Shipments of handheld computers declined for the fifth straight quarter amid growth of so-called smart phones and other devices combining organizer functions with cell phone capabilities, the research firm IDC said. Worldwide shipments of PDAs — which lack telephone capabilities — decreased to 1.9 million units in the January-March period. That’s a 12.1 percent decline compared with last year’s first quarter, and a 30.6 percent drop from last year’s fourth quarter. In contrast, shipments of so-called converged mobile devices combining cell phone, organizer and other functions more than doubled year-over-year for the third straight quarter.
What an amazing finding! (not)
Most people, myself included, have been WAITING for the day when we can get a PDA/Phone combo. I knew 5 years ago that’s what I wanted, but there were no good offerings. Why wants to remember TWO devices to take with you everywhere? Hell I’m lucky if I can remember both my car keys and my wallet. Cell phone is habit for most people, but PDA’s are just “another thing” to carry around. Plus computers are really only SUPER interesting with the web/internet involved, so a PDA that can access web browser etc. without having an external attachment is when these devices become fun.
This is no surprise. I doubt there will be much PDA sales at ALL in a year or two.
Hmmm…
http://www.osnews.com/story.php?news_id=10525
Worldwide PDA Shipments Jump By 25 Percent
Just goes to show you, “research” firms can spin any set of #’s to the benefit of whoever’s funding the report.
“After suffering their greatest quarter ever, PDAs are clearly dieing”.
I predict the opposite to occure when wifi/bluetooth becomes more wide spread. Already people I know are finding the limits of their cell phones and are looking to the logical flexibility of the PDA or mobile computer, which can run BSD/Linux/Windows and is under their control not the cell phone company’s.
As pervasive and stupid as the MS announcement of the week saying that windows is cheaper and easier to use than linux.
There must be some truth on that pda news like there are some truth on MS statements (well not too much)
But at the end of the day, there are more consumers of mobile phones than PDA users out there isn’t?
And it is true that people buy anything which is new, and being advertised as ‘smart’, ‘new’… Etc.
The amount of buyers purchasing a smart phone because they properly understand what does it mean is minimal… Just as big as the PDA users…
As pervasive and stupid as the MS announcement of the week saying that windows is cheaper and easier to use than linux.
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Sure didnt take long for the anti Microsoft trolls to arrive. Seriously, can there be any conversation that doesnt bring in some stupid Microsoft bashing?
I have a friend that currently carries his iPod, PDA, cellphone, digital camera, Gameboy Advance with him almost everywhere he goes. He’s waiting for the day when he can buy just one device that does all the things as well (or better) than all the individual devices he currently has. Who knows in another 5 years he might just get his wish.
Just installed VS.NET 2005 Beta 2 + Magneto SDK.
We’ll use it for a mobile client of our desktop software and I must say it’s not bad.
It allows me to debug my code while running it on the Magneto emulator, and deployment is really trivial.
If MS cleans up some inconsitencies in their Pocket PC and I think they’ve done this with Magneto, they’ll conquer the smart phone market as they’ve already done with the PDA market.
Don’t get me wrong : They’re not the first to do this.
But with VS.NET + CF 2.0 + Magneto, MS provides a _consistent_ Framework for developing mobile apps. It’s really a pleasure to develop with it … you don’t have to worry bout device-specific issues.
Open Standards and Open Source Software are a BIG enrichment to the whole software industry. It’s a revolution.
But setting Standards is another thing …
http://money.cnn.com/2005/05/12/technology/personaltech/gates_cellp…
I think Gates is right in this point – regardless of any b***s**t he told us befor.
Things like iPod or dumb, Offline-PDAs will be a relict in 5 years – everybody will own a Smart Phone.
Things like iPod or dumb, Offline-PDAs will be a relict in 5 years – everybody will own a Smart Phone
Yeah the iPod as it is today will probably be defunct in 5 years, but the iPod may evolve as well as the PDAs, mobiles, etc.
Regarding your comments on mobile programming with the MS platform: it’s indeed fantastic, especially because a desktop/asp.net developer can reuse most of their knowledge on the .Net Compact Framework, it’s very consistent and easy to debug/deploy.
I agree. The main advantage of Microsoft over, let’s say, Symbian are development tools. Programming Symbian isn’t easy enough. And PalmOS is pathetic unfortunately.
I predict (as to many others I guess) that the smart phone will replace the laptop altogther, but not for a few years yet (maybe 5 or so). It will also replace the iPod and variations of that theme much sooner, probably starting this year.
All you need to do is
1) put a HD in the smart phone (I think Palm has started this ball rolling) so this can be done already
2) get a reasonable GFX card in there (with video out)
3) make sure it has USB/Bluetooth (already done)
4) better batteries (can only hope)
I’d take my phone to work, plug it into my keyboard, mouse and screen and away I go. No sync etc as my computer is my phone. I’d take my phone home, again I’d plug it into a waiting keyboard/mouse/screen combo. Even plug it into the TV for a media player. Plug earphones in there, and I have an iPod. Can watch video on the small screen if needed. Also, plug headset in to take calls during the day… With wireless, may not have to plug keyboard and mouse in. With USB2, can plug in external drives too… While at work would plug it into the power too I guess…
I’ve done this very thing for years with my laptop (even a screen for greater res while working on dev tasks) and found it pretty easy, so the transistion to the phone should be even easier hopefully…
If designed right, this could be pretty simple, I have a iJam and looking at that, could easily see a few mods to it to bring it up to spec. Like I say, this will probably need a few more years of R&D to get there, but I don’t think it’s too far away…
Currently I lug around a laptop, smartphone and iPod, next year will probably only be the laptop and smartphone, hopefully in a few more it will only be the smartphone (or variation thereof)…
I also predict Apple will have an early run at this, they will combine the smartphone and iPod into one. I guess the Mini Mac is the current form factor for a small computer, slightly too big for a phone 😉
Sure didnt take long for the anti Microsoft trolls to arrive. Seriously, can there be any conversation that doesnt bring in some stupid Microsoft bashing?
What Microsoft bashing??? Did you read the whole comment?