Hand-Held Computer Making Splash
Associated Press - May 25, 1999
SAN JOSE, Calif., (AP Online via COMTEX) -- Craig Schmidt uses his
hand-held Palm computer at work, at home, even on the golf course.
''I don't sleep with my Palm Pilot and I usually don't do anything
with it when I'm eating a meal. But aside from those times, I keep my
Palm Pilot with me pretty much all the time, seven days a week,'' said
Schmidt, a Cameron Park, Calif.-businessman who wrote software to
score golf games and now sells it through his company called IntelliGolf.
Schmidt is one of thousands of people around the world who have
incorporated hand-held computers into their lives in recent years as
the technology has improved.
On Monday, 3Com Corp. introduced its latest hand-held computer that
does even more: The Palm VII allows users to go onto the Internet
without being plugged into a wall.
The cost of the device is high and its services will initially be
limited. Nonetheless, some analysts said the devices should be well
received by consumers, who have already been embracing products like
it that used to be just for techies.
''In 1998, the hand-held computer market crossed the important
billion-dollar sales threshold and is well on the way to reaching
critical mass,'' said Scott Miller, principal analyst for the research
firm Dataquest.
Worldwide sales of hand-held computers are expected to exceed 5.7
million units in 1999, a 47 percent increase over 1998, according to
Dataquest. The market is projected to grow more than 30 percent
through 2003, when sales are expected to reach 21 million.
Hand-held computers initially allowed users just to keep schedules and
take notes. The small boxes could, in turn, be plugged into desktop
computers to synchronize information.
The device has been improving during the past few years. While other
attempts have been made to provide wireless Internet access, 3Com's is
notable because the Palm organizer is already highly popular.
However, the Palm VII will cost $599, twice the price of the previous
model. In addition, users must sign up for Palm's Internet service
provider Palm.net, which will cost them at least $10 a month. Heavy
users of the service will pay $100 a month or more.
Initially it will be available for sale only in the New York
metropolitan area, but the company plans to offer it nationally later
this year.
Users will be able to send and receive e-mail, look up stock prices,
sports scores or horoscopes, get news or driving directions -- among
other services.
That sounds like a lot, but there are some drawbacks. The e-mails must
be short and the e-mail address is different from the user's regular
e-mail.
The Palm VII reformats Web pages to fit the smaller screen using a
technology known as Web clipping that limits the content somewhat.
Still, Web sites as diverse as ESPN.com, Moviefone.com, United Parcel
Service and the online brokerage ETrade Group Inc. have signed on to
provide content to the new Palm organizers.
One month ago, Troy Henley, a technology manager at a Columbus, Ohio,
law firm, came to work with a couple of hand-held Palm computers,
hoping to convince the lawyers that the little gadgets could make them
more efficient.
Now, just four weeks later, all nine attorneys in the personal injury
practice have pitched their paper calendars and are showing up in
court, on the golf course and at meetings with their computers in hand.
''It's funny. Once anybody saw it working they had to have one,'' said
Henley. ''They don't do everything, but they do a lot.''
Copyright 1999 Associated Press, All rights reserved.
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