as the real iLife.
But it generally doesn't have to be. It just has to be there.
See IE v Firefox.
Word v AmiPro/WordPerfect/...
Excel v Improv/Wingz/...
And then by the time they get to v3, as melgross said, it's then *good enough* and people settle. That's when 'innovation' stops at Microsoft.
But Anders and others need to also live outside of Econ 101 crib notes. The real "free market" doesn't work that way.
I'd say it does. Apple's got an edge on most of their competitors as far as innovation, and as a result they've reduced their percentage spent on R&D.. maybe this will fix that.
Comments
Originally posted by aegisdesign
Hmmm. I don't believe that one either.
WinCE places a much higher demand on hardware than Cobalt and now they've gone for Linux - still higher than Cobalt. Plus they've still not even used Cobalt on the few high end models they did do.
If they wanted to still have low end models then they still had the old PalmOS there where Microsoft can't compete at all.
Management was definitely the problem as technically they had it right. However, I think they moved too slowly. The market moved to phones from PDAs and both Microsoft and Palm have been out manoeuvred by Symbian. That will become more obvious in the next year as single chip cheap phones running Symbian ship. Microsoft and Palm are years off.
They haven't used Cobalt. It does put high demands on these devices.
But, there's a attitude that has to be looked at here as well. when you just look at the numbers, you can misunderstand what is happening.
no one expects Windows mobile, ore WinCE to be fast, or responsive. They are also used to it being a resource hog.
But, that's not true for Palm. Cobalt is all of that. I can tell you that what I saw was slow. If Palm came out with a slow system, people would balk. It's more than that, of course. They've had other problems with it as well. But, it's a very noticeable problem.
the other problem of perception is also what is killing them. That perception is that MS is wrapping up the market. The PDA is dead.
I've had a Samsung 1330 for years. It was a great phone. When it came to replace it, Samsung had the 1550 coming out. That was pretty much what every Palm phone person wanted. Others I know would have bought it as well.
But then Samsung and Sprint cancelled it. No reason given.
There are now no new Palm phone designs here. In Asia, yes, but no where else. That kills the market, doesn't it?
It's easy to say that management made big mistakes. Sure! Management always makes big mistakes. MS has sure made theirs. But, so far, MS has been immune to them, other smaller companies have not been, with MS breathing down their necks.
Originally posted by T'hain Esh Kelch
Agreed. Competition against Apples major consumer flagship, would be welcomed!
I agree that competition is generally a good thing... but in this case, I don't believe much competition will be forthcoming.
Originally posted by trtam
In response to "MS iLife," hasn't Microsoft taken almost every Mac innovation and put it on their system and call it their own? But I don't think it'll be as impressive or as good as the real iLife.
But it generally doesn't have to be. It just has to be there.
See IE v Firefox.
Word v AmiPro/WordPerfect/...
Excel v Improv/Wingz/...
And then by the time they get to v3, as melgross said, it's then *good enough* and people settle. That's when 'innovation' stops at Microsoft.
Originally posted by MacGregor
But Anders and others need to also live outside of Econ 101 crib notes. The real "free market" doesn't work that way.
I'd say it does. Apple's got an edge on most of their competitors as far as innovation, and as a result they've reduced their percentage spent on R&D.. maybe this will fix that.
Originally posted by aegisdesign
But it generally doesn't have to be. It just has to be there.
See IE v Firefox.
Word v AmiPro/WordPerfect/...
Excel v Improv/Wingz/...
And then by the time they get to v3, as melgross said, it's then *good enough* and people settle. That's when 'innovation' stops at Microsoft.