Piloting Palm - The inside Story of Palm, Handspring, and the Birth of the Billion-Dollar Handheld Industry

Many of today's current events relating to the competition in this industry are forecasted in this important business drama. The authors take an unprecedented look at how the visionary founders of the industry led one of the most successful startups in history to succeed against all odds–including a shoestring budget, shortsighted corporate partners, and competition from Microsoft. The roller-coaster ride is full of insight into the bungles of venture capitalists, the allure and pitfalls of partnerships with giant corporations, and the steely determination needed to maintain entrepreneurial and visionary independence. With gripping accounts of the last-minute crises that almost torpedoed the PalmPilot on the eve of its unveiling, and the triumphant, unprecedented reception of Palm in the marketplace, as well as the glimpses into the future of this industry, this book is as entertaining as it is instructional. Key revelations include:

• The principles of business, economy, and product design that led Palm to succeed where billion-dollar corporations like Apple, Motorola,and Casio had failed.
• Important moments in technological development of the handheld such as the secret "Easter egg," a software surprise planted in the Palm software that nearly sank launch plans.
• Unique insight into the showdown with Microsoft, and 3Com's tragic decision not to make Palm independent that led Jeff and Donna to take their vision elsewhere.
• The ongoing competition between Palm and Handspring. The new rivals to contend with including Sony.

Contents

Acknowledgments
Note to the Reader
Prologue 1

Ch. 1 In the Valley of Dreams 5
Ch. 2 Palm Computing 19
Ch. 3 Donna 31
Ch. 4 Zoomer 43
Ch. 5 The Writing on the Wall 59
Ch. 6 The Zen of Palm 70
Ch. 7 Crossing the Desert 89
Ch. 8 U.S. Robotics 102
Ch. 9 The Shortest Honeymoon 118
Ch. 10 Selling the Pilot 129
Ch. 11 The Eleventh Hour 144
Ch. 12 Inside the Tornado 152
Ch. 13 Microsoft 1.0 167
Ch. 14 Swallowed Whole 179
Ch. 15 Omens 190
Ch. 16 Microsoft 2.0 203
Ch. 17 The Fight for Independence 214
Ch. 18 Once Again, with Money 225
Ch. 19 Sea Change 241
Ch. 20 Revolving Doors 255
Ch. 21 Zero to Sixty 266
Ch. 22 IPO 283
Ch. 23 Millennium 294
Ch. 24 Uncharted Waters 308

Epilogue 324
Notes 329
Index