Column: LifeDrive can't replace iPod
Tim Beyers of The Motley Fool says palmOne's new LifeDrive "looks sexy" and is "pretty functional," but cannot replace the iPod. palmOne is billing the new handheld as an alternative to Apple's iPod, and even as a laptop replacement. "Look, I like palmOne, but let's be serious," Beyers writes. "There's little chance that the LifeDrive will displace the iPod or my PowerBook. But I can't blame the company for trying." Beyers speculates palmOne is trying to regain lost market share. The PDA market during the first quarter grew 25% over the same period a year ago, but palmOne was no longer the market leader. Rival Research In Motion shipped more units, grabbing the top spot with more than 20% of the market while palmOne dropped to 18%, a level it hasn't seen since the mid-'90s.
