The Bottom Line
November 23, 2003
Form Factor of Failure?

Many geeks drool over PDA's. I don't own one, and I've never been tempted. So I always like a story that suggests that I'm not alone.


PDA sales are flat, and it seems pretty clear that the future for mobile devices or whatever is with wireless. Sooner or later almost every handheld will be able to wirelessly connect to the Internet in some way or another.

I think that there are way too many companies chasing way too few consumers in the market for pocket-sized thingies with tiny screens and tiny keyboards. I think that the total market for that form factor is less than 10 million people in the U.S., and it would take 100 million users to support all the companies offering products in that space.

I like a mobile phone. And I think I would like a small laptop, like the Sony TR1A or TR2B or whatever the heck it is. The in-between form factor does nothing for me. If you want a screen that I can put in my pocket, I think you had better make it in the form of goggles.

Posted by Arnold at 6:13 PM | Email this entry | Category: business models
  Comments and Trackbacks

There are no comments posted for this entry.

  Email this entry to a friend
 
Email this entry to:   
Your email address:   
Message (optional):   
 

  Related Entries