# Mac PDA !



## DTPRonald (May 30, 2004)

Finally the Mac PDA !!


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## markceltic (May 30, 2004)

Someone has too much time on their hands


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## Quicksilver (May 30, 2004)

While it would be nice to see/have a mac os X based PDA, that one looks hard to use, ergonomically difficult. If any case id expect a OSXPDA look more like the simple class of the iPod, but mabey with brushed metal and a bigger screen. 

We can only wish.


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## mi5moav (May 30, 2004)

Not to bad, don't think it will be that curvy. Probably won't have color screen yet. And probably a reall dumbed down version of osx. May only have QT components, inkwell and some other basic apps since it doesn't really need processing power since it won't be playing games since it will be a digital legal/scrap pad.


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## fryke (May 30, 2004)

No colour screen, you think? While I would actually _PREFER_ a greyscale screen on my PDA, I don't think there's even a MARKET now for anything non-colour screen in the PDA area. And quite certainly not if the interface should look anything like OS X. But, of course, I don't expect Apple to create a PDA with an OS X interface. Rather, I think it'd be more process-oriented. No need for a multi-application interface. Instead, the frontmost application on a PDA should use the whole screen (as screen real estate is limited in such limited devices...).


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## caizer (May 30, 2004)

It is pretty hard to believe... 
I think Apple won't put a logo like 'OS X PDA' on the top.


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## jackdahi (May 30, 2004)

you may dream.


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## caizer (May 31, 2004)

Check the items in the dock and Quicktime player out. 
You can see IE not Safari as a default browser, also the 1st version of iTunes, and Old fashioned Quicktime Player with its icon.
I can say that screenshot came from Mac OS X 10.0.x definitely.


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## Zammy-Sam (May 31, 2004)

wouldn't mind to see a mac pda supporting bluetooth, wirelesslan and those infrared keyboards... Yummie


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## Randman (May 31, 2004)

That mockup looks like the Nokia 7600 and that's one weird phone.


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## fryke (May 31, 2004)

I can't believe some people say things like "hard to believe" here. It's VERY obviously a fan page.... Tsk, tsk, tsk...

Randman: Not _really_ like the 7600, but I agree that that's a weird phone. ;-)


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## Giaguara (May 31, 2004)

That;s an odd shape for any PDA.

MSN address for him on the bottom of the page looks even funnier ^_^


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## Randman (May 31, 2004)

Should this go to the cafe?


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## fryke (May 31, 2004)

Nope. Even if it's not a rumour, it's still Apple General/Discussions.

And: We can turn it into something else, too.  ... Let's just say Apple _would_ release a PDA in the next two years. What would it need to be a _killer_ PDA? What would be the prerequisites so it would do for the PDA market what the iPod did for the digital music player market?

My list is this:

- Mac and Windows compatibility
- iSync for Windows
- better screen than anything else
- good battery life
- UMTS/GSM world compatibility
- ...


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## soulseek (May 31, 2004)

i think this should go to the Gallery on Spymac...

theres full of this kinda ideas... and im ive seen much better than that... i think this would not get more than 3/5 rating....


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## Salvo (Jun 1, 2004)

The first Apple PDA, since the Newton will have the following Features;

Symbian OS in the first Generation. Later Generations will have embeded Darwin. PalmOS will not be used for Political Reasons and to Avoid Supporting Legacy Apps.
Embeded Cocoa in all versions. Early Versions will run Java Code. Later versions will also run Objective C.
Single App Interface. All Apps will run in the Background (like PalmOS) mini-iTunes will play music in the Background. mini-Quicktime will Pause Movies when Backgrounded.
No Integrated Camera, Microphone or other Latest Gadget, but will have a set of USB2 and Firewire400/800 ports.
Standard-compliant DVCams and DigiCams will be compatable with it. You will be able to store DV on the device, as a scratch-disk. You will be able to store your Photo's on it. You will be able to store SoundClips on it. This will make it perfect for Digital Video Pros and Hobbyists, Digital Photographers and Journalists. It will replace Dedicated Scratch Disks and miniDisc Players/Recorders.
1st Generation will have VideoOut via Firewire800, with VGA, ADC, DVI and SVideo Atapters as 3rd Party Add-ons. USB Microphones will also be compatable.
With DV Stored on it, the device will be able to be FWD/RWD etc from within iMovie or FCP on a Mac, just like a DV Recorder. Unlike iTunes, there won't be a Windows version of FCP or iMovie. It will have basic support with QTPro for Windows though.
mini-iPhoto and mini-iTunes will be very cut down. mini-iTunes will have functionality somewhere between iTunes and an iPod. mini-iPhoto will be like iPhoto except without Editing or Scaling Features, due to limitations with the Display.
Battery will not be User-Replacable, but 3rd Party External Batteries will be supported.
Any thoughts?


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## fryke (Jun 1, 2004)

I personally guess that implementing Cocoa would be easier for Apple than to implement Java... Also: Why use Symbian OS for 'one' version and then go Darwin? If you think of how such a project would start, I'd guess that they'd decide for one way to go.

Also: DV needs MUCH too much disk space. I don't expect a PDA to go there anytime soon...


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## Salvo (Jun 1, 2004)

Cocoa is an API which can be used with either Objective-C or Java. Since the Symbian OS already Runs Java programs
If they're rushing to Market, developing Embedded Darwin would take much too long. The iPods don't run any variety of Darwin, and Symbian would fit thier needs in the interim.

My Firewire Scratch Disk for DV is only 20GB and can hold two or three miniDV tapes worth of Data. I can edit that much data on my 30GB iBook, without a Scratch Disk, but it's not pretty. (fragmentation, limited Swap space, slow Video, having to delete Excess Clips in order to Encode a Finished Product). A 50GB or 60GB Portable Storage Device, which doubles as a PDA would be perfect, and by the time this product comes to Market, (a few weeks before the release of Longhorn, for instance) miniHDDs will have that capacity.

With the increase in Data storage of the miniHDDs, that is likely to happen over the next two years, following Moores Law, Hitachi are going to have to find other ways of selling miniHDDs. Apple will have to develop a new use for iPod-type devices. How many people do you know with a 50GB Music Collection? DV and Photography will be the obvious Market, and would be able to make use of the existing iApps (iMovie, FCP and iPhoto), and further Promote the Macintosh Platform. Limited Support for the Windows Platform will follow on from iTunes for Windows, and make further use of Quicktime for Windows.

Apple could capitalize on the fact that PC users would be having to update thier Computers to Run Longhorn. They'll also be having to update Photoshop or whatever Video Editing Program to support 64Bit Processing, and also thier Creative Process so they can adapt to the changes bought on by Longhorn.
If they had to fork out $5000 for a new Computer, would they buy a Dual Itanium-4.0GHz with Longhorn or a Dual G5-4.0GHz PowerMac with MacOS X.5. In this situation, the Apple Computer would be Cheaper than the WIntel Computer.

The device would be targetted at the Professional (or Wanabe Pro) Digital Artists, not just as a PDA but also as a Personal Storage Device. It'll be not much larger than an iPod, and will have a colour touchscreen. The Touchscreen will double as an iPod wheel in Apps like mini-iTunes, mini-iPhoto and mini-QuickTime. It'll behave like a traditional Touchscreen in AddressBook, mini-iCal and any other Traditional PDA Apps.


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## Quicksilver (Jun 1, 2004)

Salvo said:
			
		

> Cocoa is an API which can be used with either Objective-C or Java. Since the Symbian OS already Runs Java programs
> If they're rushing to Market, developing Embedded Darwin would take much too long.





Who's to say that embedded Darwin has'nt already taken place? Even though we havent seen it, it probably already exists purley for future use. It may just not be appropriate timeing yet.

Im sure theres many prototypes somewhere, there would have to be.


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## gerbick (Jun 1, 2004)

I just want one thing... quicktime on a chip.  add that to it, and make that chip flashable, and that will mean hardware viewing of online files, and perhaps proliferation of the quicktime to 3G cell phones and other embedded technologies.

that is if it hasn't already happened.


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## Macsith (Jun 2, 2004)

PDA?  Why bother, I use a 12"PB......why have a half baked computer (PDA) when you could have a real computer that is very small and mobile?


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## Zammy-Sam (Jun 2, 2004)

most of the pda have a longer duration than 4-5 hours. And you can't use your 12'' powerbook in a crowd train, tram or bus while you have to stand.. It makes very much sense to me


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## Giaguara (Jun 2, 2004)

Oh well. I saw a few weeks back someone in the Blue train carrying around his 12" Powerbook and big headphones .. just to use it with iTunes. I think some people should just get an iPod..


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## Zammy-Sam (Jun 2, 2004)

how did he keep his lcd lid opened? Or was he starring at his itunes visuals?


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## Giaguara (Jun 2, 2004)

... as itunes would not run with lid closed > he walked with it open. All the way from the suburbia to downtown  (where he got out of the train)


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## Randman (Jun 2, 2004)

Harder to pickpocket than an iPod.  But seriously, look at Sony. They're pulling out of the American handheld market. Why? Because smartphones are taking up the slack. Best we'll get is more and more pda-like functions on the iPod (such as built-in voice recording) to help the functionality of the desktop/laptop.


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## Giaguara (Jun 2, 2004)

it would be great if the PDA, iPod etc could be able to run iChat AV wirelessly. So plug in your iPod or PDA, and call and talk free to you friends


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## Zammy-Sam (Jun 2, 2004)

..unless you are within a hot-spot. And the way it looks like (at least in germany) they will charge the ppl pretty high for such a service. Guess the technology is more than ready for this. If there were no probs about the connection-bills, we surely would have seen such PDAs or iPods


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## Zammy-Sam (Jun 2, 2004)

btw, I heard there are wireless lan SD-memory-plugs (probably called different, but I hope you guys got me). If I got it right, you have a SD-memory-like chip that is compatible to all SD-mem devices and they will get 802.11x compatible network access. There are a couple of cell-phones that support such cards. Now imagine your cell accesses wireless lan.. VoiceOverIP.. YUMMIE!


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## Salvo (Jun 2, 2004)

Zammy-Sam said:
			
		

> btw, I heard there are wireless lan SD-memory-plugs (probably called different, but I hope you guys got me).


Most WLAN SDIO Cards are designed for a particular device, just like most Bluetooth SDIO Cards. I can't use the Palm SDIO Bluetooth card with my PoS Zire71.
If Course, you device also needs to support SDIO Cards, and not just SD or MMC cards; you won't be able to use any SDIO Cards with Early Palms or most Nokia Phones.
If Apple was going to have AirPort or Bluetooth in a MacPDA, they wouldn't do it using SDIO: They have integrated Chips or Proprietary Addon Cards, like AirPort Extreme Cards.


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## Zammy-Sam (Jun 3, 2004)

I was actually more interested to cells supporting 802.11x networks. You can't use a PDA to call ppl.. But true, when it would come to a MacPDA, they would surely have integrated chips instead of cards.


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## fryke (Jun 3, 2004)

Yep, was thinking about that, too. Apple isn't a very big fan of 'slots'. Never has been, never will be. A MacPDA would probably have one connector apart from headphones and video-out ( ;-) ) ports - the one for the Dock.


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## macgeek (Jun 9, 2004)

Well, according to Steve-o, we're not getting a PDA from Apple any time soon:

http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/index.cfm?NewsID=8858


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## burntoutjoy (Jun 11, 2004)

Wow, that thing look like utter shit. Let's face it anyway: PDAs are dead. Sony's pulled the Clié. Palm sales are down. Mobile phones are absorbing all the organising functions you could ever need. No, I think the most likely new Apple device to surface is some sort of remote control for their new wireless initiative, be it tablet-PC-like, or colour-iPod-like. A traditional PDA will never happen, and would frankly be a dissapointment for me.


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## speedfreak (Jun 11, 2004)

The iPod is already a simple PDA.  All i ever used my palm for was to look up phone numbers and meeting times. Sure I used it for notes occasionally, but that was before I got my iPod and a cell phone with text messaging.  Now if i need to take a short note I text it to my email. For lots of notes I use my iBook or iPod to record audio and transcribe later.   The phone, the iBook, and the iPod are also integrated through iSync. The iPod does all this quite nicely and the palm has sat in its cradle ever since.


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## gerbick (Jun 12, 2004)

if they had something, but decided to not release it... what's the harm of letting go some of the photos of it?  I'd like to see something I would have "almost" bought...


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## Randman (Jun 12, 2004)

A company would never release photos of something unreleased. Not for a very long time. What if they change their mind? (which Apple won't, but still) Why show something the company deemed not worthy of releasing?
  If people want pda functions, the iPod is worthy of it. If not, you can always get a Palm. Heck, I have a Tungsten T with Mac icons, even a Mac finder for the home folder (using Launcher X) and the mp3 player has a skin available that resembles the iTunes interface.
  Heck, even smartphones can have Mac looks and all three iSync just fine.
   I know people would say, but it's not an Apple. But then again, don't expect an Apple pda or phone anytime soon. Heck, I think Jobs would prefer to ditch OSX and go back to OS9 than release a pda.


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## Randman (Jun 12, 2004)

BTW, burnout, for more than a decade ago, that was cutting-edge technology (and way ahead of its time). Don't look it at through 2004 eyes. If you do, take a look at a G5 with Cinema Screen and a PowerBook 17 and then check out the Mac offerings from that year. It'll be quite educational.


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## gerbick (Jun 12, 2004)

Sony does it all the time.  So does HP.  Mock-ups of upcoming, as well as cancelled products happen all the time - check CeBit, CES, even the E3, and the aftermath.  

Apple is just a bit... well, weirder.

: shrug :


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## Quicksilver (Jun 13, 2004)

burntoutjoy said:
			
		

> Wow, that thing look like utter shit. Let's face it anyway: PDAs are dead. Sony's pulled the Clié. Palm sales are down. Mobile phones are absorbing all the organising functions you could ever need. No, I think the most likely new Apple device to surface is some sort of remote control for their new wireless initiative, be it tablet-PC-like, or colour-iPod-like. A traditional PDA will never happen, and would frankly be a dissapointment for me.




While true, id have to say O2's XDA 2 is a killer SmartPhone/PDA ive had it for a couple of months and now and i cant do a thing without it. the sucky thing is its wma only. i see this as a full on threat to the iPod in future when the devices matures towards online music etc. This thing has everything you could ever need. 

The main thing is its small it "dosen't have a 12" screen" or a "huge keyboard", otherwise optional, you can phone people or mms/sms, take pictures/video [man, i've had some funny times recording crazy people too - now thats funny] Contacts, wireless internet via GPRS or base stations/hotspots, you can also pre email friends/clients collegues and download preloaded web pages of your favourite websites, suitable for reading while listening to music on a train, etc.

XDA 2 has its down sides but when they achieve the equal capacities of iPods etc, im gonna be lost in pocket/mp3 world. Unfortunatley i use this thing more than my iPod now. Only if there was iTunes for Windows mobile/embedded, etc. That would rock! Apple needs to jump in here because if most people are gonna buy SmartPhones/PDA's there is definatley gonna be music playback and that means WMA! not good for Apple/iTunes!

I love my iPod, but really the XDA 2 is damn good if you can afford one, nearly double the top iPod model prices.


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