palmOne’s LifeDrive Mobile Manager appears on Amazon
A page for the LifeDrive Mobile
Manager, palmOne’s unannounced new 4GB multimedia-centric handheld with a built-in 4GB Microdrive, has just turned
up on Amazon.com, our new favorite source of leaked product info (right after the FCC, that is). Yeah, we know that the
obviously simulated screen images aren’t exactly encouraging, but it’s not like Amazon to post up tons and tons of
phony product shots, either. They’re listing the LifeDrive as having a 416MHz Xscale processor, 320x480 resolution LCD,
and “LifeDrive smart file managment”, nothing about RAM, WiFi, Bluetooth, etc. Also, no price is mentioned and the
release date of May 3rd has already come and gone, so we’re guessing somebody accidentally (or maybe “accidentally”)
let this loose.
[Thanks, Mark]
UPDATE: Someone pointed out in the comments that if you add the LifeDrive to your wishlist it shows
up for $499.88.
UPDATE 2: They now have May 18th listed as the launch date. [Thanks, Ray]
UPDATE 3: It’s also looking like it will have Bluetooth and WiFi. Uh huh!
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Reader Comments
YEEEEEEEEHHHAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!
While Apple rumors are great, nothing really gets my heart going like a good Palm one! I can't wait until this thing comes out.
I don't see OS6.x Cobalt, I see PalmOS 5.x :(
price is listed on Amazon.com as $499.88 ... just add it to your wishlist and it'll appear.
Anyone else find it odd that the icon for PocketTunes (a third party app) is shown prominently in all screen shots? I wonder if RealPlayer was dumped...
$499 isn't bad at all actually. if it had a 1.3MP camera and/or a GSM phone... it would be perfect. as is ... it's pretty surprising for Palm to be slightly ahead of the curve for once with the inclusion of the 4GB drive. (yeah. i know about the Sharp...)
i seriously thought the leaked shots from before and the specs were completely made up like on some Palm fan site... nice to see they were totally 100% accurate for once.
just add mobile phone, high capacity mp3 player and decent mobile internet capabilities and you have the must-have gadget of the decade. (i think im forgetting a few things on the list tho)
actually...i'm not so sure. did you notice that, in the listing, it states that "This page was created by a seller." That isn't something that appears on official Amazon listings. The question is...which seller? Until that is known, I would argue that the validity is unknown.
very cool. finally palmone shows some signs of life. I think this is the coolest, most innovative model they've come up with since the tungsten C, or maybe even the original PalmPilot.(crediting the treos to handspring) #5 is right, if it had a good camera with video, it would be perfect. VoIP or direct streaming from rhapsody would also make it an automatic purchase for me. But without that stuff.......how can i possibly make a decision with the treo 650 for verizon and this coming out at almost the exact same time?
I agree with #8. Also, PalmOne officially announced that the "Life Drive" is *not* the name of the forth coming PDA, but the name of the 4gb hard drive that will be in said PDA. The PDA will have a different name when released, so all those pictures are fakes.
actually, brighthand confirmed that the name is in fact LifeDrive: http://www.brighthand.com/article/LifeDrive_Not_TungstenX
#11:
I wouldn't say they're 'fakes', for one thing concept images that industrial design firms create aren't fake, only mock-ups. Also, though the name is wrong, that doesn't mean they're instantly fake, either. Nothing is definite yet, but then again how many people thought all the E2 images were fakes?
I see some accessories listed too, set for May 18th as well, no images unfortunately.
when you google the model # for the case (3219WW ) you get this page- its in spanish http://www.elipsis.com.mx/catalog/index.php/manufacturers_id… --check it out
I like this that was near the bottom of the page....
Amazon.com Sales Rank: None
ASIN: B0009JMT38
Item model number: 1044NA
Dimensions: 6.50 inches x 6.50 inches x 4.00 inches
Date first available at Amazon: May 18, 2005
Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
This page was created by a seller.
Taking # 14's find one step further. Do a search for "Life Drive" at that same page and get the same accessories and model #'s.
http://tinyurl.com/cf6zt
#12 and #13 - I stand corrected. I was going by an earlier article... viva la life drive!
I agree with #10: a device with broadband wireless access of some form, coupled with a music service like Rhapsody, makes this a great product.
The product has to have WiFi in order to be competitive on the market. Even then, with 3G starting to hit the US, it will only be a matter of time until WiFi seems obsolete in comparison.
#15 - I noticed that too. What exactly does it mean when they say "This page was created by a seller."
Does that mean someone other than Amazon posted this?
I don't know if any of you noticed yet or not, but in one of the screen shots, there is a menu option for WiFi, meaning, this may have WiFi built in, and i'm gonna go out on a limb and guess its got bluetooth too.
Here's more:
"The No. 1 handheld maker will introduce LifeDrive Mobile Manager on May 18, according to sources familiar with the company's plans. The $499 device will come with a 4GB Hitachi Microdrive and two flavors of wireless networking--Bluetooth and 802.11b Wi-Fi.
...
LifeDrive handhelds will be powered by a 416MHz Intel XScale PXA270 processor and come with a 320-by-480-pixel color screen. It will not use handheld OS developer PalmSource's latest operating system, Cobalt, which is aimed at wireless devices. Instead, it will feature Garnet. Garnet includes support for wireless connections such as Bluetooth."
http://tinyurl.com/c2oll
"Dimensions: 6.50 inches x 6.50 inches x 4.00 inches"
So who ever posted this is saying it is 4 inches thick?! I would hate to put that in my pocket.
Those are almost certainly the dimensions of the box, not the handheld itself.
I think this looks pretty promissing, I wish the hard drive was bigger so I could replace my ipod and just bring this and my phone around
It's a shame they didn't use the T3's slider design. You get the same screen size but save about an inch in length when it's closed 4.25" as opposed to 5.25" when open. That definately makes a difference when it comes to convenient mobility.
Of course, my Wifi card sticks out about an inch from the SD slot so who am I to talk. :)
adding more weight to the reality of this item are the following links:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00083MW2S/ref…
for an aluminum hard case
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00083MW2S/ref…
for a leather case
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00083N8DK/ref…
for a three pack of stylus (styli?)
these three pages seem legit and not posted "by a user" as the main product page is .... i guess we'll see tomorrow if there will be an official announcement from Palmone .... makes me want to get a palm pilot .... i hate my gadget addiction, i really do ....
"UPDATE 3: It’s also looking like it will have Bluetooth and WiFi. Uh huh!"
"That, with the 4GB micro drive, the unit will have a total battery life of 45 mins. Edging out the PSP for shittiest implementation of advanced power polymers in the history of gadgets."
hmm.. I didn't see bluetooth in there. :-\
#5, Yes, I have read that PocketTunes is the default audio player on the LifeDrive.
28: Look at the last two pics -- Bluetooth logo on the status bar.
First, size does matter, contrary to what people say.
Second, the fact that the navigator is so BIG, I can forsee someone will get their thumb stuck in the navigator, like the guy on "Clerks" with the Pringles can.
I wish they had a higher resolution for these gadgets already.. 800 x 600 or 1024 would be sweeeeeeeeeeet ..
Look what I found here: http://www.computerwelt.at/detailArticle.asp?a=92762&n;=1
"Das alte PalmOne-Betriebssystem Garnet wird durch Cobalt ersetzt, ein neues PalmOne-System, welches Bluetooth-Verbindungen unterstützt."
"The old PalmOne OS Garnet will be replaced by Cobalt, a new PalmOne OS which supports Bluetooth connections."
Found additional information somewhere else?
Lifedrive WILL have the awesome MMPlayer and will most likely dump the Realplayer toy. Also, have read where ironically it WILL connect to RealRhapsody via wireless and do the MP3 thingy.
This is sweet.
The LifeDrive will use Pocket Tunes instead of RealPlayer. As for video, I highly recommend The Core Pocket Media Player. More links to information about the LifeDrive here:
http://www.palmfocus.com/devicedetails.asp?deviceid=22
#33 - Excuse me? Garnet (5.x) supports Bluetooth already. My Tungsten T3 is proof of that...
Bluetooth and wifi? Finally Palm is getting on the ball!
#32: I wish they had a higher resolution for these gadgets already.. 800 x 600 or 1024 would be sweeeeeeeeeeet ..
Come on, get real. Why would you need a resolution that is higher than what you have on your desktop?
320x480 is about the same as a typical 17" flatpanel. Few complaints there.
800x600 is huge overkill, unless you always look at your PDA through a magnifying glass?
This IS the lifedrive. The people who had the conference call with palmone told me this in march: There will be two new pdas from palmone. One in April and one in May
-----
The one in april turned out to be the e2. The one in may has got to be the lifedrive. What else?
This device will have a long battery life. Initial reports even say that it could be up to 2300 mHz
I don't think this thing - I read its about the same size of a T|5 - is going to have a long battery life. I can't even believe there's enough space for the hard drive AND the battery that will have an lifetime more than 30min ;)
#40
Have you seen an iPod mini?
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