Less Convergence Please
I spent some time last week at the AlwaysOn Innovation Summit. After listening to Eric Benhamou, Chairman of Palm, give an extended commercial for his company, I wandered around the sponsor tables and found myself, like any good device geek, lingering around the AT&T Wireless and Palm tables. I got to play with the new Palm devices that attempt to converge PDA functionality with telephony. And I played with similar devices at AT&T's table, including new handhelds from Nokia, RIM, Siemens, etc.
I could spend an inordinate amount of time talking about the various models of converged devices but others have already done a more exhaustive job of that than I possibly could. But I will say this for the idea of convergence -- it may be the impossible dream. As I spent time talking with the folks from Palm and AT&T Wireless, it was very clear that they were trying to pitch devices that were everything for everyone. The ultimate design goal appears to be to build a device that is the perfect PDA, Phone, PIM and wireless browser in one (recently that feature lists seems to have expanded to include camera as well). But the more time I spend with these converged devices, the more convinced I am that this is not the appropriate design goal.
I believe that the appropriate goal for converged device manufacturers is to build devices that are optimized for a specific use and then provide as much additional functionality as they reasonably can given the necessary tradeoffs to optimize for that particular use. Because, while we would all love to have a PDA, phone, PIM, Web browser in one, each of us prioritizes that functionality differently. When I got my first Treo, it became clear to me that I prioritized cell phone functionality over PDA functionality and since it was a decent PDA but an awful phone, I got rid of it. But I don't pretend to be the surrogate for anyone else. Others may be thrilled with the Treo because they want occasional phone functionality but strong PDA integration.
By virtue of screen and keyboard size requirements that are application driven, I do not believe that it is possible for portable devices to be all things to all people (at least not with the technology available today). But I do believe that it is possible to build a really great phone that has some decent additional PDA functionality or a really great PDA that has some decent PIM functionality, etc. And if designers start thinking along those lines, I suspect they will build some of the best devices available to date. If RIM or Nokia are listening, I would like a really great phone first and foremost, but that is also a PIM no larger than the pager sized blackberry, requires no headset to make or receive calls and converges PDA data with phone functionality for enhanced caller ID and speed dial. Now that I would buy.
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I agree the cell phone companies should concentrate on making the best cell phone possible while including the ability to synch your phone with Outlook to get PDA data in a read only fashion. Personally I'd love to be able to browse my appointments, contacts, notes, etc on the cell phone but have no interest in updating them on a small device.
BTW, ever see "Earth: Final Conflict" on TV. Awful show but they do have the coolest PDA. It's a small tube that you pull open to view a thin plastic screen that displays info. This allows it to be compact and light for carrying purposes but gives a largish screen size when in use. I believe IBM is working on this. This thing, if practical, would solve the convergence form factor problem IMHO.
You should take a look at the Nokia 3300 phone.
Qwerty Keyboard and a small cell phone form factor.
http://www.forum.nokia.com/main/1,6566,015_006,00.html
>pitch devices that were everything for everyone
Aren't we in an era where it will be custom everything from everyone? Why not have users custom spec their device on-line to their needs and have it delivered to them? We aren't that far from this level of customization, and the PDA market is getting small of enough where this is actually possible (haha).
check out the nokia 6800. I just got it last month through AT&T Wireless and love it. While it only supports GSM, it has great RF. It syncs with Outlook over IR (contacts, calendar, to do lists). It has an XHTML browser and supports J2ME apps (comes preloaded with a POP/IMAP client)... and supposedly, it will support Blackberry software by the end of this year. All this for $150!
Also, with the HS-1C camera headset accessory, you can add picture taking capability.
Yes I agree that manufacturers should stop trying to make something that is all things to all people. However I think it belies our age when we think of the phone as primarily a voice communications device. Text communication (SMS, IM, and Email) and visual communication (a camera) are features I think are important for the younger set. (and if any phone designers are reading this, please make a phone with a retractable ear piece!)
I agree that, for now at least, convergence requires tradeoffs, and that the tradeoffs made should be reflected in how you market and price the item. For example, after replacing my Palm and cell phone with a Danger Hiptop (aka T-Mobile Sidekick), I realized that this was a good device for me because i'm much more of a data person (email/AIM/Web) than a voice person. Fortunately, the pricing at the time (unlimited data, costly voice minutes) reflect that as well.
Despite that, it's good to have a little bit of camera. The teeny images the older Hiptop make aren't worth printing out, but they do convey a face reasonably well. I'll bring a real camera if i want a real image.
It would be good if the marketing and pricing of all these devices correctly convey their respective strengths and weaknesses, rather than pretending to be all things to all people. Of course, in ten years, the tech may have improved to the point these compromises won't be necessary.
mahlen
Disagree completely. I think in a few years we'll look back on our pockets bulging with many semi-related devices and wonder how we ever did it. We're close already; my digital camera has an optional decent MP3 player. Most people's PDAs also do MP3s, and many now have cameras. The PDA-Cellphone thing is still a bit off but I have no doubt that usable, convenient converged devices are inevitable. Is it great, currently? Of course not; we're still in version 1 (or 2). But new devices like the Sony Clie flip-thing have me convinced that we're making rapid progress.