day 47

microsoft smells $$s 4: too much tech

Yesterday, we described the Newton and Magic Link PDA, and how Apple and General Magic are repositioning them as network appliances. The Over-the-Wall rule explains why repositioning won't work. The best selling organizers from HP, Psion, and Sharp are miniature DOS machines with keyboards so small that trained fleas have trouble writing home. But, these machines use traditional programming languages, operating systems and packaging. They work pretty much like a1985 PC, except for a few icons placed here and there to give the appearance of a modern user interface. Packaged like a wallet instead of a plastic brick, they fit into purse or shirt pocket. They weigh less than the batteries of a MessagePad. Sure, some of these are starting to include a pen instead of the too-small keyboard; but, most of the pen-based PDAs use Graffiti -- a handwriting code sort of like shorthand. The user must learn Graffiti rather than the other way around. Only the Apple MessagePad 120 has real handwriting recognition. The Magic Cap operating system from General Magic has the most advanced graphical user interface. The UI simulates a desktop (common applications), hallway (file system), and village (workspaces), and effectively handles communication, pen input and other advanced functions. This machine changes everything -- operating system, programming language, user interface, etc. Accordingly, it is the worst selling PDA on the market. Magic Cap PDAs are even rarer than MessagePads. The new MessagePad 120 has a novel programming language called NewtonScript, which is probably more advanced than anything taught in graduate-level courses on functional/object-oriented programming. It makes Java look like warmed-over decaf. The 120's Newton Intelligence operating system is object-oriented, multitasking and small -- leaving better-known systems in the Stone Ages. It can recognize handwriting, download WWW web pages via wireless, and includes a ton of software right out of the box. So, why is it the village idiot of PDAs?

microsoft smells $$s 1 2 3 Daily Dose Index