I've said it before

and I'll say it again, in very plain words:

If Palm pulls any sort of "exclusive Carrier" nonsense in Europe, they can ram the Pré up their collective rectum.

Nokia's E-Series has proven execeptionally worthwhile in the last couple of years and they are available all over the place, at whatever terms suit you. If Palm wants me to replace my Nokia with its expensive bells and whistles plastic-blob, it better not limit my choices.

Well, paradigms shift

While Apple are currently rock solid, they have totally failed to take 'the cloud' into account - or introduce a downturn friendly OS X device. Palm, who don't forget, produced some fantastic devices before their flawed entry into the Windows Mobile world, are capable of some ground breaking innovation. If they produce devices that are tightly integrated into the cloud, affordable and most importantly, easy to develop for, they may make it yet. BUT only if they produce a number of devices, including an affordable 'Netbook' with a full size keyboard and even some desktop terminals. Their Folio may have been just a few years too early. But today, it may be relevant.

Apple's hardware today is in my view, while sexy, massively overpriced (their new laptops are based on yesterday's technology, even if well built) and not at all 'cloud' friendly. Yes, you read that correctly. Now if they produce a tablet based on iPhone OS, then Palm have problems because Apple will then have a full suite of devices.

Each time a major technoligical paradigm shifts, it is always new or 'different' companies who take the lead.

As it happens, I think the greatest threat to Palm is Android, not Apple. And in fact, Android, if backed with a killer app and some good games, could take them both on. It's all going to be about price over the next few years - and slick cloud integrations, something only Google and Android do well to date. Go play with an HTC Magic, and you'll see what I mean.