Internet applications
A while ago Ari blogged about how the killer app for a handheld device is really the internet itself. I do agree with that idea. I have been using Gmail for a long time because it is accessible from pretty much anywhere, with any device that can connect to the net. The 770 fits naturally in that scheme.
The recent news about Google expanding to online shared document writing and the now rumored Google calendar all fit in the picture pretty well - the most important application in a handheld device is a really good web browser. It opens the doors to a huge array of web applications, both existing ones, and, when tablets become more common, also should spark some cool ideas about mobile web applications. Thoughtfix had very similar thoughts about this too. It’s fun to see this idea pop up all over the place 
Of course this requires affordable wireless internet access from pretty much anywhere on demand. But it’s an interesting new way of looking at “software”. It’s very much like the “mainframe and terminals” -idea but scaled globally. When you have to get real work done, you have the laptop with you - and the handheld is nice for looking at your data when you dont want to haul a “full computer” along. That’s why I think it makes a lot more sense to have a small internet tablet, and not a sub-laptop that still is too big to carry in a pocket.
March 17th, 2006 at 01:47
Thanks for the props.
It’s the natural progression of Google and I’m certain there are hundreds of market analysts watching for just the same thing. I just like writing about it from the consumer’s-eye-view.
March 17th, 2006 at 13:42
Yep. And it’s not just google, the similar trend is visible pretty much all over the place.. interesting times.