Is HP serious about a $500 PDA?

While I was following the Apple iPod event, I missed a couple more tidbits about HP's upcoming line of phones.

Courtesy of  Mobility Site which linked to the Unwired View, HP is set to release 5 new devices by November.

We've already talked about the two new phones, the 914 and the 614. (BTW, I take back what I said earlier. After looking at better screen shots of the 914, I'd definitely snag one even over my beloved HTC Kaiser due to it's QWERTY keyboard. It looks really nice to use.)

The real news here however is that HP still seems to think it is 2002 by releasing not one, but TWO PDAs. And the real kicker? They are expected to be in the $500 range. (The two models on the left of the image are their PDA models. The one in the center is a GPS unit and the two on the right are the aforementioned Windows Mobile 6 phones.)

HP, We know you've been out of the game a little while but NO ONE is buying PDAs anymore. Especially at $500 a pop. Even Palm is selling their very nice TX PDA at $249 (it's on special right now starting at $199.99)

Haven't you guys heard of the Treo? How about any Windows Mobile 6 phone device? Selling pretty well huh? Don't you remember your former rival Dell getting out of the PDA business a FEW YEARS AGO? It was for a reason. Most of your former customers have longed since moved to a converged device.

What are you thinking HP?

The only saving grace is that at least one of the PDA models (the 214) features WiFi so you can do some Skype calling. But that's about it. And the aforementioned TX has WiFi at half the price.

And one last thing HP (sorry, still in Steve Jobs speak). Did you notice the Apple event earlier? You know, the iPhone now selling for $399? Do you remember how well it sold even at $600? Don't you think it will sell even better now? Why are you not trying to come in at least at that $600 price point (you too HTC) to sell more of your high end phones? It doesn't take an MBA to understand the importance of that $600 price point to move more high end devices.

So don't come crying to me when the iPhone continues to outsell you all (HTC, HP, Okwap, Dopod, I-Mate, O2, et al) even though you have more under the hood. And drop the elitist business user facade and do what a company is supposed to do: sell more of their product than the other company. LOWER YOUR PRICES to SELL MORE PHONES!

Okay. Rant over. Thanks for sharing.