Tuesday, May 7, 2002
Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way
Posted by Jason Dunn in "ARTICLE" @ 04:27 PM
http://articles.pocketnow.com/content.cgi?db=articles&id=78
A new column from Russ Smith, Pocketnow.com's Senior News Editor, highlights some of his thoughts on the evolution (and perhaps lack thereof) in the Pocket PC industry today. With the death of the HP Jornada, the family just got a little more inbred.
"To some, innovation and market leaders are a sign of an immature market; one to be avoided. Michael Dell, for instance, said that the he won't get into the Pocket PC field until it's stabilized and has a clear set of standards. While I would point out to Mr. Dell that the Pocket PC 2002 machines have a greater level of standardization than any previous Windows CE specification, I understand his point: He wants to sell in a field where the platform is a commodity; where there isn't much in the way of innovation, but simply evolution. Evolutionary changes are predictable. In such a field, it's easier to come up with a good, competitive product that you can sell at a price which undercuts the competition."
A new column from Russ Smith, Pocketnow.com's Senior News Editor, highlights some of his thoughts on the evolution (and perhaps lack thereof) in the Pocket PC industry today. With the death of the HP Jornada, the family just got a little more inbred.
"To some, innovation and market leaders are a sign of an immature market; one to be avoided. Michael Dell, for instance, said that the he won't get into the Pocket PC field until it's stabilized and has a clear set of standards. While I would point out to Mr. Dell that the Pocket PC 2002 machines have a greater level of standardization than any previous Windows CE specification, I understand his point: He wants to sell in a field where the platform is a commodity; where there isn't much in the way of innovation, but simply evolution. Evolutionary changes are predictable. In such a field, it's easier to come up with a good, competitive product that you can sell at a price which undercuts the competition."
