Ahnyer Keester got my excite-o-meter beeping in another thread , saying the Mac users are practically begging for a handheld.

I’ve vacillated between whether or not Apple should. On one had, it would be exciting, reminiscent of the old days of Mac-versus-Windows bloodletting, if Apple were to release a handheld (which would be the equivalent of taking off its glove, slapping Microsoft across the face with it and shouting, “you varlet!”)

But what do you guys think? Should Apple “go there”? Or not?

(Rodney runs for the sidelines…)

Sigh…. one can dream.

_________________
“Free your mind & your butt will follow…”

Rodney O. Lain
— iBrotha @TMO
— iBrotha.com  

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: iBrotha on 2001-08-22 17:42 ]</font>

I want an Apple handheld, as long as it goes something along these lines .  That column talks about the differences between .Net and what I want to see Apple do, which is allow me to have a home server and take my desktop with me everywhere I go through the magic of NetBoot. 

As I see it, that’s the only Apple handheld that can be released.  Steve Jobs flat out said that in the analyst meeting where he said he was just as proud of the products they hadn’t released as he was of the ones they had released.

That said, I’d buy an Apple branded PDA, even if it was just a rehashed Palm. 

I think Apple is waiting until they can do something really different with the handheld model before they venture down that road again. They could release a Palm knockoff, but who’d buy it besides the hardcore Apple people? I think Apple is just going to leave the handheld market alone until they can crank out something that everyone will be wanting. I think that this is a safe position and I agree with it - so, no, I don’t think Apple should necessarily enter the handheld market.

Now if they can turn the handheld into something beyond a glorified calendar, then I’d be all for it..

They already had the Newton 2100 beyond a calander. It was a damn good PDA. Perhaps a bit big, but it had all you needed, including internet access.
It’s the story of more of Apple’s products.
Their time too far ahead.

Ya had ta go and open up that can o worms, didn’t ya, Rodney. And I thought this was a nice friendly forum.

Ok, here’s my take.

Apple handheld? A firm maybe. I’ve had a Newton (pre-2100) and own a Palm 3. Played with the Dark Side’s offerings and so far the Palm is the closest thing to come to what I think a PDA should do.

I think people want something simple, a PDA that actually replaces pen and paper in form and function, and not just for the sake of technological gee-whizzatry.

See, I’m not convinced that PDAs are all that useful beyond keeping addresses handy. My Palm can do a lot of stuff but the screen is so small and the mode of input so cumbersome that most of that stuff is meaningless. Take documents for instance. Reading docs is a chore because of the dinky screen. There are some doc readers that allow you to rotate the screen but it’s still pretty tiny. And if you want to create a document or edit one, the strokes, slashes, dots, and dashes you have to go through to enter data is a pain in the rump, and fingers. And forget about those keyboards, what an additional pain! Now I have to carry around a keyboard, which defeats the purpose of owning a pocketable PDA in the first place. And that’s one example.

If Apple decides to do a PDA it has to be something more than the Palm, and something about as useful, convenient, and sturdy as paper. That’s not that hard to do. I think Apple was on the right track when it offered the eMate.  The eMate was not intended to be a laptop for the rest of us, it was a PDA with a specific purpose, to handle the day to day I/O of kids in school. Palm originated the idea of PDA specificity by giving us a device that does a few things very well. That was something MS, with its WinCE and now PocketPC, just didn’t get. And it seems that Palm is losing sight of that idea too.

An Apple PDA needs to be simple, I don’t think handwriting recognition is essential and I don’t think it needs to be pocketable. It shouldn’t be heavy, and perhaps about the size of a paperback. The OS should be Palm simple, it should have a keyboard (a REAL keyboard) and a pen. The screen should be almost the entire surface of one side, and color with backlight. Battery life should be measured in excess of 5 days, two weeks should be the goal. It should have wireless communication to your Mac (an option perhaps). It should have builtin apps; word processor, address book, emailer, light weight graphics apps, scheduler, and the ability to add other programs. Memory should be expandable via internal upgrade and Compact Flash/Micro Drive. The whole thing should be sturdy and cost $500 ($300 for schools and students).

Many would like such a device because it addresses a specific need with a technology that is better than what is available now. That’s why the Palm holds its own against MS, that’s what Apple should produce too.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: VSeward on 2001-08-21 08:46 ]</font>

I would love to see a Apple PDA/HandHeld.  Running a Limited form of OS X-OS 9.  I know they would include Airport Wireless Technology.  I also think it would fit nicely into the “Digital Hub” strategy.  When many of heard steve tell us of the “Digital Hub”, I thought for sure that the “One more thing” would be a palm to fit in with our digital lifestyles.

I think that it would be great if Apple would release a form of X that would rival Windows CE.  Apple maybe waiting till LCD screens drop in price like the rumored LCD iMac.  Though it is just rumored. 

I persoanlly would buy one for school,as well as many educators.  This would give apple another edge in the education arena.  This would really be great.

Apple Release a PDA/Handheld for a reasonable Price, don’t pull a cube.  Keep students in mind as well as buisnesses.

Though I would like to see an Apple handheld, I doubt it’s a good idea (or necessary).

Apple already supports Palm OS devices. While those aren’t suitable for everyone’s needs, they are handy organizers.

My suggestion is that Apple incorporate support for syncing Windows CE devices. Personally, I don’t like Windows. I’ve had endless trouble with 95 & 98, and find Me just a little less frustrating. But my PDA of choice was the Cassiopeia E-100, with Windows CE 2. And I’m happy with it. I have a Dell laptop that I won, and while that’s suitable for now, I wish I was using a Mac. Once I get a larger hard drive and more RAM, I plan to install either FreeBSD, Darwin and/or SCO Unix. I’ll probably keep a Windows partition as well.

I’d love to sync my E-100 with my iMac. Even if I have to buy either a serial-USB adapter or an infrared adapter, I would try it. I’m going to give the iMac to my wife, but I’ll still use it on occasion until I get a G4.

If Apple were to support Palm OS, Pocket PC/HPC, and the various others (Helio, Linux-based) for the purpose of syncing and file-transfer, we could have the best of both worlds, and Apple could save the money that would be necessary to develop yet another PDA to flood the market.

There wouldn’t be as much R&D as you think for Apple to create a PDA/HandHeld.  This is not like it is a new venture for Apple.  Sure there would be some necessary R&D but little incomparison to what other companies would be required to run.  Apple may even be able to hire a few of the Be OS guys.  I think that Apple could do it and make a product that would enhance are lifes.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Britton on 2001-08-21 09:09 ]</font>

Okay here we go here is how I see it, you may diagree or whatever but I tried to keep the facts straight as possible!

The market for a PDA may be large but the profit margin is veerryyy low. Palm only makes $.50 for each one they sell and they don’t sell as many as they would like to stay afloat. Apple, especially in these harder economic times, has to ONLY sell things that are marketable in a financially sound way, the G4 Cube was a good example of this, The cube was steves baby and he had to kill it (i.e. remember the neXtCube?) I know he wanted that to succeed but in his finacial wisdom he knew it would hurt apple more in the long run if they kep’t it right now. SO I hope this helps sharpen this picture about an Apple PDA, it may happen, but I seriously doubt it.

Sincerely

~Yoshi

50 *cents* on each Palm?

I find this very difficult to believe.  Is that what you meant, yoshi?

Believe it, its very very low, it may have increased a bit but in the heat of recent heavy competition with WinCE devices they have slashed prices to the point where they make almost nothing. Imagine it like this.. it costs Palm $120 to make each device.. okay, so initally they sell for $400, they make a cushy profit, but now, it the heat of competition, they lower the price more and more to stay in the top, I have seen palms for about $150, and that would include the profit margin for the store which carries they, which will be around $20 bucks so as you can see palm is taking a beating out there.

~Yoshi

>>>The market for a PDA may be large but the profit margin is veerryyy low. Palm only makes $.50 for each one they sell and they don’t sell as many as they would like to stay afloat. <<<<

I want a Mac that will fit in my pocket or attach to my jeans like a Walkman, run’s REAL applications, run’s OSX, makes use of fabric keyboards, and display through VR style headset.

The last two technologies exist now, they are just very expensive for the quality needed.

Personaly I would be willing to pay $3-4-5000 for one of these things, and the markup could certainly be more than $.50

Before anyone says you cant fit a processor that fast in something that size, well a PC manufacturer has already done it. and motorolla/ibm/apple chips are generally smaller.

Hell businesses could get rid of the workplace, and all congregate down the local park instead, doing away with offices, this would save a whole load on rent ,  justifying the supply of all your workers with the new (but expensive)Apple MacMan.

I am at least partly to blame for this since it was I who awoke the slumbering iBrotha with PDAs and rumors of PDAs so I suppose I must wade in.

Morto said “I think Apple is waiting until they can do something really different with the handheld model before they venture down that road again.” That is EXACTLY what I had in mind. How about a PDA that is useful? One that you could read an ebook on without squinting and turning the page every quarter second? How about one that integrates into our digital lifestyle easily and cleanly? How about one with a built in AirPort card so I can walk in the house, sync my data and get my e-mail while I take off my coat and pour a cup of coffee. Then I slip off my wingtip shoes, wiggle my toes ‘neath my argyle socks, slip into my wingback chair, scratch the golden retriever on the head and look over my e-mail. Then read a chapter or two of Garrison Keillor’s latest book. And that without having to slip on my antique bronze wire rimmed reading glasses or picking up a magnifying glass.

I want Apple to enter the PDA market not with a Palm rip-off, heck, look at what is happening to Palm and Handspring right now. Apple don’t want to go there, that’s for sure. I want Apple to do what Apple does best, innovate. Do it right. Make a product that works with me instead of me with it. Put a slimmed down version of OS X on a handheld and make the darn thing readable.

I agree.  I think an Apple branded PDA would be a great idea.  I stil think that the Newton kicks the pants off of the Palm types.  The handwriting recongnition is fantastic.  I used my Newton 2100 to keep track of patients when I did rounds during internship.  Now it is hard to get software, but will say it is still the best.

I would buy a an Apple branded PDA as long as it had the software support and good handwriting recognition.  Hey while I am dreaming, how about voice recognition?  That’s a dream.

I do not think Apple will step into the ring.  They are too afraid to fail after the cube.  Apple is not in despirate need for innovation and that is a shame.  Hopefully, this will all change. 

Chuck Haislip

Well I hope Apple is on the right track because they’re claiming no new hardware at the Paris Expo.

Hey, we read the same PR today and reported on it also. 

The Mac Observer’s better-than-C|Net’s-story-though-I-haven’t-read-their’s story .