SANTA CLARA, Calif.—Palm Inc.’s new wireless integrated device, the i705, seems to have hit the shelves in consumer electronic retail stores Friday, but the company isn’t commenting one way or the other.
Several Office Depots in the Denver area confirmed that they started selling the device Friday, and preliminary reviews of the i705 are already starting to pop up on PDA enthusiast Internet sites.
A Palm spokeswoman said the company had no comment.
During its quarterly conference call last month, Palm said it would introduce a data-only wireless integrated PDA working over Cingular Interactive’s Mobitex network by the end of February, which is likely the i705. The industry got its first look at the i705 when pictures and specifications of the device were inadvertently posted on the Federal Communications Commission’s Web site in September.
The new i705 features an always-on wireless connection through Cingular’s network—the same network Research In Motion Ltd. devices use—and offers secure wireless e-mail access. The device is selling for $449.
Palm isn’t putting all of its hopes in wireless, however. During last month’s company conference call, executives said Palm would continue to make organizers for the foreseeable future. That stance contrasts with Handspring’s plans—company executives said this month Handspring will eventually discontinue its organizer devices in favor of wireless integrated and PDA/mobile phone devices.
According to market research firm eTForecasts, PDA/mobile phone devices will revitalize the handheld market. The firm said PDA sales will jump from 12 million devices in 2000 to 61 million in 2007.
