Is the Palm OS Dying? Should You Care?
Ablang
Some believe Palm OS smart phones are a dying breed--but there are
good reasons not to count them out yet.
James A. Martin
Wednesday, April 30, 2008 1:00 AM PDT
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,144788/article.html?tk=nl_ptxcol
Recently, I was talking to an executive at a smart phone software
developer. The company had recently released new versions of its
software for RIM BlackBerrys, Windows Mobile Smartphones, and other
devices--but not for Palm OS smart phones. I asked why.
"It's a dying platform," she replied, matter-of-factly.
Her reaction wasn't surprising, given Palm's long, slow slide from top
PDA maker to third-tier smart phone vendor. There's been uncertainty
about the Palm OS's future for years. Palm Treos running Windows
Mobile became available in January 2006. And Palm has been developing
a new, as-of-this-writing-unreleased Linux-based OS for what feels
like an eternity.
Still, the software executive's comment aroused mixed feelings.
I've been a Palm loyalist since 1997, when I became hooked on the Palm
V. Currently, I use a Treo 755p. I've always found the Palm OS to be
easy-to-use and efficient. Palm devices are reliable and sturdy; I've
rarely encountered problems with the five I've owned.
And yet.
My Treo has been looking extremely dowdy of late, compared to the
Apple iPhone, AT&T Tilt, LG Electronics Voyager, and other slick smart
phones. Neither the Palm OS nor devices running it have evolved
noticeably in years.
In short, I've got a strong urge to stray from my Treo. I have no
doubt many of you have felt similar urges--and even acted upon them.
What You Get
Does that mean it's time to ditch our Palm devices? Not necessarily.
Here are four reasons why Palm OS smart phones are still worth owning.
1. The Treo Touch Screen Isn't Too 'Touchy.' The iPhone/iPod Touch
screen is gorgeous, bright, and big, by smart phone standards. But it
can be a bit too "touchy." For instance, on my iPod Touch I've often
clicked accidentally on an e-mail and opened it when I was simply
trying to scroll through the list of messages. The more I use the iPod
Touch for e-mail, the less it happens, but still, it's annoying. The
iPhone/iPod Touch screen also makes it a bit too easy to accidentally
click a link on a Web page. I've rarely had these problems with the
Treo's touch screen.
By the way, current BlackBerrys don't have touch screens, though there
have been rumors that a touch-screen BlackBerry is on the way.
2. Palms Come Fully Loaded. Palm smart phones ship with tons of useful
software preinstalled, including Dataviz's Documents To Go (for
editing and viewing Microsoft Office files), Voice Memo, Camcorder,
Camera, Memos, Tasks, e-mail, instant messaging, text messaging, Web
browsing, Calendar, Contacts, and software for playing multimedia
files.
Windows Mobile devices offer a similar variety of included software,
but I find the Palm OS versions easier to use.
The iPhone currently lacks a camcorder, voice memo, document editing,
and other capabilities. BlackBerrys don't include document editing
software, though a few third-party options are available, and
enterprise models don't have built-in camera or camcorder functions.
3. There are Beaucoup Third-Party Applications. More than 30,000 third-
party Palm OS applications are available, according to Palm. It will
take the upstart iPhone a while to beat that. Admittedly, some Palm OS
apps are junk. But you're bound to find goodies by cruising through
sites like PCW Downloads or Handango.
4. The Keyboards Are Actually Usable. My Treo 755p's keyboard keys are
nicely spaced, for a smart phone. They're firm but not too stiff, and
I rarely hit the wrong key. The Palm Centro's keys are smaller and
closer together, however, and aren't as easy to type on as the Treo
755p.
By comparison, I find the iPhone/iPod Touch software-only keyboard
frustrating to use. Others I've talked to have expressed wildly
diverging iPhone keyboard experiences. One friend says he's able to
easily touch type on his iPhone's keyboard using two thumbs. Another
says that because of its keyboard, he uses his iPhone primarily for
viewing and rarely for input.
What You Don't Get
That said, Treos and Centros lack some features other smart phones
offer.
1. Built-in Wi-Fi. Current Palm models lack built-in Wi-Fi, though
Palm CEO Ed Colligan said last year it would be added to future Palm
devices.
2. Built-in GPS. Given how clueless GPS-based driving directions can
be, I don't see this as a terrible loss. Also, Google Maps came
preinstalled on my Treo, and it has often served me in a pinch.
3. A Pleasurable Web Browsing Experience. Surfing the Web on my Treo
is painful, even using Sprint's fast EVDO network. If a meaningful
mobile Web experience is crucial, your best smart phone choice
currently is the iPhone.
4. Style and a Large Screen. I'd love to see a sleek new Palm OS
handset that combines a large touch screen with the usual sturdy Palm
keyboard.
Boiling It All Down
In my opinion, Palm's smart phones still offer a strong mix of
features, software, ease of use, and affordability.
People looking to buy their first smart phone or to replace their
aging Treo or Windows Mobile Smartphone, might consider the Palm
Centro. At $99 (with a two-year AT&T or Sprint contract), it's one of
the best values in smart phones today. We gave the phone a PCW rating
of 82 (very good).
If it's excitement you crave, however, a Palm smart phone is
definitely not for you.
Further Reading
* Delay, Repairs, Even Success Hit Palm's Profit
* BlackBerry Users are Happiest, Study Says
* Centro: Palm OS in a Petite Package (video)
Mobile Computing News, Reviews & Tips
First Look at the Dash Express: Dash Navigation's $400 Dash Express is
an innovative portable GPS device that connects to the Internet. The
two-way communications via built-in GSM cellular and unencrypted Wi-Fi
networks adds a lot of value to the GPS experience, says our reviewer
Yardena Arar, who gave the Dash a PCW rating of 90 (superior). You can
read excerpts from other reviews at my blog, Traveler 2.0.
Top Nine iPhone 2.0 Rumors: The iPhone rumor mill is grinding away in
anticipation of a second-gen iPhone announcement, probably in June.
Among the rumors: the next iPhone will support AT&T's 3G network (this
one seems like a slam-dunk), sport a slimmer chassis similar to the
current iPod Touch, and feature a 5-megapixel camera.
The Best Bluetooth Headsets: Need a way to chat hands free on your
cell phone? Aliph's Jawbone (love the name) recently landed on the
number-one spot in our recent roundup of Bluetooth headsets. Jawbone
got the thumbs up for its superior comfort, above-average audio
quality (it sounds good even in crowds), and good looks. Recent prices
started at $70 online.
Contributing Editor James A. Martin offers tools, tips, and product
recommendations to help you make the most of computing on the go.
Martin is also author of the Traveler 2.0 blog. Sign up to have the
Mobile Computing Newsletter e-mailed to you each week.
Suggestion Box
Is there a particularly cool mobile computing product or service I've
missed? Got a spare story idea in your back pocket? Tell me about it.
However, I regret that I'm unable to respond to tech-support
questions, due to the volume of e-mail I receive.
Bill Marcum
>
>
> Is the Palm OS Dying? Should You Care?
> Some believe Palm OS smart phones are a dying breed--but there are
> good reasons not to count them out yet.
> James A. Martin
> Wednesday, April 30, 2008 1:00 AM PDT
>
> http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,144788/article.html?tk=nl_ptxcol
>
Latest word from Palm CEO Ed Colligan:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-9953533-37.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-5
http://apcmag.com/palm_readies_nextgen_web_20_os.htm