IDC just released a report detailing the latest smartphone market share numbers for Q1 2008. The new numbers show a jump for Palm to 13.4 percent from 7.9 percent in the previous quarter (Q407).
A big reason for the increase–the $99 Centro is selling like hotcakes. Here’s a Bloomberg article with more details.
-Paul Loeffler
Oregon Rep. Peter DeFazio recently introduced an appropriately titled bill, “The Hang Up Act.” If approved, the bill would prohibit the use of voice communication via cell phones during flight, but would allow airline passengers to send text messages and email. The bill would continue to allow the use of the in-flight phones that are built into the back of seats.
A survey released by Yahoo Mobile last week shows that this is what the majority of Americans would prefer on airplanes: 74 percent said it’s OK to use the silent features on mobile phones such as email and texting while in the air, but are against allowing voice communication. If passengers are allowed to talk on cell phones, 69 percent would want a designated area for talking.
Palm says “yay” to the “Hang Up Act,” and makes smart devices that allow people to communicate with their hands in a number of ways–email, texting, IM–that don’t impede on their neighbors.
-Paul Loeffler
Reminder: The hands-free driving bill (SB1613) signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger goes into effect on Tuesday, July 1st. The law prohibits California drivers from using a handheld wireless phone while driving unless it’s in “hands-free” mode. Further, drivers under the age of 18 are not allowed to use a wireless phone at all–even if it’s in hands-free mode—unless it’s an emergency. According to a study released just this month from the Public Policy Institute of California, SB1613 could save an estimated 300 lives a year.
California isn’t alone. Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Washington DC all prohibit handling mobile phones while driving, and five other states–Illinois, Nebraska, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington–are outlawing cell-phone use and text messaging on the driver side of the car this year (Cellular-news.com, April 22, 2008).
Palm smartphones fully support hands-free use: they are equipped with speaker phones, work with wired headsets and are compatible with a number of Bluetooth hands-free accessories, including car kits and wireless headsets. They also come with a Voice Dial app that makes it easy to dial your phone, open apps and execute other tasks.
For more information on the new law, see the California Highway Patrol’s comprehensive Q&A.
Please drive safely.
-Paul Loeffler
Palm’s Customer Relations Organization is constantly working to create an environment where customers have a range of support options and services available. I sat down with John Moses, Palm’s VP of worldwide customer relations, to get a deeper understanding of all the different customer support options that are currently available to Palm users. John shared information about many programs that Palm provides including self-support options, phone support, and other premium services. He also discussed Palm’s recently launched web IM chat offering, which allows people to communicate with a Palm agent in real time.
Here’s the video and below are links to additional information about the various customer support options available to Palm users.
-Paul Loeffler
Self Support:
-Web Pages and Knowledge Articles
The Palm Knowledge Library is a tool created for Palm customers that provides you with information on how to set up and use your device, or even troubleshoot a particular problem on your own. This is also a great tool for people who just want to learn more about their Palm products! The information available to you is up-to-date and accurate: http://kb.palm.com.
-Chat
Communicate directly with a support agent in real-time. Simply describe your issue, hit "send" and start a dialogue with a Palm expert. It's faster than email, and it's easy to use. Your support agent will guide you through troubleshooting to get you the answers to your questions: http://www.palm.com/us/support/help/chat.html.
-Help Forums
Learn from fellow Palm customers with information to help answer your questions, or answer others' questions in this online community: http://forums.palm.com.
Voice Support:
-Free Setup Help Line
Free* within 90 days of Smartphone purchase. Use our toll free number to reach an agent that can help you set up your Smartphone to get you up and running (phone numbers vary by product/carrier).
* Offer is subject to change without notice
Go here to select your product/carrier: http://www.palm.com/us/support/using.html.
-Phone Support (fee applies after 90 days)
Palm offers phone support with agents to talk you through device installation and ongoing maintenance. Get the highest satisfaction from your purchase with the assistance of Palm's phone technical support agents: http://www.palm.com/us/support/pop_using_phone_sp.html.
Premium Support:
-PEI: Palm Expert Installation (fee applies)
Get the most out of your new device with personal assistance and guidance by the experts at Palm using remote control technology. This service provides complete installation, easy device setup and one-on-one tutorials with our experts: http://www.palm.com/us/support/contact/expertinstallation.html
-PER: Palm Expert Resolution (fee applies)
Take standard support to another level and have an agent take remote control of your PC to solve the problem for you. Increase the speed and convenience of troubleshooting and fixing your Palm® device when you encounter a problem: http://www.palm.com/us/support/contact/per/index.html.
-Premium Enterprise Support (PalmES)
Palm understands you whether you are a small business or a large enterprise, whether you are just now considering mobility or are a veteran, and whether you have strong in-house IT capabilities or rely on third-parties. Our support programs are designed to meet your needs, whether you intend to completely outsource the management of your mobile solution or are just looking to augment your current capabilities with specialized support services: http://www.palm.com/us/support/PalmES/.
Who spends more time surfing the Web from their smartphone, the British or Americans? According to a recent survey from M:Metrics, Americans are using smartphones to check out what's happening on the Internet almost twice as much as our friends across the Atlantic (4.6 hours compared to 2.5 hours per month). One of the biggest reasons for more Web surfing in the U.S. is that more Americans have "unlimited" data plans. Interestingly, M:Metrics also draws a link to the greater popularity of smartphones with QWERTY keyboards in the U.S. as a reason for the higher usage rates.
So what are the most popular web sites for people to visit on their smartphones?
In the U.S., it's all about the shopping for previously owned goods and connecting with friends:
In Great Britain, people are also getting their fill of social networking and keeping up to speed on the latest happenings around the globe:
Check out the release for additional details.
-Paul Loeffler
Wondering how prevalent texting is on the world stage today?
Check this out:
• Doctors in Ohio are experimenting with texting as way to remind teenagers to take their medication.
• Some pizza and burger places will let you text in your order.
• Law enforcement agencies are looking into using anonymous text messages to help solve crime.
But here’s my favorite:
• The Pope is going to use text messages this year during World Youth Day in July to send messages of hope and inspiration to Catholics around the world.
I hope the Pope has his text-talk translator with him on World Youth Day.
-Paul Loeffler
How many times have you taken a great picture on your smartphone that was never seen by anyone but you? Most people don’t realize how easy it is to share mobile photos online, but there are a number of ways to do it, such as uploading pictures directly to online photo sharing sites like Flickr. Just use your Palm smartphone’s Internet connection to go to Flickr’s mobile webpage (http://m.flickr.com/), and either create an account or use your existing account to upload photos, descriptions and tags very easily.
Palm Centro and Treo smartphones can also help you share photos through:
-Paul Loeffler
Looking for a fresh, new and extremely topical ringtone for your Palm Centro or Treo smartphone this campaign season?
Slate is offering bi-partison, multi-platform political ringtones for the politically minded, and it’s making them very easy to get. Either send a text from your mobile phone to Slate's text shortcode to get the free download (specifics included in the below article), or click on the app from the web browser on your smartphone, and, voila, you have a new ringtone in the voice of your favorite candidate in seconds. I just did it with my Palm Centro, and it took about 45 seconds all told (but I’m not going to tell you which one I downloaded...that’d be TMI).
- Paul Loeffler
http://www.slate.com/id/2189303/
It's 3 A.M. What's Your Ring Tone?New from Slate: The Hillary laugh and more political sound bites for your phone.
Updated Thursday, May 8, 2008, at 7:07 AM ET
Illustration by Robert Neubecker. Click image to expand.
Already got a dozen Barack Obama headbands? Worn out your "Hot for Hillary" T-shirt? It's time for a new campaign accessory: Slate's political ring tones. Get one of these clips, and you'll hear John McCain say, "My friends," every time you get a call. Or if you're in a less friendly mood, you can switch to the "Shame on you, Barack Obama!" ring tone.
To get a ring tone, send a text message with one of the order codes listed below to the number 98999. For the Hillary laugh, for example, text SLATE LAUGH to the number 98999. We'll send the ring tone to your phone as a text message that includes a downloadable link. For more detailed instructions, click here. Or if you just want to listen to the clips on your computer, click one of the embedded players below or use the "Download MP3" links to save to your hard drive.
Slate's political ring tones are free of charge, though standard text-messaging rates may apply. Please see our terms and conditions for more details.
Ring tones are available only for AT&T, Cellular One, T-Mobile, and Sprint. (Downloading by Verizon customers is currently unsupported.) In order to download ring tones, you must have text-messaging and data-download services enabled on your mobile phone. If you're not certain whether your phone is SMS-enabled or Internet-enabled, please check with your wireless carrier. Unfortunately, there's too much variation among phones to describe the download and installation process for each handset. Please don't blame us if you can't get your ring tone to work—blame the wireless carriers for failing to come up with a simple, common procedure to do this sort of thing. Good luck, because we think the payoff is worth the minor hassle.
The Hillary laugh.
Order code: SLATE LAUGH
...........Download MP3 (107KB)
John McCain calls a young questioner a "little jerk."
Order code: SLATE JERK
...........Download MP3 (58KB)
Barack Obama shouts, "Yes we can!"
Order code: SLATE YES
...........Download now (54KB)
Hillary Clinton says, "Shame on you, Barack Obama!"
Order code: SLATE SHAME
...........Download MP3 (69KB)
The John McCain "my friends" compilation.
Order code: SLATE FRIEND
Palm has a long track record of innovation, going back to our start-up days in 1992. Many of our innovations are reflected in our robust patent portfolio, but the work of the innovator doesn’t stop with a clever idea. Innovation at Palm has been just as important to all of the development, manufacturing, marketing and sales work necessary to bring our products to our customers. We look to the patent system to protect our clever ideas, but also to help those ideas reach users, create jobs and build our economy. As an active member of the Coalition for Patent Fairness, we were pleased to see the New York Times offer a balanced, accurate and easy-to-understand article on the benefits of patent reform for all sectors of the economy. If you care about innovation–one of Silicon Valley’s greatest assets–see below for a relatively brief, yet informative read.
Mary E. Doyle - Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/30/business/30patent.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Patent Law Battle a Boon to Lobbyists
By ROBERT PEAR
Published: April 30, 2008
WASHINGTON — A fight has erupted in Congress over the question of whether drug makers and other companies should be allowed to keep patents they obtained by misrepresentation or cheating.
Jon W. Dudas of the Commerce Department said patent applications were inadequate.
The issue has emerged as a contentious point in legislation to overhaul patent laws. In several cases, the courts have voided patents after finding that companies intentionally misled the Patent and Trademark Office.
The legislation, affecting a wide swath of the American economy, has been a boon to lobbyists. In 15 months, two dueling business coalitions have spent $4.3 million lobbying on the legislation, which calls for the biggest changes in United States patent law in more than 50 years. Companies from almost every major industry have joined the battle.
Patents can protect an invention for up to 20 years. But federal judges can void patents after finding that companies engaged in “inequitable conduct,” meaning that they misrepresented or concealed information with an intent to deceive the patent office. In such cases, judges can declare the patents unenforceable.
Robert A. Armitage, a senior vice president and general counsel of Eli Lilly & Company, said, “This is like imposing the death penalty for relatively minor acts of misconduct.”
Brand-name drug companies are urging Congress to eliminate the penalty — or to curtail it as proposed under a bill passed by the House.
Debra S. Barrett, a vice president of the American unit of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, the world’s largest maker of generic drugs, said the changes sought by brand-name drug companies “would make it easier for them to cheat and get away with it, easier for them to defend their patents and more difficult for us to get generic products onto the market in a timely way.”
Consumer groups like AARP share that concern. They want to speed access to generic medicines, which can cost 30 percent to 80 percent less than the equivalent brand-name drugs.
The House has approved a comprehensive patent bill that would make it harder to prove inequitable conduct. Senators are haggling over a companion bill, approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee, and hope to take it to the floor this summer.
In the last 15 years, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which handles patent cases, has affirmed findings of inequitable conduct in at least 40 cases, including 14 that involved pharmaceutical or health care products. Similar findings have been issued by federal district judges in an unknown number of cases that were not appealed.
Courts have found that drug makers knowingly submitted false statements to the patent office, inaccurately described experiments and concealed information that contradicted their claims.
In one case, the appeals court said that Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals improperly failed to disclose that it had not performed an experiment described in its application for a patent related to synthetic human growth hormone. In another case, the court said Pharmacia had used an “inaccurate and misleading” affidavit in obtaining a patent for a glaucoma medication.
Brand-name drug companies say that generic drug makers routinely attack their patents by accusing them of inequitable conduct when they are blameless or guilty of no more than honest mistakes.
The aggressive use of such accusations has become “a plague on the patent system,” the Biotechnology Industry Organization, a trade group, told Congress.
Harry F. Manbeck Jr., who was commissioner of patents and trademarks under the first President Bush, said the existing penalty was a powerful deterrent to misconduct.
“Patents can be very valuable,” Mr. Manbeck said. “There are strong incentives to want to get them. Cheating occurs from time to time. The inequitable conduct doctrine says that if you cheated to get a patent, you should not be able to enforce it.”
Under federal regulations, people applying for a patent have a duty to deal with the patent office in “candor, good faith and honesty.” They are supposed to disclose if their invention was previously known or used by others, offered for sale or described in a publication. In that case, it may not be innovative enough to warrant a patent.
In reviewing an application, patent examiners can search the relevant literature, but may not find all the pertinent information, so they depend on applicants to be forthright.
“If Congress eliminated or reduced the penalty for inequitable conduct, applicants would no longer have a reason to disclose all the information they are aware of,” said Robert D. Budens, president of the Patent Office Professional Association, which represents 5,500 examiners.
Mr. Armitage, the Lilly executive, said: “The doctrine of inequitable conduct is used so aggressively in litigation that it has unintended consequences. Applicants give the Patent and Trademark Office too much information, to avoid allegations that they concealed anything, and they refuse to explain the information, to avoid later allegations that they engaged in some form of misrepresentation.”
James C. Greenwood, president of the Biotechnology Industry Organization, said, “The poor patent examiner gets a dump truck full of information that he has to pore over without any assistance from the applicant.”
The number of patent applications — 467,243 in 2007 — has nearly doubled in the last 10 years and has more than tripled since 1987.
Jon W. Dudas, the under secretary of commerce for intellectual property, said: “We are getting more and more unpatentable ideas, worse and worse quality applications. Historically, in the last 40 years, the allowance rate — the percentage of applications ultimately approved — hovered around 62 percent to 72 percent. It went up to 72 percent in 2000, but dropped to 43 percent in the first quarter of this year.”
A major impetus for the patent legislation is the desire of technology companies to limit the damage awards and legal costs they sometimes face when they are accused of infringing patents. Companies like Cisco and Palm say the disputes drain resources that could be better spent on research and innovation.
Many of these companies have banded together in the Coalition for Patent Fairness, which in the last 15 months has spent $2.5 million for a small army of lobbyists including Mark W. Isakowitz, a Republican, and Steven A. Elmendorf, a longtime Democratic strategist.
A rival group, the Coalition for 21st Century Patent Reform, consists of about 50 companies that zealously guard their intellectual property and are more likely to file suit to protect their patents. It includes pharmaceutical and biotech companies like Genzyme, Lilly, Merck and Pfizer. This coalition has paid $1.8 million to lobbyists, much of it to the law firm of Akin Gump.
We regularly receive stories from customers describing how they are using their Palm smartphones, and there's no shortage of unique anecdotes and extensive ways they use their devices.
Here are a couple Palm user stories. We'll share more in the future - you never know the ideas you'll get on how to use your Palm smartphone, intended or otherwise.
-Dawn D., Web Communications Manager
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"I've owned over 6 different Palm devices over the past 10 years and my current one, the Palm Centro might just be the best I've ever had! I use it for everything - it's my checkbook register, my timesheet keeper on my job, my game system, my gps, my skype voip phone to call my friend in the Philippines for free, my internet source, my scorekeeper for Duke beating UNC in basketball, my 2 way text messenger, my digital camera, my calculator, my email station, my flash drive storage device, my word and excel workbook, my television, my blood pressure monitor, my newspaper, my ebook reader, my voice recorder, my mp3 music player, and oh yeah, it's my phone! I also sell them at Best Buy so not only do I recommend them to customers but I can show them from first hand knowledge. It honestly is quite possibly the best phone they ever made and hands down better than the Apple iPhone and it's pocket sized! :)."
-Stephen of North Carolina
"While driving through the Sahara desert one night, from Naoukchott to Natabou we had a flat tire. We were in the middle of desert on a narrow stretch of highway that has no road lights. So there we sat on the side of a narrow stripe of pavement in the heart of the Sahara with a flat tire and no flash light. Well, the bright screen on the Centro provided all the light we needed to change the tire. I doubt if that use was ever envisioned when the Centro was concieved, but it surely worked well as a flashlight."
-Karl of Louisiana
