News

Rumor: Axim Line to be discontinued

I'll start this report with the standard warning: this is unconfirmed rumor, and as such, should be treated as unreliable until otherwise proven. Information allegedly provided by Dell to a corporate client states that Dell will not be producing any follow-up devices to the X51 line. The rumor states that due to decreases in the market, the company has decided not to produce any more "pen based" portable computers. The report goes on to say that the company has been looking at "converged" devices, but isn't prepared to announce a product. The message concludes by noting that the X51 line will remain for sale throughout 2006, and that batteries and chargers will continue to be supplied until 2009 to support existing devices.

So how probable is this? Good question. While it's true that we haven't heard of anything new from Dell for awhile, the fact is that there hasn't been much new to hear of. The Axim X51/X51v is about as top of the line now as it was when it was released, and there's no major new technologies or improvements either here or on the horizon that would neccessitate a new model. More to the point, Dell has no reason to release anything so soon after the X51s. So silence is neither indicant nor negation.

While it's no secret that converged devices have been selling relatively well of late, they certainly haven't appeared to impact Dell's sales to such an extent that the company would consider pulling up stakes.

On the other hand, this message seems quite a bit more elaborate than a simple rumor, and includes details--such as the continued supply of accessories and batteries--that wouldn't likely be included in just a random rumor. A query to Dell on the subject has gone unanswered, but that's hardly proof, as it's difficult to get PR departments to respond at the best of times. So realistically, our only option at the moment is to wait and see. My personal feeling about it is that

Microsoft mobile division makes profit

Microsoft's division that handles Mobile & Embedded products, including the Windows Mobile operating systems, posted a profit for the quarter ended December 31st, 2005. This is the first time since its formal organization that the mobile unit has made a net profit. The MED segement brought in a total of $101 million dollars for the quarter, up from $72 million for the same period last year. Of that $101 million, approximately $20 million was profit. Besides Windows Mobile, the Mobile & Embedded Devices group also handles Windows CE and Windows XP Embedded.

http://www.microsoft.com/msft/earnings/FY06/earn_rel_q2_06.mspx

RIM: Victim or perpetrator?

It seems like everybody hates those companies who file suit to enforce patents that they're not even using. This general sentiment has earned a lot of negative PR for NTP, the aggressor in the Blackberry patent lawsuit that's now hanging over the head of Research In Motion. But the Toronto Globe and Mail has an article that provides a far greater level of insight into the backstory and workings of the two antagonists, to the point of even generating sympathy for all two employees of NTP. The article also follows how RIM's own actions--including fabricating a key demonstration during the trial--helped to balloon the settlement cost from a few million dollars in 2001 to an estimated one billion today. And last but not least, we get to find out what NTP stands for--as it turns out, it's New Technologies Products.

http://www.globetechnology.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060128.wxcover0128/BNStory/Technology/