Windows on a Palm OS PDA?? What's next??!!

[vader1941]

We all knew it was in the works, but as many you may have noticed, it has been announced that the Treo 700w (w for windows mobile) will shop tomorrow (5th January) From a business standpoint, I can see why Palm would have taken the approach of incorporating Windows Mobile on a Palm Handheld (to expand its product line and also to capitalise on the untapped market of executives who want a decent smartphone, but feel more at home using a Microsoft OS - be it for compatibility reasons or whatever) - basically to ensure that Palm continues to survive.

However, on the otherside of story, it sort of seems a bit ridiculous to take this approach instead of continuing to battle Windows Head-on. Palm OS is well reknowned for its ease of use, stability and performance ... unlike Windows Mobile. So why didn't Palm continue to reinvest, and further develop the Palm platform and the hardware that it runs on? Resources could be spent on further improving compatibility with Microsoft Products ... or perhaps adding further features to the standard PIM applications, so that out of the box, the Palm can do more. And what about hardware? We haven't really seen anything revolutionary since the Handspring Visor's Springboards ... it seems that we are just 'matching' Pocket PC specs and features - I know a lot of you will probably disagree with me on this one. But, Palm needs to do something to set its handhelds apart from others ...

Also, having Windows Mobile running on a Palm handheld does raise certain questions ... is Palm losing belief in the Palm OS Platform? CEO Ed Colligan insists that this is not the case and that the company just wants to expand its product line ... but as I said earlier, if more had been pumped back into the company to carry out innovation at both hardware and software levels, then maybe Palm would still be dominant in the PDA industry?

Money shouldn't really be a problem, because since the early days of the Palm Pilot, 3Com and later PalmOne have always seen strong sales period after period ... Knowing Microsoft and their dirty tricks, allowing one Palm handheld to be loaded with Windows Mobile, could be seen as giving Microsoft a foot in the door to taking over the prized Palm handhelds ...

I guess you can liken this to being in a battlefield, and then saying to the opposing General .. "Hey, you can use one of a tanks as long as you provide the fuel and your own ammo ..." It's like shooting yourself in the foot really!


Anyways, what does everyone else think of this? Does Palm OS still have a future? Is Linux the answer? What do you guys think is the answer to ensuring that Palm continues to evolve and be a leader in this increasingly competitive industry?


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One things for sure tho, if I see Windows Mobile creeping into other Palm Handhelds, I'm gonna scream!!! ... along with the many other loyal Palm enthusiasts!!!

Oh, and another thing ... has anyone seen the new Ipaqs (http://h50025.www5.hp.com/hpcom/au_e...ummary.html)?? If they aren't blatant copies of Treos, then I'll be damned ... doesn't Palm have a patent on those things? And doesn't that defeat the purpose of Palm releasing a Treo on Windows Mobile??



Ok, let the opinions fly!!! I'm interested to see what everyone else thinks ...

A concerned Drewster

[Mik151]

Palm has liscense agreements with PalmSource till 2009. So there are 3 more years at least.

But, by getting into bed with Windows you'll see several things change:

1. Better integration into corporate units - which Palm is clearly lacking compared to Windows Mobile devices.
2. But you also have the Blackberry / Palm software coming out that will enforce a better corporate platform and should have true push email which Windows PPC device still don't have.
3. A open source of development between Palm and Windows to segeway into the next generation of devices - the 700W is just the first.

Overall it's good for smartphones. It may be bad for just a PDA....a lot depends upon what happens to the Palm OS. If Cobalt had been realized before the Treo 700 then Palm might have maintained it's advantage. But now that Palm doesn' "own" the OS they can't say no to looking at other avenues.