So what are you doing for your next PDA now that Sony's gone?

[Puppy]

PalmOne's reliability is a joke, and besides that there's just WinCE stuff. Anyone have any definite plans for your next PDA? I really have no idea what I'm going to do. I *WAS* going to snap up Sony's first OS 6 Clie, as long as the interface and button layout wasn't TOO weird.

Now what? Do I buy PalmOne's first OS 6 PDA, and pull my hair out when the screen starts humming and the digitizer breaks? Do I buy a Dell Axim, and put up with WinCE?

Here's another question. If Sony was considering pulling out of the market, why did they develop the "Handheld Engine" CPU and Clie Organzier? I hate Clie Organizer, and the "HE" is pretty worthless when much more powerful CPUs are already on the market...but why develop them if you're that close to canning the whole thing? Why not spend less money on R&D-just release more NORMAL type PDAs that'll probably sell better anyway, and see if you can be profitable.

[lateshift]

www.oqo.com

[tpipher]

My next "Palm" will most likely be a Palm based phone or a Garmin Ique. I love the palm os with everything in me. So it is with great sense of loss when I say that when I look out over the handheld landscape I see the sun setting on the Palm, atleast as we know (and LOVE) it. I dont want a palm phone but I feel I need to start the convergence that I see as inevitable. Dont get me wrong, I dont want to burry the Palm but believe I am being forced into looking outside of the palm box so I atleast know what my options are. I hate Windows ANYTHING! Let alone that crap they sell as a palm! OGO will be a hit im sure but welcome back to windows hell! I am hoping that Palmone will get seriously into the phone scene as with it's modular OS it would and should do well there.

[Joel]

My next "Palm" would probably be the next generation Vaio U-series. But, if Apple comes up with a similar product then I'd go with Apple ;)

Another choice would be the next SonyEricsson P900 ... if they use OS6 then things could get interesting.

[Beavis]

OQO is the biggest piece of vaporware since the term was invented. We've been waiting for this for what, like three years now?

I may defect to the dark side when the new iPaq 4700 VGA PPC comes out next month. If it's too big, I'll wait for the fall PalmOne offerings.

[ClieKun]

T4 maybe........I hope the reenter the Japan market :( If not then IF Sony does stay in Japan`s Market a Sony :). But If no neither of the two PPC.

[drwong]

i just played with the U series Vaio from Tokyo,
looks interesting and surprising small, both touch screen + joystick

but its a overkill for a PDA and too big for that matter.
i think for a small Notebook, i prefer my Toshiba SS series. at least i always have a full screen and keyboard with me.
and i think it feels lighter that the U
the next generation Extreme 505 Vaio is another matter..

[ClieKun]

:rolleyes: i just played with the U series Vaio from Tokyo,
looks interesting and surprising small, both touch screen + joystick

but its a overkill for a PDA and too big for that matter.
i think for a small Notebook, i prefer my Toshiba SS series. at least i always have a full screen and keyboard with me.
and i think it feels lighter that the U
the next generation Extreme 505 Vaio is another matter..I did this the other day........I was not that impressed with the U series at all. at 178,000 yen its just overdone:(

[Joel]

That's why I'm hoping for a "better" second generation model. ;)

[ClieKun]

Thats smart :) I played with the U series and I did not like it at all. I bet they will be releasing a less costly U series inthe future. I hope.

[kp*]

I'm hoping my TH will stay useful long enough for me to wait and see how the industry shakes out. My biggest dream is that Apple will come out with some kind of dockable PDA/tablet-PC hybrid that will be both a laptop and a PDA. If that doesn't happen, I would be interested in a smartphone, but I don't like the low-res screen of the Treo, and I'm not much of a keyboard fan, but there's probably no avoiding that. I'd like to reduce my three portable devices (phone, PDA, laptop) down to two, one way or the other, but only when I can do so without losing features.

[Unregister1287]

I got the original Pilot when it came out and then the TH-55. I probably won't be thinking about my next PDA for another 8 years or so.

[ClieKun]

TAblets systems are a little differnt. And more $$$$$. I rather go to a hand held PPC.

[dach95]

if sony quits, I'm sure there are plenty of others that will take it's place in furthering PALM OS. Only reason why SONY fails is due to it's lack of real worthy replacements. People just stop following SONY's incremental improvement roadmap. I strong believe that customer loyalty is very important in this tight market. There are only so many new comers. The real market lies in customer servicing your long time customers. If they get burned like some had expressed here, they will leave and happily revisit their old time PalmOne friend.

SONY's exit only shows that they are not willing to change their business model and pratices. Very soon Vaio line will shrink. I myself had already vowed not to invest anymore into SONY Vaio.

[egarc]

It looks like smartphone city for me. I just hope my current cell phone lasts until Cobalt arrives.

[ClieKun]

if sony quits, I'm sure there are plenty of others that will take it's place in furthering PALM OS. Only reason why SONY fails is due to it's lack of real worthy replacements. People just stop following SONY's incremental improvement roadmap. I strong believe that customer loyalty is very important in this tight market. There are only so many new comers. The real market lies in customer servicing your long time customers. If they get burned like some had expressed here, they will leave and happily revisit their old time PalmOne friend.

SONY's exit only shows that they are not willing to change their business model and pratices. Very soon Vaio line will shrink. I myself had already vowed not to invest anymore into SONY Vaio.


There has been repots Sony moving all the highend device production to China. This has been reported by Sony a few years back. So maybe that what they are saying " rethinking" the plam market. Vaio`s will have the total production line switched to china in a few years. Ohwell there goes what what left of the Vaio`s fan base :D

[Enthropy]

I don't want to use a cell phone for anything but calls. You can keep all the other useless crap that they try and cram into these tiny devices.

Long live the PDA!

Long live Palm!

[anitanium]

i'm leaning towards a treo....
already selling the nx for some extra cash...

i don't really use my nx80 that much anyway
maybe for webbrowsing
never really for work...not yet anyway
need a job =)

[Ezra4no1]

Well I just bought an NX80 yesterday. If Sony doesn't come back to the PDA market, than I am hoping that it will last me between 1 and 2 years. That's it. Currently there aren't any other PDA's on the market that I would like to have. After that..... I have no idea :confused:

Though... I am hoping that Sony comes back... If not.. I am hoping that palmOne breaks their mode and tries to pick up in the direction where Sony was.. or just another brave OEM to bring new Palms to the table, (though I'm doubtful about any of this happening)

My next look would be to PPCs. But I am tired of their form factor, and they add things to their device, though nice to have in an IT corperate invironment, it's useless to 90% of the people who use them (Like VoIP and such).

Though I am hoping for the Tablet PCs to make more advancement it come down in price.. and for someone in Microsoft and OEM to realize that there is Market ready for Window CE devices running on a Tablet PDA about the size of th OQO PC with decent memory and a processor. I would love to see something like mora than to have Tablet PC. It would have Instant on, something needed in an PIM device.

[ClieKun]

Look like we are going to lose alot of members:(

[Cappy]

I was thinking about getting a Zodiac if and when they com out with an SD wireless card that has palm os drivers.

[Atomic Chicken]

Greetings!

I already have my next PDA taken care of - I bought a spare TH55. I'm probably going to pick up a European version soon as well, while they are still available. The TH55 is the perfect PDA for my needs, I was never really interested in the OS6 models coming out anyway.

Best wishes,
Bawko

[winexprt]

I'm just gonna wait and see. I have no need to replace my UX50 anytime soon as I only got it roughly 3 months ago. As always, I will buy what I think offers the most features (built-in WiFi is now an absolute MUST on any future device I buy) in a package I find stylish & attractive.

[winexprt]

I got the original Pilot when it came out and then the TH-55. I probably won't be thinking about my next PDA for another 8 years or so.

WOW! An upgrade every 8 years!? :eek:

No way I could do that. Too much of a technofreak. :p ;) :D

[ClieKun]

WOW! An upgrade every 8 years!? :eek:

No way I could do that. Too much of a technofreak. :p ;) :DWell I use to do this ALOT! Bout not anymore....But I likw keep device for long periods of time or until they break.:)

[winexprt]

Well I use to do this ALOT! Bout not anymore....But I likw keep device for long periods of time or until they break.:)

Yeah. I'm not really like this either anymore. I'm gonna keep this UX50 'till it breaks too, or something so incrediable comes out I simply have to have. :)

[aoi tsuki]

^^^
What he said. i haven't seen any must-have PDAs around the corner to make me switch. i'll keep my UX-50 until then, or until it breaks and i just don't feel like getting it repaired.

The Zodiac 2 looks very interesting, as does the TH-55. i don't *need* a camera or keyboard, but the UX-50 has spoiled me so much. The Treo 600 looks interesting as well, but the keyboard's too small and the resolution is way too poor. Maybe with the next revision.

With Sony pulling out, i'm even keeping an eye out for PPCs. i really can't see myself switching though, especially with OS6 supposedly around the corner.

[ClieKun]

Yeah. I'm not really like this either anymore. I'm gonna keep this UX50 'till it breaks too, or something so incrediable comes out I simply have to have. :)
cool :) Ux 50 might as well be your baby until its break right? :D

[pacer]

Greetings!

I already have my next PDA taken care of - I bought a spare TH55. I'm probably going to pick up a European version soon as well, while they are still available. The TH55 is the perfect PDA for my needs, I was never really interested in the OS6 models coming out anyway.


Exactly how I felt when I read the news here today.

My first thought was 'I have to order me a spare!'

The TH55 is my perfect PDA, I love the OS and the apps I have invested in. I cannot see myself using a WinCE device, I played with a Toshiba device recently and found the OS so cludgy. The Clie changed the face of the pda in my view and I'm in a little state of shock.

Alex

[filip]

I hope that the linux pda offer will be higher than the actual one :)

[jumpyg]

I just bought a TH55 a couple months ago. My previous Clie, an S320, lasted about two years, so the TH55 should last at least that long. If it doesn't break, the only thing that would compel me to get a new PDA is something really cool. So I'm really not worried at all right now. :cool:

[doomlordis]

the new motorola mpx looks cool, for a ppc/phone. I think i would wait for sony to return to europe with a new clie - i believe they will release one if they have a large success in japan with a os6 model. They will be back sooner than we think (2005). Anyway they are going to release a UX50 type device under Sony ericsson brand with built in gprs/gsm and wifi to compete with new motorola etc.
I think the name clie is dead but sony palm smartphones are on the way!

[pacer]

hrm, I'd have to put myself in the same boat which think a phone should be a phone and nothing else.

[Rossi01]

www.oqo.com

Whohoo! Apparently found mine.... :D

IF Sony really pulls out... :eek:

[Dripps]

lateshift, I think you found mine too!! www.oqo.com My only reservation - turning the damn thing on. I can't imagine waiting for boot up to add something to my datebook!

[joejoe]

I got over two years from my T615 before it began to fail so I fully expect to get as much from my TH55. By that time there will be options out there which I hope will tempt me while meeting my needs. My needs may have evolved as well. Or, just perhaps, Sony will have reentered the market with something new & fantastic. Anything's possible.

I'm just enjoying my TH55 on a day to day basis, happy that Sony didn't cut & run before releasing this wonderful model!

[Truffy]

I can't believe that people are still talking about Apple PDAs! :rolleyes:

The OQO (and any other WinXP) will only be of use if you can wait for the thing to boot up. I like the fact that Palm truly is instant on. Besides, if I never have to buy another M$ product, it won't break my heart :D

I also agree that a phone is a phone. I could just about go for the SE K700, but the P900 and other 'smartphones' just leave me cold.

All of which kinda leaves me waiting to see what will fill the void. But my Clie (and its back-up) should see me through the next couple of years.

[Lee]

Since my Clie is used more for managing information than games, my T665 with OS4.1 is more than enough (and it's an mp3 player). I expect to hold onto it, even replace it with a used/refurbished one if needed, for some time to come. And I have more than just the unit invested - chargers, memory sticks, case, etc.

Some time in the next several years, something else will come out and we'll all wonder why we put up with Sony and Clies... Remember Beta videotapes?

[jstimson]

My NX70 has been serving me well for a while now. There is always the itch to upgrade but now that Sony has pulled out I don't see what my current upgrade options really are. For myself I only see 2 options...

New Palm branded PDA with OS6. But the unit has to be pretty high end and feature the same things that drew me to the NX70.

New Pocket PC. I know, I know. I've been a staunch pro-palm user for many years and initially found the MS pocket pc pretty lacking. So what's changed? Upcoming models with VGA resolution. Models like the Asus A730 have incredible hardware specs. Also what's changed is the software area. Took a look at PPC a couple of years ago and saw that it was a wasteland for decent freeware/shareware titles. That situation is definatly changed as I saw during a recent search. Now I have to ask myself if I can live with the OS.

I won't be looking seriously at either option anyway for a number of months. But I am keeping an eye on both. I really hope the next high end Palm can deliver.

[strider_mt2k]

I guess the short answer for me is:

I don't know, odds are it hasn't been built yet!

Seriously though, I'm hoping my TH lasts at least a couple of years.
If I get the chance I've considered buying a second as well. (BT model if I can get it!)

[ClieKun]

Apple will not produce a PDA thats sad. But its time will come some day soon.

[TomP]

Interesting that there's lots of talk of PPCs and of Bigger WinXP machines (OQO etc...), personally I've been looking around a lot just recently and I'm liking the Sharp Zaurus line actually - noone seems to have mentioned this LinuxPDA gem at all.

I like the SL-C860:
640x480 screen with incredible brightness & contrast
Fairly hefty memory
SD card and CF slots
Can install lots of linux software that's out there
No microsoft in sight!

My biggest reservation is that this one has no built in wifi or bluetooth, both of which are an absolute must in any pda for me

Ah well, I'm not gonna be upgrading till at least Xmas anyway - maybe Feb if I can stretch it that long without going mad:) so I'll have a look at how the PalmOS market is then - hopefully a PalmOS 6 by then.

Tom.

[macattack]

PalmOne's reliability is a joke, and besides that there's just WinCE stuff. Anyone have any definite plans for your next PDA? I really have no idea what I'm going to do. I *WAS* going to snap up Sony's first OS 6 Clie, as long as the interface and button layout wasn't TOO weird.

Now what? Do I buy PalmOne's first OS 6 PDA, and pull my hair out when the screen starts humming and the digitizer breaks? Do I buy a Dell Axim, and put up with WinCE?

I have owned several Palm devices and found their reliability to be excellent. They have been at least as good, if not better than Sony's devices in terms of quality. I spent a lot of time on the ClieSource forums before buying my current NX80V looking for the device with the best combination of features and reliability. What I noticed was that there are LOTS of complaints about Sony's quality control as well. As far as the humming screens, aren't you confusing PalmOne with Sony's UX series? A few months ago Cliesource had a poll in which approximately 50% of all UX series owners claimed some issue with a humming/whining screen. And though Palm has had some problems with Tungsten digitizers going flaky, Sony has also had issues with the NX80's digitizer losing its sensitivity in the VG area of the screen. I am in no way bashing Sony (after all I'm using one right now), but I just want people to realize that they are not the panacea of PDA perfection.

I work in an industrial manufacturing environment, and I am hard on my PDAs (not intentionally, of course). Of all of the devices I have owned over the years, the Palm ones have held-up the best. I believe that though they may not be as feature-rich as most Sony devices, Palm still puts a great deal of time and energy into solid designs. I think you would be foolish to limit your future choices so drastically by eliminating PalmOne from your short list of alternatives.

As far as WinCE goes. I've also been unfortunate to have been lured away to the dark side more than once. Unless all of the Palm alternatives die off, I can't see going back. I probably averaged 5-8 resets a day on my Casio E505 and about 1-2 resets a day on my more recent Toshiba. Yeah, that's a huge improvement percentage-wise, but I measure the time between resets on my Palm devices in months, no hours.

[ClieKun]

Now that Sony is nolong selling Palm in North America what are you going to do? Buy a Palmone some time later?!

[macattack]

Here's another question. If Sony was considering pulling out of the market, why did they develop the "Handheld Engine" CPU and Clie Organzier? I hate Clie Organizer, and the "HE" is pretty worthless when much more powerful CPUs are already on the market...but why develop them if you're that close to canning the whole thing? Why not spend less money on R&D-just release more NORMAL type PDAs that'll probably sell better anyway, and see if you can be profitable.

As a mechanical engineer, I think I can shed some light on this subject. Decisions like Sony leaving the handheld market are made at a very high level among the Marketing and Executive Management folks. When considering a decision like this, they are going to keep all knowledge of the discussions at this level. Otherwise there is the possibility that the information will leak out to the public.

Suppose a rumor leaks that Sony is leaving the handheld market while they are still in discussions and performing cost/benefit analysis. What if following all of the discussions and analysis they determine that they should STAY the course and remain in the PDA market? Then nearly everyone who was in the market for a PDA during the time between the information leak and Sony's final decision would have bought a model from another manufacturer for fear of lost support, etc., etc. In short, Sony would have lost millions in potential sales.

The same holds true if while they are considering whether to leave the market they decide to stop innovating with their PDA line for cost saving purposes. The lack of innovation (especially from a company known for pushing the limits of innovation) would be read by the market as a sure sign of Sony's leaving that market. If, in the end, they decide to stay, they have once again lost millions in potential sales.

Generally, the engineers are kept completely in the dark by their management for these reasons (and others). They continue to work on improving their current products and design new ones. I am sure that Sony has several working models of OS6 (Cobalt) devices laying around. They may have even been on the cusp of releasing them (as the initial rumors said months ago) when the engineers got word that they would have to close-up shop and be transfered to the PSP project (or whatever).

One last point in this long-winded diatribe: There are plenty of other potenial uses for a power-saving processor like the HHE in many of Sony's other consumer products (P-series phones, for example). Perhaps even the CO (in slightly reformatted form) may be employed in a future planned "convergent" device. The bottom line is that it almost never pays for a company to throttle-down innovation. If something is truly innovative AND useful, a good company will find a place to deploy it.

[macattack]

Now that Sony is nolong selling Palm in North America what are you going to do? Buy a Palmone some time later?!

I can't tell you what I'll buy. I've only had my NX80 for a few months. When the time comes I'll do what I always do: Spend an inordinate amount of time evaluating my options and weighing their benefits vs. cost vs. my needs. But PalmOne is definitely not out of the running for my future device purchases, I can tell you that.

[RunningWoman]

I love my current Clie, my TG-50, although I'd like more memory. So for my "next" Clie, I just bought a TH-55/E. When I have to switch over and that's configured and running satisfactorily, I'll send my TG-50 in for a new battery.

Between the two, I hope to be good for the next several years. By then maybe something new will have come out to take advantage of OS 6 and provide the innovation and design we're accustomed to from Sony.

Kim

[ClieKun]

I can't tell you what I'll buy. I've only had my NX80 for a few months. When the time comes I'll do what I always do: Spend an inordinate amount of time evaluating my options and weighing their benefits vs. cost vs. my needs. But PalmOne is definitely not out of the running for my future device purchases, I can tell you that. I live in Tech heaven in Japan. :) I Have my choice of any goodies I like.:D I been using palms foratleasat 4 years now. Not including the old sharp device :D Well Thats great you still have your old nx80.
If the T4 is released in Japan I getting that. if not I am going PPC. We have a few good ones to choice from:)
ClieKun

[winexprt]

cool :) Ux 50 might as well be your baby until its break right? :D

I'm pretty sure it will be. :D

[winexprt]

As a mechanical engineer, I think I can shed some light on this subject. Decisions like Sony leaving the handheld market are made at a very high level among the Marketing and Executive Management folks. When considering a decision like this, they are going to keep all knowledge of the discussions at this level. Otherwise there is the possibility that the information will leak out to the public.

Suppose a rumor leaks that Sony is leaving the handheld market while they are still in discussions and performing cost/benefit analysis. What if following all of the discussions and analysis they determine that they should STAY the course and remain in the PDA market? Then nearly everyone who was in the market for a PDA during the time between the information leak and Sony's final decision would have bought a model from another manufacturer for fear of lost support, etc., etc. In short, Sony would have lost millions in potential sales.

The same holds true if while they are considering whether to leave the market they decide to stop innovating with their PDA line for cost saving purposes. The lack of innovation (especially from a company known for pushing the limits of innovation) would be read by the market as a sure sign of Sony's leaving that market. If, in the end, they decide to stay, they have once again lost millions in potential sales.

Generally, the engineers are kept completely in the dark by their management for these reasons (and others). They continue to work on improving their current products and design new ones. I am sure that Sony has several working models of OS6 (Cobalt) devices laying around. They may have even been on the cusp of releasing them (as the initial rumors said months ago) when the engineers got word that they would have to close-up shop and be transfered to the PSP project (or whatever).

One last point in this long-winded diatribe: There are plenty of other potenial uses for a power-saving processor like the HHE in many of Sony's other consumer products (P-series phones, for example). Perhaps even the CO (in slightly reformatted form) may be employed in a future planned "convergent" device. The bottom line is that it almost never pays for a company to throttle-down innovation. If something is truly innovative AND useful, a good company will find a place to deploy it.

That was really informative Mac...thanks! I never totally knew how it really works in the upper levels of GIANT corporations. :)

[Fredrg3]

I'm thinking about the Tapwave Zodiac PDAs the look great and have great graphics

[Mark29]

Hard to say. I'm hoping the TH lasts me at least 3 years. I seem to go longer between upgrades, but hopefully my upgrade cycle will never exceed my current device's life. Most likely PalmOne if Sony isn't back in the market.

But in 3 years, the PDA market could be totally different. Maybe they will have merged totally with phones, maybe Windows will own the market :eek:
I think it will be even more of a niche market if PDAs still exist. The only people I know that buy new PDAs are upgraders rather than new users.

Mark

[Puppy]

I hadn't really considered the Tapwave Zodiac. I wouldn't be using the gaming capabilities at all, so I'd rather have a normal orientation and button layout. (I'm probably not going to invest in games that are tied to a platform that-let's be honest-probably won't be here in a year or three.)

But it is PalmOS, it is fairly high-end hardware, and I haven't heard any complaints about reliability.

Macattack, of the 5 PalmOne PDAs I’ve personally purchased, I’ve had all 5 die on me or become worthless. (Thankfully 4 of those 5 were defective almost immediately and I could return them.) That’s going all the way back to my Palm 3xe whose digitizer died within 8 months, and a Vx that completely died within a week of it’s purchase.

Go to any PDA forum, and the number of complaints about PalmOne PDAs just dwarfs those of any other brand, and they’re always the same types of problems. I want one, I’d LOVE to buy a PalmOne OS 6 device this summer, or whenever, but I doubt it would last me a year.

[macattack]

Macattack, of the 5 PalmOne PDAs I’ve personally purchased, I’ve had all 5 die on me or become worthless. (Thankfully 4 of those 5 were defective almost immediately and I could return them.) That’s going all the way back to my Palm 3xe whose digitizer died within 8 months, and a Vx that completely died within a week of it’s purchase.

Go to any PDA forum, and the number of complaints about PalmOne PDAs just dwarfs those of any other brand, and they’re always the same types of problems. I want one, I’d LOVE to buy a PalmOne OS 6 device this summer, or whenever, but I doubt it would last me a year.

I'm not trying to be a Palm apologist, but keep in mind that Palm has something like 75% of the Palm OS market, so naturally you're going to see a larger quantity of complaints at a PalmOne-centric site than at any other Palm OS manufacturer's forum. There's just a bunch more Palm(One) handhelds out there.

On the other hand, hitting 0 for 5 is a pretty bad batting average! That's some kind of bad luck. No matter how poor the manufacturer, that's an abysmal failure rate. I'm sure that if your experience was typical, however, no one would be buying Palm devices at all.

I'm glad you've had a better experience with Sony devices, and I hope you can find a device manufacturer you trust with Sony's exit from the market.

[SonyStyle]

well ia lways wantd to buy a pocket pc because its function seems far superior to palm. but what held me back was sony's innovative products which they included cameras, keyboards great mp3 sound, etc and it looks far more elegant than products createde by pocket pc manufacturers. sony has made the sleekest handhelds i've ever seen. i always wish sony used pocket pc which would of been even better since it usually have faster processer speeds while palm was always behind. it was sony that led to palm's sucess which they made it more appealing. i guess i'll go with pocket pc since they are catching up, including cameras and stuff in their pdas and better wireless connectivity. I may go for an Asus MyPal 730.

[ClieKun]

I'm pretty sure it will be. :DI am always good:) to my PDAs and they are good to me.

[jfer_rs]

My NX80 is dying. But i wanna wait for the next generation palms until i change it.

May be a palmone, or an HP and go to the dark side.

[SEkker]

I just ordered a replacement NX-80. I use the keyboard too much, and I love the good MP3 player capability. Sony's offerings, faults and all, are still unmatched. Too bad they can't make a good business out of the high end PDA market.

Steve Jobs recently gave an interview (can be read at thinksecret.com) describing his recent decision NOT to market a new Apple-branded PDA, and he also said Apple won't be entering the PDA/phone market either.

In effect, the PDA market has recently lost Sony AND Apple (revB). Back to Palm and Dell as the major leaders of innovation in the PDA market.

All I can say is 'ugh'. My NX-80 will have to last me awhile I think!

[Cyker]

I only got my TH55 like, 2-3 weeks ago! I'm not gonna even think about getting a new one for at least 6 months!!

[ClieKun]

I only got my TH55 like, 2-3 weeks ago! I'm not gonna even think about getting a new one for at least 6 months!!
6 month only!:eek:

[ClieKun]

My NX80 is dying. But i wanna wait for the next generation palms until i change it.

May be a palmone, or an HP and go to the dark side.T 4 maybe? I looking for this myselve :D Or A Ipaq

[anitanium]

i've already decided to switch to a treo
so that means i've had my nx80 for about 6 months!
i had my nz90 for less than a month too!

i like to upgrade

[qwertyuiop]

i'm gonna go get me that vaio u70 thing!!! it looks cool!

[ClieKun]

u 70! wow! yea for only. $1700.00 D

[cass_m]

By the time I'm ready to upgrade the U will be the way to go. Just like my UX but different :D The bugs will be worked out and it will be cheaper.

[ClieKun]

U 70? Its a PDA?!

[mdkp]

You know it is interesting. I just bought a TJ37 two weeks ago, before Sony's announcement. I had a T665 which when I bought it 2 years ago I thought was an almost revolutionary device given its form and function. I have always loved that PDA. Nonetheless when it stoped holding a charge it was time to move on.

I looked at all the PalmOne models, and felt they were eigther too expensive (T|C), lacked WIFI (T|T line, Zire line), or did not look professional (T|E - I cannot stand a plastic looking PDA in a room of hot shot executives, you have to look the part). To me this left Sony or I would have to trade off more then I wanted. The TJ37 with its power, WIFI, and price point is an amazing device. I thought I would prefer the screen real estate of the TH55, but after waiting for long searches and things on the T665, I love the TJ37's speed.

I guess the point of this diatribe is currently I don't see acompetitive PDA on the market with the function and features of Sony. Their decision makes no sense to me. I don't want a converged device and a PocketPC's interface and software functionality is not up to my needs.

Thanks.

[Rossi01]

- Too big to fit in a shirt or suit pocket
- WinXP? hummmm... no comments needed
- Because of the above, too cumbersome for quick data access such as phone number, address, etc.

Don't get me wrong. It looks like a nice machine... maybe 2 or three years from now it will be ready and I'll consider it. It will depend on what other vendors will offer. Also, two or three years from now:
- PalmOne might decide to fill the void left by Sony (we wish...)
- Moreover, two or three years from now Pocket PCs will be better and also in my checklist.
- The World is over anyways and we do not have to bother about this stuff. :rolleyes:

[ClieKun]

Someome seems to have bought one.........Who it must be nice to be rich. :D

[ClieKun]

http://www.lilynet.net/VaioU50


here is the link..................

[mochant]

I switched to a Tablet PC not too long ago and noticed how little I was using my UX50 for anything other than occasional reference when out on errands or socially. The Tablet's battery life, WiFi and Bluetooth, and of course the rotating display are all very cool and let me carry it around anywhere I go at work or home.

One of my co-workers has been drooling over my UX50 and had an unused Toshiba e740 (has WiFi) so we're doing an extended swap to see how we like the "other side". SO far the PPC is just fine for what I need it to do:
- occasionally check mail
- refer to my schedule
- look up a phone number or e-mail address
- check off tasks or see what I can do next on my lists
- read a Palm eBook
- listen to Audible.com (or plain 'ol MP3s)

I haven't decided for sure but so far, coolness factor aside, I don't really miss the UX as much as thought I might.

[Enthropy]

I can't understand Sony's reasoning in putting out a unit like the Vaio U50 and offering it for sale in the US and in the same vane dropping the Clie line here and in Europe.

I think they're just grasping at straws now.

[ClieKun]

Because they were crying for it. Then they got it and then some:(
Toshiba series really looks like a winner. I hope the release it soon.

[LSAlford]

I've posted my NX80 for sale and I'm buying a Zodiac2.

I'll miss the camera a little bit, also the voice recorder. I won't miss the keyboard at all.

I'm not much of a gamer btw, to me the Zodiac2 is the most powerful PDA on the market.

[LSAlford]

i've already decided to switch to a treo
so that means i've had my nx80 for about 6 months!
i had my nz90 for less than a month too!

i like to upgrade
I like to upgrade too. I've had my NX80 for 3 months. To date, it's the best PDA I've ever had, but now it's time to move onward and upward.

Since 2000, I've owned PalmIIIxe, Palm IIIc, Clie NR70V, NX70V and NX80V.

[ClieKun]

We all have to move forward......It looks like I will be too.........

[kp*]

I can't believe that people are still talking about Apple PDAs! :rolleyes:

The OQO (and any other WinXP) will only be of use if you can wait for the thing to boot up.
Well I didn't say it would be an Apple PDA. I take it as a potentially good sign that Jobs recently admitted that they had scrapped plans for a PDA. Sony just did the same thing, and look at this new Vaio U-series thing.
What I want from Apple is more of a laptop that can become as portable as a slightly large PDA. Something similar to Sony's new offering, but obviously it will be designed better, more user-friendly, and it won't run Windows, so that would cover my complaints with the Vaio ;).

As far as boot time, I don't know about the Vaio or OQO, but I do know that my Powerbook never needs to be shut down, and it starts up almost as fast as my Clie (or as fast, if my Clie is running ZLauncher or Clie Organizer). If Apple made an ultra-portable device, hopefully they could make it even faster, but the current speed for their full-size laptops would be good enough for me, considering the other benefits it would provide.

[Rossi01]

One very important aspect to consider is compatibility.

Since Sony seems to be "retiring" from the PDA market I will think twice before getting another Sony product such as a Vaio.

One of the reasons is hardware compatibility. What is the memory slot in this new Type U? Memory stick based?

Well... if Sony really withdraws from the PDA market the only stuff using Memory Stick will be Sony's cameras and computers. If I want to exchange files fast between PDA and laptop both have to use the same memory type.

Also, when it is time to upgrade my Sony 717 camera I will also look for the same slot.

Hopefully Sony will think about this because I and surely several others are already doing so...

[Mark29]

I just hope this isn't the beginning of the end of pocketable PDAs. Even if this new Sony Vaio comes way down in price, it's too big to carry everywhere like I do my TH.

Mark

[SonyStyle]

think about it who would pay so much for a little guy like the VAIO U? i don't think this vaio u is going to replace the clie line, theres a big gap in price between clie and the vaio. the reason why sony is dropping hte clie line is that no one buys it. just look around, on the streets, not many people use a sony clie. afterall, sony puts a hefty price tag on their products which people could get a powerful one at a lower price.

[tonyreynolds]

My NZ90 went in for warranty repair last week to fix the screen alpha digitizer issue that we're all familiar with. I miss it, but have been using my wife's old Treo as a backup. 160x160 display sucks. I'll never go back to anything that isn't highres, yet this little unit rocks.

I'm just as disappointed as everyone else regarding the pull-out from the US market. But frankly, there's not that much that I see out that really interests me as a replacement for the NZ90. I don't like the Palms with their collapsing cases. I'd go for the TH55, and may pick one up on close-out off uBid.com or some other place later on, but for my money right now, I'd be more likely to buy an NZ on close-out as a backup.

Sony used to lead in innovation and now there've been so many disappointments, what is there for consumers, ESPECIALLY THOSE LIKE US WHO'RE INTERESTED IN CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY to look forward too?

While the OQO looks like it's indeed closer to release than it's been in years, both it and the Vaio U70 have non-instant-on OS's that mirror some of the features of a notebook, yet with an interface that makes them virtually unusable for basic PDA functions.

Honest to Pete, I have a wonderful notebook (...a Emachines 6809). If I want that kind of functionality, I'll whip it out, NOT my PDA. Just like with cars, the market seems to demand (and manufacturers comply) more and more complex products. Bigger is better and too much is not enough.

I do NOT want my cell phone to be a PDA. Even though my new Sony Ericsson Z600 could be used for one, the PDA functionality leaves a lot to be desired, IF one is used to using a Palm OS PDA. I want to be able to:

1. Do basic PDA functions, EASILY. That means not having to navigate complex menus ala Pocket PC or even Sony for that matter.

2. Listen to music.

3. Have a good-quality camera for emergency whip-it-out use.

4. Read books (lots of them).

5. Play some time wasting games, like Scrabble.

6. Do basic Word and Excel stuff on-the-fly.

And ya know, that's about it...

Sony, Palm, HP, et al, ARE YOU LISTENING???

Tony

[hamsammich]

Nothing. My UX50 (my primary unit) is going to be utilized until it literally falls apart in my hands. My TH55 ("on loan" to my wife for the time being) is the backup unit in case the primary unit falls apart in my hands!
;)
Once they both fall apart in my hands, hopefully Sony will have come around and realized they screwed up and, therefore, will have released another groundbreaking Clie to the U.S. masses!

[keithwwalker]

I have to admit that the VAIO U series is very intruiging, though I will stick with my NX60 for now. Over the year(!) that I have had it, I have all the tricks and tweaks to keep me going for now:

Wireless card
Eruware Driver
Bluetooth MS

All I need now is a GPS module and GPS software for my motorcycle trips.

To get a replacement, it would have to come with integral bluetooth and wireless, 480x320 screen resolution (minimum!), multiple memory stick slots, and add on storage capability to house my whole music collection converted to mp3's...that's a tall order.

Keith Walker

[josephgreco]

I like to upgrade too. I've had my NX80 for 3 months. To date, it's the best PDA I've ever had, but now it's time to move onward and upward.

Since 2000, I've owned PalmIIIxe, Palm IIIc, Clie NR70V, NX70V and NX80V.

Since the beginning of '04 (started in Feb.), I've owned a SJ-22, TG-50, TH-55, TJ-37, and settled on a NX80V. Beat that! :)

[ClieKun]

The "U 50 is not a Palm OS. It is more PPC like. $1700.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hell no! **** NO! I am not paying that messed priced! I hate SONY! The U 50 is just their way of saying! Hey you losers its time to take your money again! I Just hate their bullshit!:mad: :mad: Why the **** whould I buy this piece of junk when I can buy a laptop!:mad:

[Rossi01]

The "U 50 is not a Palm OS. It is more PPC like. $1700.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hell no! **** NO! I am not paying that messed priced! I hate SONY! The U 50 is just their way of saying! Hey you losers its time to take your money again! I Just hate their bullshit!:mad: :mad: Why the **** whould I buy this piece of junk when I can buy a laptop!:mad:

I guess you just answered your own question. The Vaio Type U (or whatever they call it) is not competing in the overall PDA segment. Or, maybe just targeting one or two "sub-segments" of the PDA segment.

It seems to be targeting something in between PDAs and laptops. It seems to be the ideal "laptop" for business users who travel a lot and know the hassles of taking laptops along. I'm one of them and would gladly exchange my old laptop by this U50 despite the small 20Gb hard drive.

For the other laptop users who like or need the big screens (mostly new wide screens) on the road the U 50 will not appeal that much.

I would not replace my PDA by this new gadget. Too big, Win XP is not as reliable and fast to access as a Palm OS device, have my doubts about battery time, etc.

But it is a nice device, though... :cool:

[bali]

I would go for Pocket PC rather Palm...Since Pocket PC market is far better compare to PALM..
And the main reason sony says "Good Bye" to CLIE is Pocket PC market ..

[Rossi01]

I would go for Pocket PC rather Palm...Since Pocket PC market is far better compare to PALM..
And the main reason sony says "Good Bye" to CLIE is Pocket PC market ..

I might get into the Pocket PC either. It will depend on what will be available running PalmOS when the time for upgrade arrives.

Also, if the future PDAs do not use memory stick I will also discard this Sony U-whatever unless it has a common memory card interface. Actually, I'm planning to upgrade my notebook by the end of this year. If Sony really jumps out of the PDA market my decision of leaving Sony products may come even earler.

Then, when it's time to upgrade my camera it will the same thing. Which might mean "farewell Sony". Therefore, I hope they stay in the PDA market or use open architecture devices (maybe I'm daydreaming?).

[Jeffg]

I'm selling the TH and going back to a PalmOne device, probably the T3.

1) I'm getting out while folks can still find accessories and such for Clies.
2) I'm a little worried about software compatibility going forward.
3) I've decided I really would rather spend money with Palm. I want the OS and the hardware to survive. I'm done with Sony.

The TH is a great device and I'm sure many folks will get years of good service from their machines. I'm just too much of a techno geek to spend that amount of time with an orphaned product.

Good luck to the "keepers" in the group.

[ClieKun]

I guess you just answered your own question. The Vaio Type U (or whatever they call it) is not competing in the overall PDA segment. Or, maybe just targeting one or two "sub-segments" of the PDA segment.

It seems to be targeting something in between PDAs and laptops. It seems to be the ideal "laptop" for business users who travel a lot and know the hassles of taking laptops along. I'm one of them and would gladly exchange my old laptop by this U50 despite the small 20Gb hard drive.

For the other laptop users who like or need the big screens (mostly new wide screens) on the road the U 50 will not appeal that much.

I would not replace my PDA by this new gadget. Too big, Win XP is not as reliable and fast to access as a Palm OS device, have my doubts about battery time, etc.

But it is a nice device, though... :cool:
Well then we might real:( y then see the end of the Clie line as we know it. Bey Bey PDA Hello PPC
Sweet looking but cost OUCH!:(

[Rossi01]

I think I'm missing something... I understood from all Sony's press releases that they did not decide to leave the PDA market. They simply said they are reacessing the market and will not release a new product in Summer, out of Japan.

Was there another announcement where Sony say they are leaving the PDA market for good?

Also, like I said before, TODAY I would still buy the Sony TH55/Euro. It is by far the most complete PDA available today (even Consumer Reports agrees on that) and can provide many years of good service with features other PDA lack.

Also, I still think Sony will come with something for this market segment. It is too big to be ignored.

[Jeffg]

l don't have any inside info but my guess is Sony is just clearing the shelf before the final announcement. Had they come out and said, "we're out", they would have killed inventory values throughout their supply chain. By saying they are looking at the situation gives everyone time to clear their shelves.

If they were still going to be in the US, why make any announcement at all? And if they are truly looking at the situation, again, why make any announcement? They have the freshest Palm products on the market and nobody's even hinted at an OS6 machine before fall.

For the sake of the long term survival of the POS, I hope I'm wrong.

[depret]

I got over two years from my T615 before it began to fail so I fully expect to get as much from my TH55. By that time there will be options out there which I hope will tempt me while meeting my needs. My needs may have evolved as well. Or, just perhaps, Sony will have reentered the market with something new & fantastic. Anything's possible.

I'm just enjoying my TH55 on a day to day basis, happy that Sony didn't cut & run before releasing this wonderful model!


"I'm just enjoying my TH55 on a day to day basis, happy that Sony didn't cut & run before releasing this wonderful model"! My next PDA capable device summary.

Current Spec (TH55) -> Future (?)
• Resolution:480x320 -> 640x480+
• Orientation: Land (some) -> Port/Land
• No BlueTooth -> BlueTooth+
• 802.11b -> 802.11b+
• Camera:0.3MB -> 1.0MB+ (no impacts)
• Keyboard: Be creative (opt)
• Voice -> it better
• Stereo Sound -> it better
• Movie Player -> it better
• Movie Recorder -> it better
• Battery Life: 4-5hr -> 5hr+
• CPU: 123MHz -> 250MHz+
• CPU: HHE -> Market Standard
• OS: Palm -> Palm/Linux/Pocket/?
• API: Proprietary -> Got to think on it
• Browser: NetFront3.1 -> Be creative
• Size: TH55 -> No bigger (thicker maybe)
• Card: MemStick -> SD+
• Card Size:128MB->1GB for less than $100
• Price: $330 -> $300-$500 dep. on what is replaces.

Portrait/Landscape may be Palm OS downfall. PocketPC went from 320x240->640x480 where Palm went from 320x320->480x320. All PocketPC had to do what scale both x-y axis. Thinking back, Palm should have gone to 480x480 and 640x480. Who knows; hindsight is alway 20/20. BlueTooth will come to the US and my next PDA/phone will be supported or I will be going to a smartphone like device. Camera inclusion can not create any impacts (NZ problem for example). Keyboard, the vendor should be creative here but personnally I will not go for something much larger than my TH55. Voice, Stereo, Movies and Recording, yes I want it to be able to do what my laptop can do, play a movie, record a voice memo and record a quick movie. Hardware and software must be part of some common baseline. I prefer open source where possible. Linux is a strong option here. Sharp Zaurus C760/860 made me look but the price and size made me wait. If Sharp had released in US like the 6500 then I probably would have gone for it. Sorry but I have to be able to touch the unit at that price. Card, I did not bit on BetaMax but I did bit on the memory stick. Fool me once shame on you (Sony), fool me twice shame on me. Price can be more if it truly replaces PDA, my laptop and/or mobile phone.

Here is one nice review I keep around as a reference (e.g. NetFront Page Memo).

http://www.pdabuyersguide.com/sharp_zaurus_C860.htm

Re-reading the article gave me a thought, what about getting this company thinking about doing the same thing for the Japanese only Clie releases? A quarter of the Sony 20% market share is still a big number. HP iPAC 7 PDA lineup for the summer is one stab at getting some of this market share. I would love to have a TH57 that has a better browser and true integrated landscape ala the T3.

Currently, I am happier with my TH55 than I was with my T665C 21 months ago. During, those 21 months I kept a watch on the PDA market and recommended the Tungsten E, T3, SJ-22, HP1945, Treo600, e805, TH55, Zaurus C860 depending on the users need, other electronic devices and ability to use the device I recommend. At a minimum, I try to give them enough info to make an informed decision. Personally, I will probably be good for another 18-24 months but I will continue to watch, read and recommend to friends that are looking.

Just my 542 words for free, Docs2Go is great.

[inkbm]

Ha someone like minded, I only really upgraded because of the 2mb limit on the III Pro, but I love my TH55 and all the extra stuff I can do with it - wireless web cam wow! 256mb stuck in the side, but to pay another £300-400 out of my own pocket for what gain yet? C'mon Palm and Sony let's see what you can do with technology

I got the original Pilot when it came out and then the TH-55. I probably won't be thinking about my next PDA for another 8 years or so.

[Tudordoc]

My next "Palm" will most likely be a Palm based phone or a Garmin Ique. I love the palm os with everything in me. So it is with great sense of loss when I say that when I look out over the handheld landscape I see the sun setting on the Palm, atleast as we know (and LOVE) it. I dont want a palm phone but I feel I need to start the convergence that I see as inevitable. Dont get me wrong, I dont want to burry the Palm but believe I am being forced into looking outside of the palm box so I atleast know what my options are. I hate Windows ANYTHING! Let alone that crap they sell as a palm! OGO will be a hit im sure but welcome back to windows hell! I am hoping that Palmone will get seriously into the phone scene as with it's modular OS it would and should do well there.

I have had an iQue for 9 months. I have had an TH55 for 2 months. I use th iQue solely in my car for its SatNAv ability. I would not consider using it as my daily PDA. It is heavy, it crashes and the battery life in attrocious. It is a great SatNAv device and much cheaper than built in SatNAv.

The TH55 is bliss. If the TH55 had the SatNAv functionality that the iQue has, I'd sell the iQue tomorrow

TudorDoc

[TH55 Mk 0 Mod 1]

My next "Palm" would probably be the next generation Vaio U-series. But, if Apple comes up with a similar product then I'd go with Apple ;)

Another choice would be the next SonyEricsson P900 ... if they use OS6 then things could get interesting.

*cough* Rich bastard *cough*

[TH55 Mk 0 Mod 1]

That's why I'm hoping for a "better" second generation model. ;)

And I want a 4" VGA screen Palm OS 6 device with 1gb hard drive, 802.11g wifi, BT, 2MP digital video camera, all for only $200.... uhuh....

[TH55 Mk 0 Mod 1]

I got the original Pilot when it came out and then the TH-55. I probably won't be thinking about my next PDA for another 8 years or so.

Haha! Same here... I've only had the Palm III and now the ndefeatable combo of TH55 and T3.... adds up to 2TH58 I believe....

[TH55 Mk 0 Mod 1]

I don't want to use a cell phone for anything but calls. You can keep all the other useless crap that they try and cram into these tiny devices.

Long live the PDA!

Long live Palm!

Amen. Those shitty devices cant do anything right. They are only half a cellphone and only half a PDA, and the half half of both at that. They suck my ***. Convergence is not a good idea with such devices... no Swiss Army knife here....

[TH55 Mk 0 Mod 1]

Greetings!

I already have my next PDA taken care of - I bought a spare TH55. I'm probably going to pick up a European version soon as well, while they are still available. The TH55 is the perfect PDA for my needs, I was never really interested in the OS6 models coming out anyway.

Best wishes,
Bawko

Dude, Palm will keep on making the TH55 well until the end of this year... there will be thousands of them flooding the market and soon the CompUSA discount aisles...

[TH55 Mk 0 Mod 1]

WOW! An upgrade every 8 years!? :eek:

No way I could do that. Too much of a technofreak. :p ;) :D

Nah, just a freak.... :D :D

[TH55 Mk 0 Mod 1]

Interesting that there's lots of talk of PPCs and of Bigger WinXP machines (OQO etc...), personally I've been looking around a lot just recently and I'm liking the Sharp Zaurus line actually - noone seems to have mentioned this LinuxPDA gem at all.

I like the SL-C860:
640x480 screen with incredible brightness & contrast
Fairly hefty memory
SD card and CF slots
Can install lots of linux software that's out there
No microsoft in sight!

My biggest reservation is that this one has no built in wifi or bluetooth, both of which are an absolute must in any pda for me

Ah well, I'm not gonna be upgrading till at least Xmas anyway - maybe Feb if I can stretch it that long without going mad:) so I'll have a look at how the PalmOS market is then - hopefully a PalmOS 6 by then.

Tom.

I am thinking of going to a Linux PDA in... say 10 years? .... very good devices...

[TH55 Mk 0 Mod 1]

I live in Tech heaven in Japan. :) I Have my choice of any goodies I like.:D I been using palms foratleasat 4 years now. Not including the old sharp device :D Well Thats great you still have your old nx80.
If the T4 is released in Japan I getting that. if not I am going PPC. We have a few good ones to choice from:)
ClieKun

<deleted> how do you know that there WILL be a T4?

[TH55 Mk 0 Mod 1]

http://www.lilynet.net/VaioU50


here is the link..................

FUGLY COW BRICKS BATMAN!!! THAT'S HIDEOUS!!!

[Master Chief]

I am going to keep my TH55 till august. Until august I am going to work hard, save money and buy a VGA PPC after I sell my TH55. I am looking to buy the ASUS A720 because it has a camera, dual slots, and bluetooth and by then I will have my N-gage QD so I can "tooth" the web

[TH55 Mk 0 Mod 1]

Hohum.... UGLY FAT COW: http://www.dynamism.com/u70/u70-col.jpg

[SamuraiCatJB]

And I want a 4" VGA screen Palm OS 6 device with 1gb hard drive, 802.11g wifi, BT, 2MP digital video camera, all for only $200.... uhuh....

I want the first PHA, Personal Hollographic Assistant. ;) :p

[TH55 Mk 0 Mod 1]

Oh you wily old fox... errrr, wolf... SamCat... you are right...

[Rossi01]

Hohum.... UGLY FAT COW: http://www.dynamism.com/u70/u70-col.jpg

Oh please... it is a nice device, which would be a very fine companion for my TH55. :cool:

And I would replace my laptop for this little wonder anytime IF (Devil is in the details) it has hardware compatibility with my PDA. Which means I will not carry different types of memory cards, etc.

And it would be very nice if I could use the same power source to recharge this device, my PDA, my cellphone and my Bluetooth Headset. :D

Even better if it had SamuraiCat's hollographic assistant, as in the movie Paycheck... hummm.... when that one will be commercial? :rolleyes:

[TH55 Mk 0 Mod 1]

U70 = bloatware ala Sony

As is Hi-MD player... that $1900 one... haha! And I thought Apple's iPod was an overpriced piece of trash... the Hi-MD player is the ultimate sign of non-heterosexuality....

[Mark29]

I got over two years from my T615 before it began to fail so I fully expect to get as much from my TH55. By that time there will be options out there which I hope will tempt me while meeting my needs. My needs may have evolved as well. Or, just perhaps, Sony will have reentered the market with something new & fantastic. Anything's possible.

I'm just enjoying my TH55 on a day to day basis, happy that Sony didn't cut & run before releasing this wonderful model!

Geez, if my TH doesn't last more than 2 years there's no WAY I'm buying another Sony unit. That kind of 'reliability' shouldn't be rewarded.

Mark

[Bilbo]

My S300 lasted (Is still working) until I decided to get the TH, so I don't see replacing TH for a long time to come. If no SONY at that time, then I guess I will chose a device which will fit my needs at that time. You never know what devices will be in the maket in few years anyway. So deciding on a replacement device at this time I think is little premature.

[Rossi01]

My S300 lasted (Is still working) until I decided to get the TH, so I don't see replacing TH for a long time to come. If no SONY at that time, then I guess I will chose a device which will fit my needs at that time. You never know what devices will be in the maket in few years anyway. So deciding on a replacement device at this time I think is little premature.


Totally agree. I do not expect replacing mine before two/three years from now.

I bought my N760C in 2001 and it lasted (well) until now. I'm sure there will be many fine options by 2006. :D

[Puppy]

Yeah, I doubt I would have bought the Clies I bought if I knew they were quiting them. Might as well get used to the alternatives, although that's not really logical.

[pacer]

My T655C lasted me a couple of years, I still use it as a remote :)
So I'm hoping the TH55 will last for some time yet and the apps will still be developed for it/os5

The only thing I'm pondering is if I should pick up a euro version with bluetooth while I still can.

[Rossi01]

The only thing I'm pondering is if I should pick up a euro version with bluetooth while I still can.

If I was not between jobs right now I would probably get a spare one. The Euro TH55 is by far the best PDA device I have seen. It's like Sony put virtually all features I've been dreaming about in the same product. :D

[Jehaine]

Totally agree. I do not expect replacing mine before two/three years from now.

I bought my N760C in 2001 and it lasted (well) until now. I'm sure there will be many fine options by 2006. :D

Hey, another user who still has their Clie N760C. :)

I have a Sony Clie 710C that was upgraded from Palm 3.5 to Palm 4.1 way back when Sony, Inc was offering the upgrade. The difference between 710 and 760 was only in the Palm OS software. This was also my first and only PDA I've ever used. :)

I also plan on keeping my 710C for two more years or it breaks, whichever comes sooner. It was a used model when I bought it originally and on the verge of being discontinued, but despite all that, it works great. I've dropped it several times over the past three years and I think the last one was a doozy, because now when I press the graffiti area with my stylus, it makes a "clicky" sound as if the screen was dislodged. Still works though... :)

I'm kind of glad I didn't buy a new Sony Clie device throughout the intervening years now, although I was very tempted. Another user's point about the availability of support and accessories is a valid one. Recently, I've tried to look for another hot-sync cradle for my 710C and I discovered it is very difficult now. If Sony is leaving the Clie behind, then in another few years it may no longer support Clie's at all in accessories or customer support. For me, that's a major argument against buying any new Clie device at all right now if my old one still works. If it breaks, now I'll know to buy a Palm device.

I was hoping though, if my N710c holds out till 2006, that I would buy a Tablet PC. I'm really not interested in any more PDA's unless there is one released that changes my mind. I work in healthcare though and the majority of the people I work with has PDA's. If the majority of them continue to work with PDA's, I'd likely also buy a PDA device since the majority of healthcare software will be for that platform. :) However, it looks like tablet PC's might be great for healthcare in terms of writing notes down, organizing patient data, and doing clinical research. I'm just waiting to see how the healthcare sector responds to technology.

-- Jehaine

[kp*]

My T655C lasted me a couple of years, I still use it as a remote :)
So I'm hoping the TH55 will last for some time yet and the apps will still be developed for it/os5

The only thing I'm pondering is if I should pick up a euro version with bluetooth while I still can.
I think it depends on 2 things:
1) can you still return your current TH? (read your receipt carefully, sometimes you have longer to return it than they tell you in the store, and without restocking fee -- i.e. CC)
2) Are you the type to retire your TH in 6 months to a year, or in 3 years?

If it's going to last you a long time and you can switch to the BT model with little financial loss, go for it. If it will cost a lot of money and you may replace it with something else fairly soon, you may want to stick with what you've got.

Of course if you have a BT phone or some other BT device that you would use constantly, there's no way to put a price on the convenience of that, even if it is only for a year or less. (I'm about to sell my soul to Verizon for their upcoming v710, I don't care what it costs or how many decades-long contract I have to sign to get a g**d*** BT phone!)

[robinson]

Think of those poor companies that invested in the dies and templates to build the TH55 cases and all the other clie's only now to have a dying market for it. I'd be pissed.
Rob

[hamsammich]

Palm Zire 72 I believe.

[Rossi01]

Hey, another user who still has their Clie N760C. :)

-- Jehaine

Yep! My N760C is still here in perfect order. After all these years of excellent service it is enjoying a well deserved retirement, with charged battery, protective case, etc. :D

I take my TH55/E everywhere. The Wi-Fi and Bluetooth makes this device so convenient that it becomes second nature.

A couple days ago my wife needed an urgent information from the web in one of those public departments. I just connected to the Internet via Bluetooth and my T610 using T-Mobile's network.

In a couple minutes we had everything, to dismay of other folks in the queue and the employee at the counter... :cool:


Imagine the possibilities in healthcare, where you can access patient databases remotely either using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, in a device that fits in your pocket (same size of the N710 and N760). ;)

The guys who designed it had Divine inspiration.

[TH55 Mk 0 Mod 1]

Think of those poor companies that invested in the dies and templates to build the TH55 cases and all the other clie's only now to have a dying market for it. I'd be pissed.
Rob

I dont think so, I just called 5 diff. resellers of the TH55 who supposedly had them in stock... selling like hotcakes they say... I even called Sony and they also said the same...

Production of the TH55 is still ongoing and seems like will continue well into the summer if not beyond. Expect total number produced to be in the hundred thousands...

[TH55 Mk 0 Mod 1]

Palm Zire 72 I believe.

Say what? What about it? BT? So what? Yeah its real nice.... it just so happens that the T3 is nicer... :D

[Jehaine]

Imagine the possibilities in healthcare, where you can access patient databases remotely either using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, in a device that fits in your pocket (same size of the N710 and N760). ;)

The guys who designed it had Divine inspiration.

Yes, that would be nifty. I almost did buy a new Wi-fi handheld because of this reason. However, the place I work at doesn't really have a Wi-fi system in place where the employees can start using it to access patient data. So, I really can't justify buying a Wi-fi handheld right now because I wouldn't know where to use such a device. :)

-- Jehaine

[pusfarm]

I've been waiting for a decent Palm smartphone for quite awhile (and Treo ain't it). Except for its lack of 320x480, the upcoming Samsung i550 looks to be what I've been waiting for.

http://www.phonescoop.com/phones/phone.php?p=522

[hamsammich]

Say what? What about it? BT? So what? Yeah its real nice.... it just so happens that the T3 is nicer...
Um, I had the T3 and the digitizer problem was more than a little annoying. Sorry, until they revamp the slider/digitizer issue, there won't be a T3 for me.
:)

[zipmail]

Like many, I hope my TH55 will stick around long enough until the PDA market gets over its funk; or the smartphone market gets up to speed and comes out with something cool.

Speaking of which, I wish one of them will come out with one of those "piggyback" types. The smaller unit is the phone (with smaller screen and phone keypad) which piggybacks onto a larger unit (with QWERTY and bigger screen) and functions as a "smartphone" PDA combo.

Just looking at what's coming - only Motorola's MPX-series are interesting; but that means moving to (aaarggh) Windows Mobile! I still like a larger 320 x 480 screen for reading and managing information. The smallish 176 x 208 pixels just won't do. Treo - can you hear me calling?

[Puppy]

That Samsung Palm phone looks great! I hate keyboards, and I'd want normal buttons on a phone. Even if I didn't really replace my main PDA with it, it would be easier to use a semi-normal phone running PalmOS.

I've heard nothing but complaints about Motorola's MPX.

[Rossi01]

I've heard nothing but complaints about Motorola's MPX.

The experience I had with all Motorola devices had one thing in common: lousy battery life.

Recently my wife and I upgraded cellphones. I got the Sony Ericosson T610 and her a Motorola, despite my warnings.
Well... I recharge mine about every three or four days. She has to recharge hers every day or, max every other day if she does not use it.

It seems to be a problem they never solved since the old AMPS (analogue) cellphones.

Guess when I'll get a Motorola smartphone? :eek:

[DaLazernet]

Well, I strayed from cliesource for a while now to find it has moved/changed ;-)....but the whole idea of Sony getting out of the PDA business is dishearting. Perhaps this is a starting downfall of Palm based PDAs? (I certainly hope not), or perhaps just a bump in the road of the PDA history. Personally, I'm still rooting for an apple PDA, but I know that is far fetched. I love my TH-55, and have seriously considered picking up a spare, especially if I see them in the store at a sell out price. It does everything I want and more...and there is no other palm based PDA quite like this TH-55, which is why I bought it in the first place.

Palm's Tungsten line went two different ways that I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. I had a Tungsten E, and it was the cheapest piece of.....and the new tungsten T|3 is just too much to break. A friend of mine had one and the expandy part of the display stopped working when expanded. Too many moving parts for me.

Perhaps the new Tungsten T|4 or T|5 will interest me, but I'm doubting it. Its a sad day to see Sony run away from this market, but perhaps they will be back -- time will tell the Sony CLIE future for us here in the US.

- Eric L.

[da_17]

Now Sony is gone I'll buy an iPAQ rx3715 Mobile Media Companion. It is the closest thing to a TH55, and maybe better in some aspects...

[johntao]

couldn't the th-55 last a good 5-10 years if it does what you need to do and if you take care of the nice little thing?

[mobile dick]

I want to believe, that SonyEricsson takes the Part of Clié in the future. I want a S/// smartphone with the form of a UX50, Palm OS Garnet and GSM/3G Unit.

Dream on...

[jumpyg]

couldn't the th-55 last a good 5-10 years if it does what you need to do and if you take care of the nice little thing?
At some point, the battery will stop accepting a charge or won't stay charged for long. Then you'll need to replace the battery, which probably isn't easy.