Palm CEO Ed Colligan says "We're working on it," promises "breakthrough" devices
Palm's latest quarterly results might have been pretty gloomy, with a loss of $9.6M on revenue of $349M and an expected drop in revenue to $310M next quarter, but according to CEO Ed Colligan, the ship is about to be righted. Speaking to analysts during the company's financial results conference call, Colligan said that a combination of cost-cutting measures, a reduction in the number of devices in Palm's lineup, and work on the next Palm OS would revive Palm's flagging fortunes. Ed also said that there was "no acceptable excuse" for missing the launch of the Treo 755p on Verizon in Q4, and that Palm was "done" revising existing products -- instead focusing on "breakthrough" devices and "revolutionary designs." We can only hope he's telling the truth -- and of course, we've got some suggestions for him if he's out of ideas.
Filed under: Palm
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Cliff @ Dec 19th 2007 8:15PM
Too bad for Palm there isn't another Handspring to buy. They should bring back the people who ran Handspring and put them in charge like Apple did with Steve Jobs.
Palm's analysis of it's customers needs has always been fairly poor. They missed the Wifi boat and got killed by Pocket PC in handhelds and then they missed the multitasking/HSDPA boat and have been languishing in the phone market.
At least they bought Chatteremail, you can trust that the next palm device will have a great e-mail client.
spaceman22 @ Dec 19th 2007 8:21PM
Dude, the Handspring people have been at the helm for the past couple
of years...
robinsmad @ Dec 19th 2007 8:25PM
If they've pushed back the new Palm OS another year, I can't imagine when we're supposed to be seeing these "breakthrough" devices and "revolutionary designs." Sounds like we'll only see it after Android has it's kinks worked out and other sleeker phones and UIs have come out. It will be too late to matter.
Enki @ Dec 19th 2007 8:30PM
I thought that Palm was going with windows mobile from now on?
Ed Hardy @ Dec 20th 2007 10:18AM
Definitely not. Palm is going to continue to offer Palm OS smartphones for consumers, as well as Windows Mobile ones for business users. You can read more about this at:
http://www.brighthand.com/default.asp?newsID=13575
Eventually the company will replace the Palm OS with a new Linux-based operating system but will continue to use Windows Mobile for the foreseeable future.
PSM @ Dec 19th 2007 9:27PM
Isn't this exactly what they said before announcing the Foleo -- that they've got some great new breakthrough device in the works that will completely revolutionize mobile computing? I'll believe it when I see it.
Mike Uram @ Dec 19th 2007 11:42PM
I am still waiting for my Palm TX Phone !!!!
Ryan Karolak @ Dec 20th 2007 2:33AM
I am really rooting for Palm. They've made awesome devices and an awesome OS in the past. I'm starting to lose faith though. I am using my first non-palmos powered "pda" for the first time in a long time. Please, Palm... I want you to win me back.
I agree with Mike. Why not try making a full touch screen phone similar to the TX or Lifedrive. Handspring did it once ( http://web.palm.com/promos/images/partnerimages/treo_180g_270x270.jpg ) Just create a nice new interface for PalmOS, give it bluetooth and Wifi... It'll be great. Take a hint from the late Tapwave. They made an awesome interface for Palm OS. Even Sony had a nice one as well for the Cli. While you're at it allow wireless app downloads like the iPhone's (unofficial) installer.app. You might just win me back!
keithwwalker @ Dec 20th 2007 3:09AM
It will be a bad xmas @Palm. Why they never optioned to use Access or now even Android and get some critical mass behind one of those OS's I will never know.
poos4life @ Dec 20th 2007 4:18AM
Come on, 650, hold out just a few more years..this 16gb sdhc should tide you over, but I don't know how much more of this we can take
Jason @ Dec 20th 2007 9:38AM
1. Stop making devices for carriers, and make devices for users.
2. Include WiFi and GPS is ALL models
3. Get a decent camera from Canon or someone or don't bother at all. Nokia N95 is the benchmark now.
4. Multi Gigabyte NAND flash is CHEAP. Why don't Palm devices come with 8GB-16GB inside plus a microSDHC slot OR TWO.
Jason @ Dec 20th 2007 9:38AM
1. Stop making devices for carriers, and make devices for users.
2. Include WiFi and GPS in ALL models
3. Get a decent camera from Canon or someone or don't bother at all. Nokia N95 is the benchmark now.
4. Multi Gigabyte NAND flash is CHEAP. Why don't Palm devices come with 8GB-16GB inside plus a microSDHC slot OR TWO.
Malatesta @ Dec 20th 2007 3:18PM
Ironically, Engadget left out the part of the conference where Palm announced the Sprint Centro as a "hit", with more sell-through (customers who actually bought it, not carrier stock) than any other Palm device ever. It's doing so well they predict shortages of component parts from their suppliers, which will only be exacerbated when it goes "global" this quarter.
Centro won't save them, but it might help them gain a new audience and restore their name a bit.
The new OS is scheduled to be complete at end of 2008, which is actually not that far for a new OS. New devices should appear in early 2009. Palm is prepping for a tight year and we'll have to just wait till any of this pays off.
Either way, Rubenstein is a great asset to the company.
robinsmad @ Dec 20th 2007 5:21PM
The end of 2008 actually is a long time to wait for an OS when they've been talking about it for five years and it's been constantly delayed.
Randall Kelley @ Dec 20th 2007 8:18PM
Used to love these guys. But they have sure let me down.
JoeT @ Dec 22nd 2007 12:46AM
I was a loyal Treo user from the Treo 300 all the way to the 700P, and finally got tired of living with a poorly executed brilliant concept. Palm should have owned the smartphone market, but they simply couldn't deliver a product that ran right. How many phones in a row had completely borked Bluetooth? How many times a day/week did every Treo reboot? I finally decided to go to something else, and now I have an iPhone that doesn't have all those problems. It's like a breath of fresh air. Ebay, there's another Treo headed your way...
kavana @ Jan 3rd 2008 2:00PM
palm is goin down