06:00
Tom
Back in 2002, Microsoft was buzzing in the IT world with Pocket PC handheld devices. The problem with them was the price. I was very envious of a friend of mine that dropped almost $700 on one, which I believe was a Toshiba. The cheapest I could find was an iPAQ in the $500 range. I never could pull the trigger at those prices. Along came Dell. In the Fall of 2012, Dell launched the Dell Axim X5 and destroyed the price point for Pocket PC devices. The low-end Dell Axim X5 launched at $279 and the higher end model $349 with double the memory and slightly faster processor. They both sported both a CF and SD card slot which was well received.
Dell?s entry into the PDA market with the Dell Axim X5 Pocket PC was quite welcome. It blasted the price point and allowed average consumers to be able to afford to own one, myself included.
I don?t have any numbers or data on what the Dell Axim did for the Pocket PC community, but I ran the main community for Dell Axim owners, Aximsite, and I can tell you 1st hand that there were 1000?s of 1st time Pocket PC owners that popped up as a result of Dell?s 1st Pocket PC offering. Aximsite went from 1 registered user to 20,000 in one month. From December 2002, Aximsite?s forums grew from 20,000 members to 100,000. My site popped up at the right time and it was a site that new Pocket PC owners picking up the Dell Axim needed. Dell?s support forums were horrible and we filled the gap.
Watching Nokia, AT&T, and Microsoft throw millions in marketing dollars at this Lumia 900 launch isn?t the reason I am comparing the 900 to the Dell Axim X5, it?s the price.�With the Nokia Lumia 900 being offered at $99 on contract, it?s opening the doors for feature phone owners to jump into the smart phone game for a ridiculously small investment. Microsoft and carriers have been pretty aggressive with pricing over the last year, but this launch provides a Windows Phone with the latest hardware and LTE for $99.99.
What do you think?
Do you feel like the Lumia 900 will sell well?
AT&T and Nokia have the Lumia 900 set up success with an awesome price, a good mobile OS that is getting better with each release, a trusted OEM in Nokia, and plenty if marketing.
It?s now or never for Microsoft, don?t you think?
Category: Editorials, Mobile
About the Author (Author Profile)
Smart Phone Addict. Geek. Father. Former owner of Aximsite and Mobilitysite. Former Microsoft MVP, Windows Phone. I work for AT&T but I have nothing to do with AT&T's cell business. My thoughts and opinions are my own and I do not speak for AT&T. Feel free to email me at Chris@Notebooks.com.
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