My personal 'Apple PDA' thread...

T

themacko

Barking at the moon.
Since everyone has started their own thread on the freaking 'iWalk' I figured that I'll do my own. First off, the iWalk thing is fake. It looks really good, and bravo to spymac.com because it had me fooled for a bit .. but it's definately a spoof.

HOWEVER, I do believe that Apple is going to release or announce a PDA. Here's why:
  • MWSF Badge Mailing: As pointed out by simX, this picture was on the cover of the MacDirectory brochure that came in the MWSF Badge Mailing package. It doesn't seem to be a Newton (of the past), but it definately looks to be a PDA.
  • Pen Computing: On the Macworld site, if you goto the Show Attractions then Sponsors & Supports, you get to this page. Scroll down to the bottom and you'll see a couple text links to www.pencomputing.com I can't think of why a PDA site/webzine would sponsor an Apple expo unless Apple was going to enter the PDA market.
  • Digital Hub: Stevo's new thing is this digital hub idea, where people's lives are going to be centered around their home computer. Apple organizes their site this way (you always see the iBook with the iPod, digicam, camcorder, PDA, etc. around it). Well what is the easiest thing Apple could introduce that would leash people to their home computers? A PDA. I could go on with arguments why a PDA attaches people to their PC, but we all know them.
  • Palm Desktop for X: This is my last and weakest idea, but I thought I would trow it in. I closely followed the Palm Desktop for X thing because that is one of the reason's why I haven't upgraded yet. Over and over again I was being told that Palm was so slow in releasing this because Apple was not giving them their full cooperation with the new OS. Why would Apple want to make this hard for Palm users? Possibly, because they wanted to release a PDA of their own and didn't want us Apple users to get a Palm for Christmas and get attached to it. :rolleyes:
Anyway, those are my thoughts. Like I said, the iWalk is [good] hoax. But simX's picture is not a hoax. I've never been a huge MacAddict, but I am definately going to hang out at my local Apple Store and watch this thing in 4 days. :D
 
Apple should make a PDA and I am hoping this is it or something close. The PC world has their PocketPC. Wouldn't it be great to have a small Mac like that. Something that could be used as an organizer, mp3 player (quiet! I'll get to it.), eBook reader, voice and music recorder, Surf the web,... it could go on. Microsoft would make Office for the Mac POCKETSIZE! Adobe Acrobat. IE. I am still hearing "What about the iPod?" Like someone else wrote earlier, the iPod was made for audiophiles. Would audiophiles buy an iWalk/MacMate/iThing/iWhatchamadoohickeythingy for the mp3 player capabilities. NO! I would buy it in an instant if I knew there was going to be other programs being made for it like a Photoshop player to be able to view files and remove layers to see other options. Also, I read that people didn't think the HD would be as big. PHOOEY! AND PHOOEY AGAIN! You really el Steveo would let something out of Apple smaller than 5G!?! I, personally would get one very quickly. And Steve or one of his "people", if you are reading this... let's try to keep it around max of $400, OK. Thanks.
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Oops! I forgot! What about iTunes portable! Pocket Myth! Pocket Virtual PC! Oh, wait a minute. We're trying to eliminate that.
 
my god :p
so many fragmented discussions lol :p
why not have one big apple PDA thread ? lol

I would love an apple branded PDA -- just bought an iPaq qhich I would gladly sell on ebay for an apple PDA :p
 
Why release the iPod just a few months before releasing a PDA that is based on the same form factor?

The iPod is seriously underpowered for running the kind of PDA OS everyone is talking about.

This PDA would almost certainly have the option to play mp3's (who wouldn't want this option?). Why would you want to carry and iPod and an iWalk?

So would you buy just the iPod, or an iWalk that is a PDA *and* a mp3 player? I'd be buying the iWalk.

Why kill the market for the iPod the minute after you release it?

So to save the iPod market, it would have to fall somewhere between the iPod and the iBook. And that is really too fine a line to separate. Make it too powerful, and you are eating iPod AND iBook sales. Don't make it powerful enough, and people will buy an iPod or an iBook, and not an iWalk(and we'll rant and bitch until the next expo:D ).

The general market for PDA's is saturated. The only real innovations coming right now in the market are PDA/cell phones.

Handspring has the Treo, Nokia has the communicator, and I know that M$ is working on a phone that has PocketPC built in.

Maybe apple managed to jump the gun on M$, and the have worked with motorola to bring a cobranded cell phone / PDA device.

I just don't think the time is right for an Apple PDA.

FaRuvius
 
An iWalk or PowerPod could be the big brother to the iPod, for high end customers. Like PowerBook is iBooks big brother, get it?
Why would you want an iPod instead of the iPDA? Beause it would be cheaper! Like the PowerBook is more expensive than an iBook. Or the same with iMac/PowerMac.
 
Originally posted by themacko
MWSF Badge Mailing: As pointed out by simX, this picture was on the cover of the MacDirectory brochure that came in the MWSF Badge Mailing package. It doesn't seem to be a Newton (of the past), but it definately looks to be a PDA.
Click to expand...

Notice that the device on that picture looks different from the the "iWalk" on spymac. If you look closely at the top of the "iWalk", you will se that is don't have that "thing" on the top... If you understad? I coulden't find a word for it:D
 
Personally- I think there's a sizable market for people who want a portable more powerful than an iPod but who don't want a laptop. They want PDA functions but want the storage and music capabilities of an iPod. There are also those who would want to use such a device as a portable digital recorder for music/dictation purposes. An iBook is a computer- a whole computer. You don't buy a computer to compliment your workstation. My DP500 is what I do work on- but I personally have been itching for something to use to transfer files, conveniently, and to use as a portable recorder. I could use an iBook to do all of that- but it's just too much. Granted- it'll take care of me, but I don't want to spend the time configuring and maintaining another computer. PDA's don't replace PC's because they aren't as powerful, expansion and functionality-wise. This is also why the sell, because they get to the point and save us from dinging every bell and tooting every whistle.

A big brother to the iPod would also fit, very tightly, Apple's model of consumer product, professional product.

While I won't pretend to have any strong belief that Apple will announce a PDA on monday- I contend that it has a market. The iPod is doing fairly well, despite lots of people complaining that it wasn't all that special to begin with. With a device featuring most of the features that are being widely agreed upon as both pausible and likely- I feel Apple would be presenting a product that breaks new ground- offering digital recording, PDA functionality, file storage, and music in one device. Combined with the usual elegance that we expect from Apple, I can definitely see a lot of people getting these- ditching their palms and visors because Apple's product raises the bar.

I also feel that both Palm and WindowsCE based portables would be awhile in catching up- could Palm release something competative in six months? My guess is that Sony -might- be able to pull off this feat- but only because they are already well versed in Firewire connectivity and audio products. They could roll out a revamped Clie without too much time.

Gah- that was really very wordy. Apologies for being preachy.
 
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