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The Rob Haitani Interview


Wed Jun 22, 2005 - 3:26 PM EDT - By Michael Ducker

Questions 6-10: Applications

6) From TAllenKCC: Third party applications usually provide a fantastic solution to either a small or wide customer base. Sometimes a developer creates a program so seemingly simple and useful to almost everyone I question why PalmOne does not include the same solution in the OS or a firmware update. For this question, consider the features of KeyCaps600, TreoAlertMgr, and Butler. What do you think of these programs and do you feel like you have overlooked something in development when a program like this is created? Historically do you attempt to incorporate similar features in future releases or do you steer clear of upsetting the balance between Palm and Third Party Development? To put in context, another appliance provider, Apple Computer, often includes new features in operating system releases that are remarkably similar to what third party developers have created.

Haitani: In general, I try to focus on prioritizing what problems need solving, regardless of whether third party apps provide similar features or not.

Another way of describing this process is that we often rely on the fact that there are cool third party apps when making difficult decisions about what features to put in the product. As you can see in some of the answers above, we often struggle with striking a balance between features and complexity. You can argue for hundreds of features that would be helpful (Jeff Hawkins likes to say there are no bad features.) This is ironic since the vast majority of customers barely use a fraction of the features we already have in the product. If you go into the real world, for example, you find many people who never discovered that you can press the menu key and a letter as a shortcut.

The value of a platform is that third party applications can provide great enhancements for us. We use the phrase its a third party opportunity as a euphemism for deciding not to add a given feature. I actually feel relieved when a third party provides a feature we have passed on (KeyCaps600 is a good example). This gives us the best of both worlds.

7) GeekyMom puts this question best It was very cumbersome as an initial purchaser to have to hunt down and install applications such as Email, PTunes, etc. What is the logic behind not including these standard apps in the unit as factory installed? This is even more relevant to critical apps: Will we see the PalmSource blackberry client (as jturnbul and Snyder81 want), and VoiceSignals VoiceDial installed into the ROM of the next Treo?

Haitani: This is another example of striking the balance between providing valuable features and fighting feature creep. One of the cardinal rules of feature creep is that once you put a feature in, you can never take it out. We try to set a high bar for putting features in (although above you see people say that we put too many in already). I remember when we discussed MP3 for example. It wasnt clear to us at the time how much appeal music would have relative to our core business applications. Due to feedback from people like GeekyMom, however, we ended up deciding that we would put an MP3 app on the device.

Email is a completely different story. Obviously, it is a critical application. The issue here is that our carrier partners have different email applications that they support. We offer to put our mail application in every product, but sometimes the carrier puts theirs on instead.

8) Craigdts asks: The current killer app for smartphones is email. How will next generation networks [like EVDO] improve this application? What new applications do you see driving your products forward?

Haitani: This is like asking how did broadband improve the PC experience compared to dial-up modems. Ironically, after all the unfulfilled hype about 3G, I dont think many people understand the significance of high-speed networks. People tend to think its about downloading videos, and obscure videoconferencing features. I believe it is much more related to basic transactions. How about being able to find information with your Treo browser as quickly and easily as you can find an appointment in your Treo calendar?

Also, see answer to question 4 above.

9) Carriers often comment that Network Testing is responsible for delaying a Treos introduction onto their network. What exactly is network testing? What changes do carriers request to the Treo, and why do these take so long to implement? (Inspired by Samkim)

Haitani: Network testing consists of a long list of tests that carriers use to ensure quality and network compatibility, and compatibility with their functional UI requirements -- a barrage of test cases to ensure that, for example, calls are not dropped in various conditions. Basically its quality assurance testing. So all of us like to complain about how bad our coverage is for our cell phones, but I can guarantee you any problems are not for lack of effort on the carriers test teams! (I heard that the Verizon can you hear me? guy is a real test engineer. I read it on the internet so it must be true ;^) )

The reason these take so long to fix is that sometimes it isnt easy to figure out why some measurement is 2.4% out of acceptable limits. Sometimes its a hardware problem, sometimes its a software problem, sometimes its a firmware (radio software) problem. Some tests will pass with flying colors in one carrier but fail with another. And if you make a software change, it might break something else or require retesting.

10) A question inspired by Rolltide6: What intellectual property or patents have you created through the invention of the Treo? Do you feel that your IP provides a significant barrier to entry to competitors?

Haitani: palmOne has a variety of intellectual property (IP) that protects palmOnes products, including its Treo smartphone. The IP protections include copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets and a number of pending and issued patents. palmOne views such IP as important to the success of its products. palmOne believes that its competitors will respect palmOnes strong IP position, which helps differentiate the Treo smartphone from competitor products.

Next Page: Questions 11-14: Working at PalmOne >>

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