To add more intrigue to our story about stirrings at Motorola, an anonymous reader wrote in with some Observations:
"Your article about something brewing at Motorola caught my eye.. especially after I read this at 3Com's Palm Developer site:
To help make sure your solutions are compatible with future products, Palm Computing would like to let you know that we are working on products using a newer version of the Motorola DragonBall processor - the DragonBall EZ (MC68EZ328) processor. For compatibility testing, we are providing a version of the Palm OS ROM for an EZ processor, and have added support for the DragonBall EZ processor to the Palm OS Emulator."
This text appears on a PalmPilot web page for developers and the passage is labeled "Motorola DragonBall EZ Debug ROMs."
Maury Markowitz wrote us to tell us our description is wrong.
"There seems to be some misunderstanding on this point. The DragonBall is a CPU, or more specifically a 'embedded CPU.' It is not a 'ROM of some sort.' What this bit of news means is that they have the Pilot running on a new CPU."
The Mac Observer: So let's review.
- Steve Jobs states that he loves the Palm Pilot and tried to buy it without saying whether or not they would be licensing any Palm Pilot technology.
- Apple is coming out with a portable unit of its own code named the P1.
- Motorola is apparently ramping up production of something for Apple.
- Palm Pilot is switching to a new Motorola ROM of some sort.
<speculation>It is very possible and maybe even likely that all of these facts and events are mostly unrelated. Most of the rumors surrounding the P1 have actually described them as more of a souped up eMate on steroids than a handheld unit. More specifically folks at Apple have intimated that their portable device would be running some form of the MacOS. But it is also possible that Apple has worked with the good people at Palm Pilot to develop their product.
Let's think about this. Mr. Jobs has specifically stated how much he admires the PalmPilot. Mr. Jobs has also said that stated he wants Apple to be the Sony of the computer industry. With the immense popularity of handheld computing devices and Mr. Jobs's penchant for creating blockbuster products, it is very likely that the P1 will be the most amazing handheld unit on the market and not a new mini-laptop. It will probably look cool too. :-)
In order for Apple to make significant market penetration (which will be VERY important to Apple's continued growth) with this new product it will have to be amazingly compelling and appeal to a broader range of consumers than just Mac users. Why not partner with PalmPilot to produce a unit that centers around their already proven technology? Make it look cool, give it that wireless connectivity that we have all dreamed about, make it run Mac apps and why not make it possible to make it run some of the same software that the PalmPilot runs? Put these features together and you have that compelling product Apple needs to make this thing a huge monstrous Sony-sized success.</speculation>
Admittedly, all of these tie-ins are mighty convenient and are probably pure fancy on our part, but we can't help but hope it is true.
If any of our readers have any further Observations on this issue, please write us.
Read The First Article: Something Brewing At Motorola?
Read The Second Follow-Up Article: More Follow-Up, Apple Sources Confirm Speculation
Apple - Motorola
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