August 17, 2008
iPhone over Palm - It has it's faults, but... |
Geekitude 
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It looks like Cat and I will be getting iPhones. The decision to jump away from PalmOS was pretty much made for my by Palm's inability to innovate. That article was posted in August, 2007. In response, Ed Colligan, the CEO of Palm, responds with platitudes and vague promises:
Let’s remember that it is very early in the evolution of the smartphone and there is enormous opportunity for us to innovate. We have only just begun to fight!
Well Palm, it's a year later. And Palm has done nothing with PalmOS. In fact, they have further deepened their relationship with Microsoft, coming out with more and more Windows Mobile devices, and doing nothing to pull focus back to the PalmOS platform.
In the meantime, Apple has gone ballistic with the iPhone.
This posting on PalmAddicts sums it up perfectly for me. The iPhone is not perfect, and I've spoken of my concerns before, but Apple is at least addressing the shortcomings in their platform. Unlike Palm, who is simply letting their once beautiful system fade away.
Posted by dbs at August 17, 2008 8:37 PM
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I don't particularly want to defend Palm's bungling of their market. However:
And Palm has done nothing with PalmOS. In fact, they have further deepened their relationship with Microsoft, coming out with more and more Windows Mobile devices, and doing nothing to pull focus back to the PalmOS platform.
Quite honestly I think the Centro is a fairly aggressive move to make PalmOS relevant again. It may not be enough but it's a serious entry in the game. It's definitely making me pause before considering getting an iPhone when my VZW contract expires this fall.
Posted by: Tim at August 17, 2008 10:34 PM
Are you guys already with AT&T? If not, couldn't you get the iPhone-ish thing from Sprint or Verizon?
Posted by: Lisa at August 18, 2008 8:56 AM
@Tim
The problem is that Palm has been focusing on the hardware platform and improvements there (such as the Centro), and not on improvements to the underlying OS. The Centro runs basically the same OS the Treo (P versions) run, which is Garnet. It has been stated over and over and over and OVER again that Garnet needs to be end of lifed, and Cobalt (essentially PalmOS 6.0) needs to be given all the attention and drive. Cobalt was introduced TWO YEARS ago, and has not been installed anywhere.
Garnet cannot compete against Windows Mobile and OSX. It's like trying to say DOS 4.0 with it's C> and single threaded operation is a viable platform in the face of Linux, Windows, and other modern OS's.
Posted by: dbs at August 18, 2008 10:14 AM
@Lisa
yeah, see, 'iphone-ish'? Not interested. You're thinking of the Voyager I assume? The reviews of it have been less than stellar.
And. Unix in your hand. Mmmmm :)
Posted by: dbs at August 18, 2008 10:16 AM
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