Comments on: Why Palm needs Android

By: Hozo1 Cleveland, Ohio

Hozo1 Cleveland, Ohio — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:27:05 +0000

Palm has a great history of simple devices that we all used and loved … couple that with possibly the worst history of customer service … and we all left. What Palm never got is that CSI trumps feature/functionality all the time. They re toast.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 20:06:59 +0000

now is the time to put ss into the market.

By: Paul, New Jersey

Paul, New Jersey — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:58:25 +0000

Palm bought BEOS and buried it.

Palm makes hardware and forgets it, Palm TX.

Palm should have homogenized Portable hardware and Desktop OS from BEOS base

and been in competition with everybody.

They don't know what they have and don't know what to do.

By: Enrique Zanoletty, Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela.

Enrique Zanoletty, Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela. — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:38:16 +0000

Excellent article, a very good analisis of the current situation of OS' for PDA's. The only thing not mentioned is that last month Palm announced (better said reassured)that it's Linux based Palm OS II would be ready by the end of this year, with devices running it available in the first half of 2009.

In my case, it has been Palm OS and its applications that has kept me as a loyal user of Palm for 8 years. Android will compete with iPhone, but not in the segment of business users looking for simplicity and power. I'm eargely expecting the launch of OS II, I'm sure they will revindicate themselfs.

By: A, Longmont, Co

A, Longmont, Co — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 23:54:07 +0000

Android may be great, but is new and unproven. But "Google appeal" may be the ticket for Palm.

By: Markus, Cologne, Germany

Markus, Cologne, Germany — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 09:59:14 +0000

Symbian will be free soon (1H2009). It aleady has 60% market share. Andoid has 0%. It would be stupid to adopt Android.

By: David Ingram, Winchester, UK

David Ingram, Winchester, UK — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 17:44:49 +0000

I've used Palk OS for mayeb 12 years, right back to when it was the USR 5000, and I've tried all the Windows Mobile devices. I CANT BELIEVE that Windows Mobile devices outsell Palm, just goes to show there is a lot more to the equation that great software. However, I'd welcome Android on Palm, it would give Palm that cool factor that its never really had, except among those that have actually tried all the others and who think more about the ease and power fo teh device than the marketing budgets. Come on Palm, lets have you work your magic on Android. Dave@brownbook.net

By: Stephen, Boston, MA

Stephen, Boston, MA — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 19:22:21 +0000

Yes, this would be a good move for Palm. The only other viable option might be selling itself to Microsoft and developing a Zune Phone (yes, I know, but MSFT insists on perservering with the Zune and maybe a Zune phone would have more appeal than the current Zzzzzune). RIM would have no interest in buying Palm, obviously the same is now true for Apple (years ago, there were constant rumours about Apple buying Palm). So that leaves Google and MSFT. Perhaps threatening to use Android would actually drive MSFT to do more than offer concessions on license fees and actually acquire Palm outright. Plus, such a move might actually allow MSFT to make a splash which gets more attention than sending Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld on weird walkabouts to talk about shoes.

By: Jacob Aster, Altoona PA

Jacob Aster, Altoona PA — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:56:08 +0000

Excellent, Jon, finally some reasonable insight into this handheld maker. I used to be a large shareholder since the US Robotics days, and ultimately closed my position before I lost everything (ended up very slightly up.)

Palm has been working on "Cobalt" for over half a decade, which was then ?completed? and then switched to Linux, which as far as I can tell is nonexistent. Twenty extremely competent programmers could port Linux to the smartphone in a year, hash out a legacy Palm 5.x emulator, and have had a killer device back in 2002. Now, 2008 and nothing.

I firmly also agree that Palm should just go with Android, and drop the (nonexistent) WM7 line. It is linux based, open, able to have a legacy emulator, and infinitely customizable for their purpose.

Or, they could release another new orange logo to much fanfare. *sigh* Large risk and large reward potential for palm shareholders at this time.

By: J, KC,MO

J, KC,MO — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:47:51 +0000

Who cares what msft thinks? most people i talk to hate windows mobile, on any phone. Create an OS thats open to add on apps, while maintaining security would be the best bet, but they have a lot of ground to make up against BB and iPhone