Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : e.Digital Corporation(EDIG) - Embedded Digital Technology -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: PartyTime who wrote (10738)	2/4/2000 1:55:00 PM
From: Pamela Murray	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 18366

Palm slashes prices to make way for new models By Stephanie Miles Staff Writer, CNET News.com February 4, 2000, 8:15 a.m. PT URL: news.cnet.com Palm Computing has cut prices on all of its handheld computers, ostensibly in preparation for the release of new models, including its first device with a color display. As first reported by CNET News.com, Palm will release the Palm IIIc with color display on Feb. 20, along with the Palm IIIxe, which will expand the memory of the Palm IIIx device. As is typical practice for the company, it is now cutting prices across its line of products in preparation for the new releases. The Palm IIIe has been marked down from $179 to $149. The Palm IIIx has come down to $229 from $299, while the Palm V is now $329 and the Palm Vx has an estimated retail price of $399. The Palm VII with wireless Internet access has been cut from $499 to $449. Palm, which is in the process of separating itself from parent company 3Com, hopes to raise $368 million in an initial public offering this month. The company has been on a roll recently, striking high-profile partnerships with mobile phone companies Nokia and consumer electronics firms Sony, and topping a variety of market research studies surveying the handheld landscape. Palm has gained a wider audience as both the computing and communications industries look to digital gadgets as an example of the next wave of Internet access for small and limited function devices. But although Palm has enjoyed a sizeable lead over competitor Microsoft products in terms of market share and developer loyalty for handheld devices, the company has lagged behind the software giant in a few key areas. Microsoft, which has placed a premium on delivering more functions over simplicity or ease of use, has offered devices with color displays for almost a year, along with digital music players and some digital imaging applications. Palm now finds itself in the unusual role of playing catch-up to Microsoft, striking deals and developing technology to integrate these features into its own devices, as well as into products based on the Palm operating software. Along those lines, the company is now finally set to release the Palm IIIc, and more powerful multimedia and wireless devices are in the works from partners like Sony. The Palm IIIc is expected to be priced at $449, while the Palm IIIxe with 8MB of memory is expected to go for $249 and replace the Palm IIIx, sources say. Although the introduction of the first color Palm is clearly a technical milestone for the company, analysts are unsure whether the fancy displays will offer much real value to users. The Palm operating system, upgraded to support color displays, is not equipped yet for many of the multimedia applications that Windows CE is known for. Further, color displays are typically bulky and a drain on battery power, two issues that Palm executives have publicly pointed to as the reason the company has waited so long to release a color device.