Amazon leaks palmOne LifeDrive - available May 18, 2005

Bob Russell · 05-06-2005, 05:34 AM

The PalmOne LifeDrive Palm pda with a 4gig internal hard drive is likely to be coming soon, and another sign is a set of leaked pictures on Amazon. A price of $499.88 is reported by Engadget when adding it to your shopping cart. Some specs are given

Quote:

Quickly drag and drop files from your PC onto your LifeDrive mobile manager.
Intel 416MHz XScale processor
Portrait and landscape viewing
320x480 hi-resolution, color display
LifeDrive smart file management

and the page also shows the following info

Quote:

Amazon.com Sales Rank: None
ASIN: B0009JMT38
Item model number: 1044NA
Dimensions: 6.50 inches x 6.50 inches x 4.00 inches
Date first available at Amazon: May 18, 2005
Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
This page was created by a seller.

Thanks to Sammy at Palm Addict for the news submission.

Alexander Turcic · 05-06-2005, 05:36 AM

Beat me on that Bob!

TadW · 05-06-2005, 10:01 AM

From The Register (emphasis mine):

The piccies reveal it does indeed integrate Wi-Fi wireless networking. It clearly runs the Palm OS. Well, not quite. According to the page, it was posted not by PalmOne or Amazon.com, but by an affiliate seller. So the possibility remains that it's all nonsense. Certainly the units alleged dimensions: 16.3 x 16.3 x 10cm are wrong, simply on the basis of the half-a-dozen pictures included.

Btw, nobody here questioned the high price tag yet. Is it just me or does $500 sound like a lot for a PDA nowadays? It's 50% more expansive than Dell's top-of-the-line Axim X50v Pocket PC.

ignatz · 05-06-2005, 11:25 AM

Engadget has some updates showing official launch to be May 18 and Bluetooth and Wifi are included. Still no word on the THICKNESS or WEIGHT, which are to me the major questions. $500 is steep, to be sure. This does look like a powerful unit. I'm extremely curious to see how the public will respond to it. Will it put Palm back in the game?

radleyp · 05-06-2005, 12:53 PM

Those posted dimensions just have to be wrong. It can't be 6.5 x 6.5 (it's not square). My guess is that it's 6.5 long x 4.00 wide and perhaps .65 thick. We shall see. Philippe Radley

Traecer Prime · 05-06-2005, 01:06 PM

Jeff Kirvin mentioned the dimensions on 1src Podcast 22. In US measurements, it's 4.7 x 2.9 x 0.8 in. The classic Palm III dimensions (the largest PDA I am willing to carry in a pocket) were 4.7 x 3.2 x 0.7 in, so the LifeDrive is not as wide but slightly thicker. A closed Tungsten T3 is 4.3 x 3.0 x 0.6 in, while open its length is ~5.0in. I still haven't heard any weight estimates, but with the hard drive inside you can expect it to be heavier than the T5, though maybe not heavier than the T3, since the LifeDrive will apparently save weight by using plastic casing.

Laurens · 05-06-2005, 01:49 PM

$500 is indeed a bit too expensive, but it is a new high-end model after all. The price will surely come down in a few months.

PalmOne seems to be shifting to a more "high-end" pricing model. (The T|E2 is also a bit on the expensive side, considering that it is just an incremental upgrade.) It looks like they want to become like Apple and charge a premium price for their products. They are, after all, the only major vendor still producing PalmOS devices.

I do have to commend PalmOne for trying to create new markets for PDA-like devices. Marketing the LifeDrive as a "mobile media manager", rather than a high-end PDA, might turn out to be a stroke of genius. It's a pity that they still aren't using OS6, though.

ignatz · 05-06-2005, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by traecer

In US measurements, it's 4.7 x 2.9 x 0.8 in.

That's really not as bad as I expected. I had heard whisperings that it might be as much as an inch, which is getting a bit thick.

If I hadn't just bought my M3 I would be really interested in this device as a combo PDA/DAP (digital audio player). That's the role that my T|E played. In that context, I wonder what the battery life will be like. Spinning a hard drive and running wifi is going to suck it down. But it won't be as useful if it requires frequent charging.

I have to give Palm cheers for being among the very first to come out with a hard drive based PDA. I hope some of the Palm haters who have been vociferous lately over the T5 will step back. But I guess we should wait and see how it all works first, huh?

Bob Russell · 05-06-2005, 02:32 PM

I did see some rumored weights somewhere. Don't remember what it was, but I do have the impression that it was significantly more than my current PPC (Toshiba e405). As Traecer indicated it should be heavier than the T5. Part of that weight might also be a larger battery to handle multimedia activities.

Would like to see a removable hard flip cover, maybe even one that can flip either to the top or the side depending on how you attach it. It might not look quite as nice that way, but it's very practical. You have to consider total size and weight in your pocket. A flip cover adds very little of either. But when you start talking about adding the additional weight and thickness of a leather case, you may be dealing with a monster. You never know... once we see the size, we may become a lot more excited about the T5!

And we should soon be able to compare LifeDrive with Win Mobile 2005 and even the first new wave of PPC products. Things are getting really interesting again!

gadgetguru · 05-07-2005, 06:10 PM

PalmOne should have launched this a couple of weeks earlier. May 18 is not a good date. Why? Next week, Microsoft will unveil Windows Mobile 2005 and with new products announcements by its partners, that will steal away some of the shine off the Lifedrive. And one day after launch, the final installment of George Lucas' six-part masterpiece will screen, so the hype and most media coverage will be on that event... So, us, geekheads will have to choose whether to lineup for a Lifedrive or get a glimpse of how Anakin turns to the dark side....

doctorow · 05-07-2005, 07:23 PM

Hah I didn't even think about that, but you are right! PalmOne should fire its chief of marketing!

Quote:

Originally Posted by gadgetguru

PalmOne should have launched this a couple of weeks earlier. May 18 is not a good date. Why? Next week, Microsoft will unveil Windows Mobile 2005 and with new products announcements by its partners, that will steal away some of the shine off the Lifedrive. And one day after launch, the final installment of George Lucas' six-part masterpiece will screen, so the hype and most media coverage will be on that event... So, us, geekheads will have to choose whether to lineup for a Lifedrive or get a glimpse of how Anakin turns to the dark side....

Brad · 05-08-2005, 10:27 AM

I'm very curious about the thickness, weight and battery life on this. I agree the price on the T5 is looking better, although the LifeDrive would be a good value if I did not already have an iPod.

05-06-2005, 01:06 PM	#6
Traecer Prime Connoisseur Posts: 54 Karma: 27 Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Time and Space, the perfect escape Device: Sony PRS-T2	Kirvin mentioned dimensions on Podcast Jeff Kirvin mentioned the dimensions on 1src Podcast 22. In US measurements, it's 4.7 x 2.9 x 0.8 in. The classic Palm III dimensions (the largest PDA I am willing to carry in a pocket) were 4.7 x 3.2 x 0.7 in, so the LifeDrive is not as wide but slightly thicker. A closed Tungsten T3 is 4.3 x 3.0 x 0.6 in, while open its length is ~5.0in. I still haven't heard any weight estimates, but with the hard drive inside you can expect it to be heavier than the T5, though maybe not heavier than the T3, since the LifeDrive will apparently save weight by using plastic casing.

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05-06-2005, 05:36 AM	#2
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,175 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	Beat me on that Bob!

05-06-2005, 10:01 AM	#3
TadW Uebermensch Posts: 2,583 Karma: 1094606 Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Italy Device: Kindle	From The Register (emphasis mine): The piccies reveal it does indeed integrate Wi-Fi wireless networking. It clearly runs the Palm OS. Well, not quite. According to the page, it was posted not by PalmOne or Amazon.com, but by an affiliate seller. So the possibility remains that it's all nonsense. Certainly the units alleged dimensions: 16.3 x 16.3 x 10cm are wrong, simply on the basis of the half-a-dozen pictures included. Btw, nobody here questioned the high price tag yet. Is it just me or does $500 sound like a lot for a PDA nowadays? It's 50% more expansive than Dell's top-of-the-line Axim X50v Pocket PC.

05-06-2005, 11:25 AM	#4
ignatz mechanoholic Posts: 582 Karma: 1000217 Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Sarasota, FL Device: Nook STR/iPhone 4S/EVO 4G	Engadget has some updates showing official launch to be May 18 and Bluetooth and Wifi are included. Still no word on the THICKNESS or WEIGHT, which are to me the major questions. $500 is steep, to be sure. This does look like a powerful unit. I'm extremely curious to see how the public will respond to it. Will it put Palm back in the game?

05-06-2005, 12:53 PM	#5
radleyp Evangelist Posts: 499 Karma: 20623 Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: North Salem & NYC, NY Device: Kindle Global, iphone4, ipad	Those posted dimensions just have to be wrong. It can't be 6.5 x 6.5 (it's not square). My guess is that it's 6.5 long x 4.00 wide and perhaps .65 thick. We shall see. Philippe Radley

05-06-2005, 01:49 PM	#7
Laurens Jah Blessed Posts: 1,295 Karma: 1373 Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: The Netherlands Device: iPod Touch	$500 is indeed a bit too expensive, but it is a new high-end model after all. The price will surely come down in a few months. PalmOne seems to be shifting to a more "high-end" pricing model. (The T\|E2 is also a bit on the expensive side, considering that it is just an incremental upgrade.) It looks like they want to become like Apple and charge a premium price for their products. They are, after all, the only major vendor still producing PalmOS devices. I do have to commend PalmOne for trying to create new markets for PDA-like devices. Marketing the LifeDrive as a "mobile media manager", rather than a high-end PDA, might turn out to be a stroke of genius. It's a pity that they still aren't using OS6, though.

05-06-2005, 02:32 PM	#9
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	I did see some rumored weights somewhere. Don't remember what it was, but I do have the impression that it was significantly more than my current PPC (Toshiba e405). As Traecer indicated it should be heavier than the T5. Part of that weight might also be a larger battery to handle multimedia activities. Would like to see a removable hard flip cover, maybe even one that can flip either to the top or the side depending on how you attach it. It might not look quite as nice that way, but it's very practical. You have to consider total size and weight in your pocket. A flip cover adds very little of either. But when you start talking about adding the additional weight and thickness of a leather case, you may be dealing with a monster. You never know... once we see the size, we may become a lot more excited about the T5! And we should soon be able to compare LifeDrive with Win Mobile 2005 and even the first new wave of PPC products. Things are getting really interesting again!

05-07-2005, 06:10 PM	#10
gadgetguru Addict Posts: 214 Karma: 6370 Join Date: May 2003 Location: Asia Device: Tungsten T5	PalmOne should have launched this a couple of weeks earlier. May 18 is not a good date. Why? Next week, Microsoft will unveil Windows Mobile 2005 and with new products announcements by its partners, that will steal away some of the shine off the Lifedrive. And one day after launch, the final installment of George Lucas' six-part masterpiece will screen, so the hype and most media coverage will be on that event... So, us, geekheads will have to choose whether to lineup for a Lifedrive or get a glimpse of how Anakin turns to the dark side....

05-08-2005, 10:27 AM	#12
Brad Zealot Posts: 107 Karma: 201 Join Date: Sep 2004 Device: Cybook Gen3 / EB1150 /iPhone	I'm very curious about the thickness, weight and battery life on this. I agree the price on the T5 is looking better, although the LifeDrive would be a good value if I did not already have an iPod.

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