A Matter of Degrees
I've been arguing for a while now about why I not only believe that PDAs
are NOT dead, but why I think smartphones won't kill them. It comes down to
what you do with your device and what you don't bother to do with your
device.
Smartphones, even the popular Treo, are phones first and foremost. This
means that certain concessions have to be made in terms of size, screen,
etc. PDAs can be larger, have bigger screens and more features. In fact,
the very things that make a good smartphone make a poor handheld computer,
and vice versa.
I love the Treo. I've recently had the chance to fondle the 650 from Sprint
and it is absolutely beautiful. It's a gorgeous screen, the keys are
wonderful, the networking works fast. It's a great smartphone. But I could
never be happy using it as my only device. The screen, sharp as it is, is
too small. It's too small for writing, it's too small for reading, it's too
small for movies and gaming.
I don't want to live with the limitations of a phone. This is why Bluetooth
is so great. I can have a phone that's great at being a phone (my Sony
Ericsson T608) and I can have a handheld computer that offers a
no-compromises computing experience.
My Tapwave Zodiac has everything that a smartphone could never get away
with. It has a large screen, great battery life (because it doesn't have to
power the phone radio), massive internal memory and plenty of expansion
room. My Zodiac is a computer, capable of word processing, full screen web
browsing, even PowerPoint. While the Treo can do some of this, it can't do
it as well, and most "smartphones" can't handle Office documents at all.
With my PalmOne IR Keyboard, my Zodiac is as good as a miniature laptop,
only more pocketable and a LOT cheaper than a Sony VAIO U75.
Smartphones have their place. That place might be good enough for a large,
even majority portion of the folks looking for more than a "dumbphone" can
offer in mobile information management. But handheld computers aren't going
to go away, and serve a vital -- and growing -- niche of those that need
something close to a laptop experience with no compromises in portability.
are NOT dead, but why I think smartphones won't kill them. It comes down to
what you do with your device and what you don't bother to do with your
device.
Smartphones, even the popular Treo, are phones first and foremost. This
means that certain concessions have to be made in terms of size, screen,
etc. PDAs can be larger, have bigger screens and more features. In fact,
the very things that make a good smartphone make a poor handheld computer,
and vice versa.
I love the Treo. I've recently had the chance to fondle the 650 from Sprint
and it is absolutely beautiful. It's a gorgeous screen, the keys are
wonderful, the networking works fast. It's a great smartphone. But I could
never be happy using it as my only device. The screen, sharp as it is, is
too small. It's too small for writing, it's too small for reading, it's too
small for movies and gaming.
I don't want to live with the limitations of a phone. This is why Bluetooth
is so great. I can have a phone that's great at being a phone (my Sony
Ericsson T608) and I can have a handheld computer that offers a
no-compromises computing experience.
My Tapwave Zodiac has everything that a smartphone could never get away
with. It has a large screen, great battery life (because it doesn't have to
power the phone radio), massive internal memory and plenty of expansion
room. My Zodiac is a computer, capable of word processing, full screen web
browsing, even PowerPoint. While the Treo can do some of this, it can't do
it as well, and most "smartphones" can't handle Office documents at all.
With my PalmOne IR Keyboard, my Zodiac is as good as a miniature laptop,
only more pocketable and a LOT cheaper than a Sony VAIO U75.
Smartphones have their place. That place might be good enough for a large,
even majority portion of the folks looking for more than a "dumbphone" can
offer in mobile information management. But handheld computers aren't going
to go away, and serve a vital -- and growing -- niche of those that need
something close to a laptop experience with no compromises in portability.
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