Windows Phone Thoughts: Palm readies first hardware salvo in a long time

http://news.com.com/2100-1040-958708.html

These new Palm PDAs will be the first new designs from the company in quite a while. The last really new products from Palm were the Palm V and Palm VII. Everything since then has been a repackaged version of an older model or incremental changes with new features like color or an expansion slot. Two of these could present a challenge to the Pocket PC, so I'll go over their features here. Heck, some of you might even want one, but don't tell us because we'll revoke your membership.



So, to get a brief overview of what's coming, select the More... link below. Let's just say Jason nailed it a few months ago with the Oslo image.
<!>

First off, thanks to Geek.com for the Zire and Tungsten T images. Obviously, the Tungsten W image came from Palm Info Center.

Palm Zire

I don't know if this is the final name of the product, but it doesn't matter. This is not on your shopping list if you want a powerful device. This will likely take the place of the M100 series.

• 2MB of RAM
• Palm OS 4.1
• Doesn't use the universal connector
• No card expansion
• Under $100

Tungsten T



This is the Oslo first shown here over two months ago. Now, this is a photoshopped image, not one of a real device, so put your magnifying glasses away.

• The Graffiti area slides out of the way
• Finally, an OS5 device
• TI OMAP1510 processor running at 175MHz. This chip as an integrated DSP.
• 320X320 Hi-res screen
• Headphone jack, microphone and speaker
• 16MB of RAM
• SD slot
• 4.8" (open)/4.0" (closed) long, 3" wide, .6 deep inches
• 5.6oz
• Bluetooth integrated.
• $500, but that isn't firm.

Tungsten W



This is Palm's first entry into the phone/pda combo space, though Palm licensees Handspring, Samsung and a few others have already ventured into this area. I saw this and thought "Wow - they are aiming squarely at the Pocket PC Phone with this, but a closer look at the specs indicates they aren't.

• Palm OS 4.1. This is not an OS 5 device.
• 33MHz Dragonball
• 16MB
• No Graffiti area. Nothing slides on this one. You only get the keyboard.
• 320X320 Hi-res screen
• GPRS/GSM Wireless network
• SD slot on the side
• Headset required for voice calls. This seems to be a i705 replacement with just a touch of voice thrown in. You couldn't carry this in your pocket and quickly answer a phone call as you could with a normal smartphone.
• Third party browser called WebPro. The Palm OS 5 web browser will not work on this device.
• Price unknown. I would suspect something in the $450-600 range given the GPRS/GSM radio and color screen.

So, what do you think? Personally, the Tungsten T looks appealing, but at $500 I would rather have a Toshiba e310, which has more everything (except size - it is a smidge taller and wider, and thinner, and .7oz lighter) than the Tungsten T except for integrated Bluetooth. In fact, with the deal Amazon has on the e310, you could buy two 310's for $500.

What really surprises me is the Tungsten W wireless device. OS 4.1? Are they insane? I can't imagine the public wanting to buy a slick new device running last decades OS when shipping simultaneously are OS 5 devices. I have to think Sony, Handspring or Samsung has been busy with OS 5 and wireless development these past few months.

Any threat to the Pocket PC momentum in these releases?