Tapwave Responds to Reports of the End of the Zodiac

Ed Hardy · 05-06-2005, 09:23 AM

Byron Connell, one of Tapwave's founders, recently made some comments that many have interpreted to mean that the Zodiac line is being phased out. Brighthand has since conducted a short interview with him on this issue.

Read more at http://www.brighthand.com/article/In...w_with_Tapwave

pixelator · 05-06-2005, 11:53 AM

If there's one 'clear' thing about these statements, it's that they're not clear on the future of the Zodiac in its present form.

Yes, they're continuing with current planned enhancements. That doesn't mean there's any future for the Zod. In this industry, more is often told by what isn't said than what is.

This is what Tapwave isn't saying:

1). A new Zodiac is in the works, or at least a possibility.

2). Zodiacs will continue to be manufactured for the retail market.

3). The oft-mentioned OEM contracts involve perpetuating the Zodiac hardware as a gaming or PDA platform instead of parting out the technology for use in unrelated products.

4). New games are still in development and on the way.

...Sadly, this smoke and mirrors game has been a Tapwave hallmark since before the device even shipped. The long list of 'upcoming original games' and even longer impressive list of 'signed' developers (which I questioned from the start) was the tip of the iceberg.

I know very well the delicate line a company like this needs to walk with the press and their investors. The Zodiac must have been pricey to develop and manufacture -- and a spin was probably warranted at launch (even if they knew there wasn't that much coming down the pipe at the time). But to continue to play the 'yes/no/maybe' game at this late date makes them look like they were conning Zodiac buyers the whole time. Not good.

I also expect the quirky Gizmondo will follow suit in short order. There's just not enough room in the PDA or handheld game market for these quasi-backed interesting but high-priced hybrid devices. It's too bad, because my Zodiac was right up there with my NX70V as best-built and beautifully designed PDA I've ever owned.

Ed Hardy · 05-06-2005, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by pixelator
New games are still in development and on the way.

Actually, Byron Connell referred in his original message to several upcoming games.

But much of what you said is right on the money.

Still, I wouldn't dump your Zodiac now, and if you're considering buying one I wouldn't worry. I believe Tapwave will continue to support and develop for the series until its OED business takes off. That's going to take a while.

In addition, while I think few companies are going to start developing new Zodiac-only games after this, developers of Palm OS games in general have shown a willingness to add features only available to the Zodiac, like rumble effects.

Alslayer · 05-06-2005, 01:57 PM

Well I bought the Zodiac knowing that the pda business is not going well. Even if Tapwave went under I still have a sweet pda with a few extra games no other pda owner can get. We live in an uncertain time just ask the Clie people.

imported_sjgadsby · 05-06-2005, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by pixelator

This is what Tapwave isn't saying:

1). A new Zodiac is in the works, or at least a possibility.

2). Zodiacs will continue to be manufactured for the retail market.

3). The oft-mentioned OEM contracts involve perpetuating the Zodiac hardware as a gaming or PDA platform instead of parting out the technology for use in unrelated products.

As the owner of a Handera 330 with a wonky screen, I've been eyeing the Zodiac 2 as a promising replacement. (Shame it's so focused on gaming though.) However, from where I stand, pixelator has identified the key concerns. The long silence of Tapwave, plus these recent statements, just sound like Handera all over again to me.

Timothy Rapson · 05-06-2005, 02:58 PM

Come back here and fight like a man, Sony PSP! I'll bite your kneecaps off.

So, like Tapwave is still a going concern like Gizmondo, N-Gage, and Yopy. Oh, that's good to hear.

sheffron · 05-06-2005, 03:23 PM

It is always interesting how people view a product. Calling it a gaming device so they do not want to look at it for it's other qualities. I spent time looking that Zodiac 2, which I purchased. The fact that the device was made for gaming meant to me quality screen, sound and good design for holding. I do play games on it, but I do more work on it them play. Email, Word, Excel, Project Planning, Technical notes and reference information, Read, check book, and music. Yes, I take it into meetings. I find it hard to find something on my laptop that I can not get on my handheld. I have to admit, I rarely surf the web on my handheld. But a good browser would be nice to show off. Normally I will sync the web pages down to my handheld for later reading and marking up.

I used to have a T3, but moved to Zodiac for the extra space and no-slider. I like reading and typing in landscape mode. I have had several people who bought the Treo 650 look at my handheld/phone combination and like the configuration. Yes, I use bluetooth for emails. Works great, I have had more problems with the phone then the handheld. As for needing a new handheld device. I am not sure what argument I could use to get a new one. This does everything that I need. I do not think Longhorn(Microsoft) will make changes to where I need to upgrade from XP professional anytime soon to change my synchronization.

I certainly hope that they stay around. I would like them to set up the top controls for backward and forward scrolling for reading.

ackmondual · 05-06-2005, 09:42 PM

Tapwave could've had done a better job of advertising their zods could do games AND productivity well. Well, the games if they gotten more devs, but that's not the point. They could've advertised games on their site (to show they got some neat exclusive games) and then some multimedia software, then productivity stuff like Docs to Go. It just shows how uninformed consumers are if they think it's only a gaming machine. No1 in would buy a $1500 - $2000 PC gaming rig to think it only plays games. They full well know it also does other stuff as well.

Quote:

Originally posted by Ed

In addition, while I think few companies are going to start developing new Zodiac-only games after this, developers of Palm OS games in general have shown a willingness to add features only available to the Zodiac, like rumble effects.

Some guy on PIC posted:
I was really looking forward to developing for the Zodiac until I had a look at the license agreement that came with the developer kit, which appeared to state that by using their developer kit, I was licensing my code to Tapwave.

This sounded completely ridiculous and unheard of, and I was sure I was misreading something somewhere, but a lawyer friend or two I ran the agreement by read it the same way I did and I could never get Tapwave to respond to my email trying to clear this up, so, no Zodiac apps from me.

I'm still not fully certain why that's bad. Does this mean that Tapwave can make changes to it by will or get cuts of your profit?
At any rate, it's enough to scare off quite a few developers.

pixelator · 05-07-2005, 08:03 AM

I always figured Tapwave would 'tap' the massive PalmOS game selection if they couldn't get mainstream devs to sign on and exploit their hardware with big console titles and original products.

It would've been simple. Contact the makers of the top 20 or so PalmOS games and say 'Hey, how'd you like to have a retail box and downloadable on our website?' -- and voila, the Zodiac has (at least to the casual observer), a BUNCH of games for it. Who cares if existing PalmOS gamers 'know better' that these games have been out for a while? The point is, there was a huge selection of games Tapwave could've presented for the Zodiac and didn't. They covered that by simply saying 'And it can run PalmOS stuff.'

Meanwhile, the rack of software in CompUSA looked rather lean. That, plus the $299/399 pricetag (OK for a featureful PDA, bad for a game system) and the slow, limited retail rollout is really what killed the Zodiac. A shame, when there were literally hundreds of games and other software they could have easily put on display.

ackmondual · 05-07-2005, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by pixelator
I always figured Tapwave would 'tap' the massive PalmOS game selection if they couldn't get mainstream devs to sign on and exploit their hardware with big console titles and original products.

It would've been simple. Contact the makers of the top 20 or so PalmOS games and say 'Hey, how'd you like to have a retail box and downloadable on our website?' -- and voila, the Zodiac has (at least to the casual observer), a BUNCH of games for it. Who cares if existing PalmOS gamers 'know better' that these games have been out for a while? The point is, there was a huge selection of games Tapwave could've presented for the Zodiac and didn't. They covered that by simply saying 'And it can run PalmOS stuff.'

Meanwhile, the rack of software in CompUSA looked rather lean. That, plus the $299/399 pricetag (OK for a featureful PDA, bad for a game system) and the slow, limited retail rollout is really what killed the Zodiac. A shame, when there were literally hundreds of games and other software they could have easily put on display.

And then there's the other issue of how ppl are flocking to PPC for their PDA+gaming needs. PPCs now have VGA screens, more PC ports then ever including Myst and Warcraft2, great selection of emus, more ports from pOS to PPC then the other way around, better graphics, and much easier to develop for. Yet another area pOS is giving way to PPC.