Editorial: The sad truth about Handheld and Pocket PC's

i never said that.... in fact i doubt anyone can be faster with a thumbboard than me with an hpc keyboard (which is at least jornada quality...)

I have to agree with the basic premise that John makes: PDAs in general have not made themselves the indispensible gadgets that the manufacturers hoped they would become.

Why?

I believe it's because the manufacturers are failing to address what people really want a portable computer - and let's face it, that's what these things are - for, and what use they can be in the form factor that is being proposed.

Phones are successful because they allow you to keep in contact, are small, and the battery lasts for hours. I bought an XDA 2s (HTC Blue Angel) in January of this year and I have to admit to being frustrated by the thing: it's too big to be a phone that goes everywhere, and the form factor/OS is too hobbled to be a true portable computing device.

So once again, I'm left thinking "what are the manufacturers thinking people will use this for?"

As a phone it fails due to the size. As a PDA it fails due to the woeful data entry.

The HPC form factor, and by that I mean something that has a usable keyboard attached, has always been and will always be a niche device: it's for people who know that they want a portable general purpose computing device with them at most times for the purposes that they can think of, not what the manufacturers decide they should use it for. Psion really recognised this best of all by including a programming language on their PDAs from Organiser I through to Series 7 - let's not mention the netbook pro...

With that in mind, HPCs will be low volume devices. PocketPCs are glorified games machines with an OS designed to protect the user from the limitations of the device (such as memory) and are largely "read only" when it comes to data manipulation unless you have the patience of a saint. People are realising this, the market is stagnating and the only growth is in GPS navigation which again is largely a data retrieval task.

I'm now using a Zaurus SL-C1000. Expect some comments on that soon!

I am a relatively short-time reader of HPC Factor but a great fan.

I'm not actually tied to MS but I have a Smartphone (MPx200 WM 2003), a Pocket PC (hp2210 WM 2003) and a Handheld PC (Samsung Izzi Pro Handhald PC Pro). I actually began with the Pocket PC as an adjunct to my desktop when I was out and about. I appreciated the PIM and multimedia functions, but it was just a little too big to carry with me everywhere. In contrast the phone is always with me and can do virtually everything the Pocket PC can do. The only problem was in data entry and document editing, but then as mentioned by someone else, even a Pocket PC with a stowaway keyboard is suboptimal because of the screen size. So I ended up using my subnotebook (Fujitsu Lifebook P2120 WinXP Home) for that. The only problem is there is that it is heavy, has a dismal battery life and takes forever to boot up, so is not so handy for doing things on the fly, an area where the Handheld PC excels.

Basically, I am saying that each form factor and OS has its own advantages, and there will always be niches for them, but until a portable device can fully replicate the desktop experience including speed and the internet, and also be portable and instant-on (and require charging a maximum of once a day) they are never going to be popular with the mainstream consumer. Otherwise the motivations are not compelling enough, and the sacrifices which have to be made for the level of functionality are unsatisfactory.

I'm still waiting for the UMPC which looks like a good balance to me!
http://jkontherun.blogs.com/jkontherun/2005/04/comparing_gates.html

yeah.. create a thread on it asap!

Except for the old DOS palmtops of long ago which still seem to sell well on ebay and in some cases sell far more than the Jornadas.

For sure, there is no one perfect type of device at this time. I really appreciate the Jornada 728 when I take it on a business trip instead of the laptop. It's so much nicer on the small airplane tray for getting things done (and fun with games, music, etc. of course). However, I can't take the 728 everywhere with me due to size.

My Pocket PC is great to carry around the office during the day to refer to my schedule, reference documents, etc. but using it for input is often less than satisfying. I am now experimenting with the Sprint PCS PPC-6700 with slide-out keyboard for easier text input on the run. It could replace the 728 and the PPC, especially with added benefit of EVDO data access.

Like others have stated, it's all about niches for these devices. So, we will continue to see a variety of form factors, none of which may end up dominating. However, in my opinion, screen size and input considerations make the ever-present cell phone an unlikely converged device that will work for many, despite all the smartphone innovations. For me, it will need to be an intermediate sized device like the PPC-6700.

hah, this PPC-6700 is like a hybrid of the htc universal and the htc wizard!

there is an important question to be answered. why do people buy PPCs and HPCs?
my intuition tells me that people use their handheld devices (of all types) more for personal use. John mentioned something interesting about PPC morphing into garage openers, tv remote-controls, and things like that.

if you think about it. PPCs and HPCs can do a LOT of things.

i think one company should forget businesses and focus on comsumers for once. that company should create one device and equip it with consumer KILLER APPS that are supported by short user-guides and software.

For example, make a PPC that has GPS and consumer IR and then ship the device with idiot-proof setup procedures for GPS usage and remote-control usage. and do the same thing with other killer apps. this is just one example.

this method, i believe, can educate the consumers about what they can do with their handheld device. the problem is people don't know what they can do with their handheld pc or pocket pc.

i'm missing a lot of points in my argumant, but this is a very complex topic. and it gave me so many sleepless nights

btw, i should receive my qtek 9100 (htc wizard) this week. anyone interested in a Q&A thread or is this prohibited here? i don't wanna tempt people to the dark side!

While I believe this, it still surprises me since there is now more than one DOS emulator available for CE.

of course you can create a thread on it in the offtopic section. we're open to alternatives though i don't think i'll be convinced to switch to pocketpc's until they have "native" VGA, and a more usable keyboard than the htc universal's (i've tried that one)...

The HTC name for it is the HTC Apache and it's certainly no replacement for the J728 keyboard. However, I am finding I prefer having a device with me almost everywhere. Previous convergence devices were either still too large or lacking important features. This one looks like it has a good chance to of doing what I need in a more compact package. But I know I will miss the 728's keyboard.

Ah yes, but does the device that it's running on run for months off two AA batteries? Is it efficient in a "beautiful" way?

The 200lx was above all else a portable PC with bundled applications that made it a pocket companion that'd go anywhere. For some people, the power supply, screen (amazingly) and other considerations make it preferable to winCE devices even now. Strange but true.

In a way I hope PPCs die a permanent death. Either by convergence into smartphones or simply disappearing from the market.

Nobody needs 600+ mhz that fits in a pocket. It's absurd and insane, but a great thing to brag about. Until you need to input large amounts of data. Then it's no more than an overpriced etch-a-sketch.

Then perhaps focus will be levied on the creation of tiny powerful and cheap laptops with long battery life and usable keyboards. I'm talking $300-400 laptops with more features than a desktop making any choice between the two a no-brainer. IMO, desktops are dinosaurs for consumers, their day has long since passed.

Where does this leave the hpc? Exactly where it is now, a niche device used by those that recognize the immense value in a small light instant-on device that is perfect to type on.

One day full Windows will reside in flash (when flash is dirt cheap) and tiny long life devices of all form factors will surface. Windows will be in autos, cameras, microwaves, TVs, washers/dryers, watches, bracelets, pens, whatever. Don't laugh too hard. I never thought I'd live to see the day a toothbrush with a cpu and LCD display was on the market. Bill G. has envisionaged this for over a decade and has preached it. It will happen.

When this day arrives there will be no distinguishing a ppc from a hpc from a microwave. It will all simply be "Windows powered." Idiot consumers will lap it up like bears to honey.

PPC. Nobody needs 600+ mhz that fits in a pocket. It's absurd and insane, but a great thing to brag about. Until you need to input large amounts of data. Then it's no more than an overpriced etch-a-sketch.

The hpc will remain a niche device used by intelligent people who realize that data input and manipulation are the key reasons we use personal computers of any size.