palmOne Expert Guides

[sUnShInE]

We've all been there. With over 20k software titles available for the Palm OS, finding just the right application for your handheld or smartphone can often be a challenge. So palmOne has developed "Expert Guides", a directory of Palm OS applications, online resources, e-books and user testimonials to help give you recommendations.

The interesting thing is that the reviews are written by users, who claim to have "expertise" in the topics covered. From astronomy to blogging, each Expert Guide includes select software applications, references to relevant eBooks and Web sites and first-person user testimonials on the specific subject area.

While I applaud the efforts of palmOne to build an online community of 'just regular users' to evangelize for their hardware, some of the software recs seem to leave things out or pimp biasly for their own faves. Case in point: this eBooks guide, which leaves out iSilo. (gasp) Oddly, iSilo is in the web browser section, where they compare it to Avantgo... but don't recommend Avantgo.

On the bright side: PalmSource seems to be committed to the 'guide leading the blind' model, and are actively seeking experts. The downside? They're looking to influence their "economy", not their "community":

You will be our designated expert on your particular topic. You'll get private contact with PalmSource (to give us advice and ask questions), and as a thank-you you'll each receive $200 gift certificates to an online store that sells handheld gear. But most importantly, you'll get the recognition and gratitude of everyone in the Palm economy.

Click here to sign-up and promote your own interests and improve the Palm economy. They can obviously use your help.

Editor Note: I just realized, with a helpful email, that I incorrectly sourced palmOne for this instead of PalmSource. My apologies, I have corrected the post.

[ignatz]

Not only don't they include iSilo or Plucker in the ebook reader section, they don't include Project Gutenburg or Blackmask in the libraries section. Looks like that section was put together by someone who doesn't actually read ebooks...