Palm v.s. PPC showdown

Fact is Palm is losing the PDA market to PPC devices. Microsoft successfully (so far) broke into this market.

How did Palm fight back?

1) split into Palm One and Palm Source; then Palm One will switch back to its original name Palm
2) merged with handspring
3) came up with Treo smart phone series and LifeDrive mobile manager
4) Palm OS Cobalt 6.1

As consumers, we do like this kind of diversity.

Apple moves to become an MVNO

The story @Forbes.com talks about Apple's move toward MVNO (mobile virtual network operator), i.e., reaching its customers (with value-add content and services) through a cellular/WiFi infrastructure provided by some MNO like Sprint or Cingular. This is a new business model in the wireless world, and a number of companies are doing the same thing, including Wal-mart, ESPN, Disney, and so on.

This is particularly interesting if you follow Apple's recent business moves: it partner with Motorola on a cell phone running iTunes; it will dump PowerPC; and many people believe Apple is developing an iPhone (an iPod cell phone).

Given the ever-increasing, huge number of mobile wireless devices being used in the world, and the fact that people will like to pay for anything cool and useful if priced well, no wonder many high-profile companies (computer, communication, consumer-electronics, media, etc) are trying very hard to catch the wave. Go wireless!