PalmPilot: The Ultimate Guide, Second Edition

Appendix C. Piloteers in Cyberspace

Why did the PalmPilot become such a runaway hit? When you get right down to it, the thing shouldn’t have clobbered Windows CE devices on the market (outselling them four-to-one, at this writing). After all, the PalmPilot is mostly black-and-white. Its screen is 160 pixels square. And it doesn’t run Microsoft programs.

One big part of the answer is the sense of community it engenders. Owning a PalmPilot isn’t like owning, say, a Micron PC clone, where you’ve made a purchase and that’s it. Instead, owning this gadget is more personal; you feel as though you’re part of something bigger, an inner circle of the enlightened, some exciting underground family. At trade shows, on planes and trains, and at computer clubs, you can spot clusters of animated PalmPilot-wielding enthusiasts comparing notes, exchanging tips on cool new shareware, and reporting on (or beaming each other) what they’ve found online recently.

The largest convocation of such zealots is, in fact, online. Hundreds of web sites have cropped up for the propagation of software, news, reviews, and general evangelism. This chapter offers you a few starting points for finding great Palm material on the Web.

Electronic Newsletters

Thanks to the Internet, you don’t have to go hunting for news and reviews about the PalmPilot and its descendants—you can choose to have them emailed directly to you at no charge.

Note

As with all email newsletters, save the “unsubscribe” instructions for the newsletters ...