This Infosync World article suggests that palmOne may be considering alternative operating systems other than PalmOS for its future devices. It even says that the European palmOne head Vesey Crichton has a fascination for Nokia's operating system and user interface (presumably Symbian & Series 60?). Anyway, smoke or fire? Draw your own conclusions.
Palm considering Symbian?
There were rumblings some years ago that Palm (before the big Source/One split) were looking at Symbian OS running with the Palm look and feel acting as the GUI. Technically there's no reason why a GUI looking just like Palm couldn't sit on top of of Symbian OS. The catch would be having a "Palm Emulator" that could provide backwards compatibility for the software library.
Heck, it would sort out the synchronising problems!
Not sure about the specifics, but it would be back for the market .... period. As much as I LOVE Symbian, I would not want Palm to stop development, as they help drive innovation ... the more competition, the better it is for US. Palm 5.0 is pretty nice .... still more a PDA than a phone (on Treo 600 for example), but Palm has come a long way.
Whatever the case, let's hope we can keep at least 3-4 operating systems in the market to drive innovation and give us selection!
I can't seriously see palmOne bringing out a Series 60 device as it would be competing directly with several big phone manufacturers, not least Nokia itself. PalmOne may be big in PDA's but its a small company as far as the phone market is concerned, it need to find its own niche to compete.
Ewan's idea is a good one but palmSource is meant to be developing a phone based version of the PalmOS. Unless (which I really don't think) putting a Palm front end on Symbian is their plan 😉
I think Palm have historically produced good products but they took their foot of the gas a couple of years ago and are struggling to regain lost ground. I wonder if Sony are reconsidering their position with using Palm OS after the last quarters EMEA figures. They sold 76,130 Clies against SonyEricssons 216,990 P800/P900's.
I agree that competition is good and I hope Palm survive but I suspect one Smartphone OS will become dominant with a couple of others being used in specialised areas.
I use SYMBIAN PDAs since the Psion 3a. Nothing comes close to it not even PALM or PocketPC.
SYMBIAN OS PDAs are complete replacemenst for a desktop computer.
If I'm sailing the Psion 5mx acts as Weater station (internet via P800, prints weather maps via IRDA on Canon bubblejet), navigation system (with maps from internt and GPS), logbook (special prog or word), diving logbook and calculations (Table). I even update the homepage with photos from my P800 when I'm on my way.
All this by only installing a handfull of progs. Best of all with just 2 batteries it runs really long.
With Palm and PocketPC you always need another computer to print have access here and there.
Though I must say Palm does have soem very nice progs, but if Palm goes Symbian we will probably see these progs on Symbian devices too.
bye
Manou
Well the Register talks even more strongly about the possibility of PalmOne using Symbian and Series 60 in this article about Nokia enterprise aquisitions.
It even suggests that Nokia may consider puchasing PalmOne!