Palm: PDAs still important because of GPS

Alexander Turcic · 07-31-2005, 11:16 AM

C|Net grabbed a few minutes from Palm's Asia-Pacific VP Paul Blinkhorn and asked him why the company recently changed its name back from PalmOne to Palm and how they perceive the future of the PDA market. Basically, Palm is convinced that it carries a "tremendous brand equity around the world" worth spending $30m in cash for and that the PDA market is still dominant thanks to - and that is a new spin to me - GPS (apparently Europeans love to carry GPS devices around helping them to find their way back home). At least we have a strong statement from Palm here that, despite the strong growth in smartphone sales, the company is not planning to abandon the PDA sector any time soon. Good!

Although Blinkhorn refuses a direct answer, he also makes it seem less likely that Palm is going to release Windows Mobile devices any time soon.

Laurens · 07-31-2005, 11:43 AM

He's right about the popularity of GPS navigation in Europe, but the vast majority of these kits are bundled with PocketPCs.

Colin Dunstan · 07-31-2005, 02:25 PM

... or it comes pre-installed when you purchase a car. Even a tiny Fiat Punto has GPS in various configurations. No, I don't think this is the way how to continue with PDAs.

gadgetguru · 07-31-2005, 04:05 PM

So does that mean a Palm Inc. unit with GPS is in the offing?

Alexander Turcic · 07-31-2005, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gadgetguru

So does that mean a Palm Inc. unit with GPS is in the offing?

Not yet, at least as far as I know.

Antoine of MMM · 07-31-2005, 08:15 PM

Looking at that interview, I would expect either seeing a GPS PDA from Palm in the mold of a Tungsten, or at least a really nicely priced bundle.

I admit that it was good reading the interview. And if you read the CNet and ZDNet versions, you would notice some different questions that would give a better understanding to what it is that Palm Asia is thinking.

Dick Tracy · 07-31-2005, 11:26 PM

"A redesigned palmOne GPS Navigator soon will be available for use with the LifeDrive(TM) mobile manager, Treo(TM) 650 smartphone, and Tungsten E2 and Tungsten T5 handhelds. The GPS Navigator's compact Bluetooth(R) enabled receiver is suited for cyclists and pedestrians, as well as for use in vehicles. This product also uses TomTom Navigator 5 software plus Tele Atlas map data to provide real-time location information, turn-by-turn directions, maps in 2-D and 3-D, and millions of points of interest. The palmOne GPS Navigator is scheduled to be available in July for $249.99." - from PalmOne Press Release on June 27th, 2005.

It's July 31st....where is it?

TadW · 08-02-2005, 06:49 AM

There's a current Palm OS GPS solution:

The Mapopolis NavCard ($149), which is a 1GB SD card that contains the 2005 NAVTEQ digital map data of all 48 states, and GPS capability. It doesn't have 3D-view capabilities, but usually this is not needed only to find your way around.

Antoine of MMM · 08-02-2005, 09:51 AM

And see what I get for not visiting Palm.com in a long time.

07-31-2005, 11:16 AM	#1
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,175 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	Palm: PDAs still important because of GPS C\|Net grabbed a few minutes from Palm's Asia-Pacific VP Paul Blinkhorn and asked him why the company recently changed its name back from PalmOne to Palm and how they perceive the future of the PDA market. Basically, Palm is convinced that it carries a "tremendous brand equity around the world" worth spending $30m in cash for and that the PDA market is still dominant thanks to - and that is a new spin to me - GPS (apparently Europeans love to carry GPS devices around helping them to find their way back home). At least we have a strong statement from Palm here that, despite the strong growth in smartphone sales, the company is not planning to abandon the PDA sector any time soon. Good! Although Blinkhorn refuses a direct answer, he also makes it seem less likely that Palm is going to release Windows Mobile devices any time soon.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Kindle 2 GPS	isotherm	Kindle Developer's Corner	12	05-30-2011 02:14 PM
iPad 3G As In Car GPS	Lotus Esprit	Apple Devices	9	05-01-2010 12:43 PM
6" GPS as a reader?	jozicka	Alternative Devices	1	03-31-2010 09:56 PM
Replacement Parts for Palm PDAs	gvtexas	Lounge	1	07-06-2003 09:54 AM

07-31-2005, 11:43 AM	#2
Laurens Jah Blessed Posts: 1,295 Karma: 1373 Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: The Netherlands Device: iPod Touch	He's right about the popularity of GPS navigation in Europe, but the vast majority of these kits are bundled with PocketPCs.

07-31-2005, 02:25 PM	#3
Colin Dunstan Is papyrophobic! Posts: 1,926 Karma: 1009999 Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: USA Device: Dell Axim	... or it comes pre-installed when you purchase a car. Even a tiny Fiat Punto has GPS in various configurations. No, I don't think this is the way how to continue with PDAs.

07-31-2005, 04:05 PM	#4
gadgetguru Addict Posts: 214 Karma: 6370 Join Date: May 2003 Location: Asia Device: Tungsten T5	So does that mean a Palm Inc. unit with GPS is in the offing?

07-31-2005, 08:15 PM	#6
Antoine of MMM Mobile Ministry Magazine Posts: 119 Karma: 4507 Join Date: May 2005 Location: Charlotte, NC Device: Nokia N75/N800 Internet Tablet	Looking at that interview, I would expect either seeing a GPS PDA from Palm in the mold of a Tungsten, or at least a really nicely priced bundle. I admit that it was good reading the interview. And if you read the CNet and ZDNet versions, you would notice some different questions that would give a better understanding to what it is that Palm Asia is thinking.

07-31-2005, 11:26 PM	#7
Dick Tracy Detective Posts: 109 Karma: 4455 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: California Device: Palm TX	"A redesigned palmOne GPS Navigator soon will be available for use with the LifeDrive(TM) mobile manager, Treo(TM) 650 smartphone, and Tungsten E2 and Tungsten T5 handhelds. The GPS Navigator's compact Bluetooth(R) enabled receiver is suited for cyclists and pedestrians, as well as for use in vehicles. This product also uses TomTom Navigator 5 software plus Tele Atlas map data to provide real-time location information, turn-by-turn directions, maps in 2-D and 3-D, and millions of points of interest. The palmOne GPS Navigator is scheduled to be available in July for $249.99." - from PalmOne Press Release on June 27th, 2005. It's July 31st....where is it?

08-02-2005, 06:49 AM	#8
TadW Uebermensch Posts: 2,583 Karma: 1094606 Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Italy Device: Kindle	There's a current Palm OS GPS solution: The Mapopolis NavCard ($149), which is a 1GB SD card that contains the 2005 NAVTEQ digital map data of all 48 states, and GPS capability. It doesn't have 3D-view capabilities, but usually this is not needed only to find your way around.

08-02-2005, 09:51 AM	#9
Antoine of MMM Mobile Ministry Magazine Posts: 119 Karma: 4507 Join Date: May 2005 Location: Charlotte, NC Device: Nokia N75/N800 Internet Tablet	And see what I get for not visiting Palm.com in a long time.

Advert

Advert