Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Palm: A Decade Hence

HAPPY 10th Anniversary Palm!

pilot-10thanniversary.jpg

palmOne - About palmOne, Inc - Press Room

Ten years ago, a device was introduced to the world and it started a revolution. The device: The PalmPilot. A few years after its introduction, it became the de-facto standard in handheld computing. Software developers released hundreds of thousands of programs for the Palm platform further cementing it as the de-facto standard in the PDA arena. Ease of use and easy synchronization with a computer was the key to its success.

palm_tungsten_x_handheld.jpg

Ten years after its inception, the whole PDA market seems to be on a decline. Sales have either stagnated, even levelled off but this has not prevented enthusiasts from continually supporting the platform despite its ageing Operating System (PalmOS).

Palm Treo 700w (aka Treo 670)

Will Palm last another ten years? Their foray into the SmartPhone segment is a really smart move (pun intended) because that is the logical path the PDA must take in order to survive. However, lack of real development in its operating system may be its Achilles Heel but the recent release of the Windows Mobile-based Treo is an indication that Palm should not be counted off the game just yet.

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