Monday, August 19, 2002
It's Like Deja Vu All Over Again
Posted by Brad Adrian in "ARTICLE" @ 05:17 PM
http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,54612,00.html
In a gaffe that comes frighteningly close to one purpetrated by Hewlett-Packard a couple of years ago, Palm is in the position of trying to defend its claims about the color resolution of their m130 device. Following precisely in HP's footsteps, Palm advertising has been giving the impression that the m130 can display 16-bit graphics, or images with up to 64k colors. The truth is that the device's processor SUPPORTS 16-bit graphics, but the screen is actually a 12-bit screen capable of only 4,096 colors.
"[Palm Spokeswoman Marlene] Somsak said it was an 'honest mistake.' The handheld was supposed to include support for 65,536 colors and 'in the implementation of various components and technology -- together reduced the number of colors in our expectations.'"
This is almost EXACTLY the story that unfolded when HP made the same mistake. The screen was *supposed* to be 16-bit, but somewhere between planning and implementation the specs got derailed. This could be a PR nightmare for Palm. I remember all the petitions and threats of class action suits against HP that were circulated two years ago; it was not until the 56X models were launched that HP was finally able to live down its 12-bit blunder.
Don't the people at Palm read the newspaper?
In a gaffe that comes frighteningly close to one purpetrated by Hewlett-Packard a couple of years ago, Palm is in the position of trying to defend its claims about the color resolution of their m130 device. Following precisely in HP's footsteps, Palm advertising has been giving the impression that the m130 can display 16-bit graphics, or images with up to 64k colors. The truth is that the device's processor SUPPORTS 16-bit graphics, but the screen is actually a 12-bit screen capable of only 4,096 colors.
"[Palm Spokeswoman Marlene] Somsak said it was an 'honest mistake.' The handheld was supposed to include support for 65,536 colors and 'in the implementation of various components and technology -- together reduced the number of colors in our expectations.'"
This is almost EXACTLY the story that unfolded when HP made the same mistake. The screen was *supposed* to be 16-bit, but somewhere between planning and implementation the specs got derailed. This could be a PR nightmare for Palm. I remember all the petitions and threats of class action suits against HP that were circulated two years ago; it was not until the 56X models were launched that HP was finally able to live down its 12-bit blunder.
Don't the people at Palm read the newspaper?
