Palm to release Hawkins' secret new product in 2007

Bob Russell · 03-04-2007, 09:17 AM

Recently, we heard that the secret project of Jeff Hawkins (Palm co-founder) was going to be revealed in 2007. Now we hear even better news via P.J. Arts, the Treo editor at Palm Addicts:

* Hawkins will drop "broad hints" about the product in May, at the WSJ D-Conference
* The product will be released by the end of 2007!

This information is reported to come from a personal conversation with Jeff Hawkins himself, and is certainly in line with previous rumors, although our early guesses have not always turned out to be very accurate.

So what does this do to your smartphone, PDA or UMPC purchasing plans? Are you more likely to wait until at least May to see how your options might be revolutionized, or is it just another point of curiosity for you?

Related stories:
* Breaking News: Hawkins' secret project coming next year
* Jeff Hawkins interview from PoderPDA Mexico
* Credible hints that Palm Inc is planning a new generation of Linux devices
* Palm Linux phone by end of year
* Palm's "Secret Third Business" isn't the LifeDrive
* Palm's Secret Plans Cracked
* Palm's Hawkins points to 'secret' product line
* On intelligence, by Jeff Hawkins

robinson · 03-04-2007, 11:06 AM

Hope it's cooler and garners wider adoption than the last BIG SECRET THING-- the segway!

Bob, I know little to nothing (closer to nothing) about the Hawkins work, save that he had been writing about the mind and artificial intelligence (and I may even have that all wrong!).

What's the product rumored to be? I take it from your comments that it's in the smartphone, PDA, tablet domain. Any more light you can shed on this?

Bob Russell · 03-04-2007, 01:50 PM

Not much info out there. Really, the best indication comes from his comments in a July 2005 San Jose Business Journal interview, where he says

Quote:

There is a third business that I've been working on but I'm not going to tell you what it is. It's in mobile computing. It's something different and it's in its early stage. We have three businesses at PalmOne. One you don't even know about, which is just a child. Another is the teenager and the other one is the mature 45-year-old.

One would assume that he is talking about PDAs, Smart Phones and the 3rd line of business.

It could be that LifeDrive was a first preparatory stab at this third line, or it could be that Linux development going on at Palm is about this third line or it might even be that it's based on his artificial intelligence work. We really don't know yet.

I agree... I hope it's not just a cool gee-whiz thing, but something useful and exciting. Palm's future might just depend on it.

NatCh · 03-04-2007, 02:47 PM

Considering it's s'posed to be "something different" I'd be rather disappointed if it's just another gen of LifeDrive, or a Palm on Linux steroids ... though a LifeDrive that had decent battery life would be rather refreshing.

Hadrien · 03-04-2007, 03:16 PM

I'm usually disappointed by all these super secret products. Most of the time they're just nice PR moves, without a single groundbreaking product behind.

Leaping Gnome · 03-04-2007, 05:09 PM

My guess is a wearable computer with an at-the-eye type display.

mogui · 03-04-2007, 09:16 PM

And then there are the rumblings that Nokia will buy Palm.

NatCh · 03-04-2007, 09:31 PM

Hmmm. Not sure how I like that possibility....

Dick Tracy · 03-04-2007, 09:46 PM

PalmAddict has posted an exclusive interview with Jeff Hawkins.

sic · 03-05-2007, 12:30 PM

hi

check out the related Wired article here

does anyone have a pointer to Hawkins' book in an electronic format?

Bob Russell · 03-05-2007, 12:58 PM

Here's where you can find the On Intelligence e-book...

$15.20 at the Sony Connect store (search for "on intelligence").

$19 ($17.10 newsletter price with coupon code) at eReader

$19(16.15 member price) at Fictionwise

$15.20 at Powells.com

$17.52 plus 61 cents store credit at Diesel Books

Couldn't find it at ebooks.com or mobipocket.com.

Btw, I don't seem to be able to look at Connect books at ebook.connect.com anymore with a web browser. Only seems to show me the site with the desktop software. Hope that's just a coincidence.
Update: Yep... spelling error. Thanks NatCh!

NatCh · 03-05-2007, 01:14 PM

ebooks.connect.com lets me in, could it be a typo in your URL, Bob?

sic · 03-05-2007, 02:04 PM

thanks! are any of these non-DRM ?
I just don't feel like paying 15$ to SONY without being able to have a look inside the book and with the feeling of buying something that I will only be able to read with the SONY Reader...

Bob Russell · 03-05-2007, 03:54 PM

No, they are DRM books.
But you can see a limited preview here...
http://books.google.com/books?q=on+i...G=Search+Books

robinson · 03-07-2007, 09:39 AM

Thanks for the links, folks! Interesting reading.

03-04-2007, 09:17 AM	#1
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Palm to release Hawkins' secret new product in 2007 Recently, we heard that the secret project of Jeff Hawkins (Palm co-founder) was going to be revealed in 2007. Now we hear even better news via P.J. Arts, the Treo editor at Palm Addicts: * Hawkins will drop "broad hints" about the product in May, at the WSJ D-Conference * The product will be released by the end of 2007! This information is reported to come from a personal conversation with Jeff Hawkins himself, and is certainly in line with previous rumors, although our early guesses have not always turned out to be very accurate. So what does this do to your smartphone, PDA or UMPC purchasing plans? Are you more likely to wait until at least May to see how your options might be revolutionized, or is it just another point of curiosity for you? Related stories: * Breaking News: Hawkins' secret project coming next year * Jeff Hawkins interview from PoderPDA Mexico * Credible hints that Palm Inc is planning a new generation of Linux devices * Palm Linux phone by end of year * Palm's "Secret Third Business" isn't the LifeDrive * Palm's Secret Plans Cracked * Palm's Hawkins points to 'secret' product line * On intelligence, by Jeff Hawkins

03-04-2007, 09:16 PM	#7
mogui eNigma Posts: 503 Karma: 1335 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: The Philippines Device: HTC G1 Android FBReader	Third project = sell the company??? And then there are the rumblings that Nokia will buy Palm.

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03-04-2007, 11:06 AM	#2
robinson Zealot Posts: 142 Karma: 997293 Join Date: Jan 2003	Hope it's cooler and garners wider adoption than the last BIG SECRET THING-- the segway! Bob, I know little to nothing (closer to nothing) about the Hawkins work, save that he had been writing about the mind and artificial intelligence (and I may even have that all wrong!). What's the product rumored to be? I take it from your comments that it's in the smartphone, PDA, tablet domain. Any more light you can shed on this?

03-04-2007, 02:47 PM	#4
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Considering it's s'posed to be "something different" I'd be rather disappointed if it's just another gen of LifeDrive, or a Palm on Linux steroids ... though a LifeDrive that had decent battery life would be rather refreshing.

03-04-2007, 03:16 PM	#5
Hadrien Feedbooks.com Co-Founder Posts: 2,263 Karma: 145123 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Paris, France Device: Sony PRS-t-1/350/300/500/505/600/700, Nexus S, iPad	I'm usually disappointed by all these super secret products. Most of the time they're just nice PR moves, without a single groundbreaking product behind.

03-04-2007, 05:09 PM	#6
Leaping Gnome Evangelist Posts: 490 Karma: 1641 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Louisville Device: Sony Reader PRS-500	My guess is a wearable computer with an at-the-eye type display.

03-04-2007, 09:31 PM	#8
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Hmmm. Not sure how I like that possibility....

03-04-2007, 09:46 PM	#9
Dick Tracy Detective Posts: 109 Karma: 4455 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: California Device: Palm TX	PalmAddict has posted an exclusive interview with Jeff Hawkins.

03-05-2007, 12:30 PM	#10
sic Addict Posts: 202 Karma: 692 Join Date: Oct 2006 Device: SONY reader	hi check out the related Wired article here does anyone have a pointer to Hawkins' book in an electronic format?

03-05-2007, 12:58 PM	#11
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Here's where you can find the On Intelligence e-book... $15.20 at the Sony Connect store (search for "on intelligence"). $19 ($17.10 newsletter price with coupon code) at eReader $19(16.15 member price) at Fictionwise $15.20 at Powells.com $17.52 plus 61 cents store credit at Diesel Books Couldn't find it at ebooks.com or mobipocket.com. Btw, I don't seem to be able to look at Connect books at ebook.connect.com anymore with a web browser. Only seems to show me the site with the desktop software. Hope that's just a coincidence. Update: Yep... spelling error. Thanks NatCh!

03-05-2007, 01:14 PM	#12
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	ebooks.connect.com lets me in, could it be a typo in your URL, Bob?

03-05-2007, 02:04 PM	#13
sic Addict Posts: 202 Karma: 692 Join Date: Oct 2006 Device: SONY reader	thanks! are any of these non-DRM ? I just don't feel like paying 15$ to SONY without being able to have a look inside the book and with the feeling of buying something that I will only be able to read with the SONY Reader...

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03-05-2007, 03:54 PM	#14
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	No, they are DRM books. But you can see a limited preview here... http://books.google.com/books?q=on+i...G=Search+Books

03-07-2007, 09:39 AM	#15
robinson Zealot Posts: 142 Karma: 997293 Join Date: Jan 2003	Thanks for the links, folks! Interesting reading.