| Palm Inc. launched last month its second Treo | | | | added that Palm Inc. "cannot plan a mobile device |
| smart phone running the Windows Mobile 5.0 | | | | roadmap based on an operating system that is |
| operating system, dubbed Treo 700wx, and | | | | obsolete and whose replacement does not exist." |
| industry observers say this new product could | | | | The new Palm 700wx smart phone is the second |
| cause traditional enterprise Palm OS users to | | | | Treo device that runs on the Windows Mobile |
| jump ship to Microsoft's more familiar platform. | | | | platform; the first, Treo 700w, was launched in |
| Although there isn't a huge proportion of Palm OS | | | | September 2005. |
| users running enterprise applications on their | | | | Treo 700wx is now available through Bell Canada's |
| devices, those who do can now have the | | | | high-speed mobile network (1xEv-DO). It features |
| Windows Mobile platform as a viable alternative, | | | | several "out-of-the-box" enhancements from its |
| said Carmi Levy, senior research analyst at | | | | predecessor, including increased RAM capacity |
| Info-Tech Research in London, Ont. | | | | from 32MB to 64MB. |
| Now that Palm is offering enterprises a choice | | | | The Treo 700wx can also be used as an EV-DO |
| between two mobile operating platforms, IT | | | | external USB modem for laptops to access |
| managers have the opportunity to standardize on | | | | high-speed cellular network for connectivity. |
| a single platform, added Eddie Chan, research | | | | The device also has an integrated |
| analyst for mobile and personal computing | | | | Communications Manager feature which allows |
| technology at IDC Canada in Toronto. | | | | users to better manage their connectivity. This |
| "IT managers would want to simplify as much as | | | | product was sold separately with the previous |
| possible. The Windows Mobile platform is fairly | | | | Treo 700w, said Levy. |
| intuitive, as well as Palm, but [decisions can be | | | | "The opportunity for growth is clear, with 130 |
| based on] the look and feel of the Windows | | | | million worldwide (Microsoft) Exchange users," said |
| environment and the applications," said Chan. | | | | Michael Moskowitz, vice-president, Americas |
| Windows' huge installed base can also drive | | | | International, Palm, Inc. This opportunity will be |
| adoption of Windows Mobile-based Treo devices. | | | | enabled by the direct push e-mail capability that |
| While Palm has done "quite well" with the Treo | | | | comes integrated with the Treo 700wx, which |
| product line - historically, it's been second to | | | | allows the device to directly connect with |
| Research in Motion in market share - the | | | | Exchange 2003 for real-time e-mail updates, he |
| Windows Mobile platform gives it greater market | | | | added. |
| opportunity, the analyst explained. | | | | A significant aspect of the Treo's direct push |
| "[Palm] has done quite well with just the Palm | | | | technology is the ability to directly access the |
| platform, but obviously when you look in terms of | | | | Exchange Server without the need for a |
| corporations and their installed base of Windows | | | | middleware component to access e-mail, explained |
| environment - whether client or server - it | | | | Phil Sorgen, president of Microsoft Canada. |
| definitely makes for a greater reach for them," | | | | "Many of our competitors require middleware, |
| said Chan. | | | | other software or hardware, either in their Office |
| The fact that the latest Palm OS v.5.4 has not | | | | environment or in their network mobile operator's |
| been upgraded for a number of years has not | | | | environment, to provide that capability," Sorgen |
| been helping things for the operating system, at | | | | said. That is a competitive advantage, he added, |
| least in the enterprise market, said Info-Tech's | | | | because it reduces cost and complexity by |
| Levy. "The Palm OS has basically reached a dead | | | | directly linking the device and the Exchange |
| end and the Treos that run on a Palm OS will not | | | | environment. |
| be upgraded for the foreseeable future." | | | | At the launching of the new Windows-based |
| PalmSource, maker of the Palm OS, was acquired | | | | Treo, Sorgen expressed optimism that the |
| last year by Japanese mobile platform developer | | | | Windows Mobile 5 platform will continue to grow. |
| ACCESS Co. Ltd. While PalmSource, and now | | | | During Microsoft's 2006 fiscal year, Sorgen said |
| ACCESS, have been working for years to come | | | | the software giant shipped six million Windows |
| up with a follow-up to the Palm OS 5, "they are | | | | Mobile-connected devices worldwide. |
| still nowhere close to actually delivering a workable | | | | IDC's Chan said that while Windows Mobile |
| product," he said. | | | | adoption worldwide has picked up, the North |
| "Increasingly, users who have been using Palm | | | | American market has "taken a little longer to |
| OS-based devices to run enterprise applications | | | | ramp up." He attributed this to limited availability of |
| are now looking very strongly at Microsoft | | | | products running Windows Mobile OS. |
| Windows Mobile 5.0-powered devices and thinking | | | | "Canadian carriers have been a little slower in |
| that it's time to make the jump," said Levy. He | | | | bringing these devices to market," said Chan. |