Pocketfactory: Review: PalmOne LifeDrive

This guy is right on:

So why place this product into its own unique category? Two reasons, simply:

A. Marketing spin. This is a great new product that has features not found on any competing product on the market today. So, why not flaunt that fact in the face of consumers and corporate customers by positioning LifeDrive as something other than a handheld, even though it?s really not. Placing it in the same category with Tungstens and Zires would give the subconscious (and unfair) impression that it?s just another handheld.

B. Declining PDA sales. With ?traditional? (read: disconnected) PDA sales declining, PalmOne wants to do whatever it takes not to associate this product with a declining product segment. And what better way to do that than to NOT call it PDA?

Giving LifeDrive a category space all its own allows PalmOne to dodge two bullets at the same time, and perhaps give this product a chance to experience real success and acceptance in the market place. Will that strategy pay off? Time will tell.

I agree that something like the LifeDrive in the Treo form factor would be a killer, I for one want more internal memory (like 4GB is about right!! and more RAM!!) for my Treo, faster processor, etc etc…

What LifeDrive is not

Those of you who were expecting LifeDrive to be some miracle multimedia wonder device or iPod killer are in for a disappointment. Whatever this product?s intended purpose, it most certainly is not in the same class with iPods or Portable Media Center devices, and is in no way marketed as such. It lacks the software and capabilities to fill that role, and I see no indication PalmOne ever intended LifeDrive for that purpose, other than to enable the user to take some of their content with them on the go. It replaces your PDA, not your iPod. In fact, it?s more accurate to say that, if anything, LifeDrive competes with Laptops more than any other type of device.

Random thoughts
Personally, I feel that PalmOne should have integrated this wonderful technology into a new Smartphone product rather than a traditional PDA. Combining massive storage and on the go content access with Treo?s Smartphone savvy would make for a killer combination.