Palm Accessories

Palm is supposed to unveil their new OS, , Nova, at CES 2009 at an invite only event on Thursday at 11am. Rumor is that the new device that will be operating this system, will have a full slide-out qwerty keyboard. It will have the usual portrait touchscreen, but the keyboard will slide out below, instead of sliding out to the side like other smartphones e.g. HTC Touch Pro. The new smartphone is described as "iphone-like" with a qwerty keyboard.  As far as the new OS, it is simply described as "amazing" which leaves our curious minds more eager to see it work. According to TechCrunch the os will include features like calendar, e-mail, address book, and an on-device software store. Many have said that this new Palm handset better be good, or it could make or break Palm.   Source: Brighthand

Palm is trying  to come out of the hole that has been deepening over the past few years. With smarter and more advanced technological phones being introduced, Palm was sort of being left behind.  Everyone knew that Palm had been working on a new OS for the past three years.  Now speculations are that Palm will be announcing its new OS, codenamed Nova ,next year at the International CES 2009 event in La Vegas, Nevada. Along with this new operating system Palm will also be introducing a family of new smartphones. Palm has promised that this new OS will not dissapoint, but theyre not looking to compete against the iphone. Palm realizes that there ARE people out there that do not want an iPhone. They have added new developer personnel for their Nova OS which is said to be based on Linux. This operating system is said to come with much more capabilities and with the help of former a Apple Exec, and an Apple developer genius. Palm is holding their new phone(s) and NOVA OS top secret, even more classified than when Apple tries to keep their stuff top secret. Palms new smartphone is expected to have a similar roll-out pattern as of the Palm Centro with around 3months of a single carrier exclusivity, before it is available to other US and international carriers.

Palm Inc. today released its preliminary results for its second quarter of fiscal year 2009, which ended Nov. 28, 2008. In short, the news is pretty brutal with Palms total revenue experiencing a massive contraction during the past couple of months. Revenues dropped nearly 45% from the same quarter last year, and could see a decline of as much as 48% from the previous quarter.   Palm places the blame on its "maturing" product line and "unprecedented dynamics in the global markets" given the current economic meltdown. The company vows to reign in costs even further and goes on to detail some of its latest cost-savings initiatives in the accompanying press release.   Read on for the full press release. Palm Reports Q2 FY09 Results SUNNYVALE, Calif., Dec. 18, 2008 -- Palm, Inc. (NASDAQ: PALM) today reported that total revenue in the second quarter of fiscal year 2009, which ended Nov. 28, 2008, was $191.6 million. Smartphone sell-through for the quarter was 599,000 units, down 13 percent year over year. Smartphone revenue was $171.0 million, down 39 percent from the year-ago period. “We’re working through an undeniably difficult period,” said Ed Colligan, Palm president and chief executive officer, “but near-term challenges shouldn’t overshadow the fact that we are on track to deliver a breakthrough new platform and products that will bring a truly differentiated smartphone experience to our customers and reestablish Palm as a leading innovator in the mobile industry.” The second quarter of fiscal year 2009 net loss applicable to common shareholders included a non-cash charge with a net impact of $396.7 million to the tax provision pertaining to the increase of the valuation allowance for the Company’s U.S. deferred tax assets. This non-cash charge was the primary driver of a net loss applicable to common shareholders for the second quarter of fiscal year 2009 of $(508.6) million, or $(4.64) per diluted common share on a GAAP basis. The increase in the valuation allowance does not reflect a change in the company’s outlook, nor does it alter the company’s ability to utilize the underlying net operating loss carry forwards. “We have reserved against these assets in accordance with GAAP, however we still expect to utilize our net operating loss to offset future U.S. cash taxes once we become profitable,” said Andy Brown, chief financial officer. In addition to the tax provision charge, net loss applicable to common shareholders included stock-based compensation of $5.8 million, amortization of intangible assets of $0.9 million, restructuring charges of $8.3 million, impairment of non-current auction rate securities of $14.3 million and accretion of series B convertible preferred stock of $2.4 million. This compares to net loss applicable to common shareholders for the second quarter of fiscal year 2008 of $(9.6) million, or $(0.09) per diluted common share, which included stock-based compensation of $14.3 million, amortization of intangible assets of $1.0 million, restructuring charges of $10.1 million and accretion of series B convertible preferred stock of $0.8 million. Net loss for the second quarter of fiscal year 2009, measured on a non-GAAP(1) basis, totaled $(80.2) million, or $(0.73) per diluted share, which excludes stock-based compensation, amortization of intangible assets, restructuring charges, impairment of non-current auction rate securities, accretion of series B convertible preferred stock and the non-cash net impact on the tax provision resulting from the increase of the valuation allowance for the Company’s U.S. deferred tax assets. This compares to non-GAAP net loss for the second quarter of fiscal year 2008 of $(7.8) million, or $(0.07) per diluted share, which excluded the effects of stock-based compensation, amortization of intangible assets, restructuring charges and accretion of series B convertible preferred stock and adjusting the related income tax provision to 42 percent. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, for the second quarter of fiscal year 2009 totaled $(84.5) million. EBITDA, adjusted to add back stock-based compensation, net other income (expense), restructuring charges and impairment of non-current auction rate securities, or Adjusted EBITDA, totaled $(55.8) million. INVESTOR’S NOTE Palm will host a conference call to review the complete Q2 FY09 financial results beginning at 1:30 p.m. PT / 4:30 p.m. ET. The conference call will be hosted by Ed Colligan, president and chief executive officer, and Andy Brown, chief financial officer. Investors and other interested parties are encouraged to listen to the call by logging onto the conference call webcast prior to the start of the conference call at Palm’s Investor Relations website (http://investor.palm.com). Investors wishing to listen to the conference call via telephone may dial 866.362.4666 (domestic) or 617.597.5313 (international). There is no pass code required for the live call. A telephone replay of the conference call will be available through Dec. 29, 2008. The dial-in number for the replay will be 888.286.8010 (domestic) and 617.801.6888 (international). The pass code 95409501 is required for the replay. An archive of the audio webcast and visual portion of the conference call will be posted on Palm’s Investor Relations website at http://investor.palm.com. About Palm, Inc. Palm, Inc. is a leading mobile products company, creating instinctive yet powerful mobile products that enable people to better manage their lives on the go. The company’s products for consumers, mobile professionals and businesses include Palm® Treo™ and Centro™ smartphones and Palm handheld computers, as well as software, services and accessories. Palm products are sold through select Internet, retail, reseller and wireless operator channels throughout the world, and at Palm online stores (http://www.palm.com/store). More information about Palm, Inc. is available at http://www.palm.com. via: palminfocenter

Palm annouced today the launch of its Palm Software Store. There are over 5,000 applications and games available for download and about 1,000 of them are free. This is a big step forward for Palm as they try to seize back market share from Apple and RIM. To apps store supports over 25 Palm devices, from the Centro to the Treo Pro. To start downloading apps just visit the Palm Software Store.

I know that this year has been a real bummer and youve probably forgotten that CES 2009 is just around the corner. And although Microsoft has put to rest the rumors of a Zune phone (I know, Im disappointed too) there is going to be something interesting at CES .... Palm is not down for the count as I have said many times before. And now, to prove that they are still in this game, they are unveiling a new device and a new OS. Yep, thats right. The OS is named NOVA and there will be a brand  new device featuring this new OS. Obviously this device hopes to crack into the glass ceiling that Apple and RIM have cemented of late. More details to come. Source: BGR

If you think RIM was snoozing while Apple was doing R&D for the iPhone then so was Palm, to an even greater extent. Some of you might remember that at one time, Palm was the manufacturer of the most popular smartphones in the US. And now, they are hardly able to hold on in this market. 

Palm has just announced job cuts and has reported consecutive quarter losses. Can the company find a way to revive itself? What do they need to do to re-gain market share?

To their credit, Palm has been working on putting out consumer friendly devices, and to their credit the Centro was a hit. Thanks to a user-friendly, low-end smartphone design, the phone was packed with mass appeal and priced just right. In addition, they have been working over the years to incorporatee WindowsMobile OS in many devices.  However, the Apple iPhone 3G has surpassed Palm in its market share now and continues to reach more and more into the hands of middle and low income people. Is it Apples cool factor thats making the iPhone a hit or is it something else?   Well just have to wait and see but for the time-being all I know is that the snooze button has been buzzing too long for Palm and if theres to be a turn around, theyll really need to release a WOW device in 2009.

Whats even more beautiful than a Palm Treo Pro in your hands? A Palm Treo Pro that is protected with a customized clear Amzer Snap On Case. See it for yourself.

This case is not one of those yesteryear cases .... this is the latest in Snap On technology. Easy put on and take off. It takes on a lifetime of phone drops without damaging your phone. Not that Id recommend you to do the same but just so you know Ive dropped my phone at least a dozen times and everything is still working great.  This case protects everything and leaves nothing to the imagination since it is totally clear and see through. The Palm Treo Pro is something you want to show off and what better way to let its beauty shine through than to clearly protect it.

Is there some strange connection between recessionary economies and an increase in demand for smartphones? Well, one could argue that there is indeed such a connection when taking the case of Japan. Japan has been in a recession for years, yet the demand for smart mobile devices has continued to increase, as Japanese have lusted for the next smart device. Japanese love their smartphones and are known for intensely using them to do pretty much everything - from regularly accessing the internet to making purchases and even buying their train tickets. There are even phones that have built-in mirror screens so youll never have to search for a mirror again to check out your face!  In light of Japans trend of an increased demand for smartphones during recession, I take a look at the US economy today, which seems on the verge of a recession. Simultaneously, more than ever Americans are demanding that their phone be a smartphone, just like their Japanese counterparts.  2008 clearly has been a major coming-out party for smartphones in the US and they have exploded onto the scene in new and exciting ways that were unimaginable to most of us at this time last year. Now, in the 4th quarter, we are days away from many great devices that will be coming out including: G1 Android phone RIM BlackBerrys Bold, Pearl Flip, Thunder, & Storm Nokia Tube and possibly one other Android based device. And this is after the much-anticipated Palm Treo Pro and Apple iPhone 3G successful launches earlier this year. So, it turns out that recession can be a good thing after all, at least for the smartphone industry.

The new Palm Treo Pro is now shipping out for those of you who have placed pre-orders. The first of these devices are being sold unlocked for $549. The Palm website is also showing them in stock.

source: engadget

Palm Treo 800w (on the Sprint network) has released an update.

The Treo 800w USB and battery charging software update is designed to address the following:

USB: If your device fails to detect any of the in-box USB accessories such as the power adapter, headset or sync cable, this update will resolve most of the detection issues. Battery Charging: When plugged into the charger, the device may not charge a completely discharged battery. This scenario is most likely to happen if you leave a dead battery for a few days before trying to charge it in the device. If the device will not turn on to install the update, you should "trickle charge" the battery by connecting your device to a PC via the USB sync cable. The device will charge slowly by using the PCs power. When the devices battery indicator shows 25% charged, you can proceed to install the update.

This update is highly recommended for all Treo 800w devices.