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Team ID: 01532829
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Free or Discounted Phones
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The Answer
The Problem: Computers and the Internet have made more
information available to more people than ever before in history. But far too
often, that explosion of information has led to confusion rather than clarity.
How can you keep track of everything you need to know? How can a company ensure
that its employees can get the information they need to make quick, high-quality
decisions?
The Answer: The Palm OS® is the standard for handheld
computing, a new form of computing focused on helping you manage and access all
the information in your life, at any time, in any location. Palm Powered
handhelds are the way that everyone can manage personal information, works with
corporate applications and data, and mines the richness of the web.
Why products based on the Palm OS have become the
standard:
Palm Powered handhelds are the systems of choice because they give you the most
freedom of choice. Palm Powered handhelds have by far the most users, the most
software programs, the most hardware options, and the most manufacturers; and
yet are still the simplest handhelds to learn and use. All of this diversity
lets you make your handheld the perfect system just for you, and gives
corporations the security of knowing that they are investing in the open,
dynamic handheld standard.
The most users
Products based on the Palm OS are the world leaders in handheld computing, with
more than 75% market share worldwide (IDC, June, 2000), and are the market
leader in both the US and Europe. Sales of Palm Powered handhelds more than
doubled in each of the last two years. As PC Week put it, "The Palm OS from
Palm, Inc. has become the hands-down favorite(1)."
The huge Palm user base makes it easy to exchange information and share
software programs with other users. Handheld computing is all about sharing
information and software, so it's important not to get isolated on a system that
the people around you don't use.
The most software
One of the best features of Palm Powered handhelds is the huge range of software
programs you can run on them. There are more than 7,000 software programs for
Palm Powered handhelds. By contrast, there are fewer than 300 commercially
available software programs for Microsoft's Pocket PC(2). The Palm OS's huge
lead in software means that you can choose the programs that are exactly best
for you, customizing your handheld for exactly your needs.
Palm Powered software includes spreadsheets that can read and write Excel
files, document processors that can handle Word files, databases, enterprise
applications, e-book readers, mapping programs, e-mail programs, web and WAP
browsers, dictionaries, financial calculators, health and fitness programs,
games, and much more. And because there's so much competition, you get many
programs to choose from, and software is updated frequently.
The most hardware options
Palm Powered handhelds are designed to be customized and easily expanded. Every
Palm Powered handheld includes the basics that all users need, in a system
designed to be wearable -- so small and lightweight that you can carry it
comfortably in a pocket or purse all day long. It's easy to add extra features
that are just right for you -- wireless modems, GPS systems, MP3 players(3) ,
digital cameras, joysticks, voice recorders, data capture devices, and a lot
more.
Because the extras are optional, you don't have to pay a cost or weight
penalty for features that you don't want. That gives you a lighter system (as
little as half the weight of competitive handhelds), longer battery life (three
times or more longer than the competition), and generally a lower price.
The most manufacturers
The Palm OS is an open standard, licensed to more manufacturers than any other
handheld platform. Companies selling or developing Palm Powered handhelds
include Handspring, Motorola, IBM, Kyocera, Nokia, Samsung, Sony, Symbol,
Franklin Covey, and TRG.
All of these manufacturers give you tremendous freedom of choice to pick the
handheld that's right for you or your company. For example, to access
information wirelessly you can choose from a wide variety of add-on wireless
modems, buy one-piece wireless systems like the Palm VII, use cables and
infrared to connect via cellphones, or buy integrated Palm Powered cellphones
like the Kyocera PDQ and smart phones in development by Samsung, Motorola, and
Nokia. There are numerous choices in expansion options, software bundles, and
built-in features. And the competition between Palm Powered manufacturers helps
drive innovation faster and keep prices low.
Sophisticated simplicity
When PCs first came on the market, a lot of mainframe and minicomputer companies
tried to compete by adapting their existing designs to smaller boxes. They all
failed, because the PC was a new form of computing with different requirements.
Handhelds are also a new form of computing, and just adapting old designs won't
make a good handheld. A handheld is used in short bursts to enter or access
information, rather than the long sessions you spend in front of a PC. If you're
using a handheld to search for information in a corporate price book or look up
a phone number to make an important call, you don't want to fumble around for
even a second. Palm Powered handhelds are designed from the ground up to be as
simple and intuitive as possible. Rather than dumbing down a PC, Palm started
fresh with a new design that focused first on giving you the shortest and
easiest path to your information. That's why Palm has succeeded in the handheld
market when so many PC companies failed.
Palm in the Enterprise: From calendaring to
mobile e-business solutions
Handheld computers started out as personal organizers, but they have grown
beyond that role to become the way people get instant access to all the key
information they need, both personal and corporate. Palm Powered handhelds have
become the de facto corporate standard because of five key factors:
Investment protection - Palm OS's sizable market share, more than
130,000 developers, and numerous licensees means corporations can buy from
multiple sources and know that their investment will be protected into the
future. Investing in Palm Powered solutions means investing in the defacto
handheld standard. Applications choice - The wealth of Palm Powered
Enterprise applications lets an organization choose the solution that is right
for its business. This is especially important for vertical markets like health
care, financial services, and retail, as well as broad horizontal markets like
field sales and field service, where many Enterprise-oriented Palm Powered
solutions are available. Better Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) - The
superior ease of use of Palm handhelds leads to lower support costs and
therefore a lower total cost of ownership. In addition, the broad popularity of
the Palm OS standard makes it easy to get user acceptance for deploying Palm
Powered handhelds within an organization. A more open approach - Because
Palm focuses only on handheld computing, it can have close working relationships
with all major corporate software vendors, including Oracle, Sun, Siebel,
Computer Associates, SAP, and many others. Palm handhelds also integrate very
smoothly with Microsoft Exchange and Outlook, and support both Windows PCs and
Macs (something that most other handheld platforms don't do). This means Palm
Powered handhelds integrate with a wider range of corporate standards than any
other handheld platform. Superior handheld design - Palm Powered
handhelds offer greater wearability, superior battery life, integrated wireless
capability, and stylish design. In addition, Palm offers a superior range of
hardware add-on options to customize the handheld for specific business
applications. These elements all contribute toward Palm's current ubiquity
within the Enterprise.
Combine all of that with the industry's first comprehensive 24x7 multi-tier
technical support escalation program for handhelds, and it's clear why Palm OS
is the platform of choice for corporate handhelds.
The future of
the Palm OS
Palm and its partners are leading the development of next-generation handheld
features by bringing new functionality to users without sacrificing the
simplicity and wearability that have made the Palm Powered handhelds the
standard.
In the future, handhelds will become ubiquitous tools that everyone uses to
manage information, conduct transactions, and communicate with one-another. Palm
is aggressively building the foundation for that future, with a special focus in
several areas:
- Wireless connections and services: Palm Powered handhelds already include
some of the most innovative wireless communications products on the market,
including the popular Palm VII handheld, and Handspring's Visor Phone. All
Palm Powered handhelds are being equipped to communicate wirelessly, and
many already come with software and hardware to connect through a cellphone.
In early 2001, clip-on wireless modems supporting most of the world's major
cellular networks will be released. New handhelds with built-in modems and
e-mail notification will be released by Palm and several licensees. And Palm
is moving aggressively to support the Bluetooth local radio standard, which
will enable Palm Powered handhelds to communicate wirelessly with cell
phones as well as other handhelds. Bluetooth add-on hardware will be
available in 2001, and Palm will build Bluetooth into every Palm-branded
handheld as soon as Bluetooth prices drop low enough to allow it.
- Secure transactions: Robust security solutions are already available for
the Palm OS. Palm is partnering with the leaders in secure transaction
processing to build the infrastructure that will enable Palm Powered
handhelds to also be your electronic wallet and identification card, and to
serve as a gateway for the most secure corporate transactions.
- Graphics and multimedia: Palm Powered handhelds already have great
multimedia options, including voice recorders, photo management software,
color screens, and hundreds of games. Building on that base, Palm is working
with its developers and licensees to add support for larger and
higher-resolution screens, and enhanced video and audio playback. Today
those features destroy the battery life of a handheld, so Palm is also
working aggressively with battery manufacturers to develop more efficient
systems. To support all that extra processing, Palm is also adding support
for ARM microprocessors, while still preserving compatibility with the
current Palm software base.
- Palm is also developing MyPalm, an exciting new Web application that gives
you online calendaring, web searching, robust browsing, e-mail, and a lot
more. It will premiere by the end of 2000.
Even as Palm and its partners create the future of handheld computing, we
will preserve the wearability and simplicity that have made our products the
standard today. It's easy to cram a handheld with so many features that it
can't be carried comfortably, or its batteries die in a few hours. Palm's
commitment is to bring you a future that works, that solves real-world
problems, and that continues to give you the best choices in the industry.
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1. PC Week, 10/22/99
2. Palm Gear and Pocket Gear websites, 12/2000
3. Shipping in late 2001 |
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