Palm vs. Win CE .. aka .. Browser Wars Pt2.
Oct 13 '00
Palm is poised to best Microsoft in the PDA Operating System market.
Many of you will say, we've been down this road before, remember Netscape and the incredible headstart they had on Microsoft in the browser market.
It's different this time -- no really --- very different!
Palm currently has 78% market share in the US, and 70% of the world market for PDA's. Does that mean that Microsoft Windows CE owns a 22% market share in the US ? NO -- Psion, Symbian, and Apple all share that remaining 22% along with Microsoft.
FACT: The PALM OS is the dominant OS for handheld devices -- both here in the US and abroad.
Fact: Many current handset manufacturers, including Nokia and Qualcomm, license the PALM OS.
As phones and PDA's slowly merge into one device, expect to see the PALM OS as the dominant and eventually only OS used by the major manufacturers.
Usability is a key aspect to deciding on a new PDA.
Below are key features that all Palm PDA's share:
-- Date Book application - Access up to 5 years of appointments.
-- Address Book application - Thousands of addresses are at your fingertips.
-- To Do List application - Keep thousand of to-do items close at hand.
-- Note-taking - Jot down notes, compose e-mail, and more.
-- E-Mail storage - Download e-mail from your PC for mobile review.
-- Find application - Find names, dates, and places fast.
-- Palm™ Desktop software - Use your Palm™ applications right at your desktop PC. HotSync® technology - Instantly synchronize all your information with your desktop PC.
-- Five easy ways to enter data - Choose your weapon to enter all your information quickly and easily.
All of these features are designed for a palmtop machine. Palm has not tried to shrink Windows 98/95 down and have it run on a handheld. They have automated key taks and made them very simple to execute on a handheld device.
This is a key difference -- the PDA is not a replacement of your PC/laptop, but an extension.
Wireless Capabilities:
Two of the Palm handhelds, the Palm VII Palm VIIx, are wirelessly enabled right out of the box. The price, $399 and $449, respectively.
NO WINDOWS CE handheld come similarly equipped (as of today Oct.13,2000) - including units costing $549-$599.
This is another area the Palm is the leader in. To go wireless on a Windows CE Pocket PC, one must purchase an additional modem for the device at a cost of $200 and up -- making that affordable PDA quite expensive.
The Windows CE handhelds have done a nice job on one feature. Color Displays. Palm has only produced the model Vx with a color display. Most of the Pocket PC's come with color screens.
While I prefer a color display, many users do not. Just imagine watching a color TV in full sunlight. That's a similar problem many color PDA owners face when using their handheld outside.
Price, Usability, and a very nice form make the Palm handhelds my pick to continue leading the market.
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Epinions.com ID:
Brian28
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Member: Brian Anderson
Location: Atlanta, GA
Reviews written: 3
Trusted by: 0 members
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