The lack of easy multimedia use is not a hardware problem. The conditions for mobile multimedia on Palm OS devices only get better each year. Memory prices to hold such multimedia are now almost insignificant ($31 after rebates for a 512 MB SD card on Amazon). Processing speed has increased to the point where the Treo by raw megahertz, is faster than my Windows 95 desktop computer from not to long ago. Screens have advanced from low resolution grayscale to gorgeous high density TFT full color, as seen on the Treo 650. All modern devices now have the audio out hardware required for sound. No, the missing component for multimedia on the Palm is the availability of high quality bundled software.
The bundled RealPlayer software on the Treo 650 is the most basic music playing application available. It can only play two formats (MP3 and Real Audio), and its only feature is a background-playing mode. No equalizer, no other formats, no streaming, no cross fading, and limited playlist support. PalmOne does not even bundle a video player with the Treo.* Third party applications provide much better multimedia software, but at a cost. Pocket-Tunes Deluxe ($27.95) is an amazing application that has led an innovative path for Palm OS music software. They have brought WMA files and streaming audio to Palm OS. Third party programs can use their libraries to play music and they have a bounty of user-friendly features such as skins and background playing. While far from perfect, Pocket-Tunes has pushed the boundaries of Palm OS multimedia.
What Pocket-Tunes lacks is the same thing that every other Palm OS multimedia software lacks. There is no one application for Palm OS that can provide full multimedia support that is akin to the capabilities of Quicktime or Windows Media player on the desktop. MMPlayer ($14.95), can play video along with music files, but lacks the WMA or AAC support. AeroPlayer ($14.95) supports MP3 and OGG files. Audible has their own free player that plays just their audio formats, while the only AAC player is Kinoma ($19.99, Review), which also plays MPEG4 Videos. Pocket-Tunes does not support AAC or any form of video. In order to have support for all of the major formats on your Treo, you will need to install Kinoma, Pocket-Tunes, Audible, RealPlayer, and possibly MMplayer (for expanded video support). Even with five applications, not one will support any purchased music from the popular iTunes Music Store, or less popular Napster store.
There is a format war emerging between Microsoft and Apple. With millions of Palm OS 5 compatible devices in the market, an easy method to encourage mores users to use your format would be to create a Palm OS player. Microsoft competes directly against Palm OS products, so such a decision may be a long time coming, but Apple Computer does not have that conflict. Apple Computer is working with Motorola to develop iTunes playing phones, so why not work with Palm OS? Like a cellphone, the Treo is not in direct competition with the iPod. I like my iPod mostly for its clickwheel something that would be very difficult to add to the Treo. Quicktime, or iTunes for Palm OS would allow Apple to claim more interoperability for their standards, and allow them to build their iTunes market dominance.
Neither Apple nor Microsoft needs to create such a music application in house. Instead, they simply need to license their codecs to Palm OS software makers, such as the makers of Pocket-Tunes, who would then bear the costs of production. PalmOne could significantly help this effort by helping work out such a deal between Apple, Microsoft and interested small Palm OS developers. Most importantly, PalmOne could financially support creation of such software by bundling it with their higher end devices.
*Several readers have pointed out that the built in application for viewing the movies that the Treo records (Pics and Videos) can also be used to view almost any normal MPEG movie on an SD Card. However, the point remains, like RealPlayer, much higher quality third party software with greater flexibility exists. Also, this feature has not been well promoted, making it semi "hidden". A non technical user will never know their Treo could do this.
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