Rumor: Sony Preparing PEG-SJ20, PEG-SJ30

One thing I do wonder is how the battery life will be on the new color handheld. I sincerely hope its better than both the T665 and T615.

I for one would take a T615 over a plastic case SJ30 (if it really uses plastic).

If you have a model for every $N increment, the odds are that customer who intended to just pay X for a widget will "slide up" the price range to X + $N, or maybe even X + $N + $N since it is "just a bit more" than than their original X price point.

It's a slick way to tweak more margin out of every customer.

I had a friend who bought the first Sony with the high-res screen and MP3 player (whatever it was called -- I can't even remember now). When the NR70 rumors started (after that Sony guy showed one on screen). I e-mailed my friend the link. He wrote back and said he didn't open the link, because he "didn't even want to know" what Sony was releasing now to render his device obsolete.

I think that's how I'd feel.

And doesn't anybody else find it odd that even Sony's own peripherals aren't available in the U.S.?

By virtue of being on this site, we are generally NOT the sort of people who can remain perfectly content with a device that is superseded by more advanced things later on. We're ALWAYS on the prowl for an upgrade -- that's why we all clicked on the "new Sony rumor" article. Of COURSE it bothers me if my expensive device is quickly superseded by a better one. That's pretty normal. It happens with cars ("Dammit, my 2002 didn't come with the retractable cupholders and clip-on floormats!"); computers; TVs -- pretty much everything that is regularly updated.

I've got an m505. It does the job fine. But when the m515 came out, I had to resist my impure urges to go buy it, because it is better. If I bought a Sony, I'd wage these battles against my gadget-freak self constantly.

Anyway, now I'm just fighting to wait for OS5.

Notice that while Sony releases a new model every 3 months, it's *usually* an alternate between low end and high end. So, the actual life span of a Clie is more like 6 months, approximately.

It's just a marketing strategy for Sony. Palm uses a different approach. Pick the one you like -- it's all about choices, friends.

I agree with moosecat that if you are reading this site, you are not average joe, and might feel kinda "cheated" by Sony that they release new models frequently, and somehow has a strong urge to upgrade. Sony is exactly targeting people like us.

But we have a choice to choose to resist or fall for Sony's marketing plan. Either way, no point to complain. I personally would prefer PDA coming out more frequently, just like all other consumer electronics.

Yup, we have choices, and that's great.

As if a model has to be out for a yr with no new models for it to be considered great and the company not be blasted.

The more new stuff the better, I say. The pda you can buy in year is a heck of a lot better than the ones that were available in the year gaps just 3 yrs ago.

1998 - palm III
1999 - palm IIIx

ouch.