PDA

[fukuhela]

Why is it excatly that we aren't "allowed" to want a PDA from Apple?

I know it would be most helpful for me to keep track with all the things I have to do every day. Yes I could use a Palm, but I don't think they are enough and good enough.

[eyelikeart]

It's not that we aren't "allowed" to want one, it's simply the fact the Jobs has made abundantly clear that Apple Computer is not interested in tapping back into that market. There have been numerous posts regarding the want for a PDA from Apple, but we all know its very unlikely we will definitely see one. Now, if the "New" product that's starting to become a rumor on these boards would happen to something like a PDA, I'd guess a lot of us would be wrong in our views.

Sure many people like them, but to me it seems like the case of the Cube. The people who have them love them, but the product did more hurt than help for the company.

[Ensign Paris]

We just don't know, but most people swing to the "probably will never be released" tone.

Guy

[iwantanewmac]

Please shut up abou pda's.
If you want 1 buy a Palm or something.
Geesh who NEEDS a pda. I never got that.

[jefhatfield]

i can see people wanting an apple pda or a pda in general

but i have met people who have replaced their laptops with a pda and lived with a desktop at home and a pda on the road

these people are usually business types and not computer enthusiasts in general and tend to be older than 25

[DannyZR2]

who cares how old you are.. who cares who uses them..

why do you people have to know why someone may want an Apple PDA? we all know if there were one from Apple it would be better than Palm. THAT is why we want one from Apple.

People have different uses for devices and different needs for computers/portables.. it is retarded to tell someone else that having a PDA is useless just because you don't need one.



I personally hope to see one at MWSF, so why don't you all bash me for that!

[jefhatfield]

JUST MEANT APPEAL WAS NARROW

...not that u were zealot

its just that some worship their pda so much that it is a curiosity more than a complaint or criticism

[Edited by jefhatfield on 12-24-2001 at 12:49 PM]

[eyelikeart]

Originally posted by DannyZR2
who cares how old you are.. who cares who uses them..

why do you people have to know why someone may want an Apple PDA? we all know if there were one from Apple it would be better than Palm. THAT is why we want one from Apple.

People have different uses for devices and different needs for computers/portables.. it is retarded to tell someone else that having a PDA is useless just because you don't need one.

I personally hope to see one at MWSF, so why don't you all bash me for that!

While u may have a valid point with nothing wrong with people wanting them for whatever various uses they may have for the units...

but I feel a lot of people need to get over the whole Apple/PDA thing...

and not to sound crotchety about it, but if u want a PDA get a Palm already...

[mnkeybsness]

finally some of you have gotten it through your thick skulls that apple will not make PDAs. sorry, it's jsut really frustrating to hear people constantly wish for an apple pda, when Jobs clearly stated that apple will NOT make PDAs. the market for PDAs has got to be like 1/100th of the market for computers. and since only 5% of those who are in the market are with macs, that's like 5/10000 people who would get an apple PDA. COME ON.

[bunge]

That's irrelevant. If Apple designed a PDA that was as complete as the iPod it would turn heads. It would convert some people from Windows to the Mac.

No I don't think they're going to do it. No I'm not holding out hope. Don't flame me.

Thanks.

[Doraemon]

...because the first was a disaster for Apple.

Newton history (http://www.theapplemuseum.com/pda/pda.html)

[mnkeybsness]

no i don't think that it would convert many windows people-they usually tend to like buying things cheap, which means that apple would make their pda overpriced, leaving the cheapos to turn to palm

[bunge]

An Apple PDA would be very different from a Palm or a PocketPC. It would convert some of the high end PC buyers to Mac, not the average person. Anyone that uses a Palm and likes it doesn't need an Apple PDA, that's true. Like the iPod, an Apple PDA would offer features that either were far better than the competition or the same but actually work with ease. The iPod is converting people so why wouldn't an Apple PDA? The market is finally mature enough to understand what a Newton is and the benefits it has. Technology has gotten to the point that a Newton could be made smaller, cheaper and faster.

I'm sorry, just because Apple isn't going to make a PDA doesn't mean that it wouldn't sell. Jobs refusing to make one is not evidence that a PDA is a bad idea. You or I not willing to buy one isn't evidence that it wouldn't sell.

I still don't care about the product, but I have yet to hear a very convincing argument against a high end PDA product.

[Edited by bunge on 12-24-2001 at 11:48 PM]

[dantec]

When Apple buys out palm huh? There was interest back in 1998 (or was it 1997) when Apple wanted to buy out Palm from 3com but never did. Now that Palm has the BeOS under it's hood, and Mac OS X needs a fast stable filesystem, I don't think this kind of action would be very bad.

I loved newtons (but desested the eMates, eughhh!), they were cool, first of their time...

[fukuhela]

Someone please help me out; Why is it that peoploe who doesn't want to hear about PDA's stil reads threads concerning PDA's.

If you have that much time then do something else than "bash" us who would like to discuss it. Go spank your monkey instead.

But hell I don't know if you people get turned on by bashing other ??

I don't mind people saying their oppinion, but just writing, that we "should shut up" is not discussing a subject - ....if you should be in doubt....

My honest and humble oppinion....

Merry Xmaz and happy new year.

[mnkeybsness]

it's because people need to find the proper place to talk about PDAs. when all of us that actually pay attention to what is going on participate in macrumors, then we stick our nose into the threads. apple will not introduce a PDA, therefore this is not the proper place to talk about them, therefore we sitck our nose in it

[iwantanewmac]

well let me make it clear. You guys are not really discussing pda's here. Just whining about apple that should release such a device.
And what new features should the new apple pda have that might convert windows users (this is rediculous)
and blow the competition away?
I bet some says: well a quad G5 with bla and bla........

[Doraemon]

Originally posted by Doraemon
...because the first was a disaster for Apple.

Newton history (http://www.theapplemuseum.com/pda/pda.html)

Just recognized that the link doesn't work. Here is the correct URL:

Newton history (http://www.theapplemuseum.com/products/pda/pda.html)

[Doraemon]

Just recognized that the link doesn't work. Here is the correct URL.

Newton history (http://www.theapplemuseum.com/products/pda/pda.html)

[amichalo]

We all have to remember what makes a computer (ordigital device like iPod) an Apple. These devices aren't just massproduced comsumer electronics. That is just the tangible form of the Apple Experience. It is that experience that people seek when they talk about Apple building a better PDA.

I have a Palm Vx, it is my second PDA, my first being an Everex Freestyle runing Windows CE (yuck). Both were great devices, and both leave the market wide open for someone to create a better experience. (examples? true syncronization of data, ability to copy files from desktop filesystem to PDA, airport network access within an office building, sharper/clearer displays, Java2 support for thin client HTTP apps, etc)

Just like the iPod creates an amazing experience for MP3 player owners, Apple could choose to give us a PDA experience we would shell out a similar premium for.

The problem is that in my personal experience, I use my cell phone as my personal PDA (phone numbers of friends, etc) and my PDA 95% for work or travel. If most people follow a similar usage pattern, then Apple shouldn't launch such a product until they penetrate the business market - UNLESS they create a PDA targeted at students. Highschool and College students would benefit greatly from the mobility and instant availability of information a PDA brings. Further, Apple's strategy has always been, get 'em using the Mac early and they will use them when they grow up too.

Your thoughts?

[eyelikeart]

While I don't think Apple would jump into the PDA market again after their previous failure, I don't think it's excessive to imagine something like the iPod somehow becoming a makeshift PDA with the proper software. Even though I don't yet have an iPod, from what I know about it I feel that it would have to be revised a little before this could be possible. It could be sort of an option for users who want to have their iPods for use as personal assistants. What do u guys think of this?

[bunge]

The iPod as PDA has already been done and it's relatively simple. Take an MP3 with no data (4k or something like that) and use the ID3 tags to hold name, number, address, etc. Ingenious (but not my idea).

[eyelikeart]

good idea...

but I was thinking of it actually becoming more than just an mp3 player...

but still, I don't have one, nor do I need a PDA...

but am awaiting the day for an iPod!

[dantec]

Since I am only a two year old Mac user, I have not have experience with those long flops during Apple's history.

But when reading history sites I always found it cool seeing stuff like Apple digital camera's, digital scanners etc... This kind of idea of one company making everything is great!

What apple needs to do is to make these things affordable. The average Joe doesn't care about features, just cairs about price. If apple can deliver a high resoultion scanner for under $100 it would sell well.

[eyelikeart]

Apple is trying to tap into every market possible...

The high end products such as PowerMac & PowerBook for professionals...

Consumer end products like iMac & iBook...

Education with the iBook...

iTunes with the iPod for everyone...

I think they are attempting to be everywhere...

[Falleron]

I can see apple producing a newton2 if no other company like palm does a good job integrating it into OSX! This wont be for at least a year I would say, this would let apple see if the pda market will pick up again before it enters it again.

[Doraemon]

Originally posted by eyelikeart
Apple is trying to tap into every market possible...

No, I disagree. Apple did that before and - surprise - failed. I think Apple's product line will expand, but I don't think it'll exceed the digital hub strategy (we are definitely not going to see new printers, scanners, external drives, etc.). And I don't expect to see a new Apple PDA either.

[eyelikeart]

ok so I may be wrong with the printers and such...

but maybe what I should say is they are trying to gain ground in a variety of areas....with an elite line of hardware?

[eyelikeart]

Apple prides themselves upon being the company doing things others are not...

[bunge]

The thought of a PDA is a very touchy subject. I think the product more likely to be introduced would be a PDA sized portable VCR-like device. A multi-media player/recorder. Maybe it's not likely, but it's the type of device people seem to be leaning towards.

Not that I think it's going to be introduced in January, or ever for that matter, but I think the PDA idea is dead. If Apple releases anything it's going to have to have features that seperate it from a PDA, even if it shares some functionality. A portable A/V device could be useful for the market that Apple seems to be gearing their computers towards. Not only that, it would be fairly revolutionary.

Their offline-RT codec would allow for 5 hours of video on the iPod so a similar video centric device isn't out of the realm of possibility....

[Falleron]

Apple offered the original newton way before its time (I believe that it still offers superior handwriting recognition than any other pda today)! That is the only reason it failed (too expensive). So many people talk about it, there must be something good about it that cant be done well on the models that exist today?

Personally, I have no use for any sort of pda but I can see that they have their uses.

[newamiga]

Ok I looked at their online version http://www.pencomputing.com but they don't have back editorials. In any case accoring to their editor a Mr Conrad Blickenstorfer (no I didn't make up that name) the PDA numbers are quite interesting.. he quotes Dataquest in saying that the Global PDA sales for 2001 should be about 14 million and 33 million in 2004.. they state the U.S. market is about 7-8 million units. A total of 17 million Palm devices have been sold 1.25 million pocket PC's. Another source Aberdeen Group say that the PDA number by 2005 is 39 million sold and 85 million by 2006. He goes on in the article to point out that a large number of these devices are increasingly more expensive units.. i.e. the Compaq iPaq and that the numbers are growing he states that going forward with slowing PC sales and growth projected in the PDA market that new vendors will have to align with Palm or Win CE. Now this is where I think Steve Jobs steps in.. we all know of his love for getting up on stage and selling us on numbers like those from Dataquest (especially if they say Apple owns the educational market). So take the stage he does and he tells us that now the PDA market will have a third option but not just a run of the mill PDA an Apple branded PDA with Apple's ease of use and an OS to die for.. also hot syncing that just works out of the box.. plug in your firewire cable and boom sync in seconds to your desktop. Want space no problem we have these neat little 5 GB hard drives in our .. want great writing recogniton we got it.. carry it with you when you shoot pics and just plug n that firewire cable again and boom download those pics in seconds.
The key here is that the numbers support Jobs making the case for the Apple branded assistent. The market is growing and not decreasing in size, as some would have you beleive and this is still consistent with Apple not releasing simply a PDA.. this is a truly earth shattering digital device.. who knows but I will be there the 7th in the crowd with fingers crossed.