Palm's new "Tungsten T" Series:
Finally, a competitor for the iPaq, etc!
<a href="http://www.palm.com"; target="_blank">http://www.palm.com</a>;
<a href="http://www.palm.com"; target="_blank">http://www.palm.com</a>;
Comments
Perhaps i'll (finally) get a PDA.
I'll wait to see the new iPaq H5000s, then decide whether or not a PDA is something I need right now.
For starters, cell phones are getting smaller, and people like this. Ergo the screen on the phone is tiny. I don't want to stare at a calendar on that thing. And if the screen is as big as a palm, well, I don't want to talk into that thing. I just don't see this happening, but, whatever
Take a look at the new Sony NX series of Palms. They're quite nice...
Then you can e-mail from your PDA while your tiny cell phone stays safe and sound in your pocket.
About the size of a DVD jewel case, which incedentally is about the footprint of a trade-paperback, or about A5 size, makes for the ideal comprimise between readability and luggability. With a high-def and high contrast screen and a slim profile this device could use PDA level OS and hardware to display files from your network and run it's own standalone apps.
PDA's and subnotes on one end, PIM's and phones on the other.
I still think the future is in voice recognition. It's available on many phones now, but they don't necessarily work that well.
But I'm all for separate devices. A simple slim slab and buttonless phone that's simply voice activated. The sleekness of this type of phone can easily slide into a to a larger PDA or tablet like device. That way, you're still carrying "one" item around all day.
Am I the only one that feels completely ridiculous holding up somethingl ike a Handspring Treo to my ear and talking into it?</strong>
Oh, you're not alone in feeling that way. If a pda phone isn't 2.25" or less in width, I'm not buying it.
<strong>It's how most Palm based phones feel; they're too big and clumsy to make me want to use them as a cell phone.</strong>
Here's what I'm waiting for:
<a href="http://www.palminfocenter.com/view_Story.asp?ID=4047"; target="_blank">Samsung i500</a>
[ 10-28-2002: Message edited by: THT ]</p>
I mean, it seems like every company coming out with such devices now are either taking a phone and trying to shove a Palm into it (Like the pic above), or they're taking a palm and trying to shove a phone into it (like the Treo or the new Palm phone).
Personally, I've never wanted my PDA to ring; I don't want to have to stop to answer my PDA. And you could argue that it is a phone first and PDA second.... but not when you make a Palm based phone. The Palm OS is an operating system designed to do a variety of PIM functions AND more... and making and receiving phone calls wasn't really planned at any point. I mean, the Palm interface doesn't make a very elegant one for a telephone.
My solution? Scrap the idea of WinCE and Palm OS as platforms for a PIM inside of a mobile phone. Neither OS was designed for it, and it's like trying to put a medium format lens on a 35mm camera; why carry around the extra bulk? Of course the problem becomes compatability, and Palm and WinCE both talk to desktops already... still, I'm not sold on this idea....
BTW, how can 2 mods and an administrator post in this thread and not move it to Digital Hub? Just Asking...
[ 10-29-2002: Message edited by: Frank777 ]</p>
<strong>(...)or well conceived idea, a SMALL tablet of sorts, something NEARLY a PDA would be just about right.
About the size of a DVD jewel case, which incedentally is about the footprint of a trade-paperback, or about A5 size, makes for the ideal comprimise between readability and luggability.</strong><hr></blockquote>
like the newton ?
The thing is 5.5" high, 2 7/8" wide, and is 11/16 of an inch deep. Screen is 320x480 at thousands of colors. It includes a keyboard, which can be hidden, and a virtual graffiti area. Personally, I think it is the best Palm device out. Bigger screen, virtual graffiti, tiny keyboard built-in, screen folds out and pivots. I mean, it's *worth* the $499
This is my idea of a handheld....
<strong>
like the newton ?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Except, that at the size, my ideal device would have at least 90% screen coverage.
<strong>BTW, how can 2 mods and an administrator post in this thread and not move it to Digital Hub? Just Asking...
<img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" />
I'm not the best person to answer, I think I've been a little inconsistent in my approach to PDA threads.
I thought this should stay in General Discussion because it was about the PDA industry in general, rather than how PDAs relate to Macs and the iApps. I did, however, start my own thread about Palm in Digital Hub.
I'll leave the final decision to Bodhi or murbot.
[ 10-29-2002: Message edited by: Belle ]</p>
Looks cool, but still looks too small to be useful as a PDA. I don't understand the fascination with wanting to combine the two.</strong>
Personally, it's about convenience. I want one of my trouser pockets back! I carry around a Palm IIIxe and a Samsung N200 around. It's not fun. And quite possibly in the future, an iPod or AM/FM tuner.
I don't need a handheld computer, but I do need a a calender, contacts, and notetaking. Maybe some games. I use about 2000 minutes on my cell phone, so I would prefer a cell phone form factor than a PDA one.
<strong>My solution? Scrap the idea of WinCE and Palm OS as platforms for a PIM inside of a mobile phone. </strong>
Sure, I'd agree with you there. Most of the handheld and phone operating systems and UI suck pretty bad.
Pocket PC Phone Edition has some interesting features that'll work just fine with a cell phone. I guess that if you're wandering around talking on your phone, you can just use a headset and keep the big ass PDA in your pocket. If you're sitting at a desk, you can work on the device and talk with a headset or handsfree (Something that needs to be in more cell phones).
It'll be interesting to see if the new hardware has any impact on <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,106463,00.asp"; target="_blank">this</a> trend.</strong>
I really don't think so. It sort of like in the movie, The Matrix, Neo is in a headlock on the subway tracks and the train horn sounds, and the AI says, "Do you know what that sound is, Mr. Anderson? That is the sound of inevitability." And in this movie Palm isn't a savior figure, just a putz waiting to be squashed.
I am however on an anti-Microsoft campaign and will refuse to use Microsoft items in all possible situations, so I probably won't be buying a WinCE phone or PDA in the future, however tempting. As for Palm, they don't have the infrastructure to sell products that MS has. They don't have a Dell or HP hawking their wares. They don't have a monopolist product like Office which includes the super important Outlook email to leverage off of. So at least for PDA's, I think their days are numbered.
<strong>I guess that if you're wandering around talking on your phone, you can just use a headset and keep the big ass PDA in your pocket. If you're sitting at a desk, you can work on the device and talk with a headset or handsfree (Something that needs to be in more cell phones).</strong>
But that's the problem. I don't want to be carrying yet another item, a headset, around with me. In fact, when I'm at my desk, both my cell phone and PDA lay on my desk. Heck I'm waiting for an electronic device to replace my wallet!