I still have a Dell Axim x51v Pocket PC. There was a time when it and I were practically inseparable. Then came the iPod Touch, which became my PDA. (Then came the iPhone, which took over as my PDA, and now that function has pretty much been taken over by my iPad, although I still use my iPhone when my iPad is not nearby.)
I don’t use my Pocket PC much at all anymore. I really should sell it. But, I still like to play PDAmill’s Mahjong on it from time to time. And, it still holds several unread e-books in Microsoft Reader format, and I really should read them … most are good books.
But, if I really wanted to, I could find a good Mahjong game for my iPhone and iPad. And, I could read the Microsoft Reader e-books on my Windows-based laptop. (It is pretty much going unused, too, though … I have to remember to turn it on for a while every couple of weeks to keep it from just dying of non-use.)
The Pocket PC feature that I can’t replace, though, is the handwriting capability. Microsoft’s handwriting recognition software is really pretty neat. Often I would just pick the Axim up, open an empty notepad, and just begin writing — just for the therapy. It’s been a while since I’ve done that, though … now I just grab a legal pad or steno notebook and begin brain dumping.
But, for a few years, I preferred to use a Pocket PC for that.
Technology comes and technology goes. In its day, the Pocket PC was every bit as innovative as the iPhone. Maybe more so. But, it was marketed more for geeks and never really caught on with the masses.
That just goes to show that it’s important to keep in mind who you are selling to, and to ensure you are really marketing to the audience you want to capture.
Do you still have a Pocket PC?