OSX PDA/Phone?

speedfreak said:
I just read this article. Quite interesting http://www.macnet2.com/more.php?id=455_0_1_0 and a followup article http://www.macnet2.com/more.php?id=457_0_1_

That's a lot of speculation in a couple of articles. I would love Apple to re-release a PDA style device, but I don't believe it's going to happen soon. There are the usual arguments, such as market saturation and general decline of the PDA market itself, but other factors make the article's premise unlikely.

The main issue I have with the article is that a device that does all that is described would increase the price of this "super" iPod by a great magnitude. Presently, the iPod is already more expensive than most of Palm's offerings. For example, the Tungsten T3 (the top of the line Palm) is already $100.00 less than the iPod 40GB (the top of the line iPod). So how much would this "super" iPod cost? So even if it is the BEST THING EVER, would anyone be able to afford it? The iPod, which I love, is already pricey, and I had to work really hard to justify buying it in the first place. I don't think I can justify paying much more for this super device - EVEN if it replaces my cellphone and PDA and iPod.

If this speculation is true, Apple would need to make sure this device gets subsidies somehow - like most of the smart phones on the market today. Furthermore, Palm Cobalt is an OS that is aimed at the smart phones market, whose primary customers are business people, and if Apple wishes to compete in this market, it needs to establish more credibility in the business world. Despite Apple's recent achievements, it has little credibility in the business world, probably the primary reason for its decline in market-share. Would businesses authorize its workers to purchase Apple "super" iPods?

Nevertheless, I would love to see more PDA functionality in iPods, and I'd love to drop my PDA (since Palm dropped support for the Mac) and replace it with something better from Apple, but I don't think it's going to happen.

Prove me wrong, Apple, prove me wrong... PLEASE!

-B
 
Definitely a lot of speculation going around here, but I would love to see Apple release a Palm killer. Palm's decision to drop support for the Mac is almost appalling.

What if Apple made an PDA OS that ran on current devices? That would own. :)
 
Arden said:
What if Apple made an PDA OS that ran on current devices? That would own. :)

but it'd go against they're whole ... its the hardware that drives profit ... excuse :p Would be nice tho. Until then, stick with SonyEricsson's or iPaq's? :p
 
I think one should not think of an enhanced iPod like thing, rather a mini iBook in hand held format like a sort of iPal or something ... that you can really go everywhere with. All the technologies are there ... so why not show the world, what we really need?

Apple would not build in something, just because it's possible - it always makes sense to use it.

- The hint about iChat ... very interesting. You integrate a little camera like you already have with your mobile, that's it. You either iChat via broadband telephone (UMTS etc.) or via DSL/Cable (or hot spots) and .mac or AIM iChat account ... listening via bluetooth head sets, so the thing doesn't have to look like a telephone.
- if you have a hard disk, multimedia is no problem (MP3s being just one part of the show), though I would say that such an iPal would not be restricted to 65k colors.
- and via WiFi you manage everything at home, like a remote control ... including communicating with your Mac and triggereing what is done from there anyways.
- and sending mails wherever you go, there are enough hotspots already.

I agree that this might be like with the iPod: before you join the market, make sure you have something that does not only compete with others but clearly sets a mark.

And, phatsharpie, if it could do all this and be much more than "just" a super iPod, it would be worth the extra money. Agree???
 
Red Bear said:
- and via WiFi you manage everything at home, like a remote control ... including communicating with your Mac and triggereing what is done from there anyways.
this alone costs $3,000 when it's got the Crestron name on it, and it CAN'T connect with your Mac!!! :eek:

I like your thinking Red Bear - something like this would interest me... ;)
 
If it's bigger than a PDA (i.e. more like a mini iBook), then let's just talk about subnotebooks, shall we? Because if it's as slow as a PDA and as big as a subnotebook, I don't see the market, really. I've written more about it at http://macintosh.fryke.com/cgi-bin/macnews.cgi/2004/02/17#20040217_smartpdathingie ... the 'rumour' (speculation) per se sounds not as if the author has much of an idea how this would 'work' (both as a product to touch and and a product to market).
 
A subnotebook would be wonderful: 10" PowerBook. Resurrect the Duo+Dock idea. It would be perfect for me.
In the end, want Steve Jobs wants is what you get. He wants Wi-fi, Bluetooth, FireWire, Hard Drive, QuickTime, and OS X functionality. And he wants to be able to actually type an email, or an instant message, or input data quickly. You can’t do that today, no matter how nimble you are with a cell phone or PDA keypad (Although Sony’s Clies come pretty close). He wants to sync it easily with his Mac, and Dot Mac. He wants to watch video and listen to music, he wants to surf the web from anywhere, and he wants to get email anywhere. He wants something that will make him more productive and entertain him as well. He wants it all, and wouldn’t build a device until he could make it happen, on his terms.
By all means, a subnotebook with a twist: the rumored twisting-screen powerbook. Basically a small 10" subnotebook with nearly-full-sized keyboard with a touchscreen that you can turn around 180º to use as a tablet. Bring it on! It could very well run OS X and incorporate all the mentioned technology. Using the internal mic you can make calls through iChatAV + VoIP. IF this is what is in the works, it would be great.
 
A sub-notebook/iTablet could be tremendous. But aside from seeing more functions incorporated into an iPod, I don't see Apple getting back into the pda game. For one, the market isn't that strong with the rise of smartphones. Secondly, Apple does have a small share of the computer market. As faithful as Mac users are, would the small percentage make up for the costs involved in creating and manufacturing and selling such a device?
And there's the Newton. While it has fans, it was widely seen as a failure and any new pdas would bring up the fact that Apple struck out in the pda game already.
And finally, unless the pda were a home run, it would take away some of the positive feelings gleaned by the iPod.
 
Randman said:
I don't see Apple getting back into the pda game. For one, the market isn't that strong with the rise of smartphones...
I agree - pda's are boring without phone included and I hate the current offerings from compaq et al... :(
 
Yes, I agree, we should have both, a PDA and a telephone ... both in one.

Why wouldn't Apple continue, where they stopped with the Newton??? You don't need a keyboard ... and don't look at it as a phone with organizer functionality, rather a digital bag pack/toolbox, sound in and out, color touch display, cordless communication with other units.

Maybe a built-in detachable blue tooth headset (they should become smaller, not like they make them now: all people look like Lt. Uhura of the first star trek series ;-) ).

Apple would certainly not join the market with something less impressive to the PDA/mobile market, than what the iPod was to the MP3 player market. So much about the home run ...

But the iPod is available to Windows users, so why not a gadget like a MobilePhonePDAWiFiToolkitSomething but in Apple quality and with a homebrew OS? After iPod mini ... the OSX mini?
 
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