Palm, no matter what Microsoft and Symbian would like to believe, is the world's most popular handheld software and hardware maker. They made six of the top ten handhelds ever sold, and the Palm Zire and Zire 71 occupy the top two slots. They, by the way, are also the most widely developed-for software platform in the mobile industry. All that has got a lot to do with the sharp strategy and perfect software development fundamentals that Palm adopted.
The OS Palm is the only handheld platform that is 'Truly Backward and Sideways Compatible', which not only makes things a whole lot easier for users, it also helps developers migrate to a new platform in a smooth manner, as their old apps don't go kaput when a new version of the handheld OS is announced. Also, if you wish to migrate from an older to a newer handheld, all you need to do is plug in the new handheld, update the Palm Desktop sync software, and sync it with the new handheld, and all your old data will be moved to the new handheld, something impossible in Windows Pocket PC.
But it seems that wasn't enough for Palm to impress the high-end users. Palm devices, until now, had been known as low-powered limited handheld devices, unlike the Windows handhelds that had earned the reputation of being powerful enough to run multimedia apps, music and video right out of the box. Sure, Sony had hacked and modified Palm OS 4 and made devices that excelled most Windows devices when it came to multimedia applications, Palm's own handhelds, and the OS itself were still considered a little behind the curve.
But that was before Palm OS 5 was unleashed! Designed to run on the high-powered and highly flexible ARM platform, the new OS was capable of everything Windows Pocket PC handhelds could do, and a whole lot more, all with the stability and efficiency Palm OS is famous for. Palm OS 5 featured an enhanced screen resolution of 320 x 320 pixels by default, four times the old Palm OS 4's default resolution, and one third more than the Windows Pocket PC standard of 320 x 240 pixels, allowing developers more real estate and a whole lot more power to play around with. Developers lapped it up happily and gave users amazingly rich applications, and the ability to play full-screen VCD quality movies without having to turn the handheld sideways, like in Windows Pocket PCs.
Why such a long background on Palm OS? Well! Because that's the main reason why anybody would want to buy a Palm Handheld. The OS has been engineered for handheld devices from day one, which makes it significantly better than other hack-and-dice jobs like Windows Pocket PC. Palm, unlike Windows Pocket PC, doesn't use more and more RAM for more and more applications you open, and unlike Windows Pocket PC, opening more and more applications won't slow down the handheld. There is a lot of efficiency sprinkled all around the OS, which make it a whole lot smoother and effortless to work with. With Palm OS's multitasking capabilities, you can clearly notice the performance and usability jump; it's a breeze to run an MP3 in the background, and work on an Excel Document in the front.
Your article is good. But to say that PocketPC based devices are slow, sluggish, and awkward reveals the author has not worked on a Pocket PC 2002 device before. I own a Dell Axim X5 unit and i find a MS-based device surprisingly easy to use and it conserves RAM like a rabid dog. I work on Excel, play MP3 songs, and am downloading the mail at the same time, without any loss in performance or hiccups. I have 5 ways if inputting text/drawings in a Pocket PC rather than single way graffitti in Palm. I also own a Palm IIIxe which now lies in a dust heap.
Before writing a fullsome praise of any product, make sure you have checked out other options "personally" before voicing your cliche opinions. ** Message edited by moderator **
by Anandasubramani
from Chennai
on 16/12/03 10:31 AM
hi, with regard to memory management let me assure you that the palm uses less memory tha the windows ce platform. a palm with 32 mb ram can store the equivalent of 64 mb of ram for a windows ce device. addtiionally it the palm o/s does not crash like the windows ce o/s. comparing palm IIIxe to your dell axim is like comparing an ambassador to a honda city. so lets make a meaningful comparison of your axim with an equivalent palm device
a proud palm owner/ t3
Of course you want to interact with an MS device. All dumbos do. You are so full of it :- stability, multitasking, low footprint, low RAM usage. MS has everything, right ? Even their full OS running on the latest computers didn't have true multitasking after a decade of working on it. We used to run 16 bit non-multitasking , unstable software on our PC's.
Well I have worked on both toshiba PPC and own a Tungsten E. i feel that when it comes to bells and whistles PPC wins but when it comes to productivity, stability, support, application availability, expandability, ease of use, vast developer network, features Palm Tunsgten series and the Zire 71 beats PPC to pulp. BTW Palm IIIxe is so old a model that even palm does not support it Please for god's sake stop comparing it with PPC 2002
I've used a total of seven handhelds till date, out of them, four were Pocket PC/WinCE handhelds, from WinCE v. 1 to the latest Windows Mobile 2003...and take my word when I say memory management, stability, and multitasking flexibility on Windows PPC SCKUS so bad, I won't want to move back to Windows ever again after having used my Palm OS 5 Clie.
i use the casio BE-300 which has never given me any problems EXCEPT for the battery life which is like 2 n half hours..it is based on win ce 3 and can play everything mp3s wma jpg bmp videos etc but i just wanted to know which pocket pc/palm device under 20000 can do that with a great battery life.
I am desperately looking for Axim X51v. I am in Chennai. But everyone's saying that Dell PDAs are to be got ONLY from Dell website, but Dell India site has no pdas listed and the helpline don't have any idea about PDA sales. Where do you guys usually buy DELL PDAs? Thanks in advance.
by Stanley Lyndon
from Chennai
on 02/01/06 01:18 PM
Hi Ananda,
Good to read your comments on the PocketPC based devices. Now as you are using the Dell device, would you be interested in selling off your old devices. Please let me know if you are willing to as I'm interested in buying it.
Regards...
Hi all, I have Nokia e61i mobile purchased on jan'08, excellent in condition. I would like to sell this mobile, due to purchase a laptop any one interest to buy plz mail or call to me mobile: 9431183560
regards
Mahesh
by P M REDDY
from JAMSHEDPUR
on 23/03/08 11:57 PM
hi, i have a Palm VX Handheld. the application screen is not opening. Can anybody suggest a service centre in Bangalore. India
by syedhabeeb
from bangalore
on 04/08/07 10:36 AM
hi, i have a toshiba pocket pc. the application screen is not opening. Can anybody suggest a service centre in Bangalore. India
by Vishnu Kumar
from Bangalore
on 16/07/07 05:18 PM
FIRST TIME I-MATE WORKSHOP IN MUMBAI SUPPORT 24HRS HOTLINES:- 9820440563 (Free Home Delivery)
by IMATE
from mumbai,pune,Maharashtra
on 25/04/07 12:30 PM
FIRST TIME I-MATE WORKSHOP IN MUMBAI SUPPORT 24HRS HOTLINES:- 9820440563 (Free Home Delivery)
by IMATE
from mumbai,pune,Maharashtra
on 25/04/07 12:26 PM
hi.
this is min bahadur her.
i have probleum with my tungsten w
mobile haidset is not working can i have any service center in bangalore india
please getme infarmation
by min bahadur
from bangalore
on 25/07/06 10:02 PM
i have this model n lost my adapter , n my handsfree is not working ,now how n where can i get it repaired.
by dr aftab ali
from guwahati
on 17/12/05 02:05 AM
iam interested in hp jornada 728 is it available in india if so please tell me cost and place of availablity.
by ashok
from nellore
on 04/09/05 08:09 PM
hi, this may not be the best plcae for my query...but, still,
I can get a new "Casio PVS-S600 Plus" at a price of Rs 3200/-. I know that it is a TOY compared with the Tung T and Cs discussed here. But, i wann buy it to see how much a PDA can help me. So, any views/opinions for 'Casio PVS-S600 Plus' at a price of Rs 3200/- are invited. thnx..
by Rajul
from Ahmedabad
on 08/06/04 05:16 PM
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