Friday, September 19, 2003
Future Pocket PCs, and the Future of eBooks
Posted by Jason Dunn in "THOUGHT" @ 07:00 AM
One of the most enjoyable things about a site like Pocket PC Thoughts is the fun we have with speculation about devices and the industry. This last week was filled with both: we learned a little more about thee new Pocket PCs coming down the pipe, the Toshiba e800, the iPAQ 4150, and the iPAQ 4350. Each of the devices is ground breaking in its own way: the e800 may in fact have a 640 x 480 resolution display (though I'm personally very skeptical on this point), the iPAQ 4150 seems to have a similar shell to the svelte iPAQ 1940 but boasts both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, while the iPAQ 4350 will have a built-in hardware keyboard, possibly a slide-out keyboard. Based on a Powerpoint slide shown at an Office Depot product meeting, the iPAQ rumours seem to be more or less confirmed. I can't stress how excited I am about seeing a Pocket PC with a built-in keyboard. The Hitachi G1000 was the first to make it to this important point in Pocket PC history, but I have yet to see one in person, and most reports talk about how tall the unit is. If HP's approach to having the keyboard slide back into the unit proves to be accurate, they will have accomplished something very significant: a Pocket PC with a keyboard that is no taller than any other Pocket PC.
Keyboards seem to be hit or miss with buyers: some people have yawned at the iPAQ 4350, while others (like myself) have been very enthusiastic. Back when I was using the Jornada 565 as my primary Pocket PC, I purchased the keyboard add-on for it. I can't express how much more productive I became once I had that add-on: it was the first time I'd ever been able to work on a serious writing project while having some down-time. Regardless of how many alternative text entry approaches I try, nothing seems to match the sheer power of a hardware keyboard, even if the buttons are tiny. And unlike most of the snap-on keyboard solutions out there, the Jornada keyboard didn't add to the size of the device, which was paramount for me. All of the iPAQ/XDA snap-on keyboards added bulk, which was an instant losing scenario for me. If the iPAQ 4350 has a keyboard that can disappear into the body of the unit, I can almost guarantee it will be my new primary Pocket PC - it's what I've been waiting for. Now if only someone could convince them to add a screen cover - it still amazes me that no other major OEMs have figured this out yet!
Our own Ed Hansberry did his own speculating about the future of eBooks, and unlike Steve from Brighthand, Ed feels eBooks are a powerful medium for novels. There are some other issues to tackle with eBooks, but they relate more to the hardware and industry in general (pricing, DRM, marketing). If you have any interest in electronic books, be sure to give Ed's article a read.
Lastly, we're in full swing on the "Big Thinker" Contest, with the winner of the Viewsonic V35 being announced, and by the time you read this, I'll probably have drawn for the Viewsonic V37 as well. A big thanks to Viewsonic for donating the V37 for the giveaway - if you're not a subscriber, consider joining so you can take part in these contests. If you'd like to enter for free, you can always mail in a postcard.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Keyboards seem to be hit or miss with buyers: some people have yawned at the iPAQ 4350, while others (like myself) have been very enthusiastic. Back when I was using the Jornada 565 as my primary Pocket PC, I purchased the keyboard add-on for it. I can't express how much more productive I became once I had that add-on: it was the first time I'd ever been able to work on a serious writing project while having some down-time. Regardless of how many alternative text entry approaches I try, nothing seems to match the sheer power of a hardware keyboard, even if the buttons are tiny. And unlike most of the snap-on keyboard solutions out there, the Jornada keyboard didn't add to the size of the device, which was paramount for me. All of the iPAQ/XDA snap-on keyboards added bulk, which was an instant losing scenario for me. If the iPAQ 4350 has a keyboard that can disappear into the body of the unit, I can almost guarantee it will be my new primary Pocket PC - it's what I've been waiting for. Now if only someone could convince them to add a screen cover - it still amazes me that no other major OEMs have figured this out yet!
Our own Ed Hansberry did his own speculating about the future of eBooks, and unlike Steve from Brighthand, Ed feels eBooks are a powerful medium for novels. There are some other issues to tackle with eBooks, but they relate more to the hardware and industry in general (pricing, DRM, marketing). If you have any interest in electronic books, be sure to give Ed's article a read.
Lastly, we're in full swing on the "Big Thinker" Contest, with the winner of the Viewsonic V35 being announced, and by the time you read this, I'll probably have drawn for the Viewsonic V37 as well. A big thanks to Viewsonic for donating the V37 for the giveaway - if you're not a subscriber, consider joining so you can take part in these contests. If you'd like to enter for free, you can always mail in a postcard.
Have a great weekend everyone!
