why not a PDA?

Discussion in 'Macintosh Computers' started by AWishForNoOne, Jan 20, 2003.

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  1. AWishForNoOne, Jan 20, 2003

    AWishForNoOne macrumors member

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    #1
    i've was recently looking around for PDAs and the thought once again crossed my mind.. why doesn't apple make their own PDA? it would make sense. something along the lines of a pocket pc except it'd run the equivolent of a pocket pc with osx. i don't think that they would go with Palm os. even though palm os is relatively simple it would be nice to have something more similar to a pocket pc (once again with the mac os equivolent).

    wow... this seems like a nice time for people to write their thoughts on what they think should be included in the iPDA. i know that there are a bunch of threads on this but until it comes out i think all we can do is keep talking about what we're hoping for...
     
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  2. strider42, Jan 20, 2003

    strider42 macrumors 65816

    strider42

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    #2
    Re: why not a PDA?

    Does this really need to be retread again. Will this topic never die. Apparently not.

    Anyway, PDA's suck. Cell phones with PDA like features are going to take over (its fairly obvious). the PDA market has been stagnant as people realize that they don't actually use them. Sure some people do, but most people have absolutely no need for them and don't use them even if they have one. Any usefulness I had for a PDA is replaced by my cell.

    Why in the world should apple develop another OS for such a device. You can't just put OS X on a machine that deficient in resources; the whole thing would have to be redone. all that to create an OS with absolutely no software for it, in a stagant market where developers are probably not as likely to write software for something that will hold only a small part of the market anyway. Sounds like a winner.

    If apple simply uses palm, then whats the point. i can go out and get a palm right now.

    PDA's are a quagmire. Why some people are so obsessed with apple making one I will never know. Apple could do a lot of things better than other companies, but that doesn't mean its a good idea for them to actually get into those markets. remember, S. JObs himself doesn't think its a good idea.

    Frankly microsoft has the better idea of going into NEW markets like watches or automotive computing systems. say what you want about it, but adding feature to something as ubiquitous as a watch is a good idea for MS if they can pull it off. I certainly don't think apple should get into that market, but i think its a good illustration of finding new markets. I'd love to see apple do something where they can license something to a number of manufacturers in a market where they currently have no position, such as a cell phone OS or something like that. They'd still have to have some agreements in place and do lots of market research first.
     
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  3. AWishForNoOne, Jan 20, 2003

    AWishForNoOne thread starter macrumors member

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    #3
    cell phone pdas...

    i don't believe that cell phone pdas will ever be as functional as a pda. if you look at combination products right now, they're bulky and they excel at either the pda or cell phone side of their function.

    i would want a pda so that i could have address book, iCal, and simple note taking. it's not a lot but i don't want to have to open my iBook everytime i want an address. cell phones can kind of perform those functions but, once again, it's inconvenient.

    i beleive that Apple can innovate the PDA market just as it did the hard drive based mp3 market and even though i might be the only one to buy one it would still be uber cool.
     
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  4. MacFan25, Jan 20, 2003

    MacFan25 macrumors 68000

    MacFan25

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    #4
    I think that cell phones with PDA features are going to be the future for PDAs because for one thing why would someone want to carry a PDA and a cell phone, when they can carry a cell with PDA features?!?

    Now the question is, do you think that Apple would ever make an iPhone/iPDA/iPod all into one little machine. I would doubt it, at least in the near future.

    But, you never know about Apple. :D ;)
     
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  5. strider42, Jan 20, 2003

    strider42 macrumors 65816

    strider42

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    #5
    Re: cell phone pdas...

    Well, I think an address book and calender could be made very convienent on a cell phone if anyone bothered to do it right. Notetaking would be harder for sure, but I don't think thats particularly convienent on a PDA anyway. That may be the only single time I think a tablet PC is a good idea (but not relaly, given how much they are going to cost) I don't think you can really compare it to the MP3 player market, because that is a growing market with the hardware and interface still in its infancy(or was when the iPod came out), not a stagant, mature market like PDA's are. Just my take on it.
     
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  6. AWishForNoOne, Jan 20, 2003

    AWishForNoOne thread starter macrumors member

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    #6
    i think that it will be really hard to get a cell phone pda that works very well on both sides. it's true that not many people would want to carry both things around but no matter what you won't end up with a good cell phone AND pda.

    almost everyone has a cell phone so it does seem obvious that it would be nice to implement pda functions into cellphones without losing any of the small size. another problem would be input because inputing with the keypad is a pain.
     
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  7. RBMaraman, Jan 20, 2003

    RBMaraman macrumors 65816

    RBMaraman

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    #7
    Re: why not a PDA?

    I'm not sure if you are aware of this, but at one time, Apple did make a PDA. It was called the Newton, and the OS was absolutely amazing. It included some great features, including a very smart handwriting recognition software.

    As for the future of an Apple PDA, Steve has said on numerous occasitions that he has no plans for an Apple PDA. After all, it was him that discountinued the Newton.
     
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  8. AWishForNoOne, Jan 20, 2003

    AWishForNoOne thread starter macrumors member

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    #8
    newton

    the handwriting recogniton on the newton can be debated. for some people it worked miraculously. others not so miraculously. but that is true. if steve jobs feels that the pda market isn't worth taking a dive into (and it seems as though he doesn't seem very fond of it) then he won't and i guess that's the end.
     
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  9. Wren, Jan 20, 2003

    Wren macrumors regular

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    #9
    The iPod is the closest thing to Apple PDA and much more. I think it's BRILLIANT how apple utilised the OSX Software and integrated it with the iPod. Apple keep up the good work!
     
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