WinInfo Short Takes: Week of June 3
WinInfo | at | by Mike
XScale-based Pocket PCs on Tap
Pocket PCs are already pretty cool, but starting this summer, they're going to be barn burners as well. A new generation of Pocket PCs is coming, based on Intel's new XScale processor, the successor to the ARM chip used in today's devices. Unlike today's Pocket PCs, which top out at about 206 MHz, the XScale-based devices will start at 400 MHz and go up from there. HP, Toshiba and other companies will ship the first XScale-based Pocket PCs next month, which will also feature advanced power management capabilities. Good stuff.
Palm Continues to Struggle
Rudderless without strong leadership for too long, Palm Inc. announced this week that it will miss its quarterly sales target by over 20 percent and will not meet its goal of reporting an operating profit. Palm stock thudded to the ground at the news, trading in the $2 range. The company had already posted an embarrassing 2001, where its products were consistently trounced by competition from Palm OS licensees and Pocket PC competitors. But I have a suggestion that might save the company: Reunite with Handspring, bring the company's founders back into the fold, and start innovating. Otherwise, you're just going to be the latest example of a company that underestimated the Microsoft threat.