<There are business models that make sense and it starts with figuring out how to enable regular people to make money by incorporating wireless technologies into their businesses.>
What model are you talking about? All one needs to do is download a server to your OS on your PC and then log into your PC via your Palm through Palm VNC(Virtual Network Computing):
harakan.btinternet.co.uk
uk.research.att.com
As an Entrepreneur, I can gain access to all the files on my PC and send file attachments through Outlook anywhere in the World via my Palm. With full free access to all of my PC's functions through my Palm, what else do I need as a businessman?
Most of these software programs for the Palm are garbage. I like Wordmith, Action Names, Always ON, Jack Flash, Easy Calc; Recycle(great program that Defrags your Palm), Keyboard Hack, Mcphling, Palm Pix; Yahoo Messemger, Eudora Web Browser Browse-it, and Fireviewer Suite.
<There just aren't enough people that are willing to pay twice as much as they pay for their AOL to get an experience that is maybe 10% as good.>
Paul, I was one of the first dudes to go Wireless Internet. I bought my first Palm on September 1, 1999. The same day I signed up with Verizon's CDPD service for the Palm. I had to sign a two year deal at $39.95 a month. I had no idea what to expect. I just wanted to get real time stock quotes on my Palm. Verizon sent me HandWeb 1.0 and HandMail 1.0, along with the Minstrel Software and Hardware, which I paid $240 for. It took customer support 2 hours to get me connected. Once I got connected, I found the HandWeb Browser was rarely able to get me to a URL. So, I called up Verizon Wireless(Bell Atlantic Mobile at the time), and asked what's the story here? Some customer service woman told me there was a lot of free stuff on the Internet to surf on your Palm and all I had to do was go on Yahoo's search engine to find it. So I did and found Proxiweb and Yahoo Instant Messenger. That was cool. Now I was able to surf the web and access any site with my Novatel Wireless Minstrel III modem. What was even cooler was that PUMA bought Proxiweb in the fall of 99 and I quintuppled my money in a short period of time investing in PUMA:
Message 12074299
So, let me get the record straight here: I love Wireless Internet and have profited big time from it.
There is no need to pay big bucks for wireless internet. That's where MCOM and NVTL got it all wrong. Verizon ended up dropping its rates for Wireless Internet Access to $25 a month for unlimited access with a one year deal about 14 months ago because it got tons of customers. MCOM would've dropped its rates too once it built up its subscriber base. But its initial price was way to high and what did it offer for it? NVTL was on the right track when it said it would build a 56K Wireless Minstrel Modem in '99. But they thought speed was what mattered. Maybe they should've done surveys and asked people who were using wireless internet what they wanted. But they didn't care. They had this stuck up attitude that they knew what was best for the consumer rather than asking the consumer what he wanted and now they are paying the price. I say its good that their going under because they never cared about what the wireless internet consumer wanted in the first place. 56K wireless internet access would've been great. You had to take this wireless internet access one step up at a time. MCOM and NVTL were looking to hit a homerun and they struck out. Shame on them for violating the first cardinal rule of Business: Know thy customer and find out what THEY want!
I'm getting rid of VZ's network and Novatel's modem at the end of this month and going with PCS. PCS always connects for me without a problem. It is more reliable than VZ's network.
It's been 23 months with VZ and Novatel and I've had it: lots of broken promises and shattered dreams. VZ Wireless basically only cares about its cellular business. PCS integrates the two beautifully and is going to deliver 144KB next year. That's a lot better than what anyone else is going to offer me for my Palm IIIx and IIIc wireless internet access. |
