.FLYINGHEAD THE COMPUTING UNPLUGGED INTERVIEW
.TITLE Palm OS developers speak out on the Palm OS
.AUTHOR David Gewirtz
.SUMMARY This week, we’ve been hard at work at the bigger story: all the changes with Palm and the Palm OS. Last week, in "The continuing mystery that is Palm, Inc.," we looked at some of the core issues with Palm’s changes. One of the biggest issues, of course, is how the Palm developer community will fare after all the dust settles. We asked five developers five key questions. Will there be new Palm OS software? The answers are in this article.
.FEATURE
This week, Palm returns to its roots with the announcement of the low-cost, color Palm Z22 and the WiFi-enabled T|X devices. We’ve had these devices in the labs for some time and we’ll give you our comprehensive review in just a few weeks.
This week, instead, we’ve been hard at work at the bigger story: all the changes with Palm and the Palm OS. Last week, in "The continuing mystery that is Palm, Inc.," we looked at some of the core issues with Palm’s changes. One of the biggest issues, of course, is how the Palm developer community will fare after all the dust settles.
We asked five Palm OS developers five main questions:
.BEGIN_STEPS
.STEP What are your thoughts about the Windows Treo and PalmSource’s sale to ACCESS?
.STEP Do you intend to continue to develop Palm OS software? If so, for how long? Do you have any concerns?
.STEP Do you currently develop Windows Mobile software? Do you intend to start developing for the Windows Mobile platform?
.STEP Do you still consider the Palm OS software market a viable business opportunity?
.STEP Do you have any other comments or opinions on this news?
.END_STEPS
.BREAK_EMAIL We got some absolutely fascinating answers. Tap here to read them.
We got some very interesting answers. The developers we spoke to were:
.BEGIN_LIST
.BULLET Kevin Benedict, CEO of MobileDataforce, whose chief products are Intercue Mobility Suite and PointSync
.BULLET David Haupert, CEO of DDH Software, who produces the well-known HanDBase product
.BULLET Iain Barclay, co-founder and chief products officer of Electric Pocket, whose products are BugMe!and Ringo
.BULLET Jim Brady, CEO of Earthcomber, who makes the Earthcomber travel guide, and
.BULLET Todd Sherman, president of Smart Box Design. Todd makes Farkle and WordPop!
.END_LIST
This is a very interesting view into the world of those companies that make the Palm OS. After all, without the after-market and the programs that deliver unique features to the handhelds, the Palm would be just another organizer.
And now, our interviews…
.PAGE
.Q Computing Unplugged Magazine
What are your thoughts about the Windows Treo and PalmSource’s sale to ACCESS?
.A Kevin Benedict of MobileDataforce
The Pocket PC version of the Palm Treo is a predictable result of the separation between Palm hardware and the Palm OS last year. Palm must follow the market with their hardware, and Windows users are the market. The demise of PalmSource is the result of not providing users with enough business value.
As consumers migrate to PDA phones that provide business value, they expect integration with their business’ enterprise databases. This move necessitates the involvement of the enterprise IT organization which will naturally seek to standardize mobile operating systems around already standardized internal operating systems. As a result, Microsoft wins.
.A David Haupert of DDH Software
I think the Windows Treo is a possible sign that Palm’s success is not completely tied to the Palm OS platform. That is a good thing in my opinion since PalmSource has really hampered the platform with the Palm OS 6 (Cobalt) non-release and the long delay with any real operating system updates. Time will tell if the Windows Mobile market welcomes the products or not, however. The sale to ACCESS is to me a much bigger question mark — I don’t see how it will help the platform in the long run.
.A Iain Barclay of Electric Pocket
I think the Windows Treo is very exciting, and presents a great opportunity to Palm and developers. I’m less sure about what the ACCESS purchase means for the development community, and as yet we’ve heard little from ACCESS of their intentions or plans for Palm OS. Whatever happens, PalmSource will change, and given their recent track record that has to be a good thing.
.A Jim Brady of Earthcomber
The Treo 700 announcement is a huge declaration that Microsoft is intent on being a major mobile OS as of immediately. And the implied divorce decree of Palm hardware with Palm OS can be seen as a harbinger that mobile and personal hardware and software will be judged on merits independently, much the way PCs and PC operating systems are.
Application and service companies such as Earthcomber, whose core technology is agnostic of any OS, will enjoy wider familiarity and usage, and those developed for a sole platform or OS are opting in for a patchy experience, since the industry is increasingly willing to abandon technical allegiances in favor of business cases. Actually, the sale of PalmSource can mean new life for an old OS because it is passing into new hands with new purposes in mind. Palm OS was smart code dumbed down for serious constraints back when the PDA was a simple creature; perhaps Palm OS’s mutant strains will roar back to life in gadgets where only Linux has tread before.
.A Todd Sherman of Smart Box Design
At the price they offered I’m sure it was hard for the board to say no, but it has yet to be fully revealed how this deal will be a plus for the Palm community. I’m worried that ACCESS will keep their plans close to the vest and leave developers in the dark.
.PAGE
.Q Computing Unplugged Magazine
Do you intend to continue to develop Palm OS software? If so, for how long? Do you have any concerns?
.A Kevin Benedict of MobileDataforce
We support Palm on our older products, but have no intention of supporting Palm on future versions.
.A David Haupert of DDH Software
We fully intend to develop for the Palm platform. Despite the success of other platforms, a significant portion of our revenue still comes from this platform. I think this is because of the high adoption rate in schools over Windows Mobile, and the success of the Treo.
.A Iain Barclay of Electric Pocket
When we think of developing Palm OS software these days, we are really thinking about developing Treo software, as that seems to be the only Palm OS device which is making any significant movement in the market. So, as long as the Palm-based Treo continues to sell, we will continue to develop and support Palm OS — but we would dearly love to have more than one viable target device in the Palm OS smartphone space.
.A Jim Brady of Earthcomber
Having a market for your service or applications is no longer an OS-marketshare proposition, so it would be foolish to develop any substantial application for any one OS and not another. At the same time, you lose business even if your bet is correct on a dominant player, because nobody is quitting. Two years ago, Blackberry was 5% of the hand-held market. So building for Blackberry then was never a 5% proposition even when that was their marketshare.
.A Todd Sherman of Smart Box Design
I have another game in development that will release early next year. By then, I hope ACCESS will be forthcoming in their plans. I will continue to develop for the Palm at least through 2006 as the installed base is huge and the platform is a lot of fun. I’m concerned that tools and developer support have not improved significantly for a long time and now ACCESS needs to recoup their costs and my not dedicate funds to these areas.
.Q Computing Unplugged Magazine
Do you current develop Windows Mobile software. Do you intend to start developing for the Windows Mobile platform?
.A Kevin Benedict of MobileDataforce
Yes, we development on both Pocket PC and Win CE.Net.
.A David Haupert of DDH Software
Yes, we have been developing for it since 2001, and intend to continue, adding support this year for Windows Mobile Smartphones as well.
.A Iain Barclay of Electric Pocket
We have had Windows Mobile Pocket PC software for a number of years — we are currently bringing it from the back burner to the front burner! We have a version of our popular Ringo ringtone manager coming out for Windows Mobile very soon, which is a significant step for Electric Pocket.
.A Jim Brady of Earthcomber
Yes, we do now, and will continue to do so. We expect to see this trimmed-down Windows system operating more and smaller devices of many sorts. Set-top boxes, music players, radios, hand-held anything, home security, and it can’t be far: the MS OS tooth brush.
.A Todd Sherman of Smart Box Design
I started developing for Windows Mobile software when 2003 was released. Microsoft put a lot of thought and consideration for the developer behind the release. We have two great WM games released, WordPop! and Farkle Dice, and have a third in development.
.PAGE
.Q Computing Unplugged Magazine
Do you still consider the Palm OS software market a viable business opportunity?
.A Kevin Benedict of MobileDataforce
No, Palm OS is not a viable business opportunity.
.A David Haupert of DDH Software
For us, most definitely, but for a new startup, it would seem it’s too late to get in the game.
.A Iain Barclay of Electric Pocket
We still consider the Palm OS Treo software market a viable business opportunity.
.A Jim Brady of Earthcomber
Palm is so vast, with something like 20 million devices in activity, that a good product could make a fortune for years to come, even if Palm OS were completely orphaned tomorrow. Keep in mind, too: The current Palm user will eventually take her or his habits along as they migrate eventually onto whatever platform they chose. If you aren’t there for them now on Palm, you aren’t there for them now at all, and you might not be what they have in mind when they get there.
.A Todd Sherman of Smart Box Design
I think for me it is. I have four Palm games, with a fifth on its way. Plus our game engine is mature and does not require a lot of maintenance. This could all change and we may need to develop a new Linux-Palm-Windows engine but we would still be coming from a familiar view. I’m not sure how a new developer would succeed given the time to market and still limited distribution system.
.Q Computing Unplugged Magazine
Do you have any other comments or opinions on this news?
.A Kevin Benedict of MobileDataforce
In order for a mobile operating system to compete with Microsoft’s, there must be a compelling business case, or the high value business user will be forced, due to internal IT standards, to standardize on a Microsoft operating system. As an example, Oracle or SAP users might standardize on an Oracle or SAP sponsored mobile operating system if the key purpose of the mobile device was integration with that database. This would be a high value reason to use something other than Microsoft.
.BEGIN_KEEP
.A Iain Barclay of Electric Pocket
I think these are exciting times. A new door is opening with Windows Treo and the ACCESS purchase gives PalmSource new momentum, which can only be a good thing. Its also interesting to speculate what might have been if Motorola had succeeded in buying PalmSource — I think that would have been very well received.
.A Todd Sherman of Smart Box Design
I like competition. I want Palm and Windows Mobile to compete for as long as possible as I think it helps drive innovation. I think it would have been very interesting if Motorola or Nokia had purchased Palm instead.
.BEGIN_SIDEBAR
.H1 Product availability and resources
To read "The continuing mystery that is Palm, Inc.," visit http://www.computingunplugged.com/issues/issue200509/00001645001.html.
For more information on MobileDataforce, visit http://www.mobiledataforce.com.
For more information on DDH Software, visit http://www.ddhsoftware.com.
For more information on Electric Pocket, visit http://www.electricpocket.com.
For more information on Earthcomber, visit http://www.earthcomber.com.
For more information on Smart Box Design, visit http://www.smartboxdesign.com.
Special thanks go to Kevin Doel for helping coordinate these interviews.
.END_SIDEBAR
.BIO
.END_KEEP
