What Happened to Palm Pilot? The PDA That Almost Beat the iPhone

The Palm Pilot sold 50M+ units and pioneered touchscreens in 1996. Then it vanished. Here’s why the PDA giant couldn’t compete with the iPhone era.

Palm Pilot models at the Computer History Museum
Anton Chiang — CC BY 2.0 · Source

TL;DR: Palm Pilot dominated handheld computing from 1996–2007 (50M+ devices, ~70% PDA share). It fell by prioritizing PDAs over phones, shipping obsolete Palm OS too long, moving slowly against the iPhone, and suffering leadership chaos. Palm’s 2009 webOS was brilliant but late; HP bought Palm in 2010 and shut down the hardware business in 2011.

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Opening Hook

TL;DR: Palm Pilot ruled handhelds from 1996–2007 (50M+ units; ~70% share). It lost by underprioritizing phones, shipping an aging OS too long, and moving too slowly once the iPhone (2007) reset expectations. webOS (2009) was brilliant but late; HP bought Palm in 2010 and shut hardware in 2011.

In 1996, if you were important—or wanted to look important—you had a Palm Pilot on your belt. It wasn’t just a gadget; it was the first pocket device that made calendars, contacts, and notes truly useful. While others lugged paper planners, Palm users pressed one HotSync button and their life stayed in lockstep.

By 2000, Palm held ~70% of the PDA market and was valued higher than General Motors. Then, in 2007, Steve Jobs unveiled the iPhone, and the standalone PDA became a museum piece almost overnight.

So what happened? How did the company that popularized pocket touchscreens get outpaced by a touchscreen phone?

Jump to:

What Was the Palm Pilot?

The Revolutionary 1996 Device

The first Palm Pilot launched in April 1996 by Palm Computing (later acquired by 3Com). It was revolutionary for its time:

Original Palm Pilot Specs (1996):

  • Monochrome touchscreen (160×160 pixels)
  • 128KB–512KB memory (yes, kilobytes!)
  • Stylus-based input
  • Price: $299–$499
  • Size: fits in a shirt pocket

What made it different from competitors:

  • ✅ Actually fit in a pocket (Newton was huge)
  • ✅ Instant-on (no boot time)
  • ✅ Week-long battery life (2 AAA batteries)
  • ✅ Simple, focused features
  • ✅ One-button sync with desktop computer

The Killer Feature: HotSync
Place the Palm in a cradle connected to your PC/Mac, press one button, and calendar/contacts/notes sync instantly. In 1996, that was mind-blowing: before Palm, you entered data twice—once on the computer, once in the paper planner.

Who bought Palm Pilots:

  • Business executives (digital Rolodex)
  • Doctors (patient notes, drug references)
  • Sales professionals (client tracking)
  • Lawyers (case notes, appointments)
  • Tech enthusiasts (early adopters)

Culturally, having a Palm Pilot clipped to your belt was like having the latest iPhone today—a status symbol that said “I’m tech-savvy and important.”

Key stat: Over 50 million Palm devices sold worldwide.

The Original Palm Pilot Models (1996–1999)

First Generation (1996–1997)
3Com Palm Pilot 1000 & 5000 (April 1996) ⭐

  • First commercially successful PDA
  • 128KB (1000) or 512KB (5000) memory
  • TCP/IP networking capabilities
  • Price: $299 (1000), $369 (5000)
  • ~1 million units sold in first 18 months (record-breaking)

Fun fact: Palm initially called it just “Pilot,” but Pilot Pen Corporation sued; the name became PalmPilot (one word), then later Palm Pilot.

IBM WorkPad (1997)

  • IBM’s rebrand of the Palm Pilot
  • Same specs, different logo
  • Aimed at business buyers

Second Generation (1998)
Palm III (March 1998)

  • Infrared port (beam contacts/apps to other Palms)
  • Better screen contrast
  • More memory (2MB)
  • Iconic rounded design
  • Price: ~$369

Cultural moment: “Beaming” business cards via infrared became the cool way to exchange info at conferences.

Third Generation (1999) — The Design Icon
Palm V (February 1999) ⭐⭐⭐

  • Sleek aluminum case
  • Ultra-thin (0.4 inches)
  • Rechargeable battery
  • Price: ~$449

Status: The iPhone of its era—featured in fashion magazines, not just tech. It proved PDAs could be stylish, not merely functional.

The Golden Age: When Palm Dominated (1997–2003)

Key numbers at a glance

  • ~70% PDA market share by 1999
  • ~1M units sold in the first 18 months
  • 5M+ units by 2000
  • Ecosystem effect: competitors like Handspring and Sony licensed Palm OS
  • March 2000 IPO: valuation around $95B (bigger than GM at the time)

Why everyone wanted one in the ’90s

1) It just worked

  • Instant-on (no boot time)
  • Simple UI that stayed out of the way
  • Rock-solid HotSync
  • Week-long battery life on everyday batteries

2) Graffiti handwriting recognition

  • Single-stroke letters with a ~15-minute learning curve
  • Consistent, accurate recognition that felt faster than “real” handwriting
  • Pro tip: letters in the left box; numbers in the right box

3) A real app ecosystem—before “App Store”

  • Productivity: Documents To Go, Quickoffice, expense trackers
  • Games: Bejeweled, Dope Wars, Zap!2016, Tetris, Solitaire
  • Reading: Palm Reader, Project Gutenberg titles
  • Utilities: AvantGo (offline web), DateBook+ (power calendar)

Professional use cases (why pros swore by Palm)

  • Doctors: ePocrates drug refs, patient notes, calculators
  • Real estate agents: listings, client CRM, comps, appointments
  • Lawyers: case notes, deadlines, time tracking
  • Sales: customer databases, orders, presentations, expenses

“The Palm Pilot replaced my 3-inch Day Planner and Rolodex. My briefcase got 5 pounds lighter.” — Typical 1998 user

Cultural impact

  • Frequent TV/movie cameo as “the future in your pocket”
  • SNL sketches and jokes about Palm addiction
  • “Palm Pilot syndrome”: constant checking—early smartphone behavior

The plateau (2000–2003): hairline cracks

  • Still selling well, but competition (Windows Mobile, BlackBerry) grew
  • Convergence loomed: phones were getting smarter
  • Email prowess made BlackBerry a must-have in business
  • Palm iterated—but too slowly for the coming phone era

The Expansion: Different Palm Brands (1999–2005)

Why were there so many “Palm” devices?

Palm didn’t just make Palm Pilots—it licensed Palm OS to other companies, which grew the ecosystem but also fragmented it.

The main players

Handspring (1998–2003)

  • Founded by Jeff Hawkins and Donna Dubinsky (Palm’s original creators)
  • Signature devices: Visor, Treo
  • Innovation: Springboard expansion slot for add-ons
  • Treo (2002) highlights:
    • Palm OS smartphone with keyboard + touchscreen
    • Could have led the smartphone era, but was early, pricey, and niche

Sony CLIE (2000–2005)

  • High-end Palm OS line with:
    • Better displays (color, higher resolution)
    • Multimedia features (MP3, cameras)
    • Premium industrial design
  • Downsides: Expensive, and Sony exited in 2005

Palm’s own product lines

m series (2001–2003)

  • m500, m505 (color screens), m130 (budget)
  • SD/MMC card expansion

Tungsten series (2002–2006)

  • Higher-end: faster CPUs, better screens, Bluetooth
  • Tungsten T5 (2004) often cited as the last great PDA

Zire series (2002–2005)

  • Budget-friendly ($99–199)
  • Brought many first-time users into PDAs

The corporate tangle (2000–2005)

Split (2000)

  • PalmOne: hardware
  • PalmSource: Palm OS software
  • Problem: the two competed indirectly—PalmSource licensed to Sony/Handspring while PalmOne sold devices against those licensees.

Merge (2003)

  • Handspring + PalmOne reunited founders and the Treo line
  • But the market was already shifting toward phones

Rebrand (2005)

  • Back to Palm, Inc. to simplify—yet the brand confusion and lost time had already taken a toll.

The Beginning of the End: Palm’s Fatal Mistakes (2003–2007)

Mistake 1 — Dismissing the phone threat ⚠️

The signs (2002–2006):

  • BlackBerry was taking over business: push email + hardware keyboard.
  • Users wanted one device, not a PDA and a phone.
  • Windows Mobile phones were improving fast (Motorola Q, AT&T Tilt).

Palm’s response:

  • Launched Treo but treated it like a PDA that makes calls, not a phone-first product.
  • Pricing was high, hardware felt clunky vs. BlackBerry.
  • Internal mindset: “We do PDAs; phones are someone else’s business.”

Outcome: Phones ate PDAs. Palm ceded the future.

Mistake 2 — Letting Palm OS go obsolete

By 2005, Palm OS struggled:

  • Built for simple 1996 PDAs.
  • No true multitasking (one app at a time).
  • Weak browser and multimedia.
  • Security gaps and devs drifting to other platforms.
  • UI looked dated next to rivals.

Competitor reality (2003–2007):

  • Windows Mobile offered multitasking, Office, and IT-friendly features.

Palm’s moves:

  • Worked on Palm OS 6 (Cobalt) but never shipped it.
  • Shipped some Windows Mobile Treos—a tacit admission the in-house OS had fallen behind.

Mistake 3 — Corporate chaos

Whiplash years:

  • 2001–2005: about five CEOs with shifting strategies.
  • 2000 split: PalmOne (hardware) vs. PalmSource (OS) created internal misalignment.
  • 2003 merge with Handspring; 2005 rebrand back to Palm, Inc.
  • Founders, including Jeff Hawkins, eventually left; brain drain followed.

Result: Strategy changed faster than products could ship.

Mistake 4 — Underestimating iPhone (the fatal error)

Jan 2007: iPhone unveiled. Palm leadership publicly doubted “PC guys.”

Palm misread:

  • Assumed no keyboard would fail.
  • Dismissed capacitive touch and a full web browser as fads.
  • Ignored the coming App Store ecosystem and consumer pull.

What actually happened:

  • June 2007: iPhone launch redefined smartphones.
  • Treo looked instantly dated; panic at Palm.
  • Market share slid fast:
    • ~10% (2006) → ~2% (2008) → less than 1% (2010)

Mistake 5 — Moving too slowly

Apple cadence:

  • 2007: iPhone
  • 2008: iPhone 3G + App Store
  • 2009: iPhone 3GS

Palm cadence:

  • 2007: Treo 755p (felt like a 2004 design)
  • 2008: Treo Pro (minor catch-up)
  • 2009: Palm Pre (finally modern, but late)

Bottom line: By the time Palm answered, Apple was three generations ahead.

The Desperation Phase: Palm Pre & webOS (2008–2010)

Palm’s last hope: webOS (CES 2009)

Press reaction: “iPhone killer!” — and for a moment, it looked plausible.

What webOS got right:

  • Multitasking “Cards”: see all apps at once, swipe away to close (iPhone didn’t multitask yet).
  • Gesture navigation: swipe up from a gesture area; no physical home button.
  • Synergy: merges Google, Facebook, Exchange into one address book.
  • Universal Search: type to search apps, contacts, and the web.
  • Notifications: actionable and subtle; better than iPhone’s at the time.

webOS was genuinely good. Several ideas later appeared in iOS.

The Palm Pre (launched June 6, 2009)

Specs: 3.1” (320×480) display • slide-out physical keyboard • 8 GB storage • 3 MP camera • Sprint exclusive • $199 on contract

Design notes: pebble-like shell, smooth slider, keyboard aimed at BlackBerry switchers.

Contemporary reviews (common themes):

  • ✅ Best multitasking on any phone
  • ✅ Gesture navigation is brilliant
  • ✅ webOS is beautiful
  • ❌ Build quality felt shaky
  • ❌ Slider mechanism was flimsy
  • ❌ App selection was anemic

Why Pre failed (despite webOS)

1) Too late to the party

  • iPhone: June 2007 → App Store by 2008, massive mindshare by mid-2009.
  • Pre: June 2009 — about 24 months late.
  • By mid-2009, iPhone had 50k+ apps and 50M+ devices; developer momentum was locked in.
  • Pre launched with ~30 apps; devs weren’t biting.

2) Sprint exclusivity

  • Limited audience while Sprint was losing subs to AT&T/Verizon.
  • When Pre finally reached Verizon (Jan 2010), the window had closed; Verizon pushed Android instead.

3) Hardware issues

  • Slider prone to wobble (“Oreo effect”).
  • Touchstone wireless charger was cool, but felt like a gimmick against sturdier rivals.
  • Overall fit/finish lagged iPhone.

4) The app gap

  • Developers prioritized iOS (and increasingly Android).
  • Many popular apps never arrived on webOS, pushing users elsewhere.

5) Misfired marketing

  • The infamous “Creepy Girl” ads confused buyers.
  • Messaging couldn’t compete with Apple’s clarity and hype engine.

The numbers (and the cliff)

  • Year 1 (2009–2010): Target ≈ 2M units; actual ≈ 1M. Losses ≈ $740M.
  • Year 2 (2010): Sales collapsed; stock slid from $18 → $3; layoffs accelerated.
  • Palm was effectively out of runway.

The Death: HP Buyout & Shutdown (2010–2011)

April 2010 — HP acquires Palm

Price: $1.2B

HP’s plan (on paper):

  • Use webOS to compete with the iPad.
  • Ship tablets, phones, maybe laptops running webOS.
  • Tie it all into HP’s PC ecosystem (synergy!).

HP’s beliefs at the time:

  • “We need our own mobile OS.”
  • “webOS might be better than Android” (debatable).
  • “Integration with PCs will win.”
  • “We can out-market Apple.” (…nope.)

July 2011 — The TouchPad disaster

Product: HP TouchPad (webOS 3.0)
Specs: 9.7” screen • iPad 2 price: $499
Launch: July 1, 2011

Reviews (typical):

  • “It’s… fine.”
  • “Not as good as iPad.”
  • “webOS is nice, but where are the apps?”
  • “Why pick this over iPad?”

Sales reality:

  • less than 50,000 units sold in 6 weeks.
  • HP made ~270,000; inventory piled up.
  • Retailers (e.g., Best Buy) couldn’t move stock and wanted returns.

August 18, 2011 — HP pulls the plug (49 days later)

HP announces:

  • Discontinuing the TouchPad.
  • Shutting down the Palm/webOS hardware group.
  • Exiting mobile hardware.
  • Fire-sale pricing: TouchPad cut to $99.

Liquidation results:

  • At $99, units sold out in hours.
  • Many bought them to hack Android onto the device.
  • Proved price, not the core UX, was the main barrier—but too late.

The irony:

  • Wouldn’t sell at $499; flew off shelves at $99.
  • HP lost money on every unit.
  • A sensible launch price might’ve been $299, but the moment had passed.

Final timeline & cost

  • Apr 28, 2010: HP buys Palm ($1.2B).
  • Jul 1, 2011: TouchPad launches.
  • Aug 18, 2011: TouchPad killed; HP exits mobile hardware.
  • Dec 2011: Final Palm staff laid off.

Elapsed: ~16 months from acquisition to shutdown.
HP’s total loss: >$3B (acquisition, development, write-offs).

What happened to webOS afterward?

  • 2013: HP sells webOS to LG (~$25M).
  • Today: LG uses webOS in smart TVs (millions of sets).
  • Takeaway: Palm’s mobile OS survived—just on televisions, not phones.

Why Palm Really Failed: The Full Autopsy

1) Arrogance and denial (biggest factor)

  • Palm invented the modern handheld and led the market for years.
  • Success made them dismiss threats like the iPhone and Android.
  • They didn’t want to kill their own PDA business by going “phone-first.”
  • Famous bad takes:
    • “PC guys won’t figure out phones.” — Ed Colligan, 2006
    • “People need physical keyboards.” — various Palm execs, 2007
  • Result: they acted like a winner while the game was changing.

2) Too late to smartphones

  • 2000–2006: phones got smarter; Palm stayed focused on PDAs.
  • 2002: Treo arrived but wasn’t treated as the future.
  • 2007: iPhone launches; Palm has no true answer.
  • 2009: Palm Pre shows up about two and a half years late.
  • If they’d gone all-in on Treo in 2002, they might have built a lead.

3) Weak developer ecosystem by the time it mattered

  • Palm had great apps in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
  • They didn’t invest enough in tools and modern APIs.
  • Developers moved to Windows Mobile, then iOS and Android.
  • webOS launched with few apps; users followed the apps elsewhere.
  • Lesson: without developers, a platform fades fast.

4) Corporate dysfunction

  • Six CEOs from 2001 to 2010; no steady strategy.
  • Split into hardware (PalmOne) and software (PalmSource), then re-merged.
  • Internal competition and mixed signals hurt focus.
  • Founders and top engineers left; momentum died.

5) Financial weakness

  • Palm couldn’t fund long, expensive turnarounds.
  • webOS was promising, but the company ran out of time and cash.
  • Apple could afford years of iteration; Palm couldn’t survive one big miss.

6) Execution problems

  • Hardware: the Pre’s slider felt flimsy; durability issues (“oreo” twist).
  • Software: webOS shipped buggy and slow; fixes came too slowly.
  • Distribution: Sprint exclusivity at launch limited reach; Verizon support arrived after the moment had passed.

7) Misaligned partners

  • Microsoft years (Windows Mobile Treos) blurred Palm’s story and split focus.
  • HP acquisition brought big promises but poor product/price decisions and a quick shutdown.

What Palm should have done (the short version)

  • 1999–2000: declare the phone the future; make Treo the core business.
  • 2002–2005: rebuild Palm OS for multitasking, modern web, media, and better developer tools.
  • 2006: launch a full-touch, modern OS device (a Pre-like phone) before iPhone.
  • 2007 onward: move fast, ship yearly, go multi-carrier, price aggressively.

Instead, Palm moved slowly, underestimated rivals, shipped too late, and ran out of money.

The Legacy: What Palm Got Right

Palm shipped ideas that still shape smartphones today.

1) Touchscreen mobile interfaces (1996)

  • Proved small, pen/touch screens could work.
  • Mocked at first; now every phone is touch-first.
  • Palm was early by roughly a decade.

2) A real mobile app ecosystem (1998)

  • Thriving third-party apps long before “App Store” was a thing.
  • Downloads, reviews, recommendations, customization.
  • Set the pattern others later mainstreamed.

3) One-button sync (HotSync, 1996)

  • Press once, everything updates.
  • Automatic backups and painless transfers.
  • Today’s iCloud/Google sync is the same spirit, just cloud-based.

4) Gesture-based interfaces (webOS, 2009)

  • Card multitasking, swipe navigation, no physical home button.
  • Concepts later echoed in modern iOS/Android UI.

5) The “always-on” digital life

  • Normalized carrying calendars, contacts, notes everywhere.
  • Shifted habits from paper planners to digital organization.

6) Touchstone wireless charging (2009)

  • Drop-to-charge dock years before it became common.
  • Magnetic alignment and desk-friendly charging.

Irony: Palm pioneered many of these features—and still lost to companies that executed and scaled them better.

Where the Palm talent went

Apple

  • Ex-Palm engineers joined iPhone teams.
  • Gesture and multitasking ideas influenced iOS over time.

Google

  • Alumni worked on Android, bringing Palm-style UI thinking.

LG

  • webOS team moved over; webOS now powers millions of LG TVs.

Startups

  • Former Palm folks founded or joined mobile and hardware startups.

Bottom line: Palm’s DNA lives on across the industry—even if the brand doesn’t.

Palm Pilot Today: Where to Find One

Can you still use a Palm Pilot in 2025?

Short answer: Yes—but it’s mostly for nostalgia.

What still works

  • ✅ Calendar, contacts, notes (the core features)
  • ✅ Old apps can still be installed
  • ✅ Sync software exists (often abandonware, but functional)
  • ✅ Fun as a retro, distraction-free productivity tool

What doesn’t work

  • ❌ Real web browsing (old browsers can’t load modern sites)
  • ❌ Many apps require legacy Windows/Mac software
  • ❌ Rechargeable batteries often fail; replacements can be tricky
  • ❌ Some screens show age/yellowing
  • ❌ No modern cloud sync

Where to buy vintage Palm Pilots

eBay (best selection)

  • Price range: $20–$200
  • Condition varies widely; nearly every model shows up
  • Tip: search “palm pilot lot” for bundles
  • Good queries: “Palm V”, “Palm III”, “Palm Treo”
  • (Optional: add your affiliate link here)

Etsy (refurbished/restored)

  • Price range: $50–$150
  • Often tested/cleaned; sometimes includes stylus or case

Facebook Marketplace (best deals)

  • Price range: $10–$50
  • Hit or miss; negotiate—many sellers don’t know the value

Thrift stores / Goodwill

  • Price: $5–$25 (if you get lucky)
  • Check electronics; sometimes found with chargers/cases

Which Palm model to buy?

For collectors

  • Palm Pilot 1000 (1996) — the original
    Price: $100–$200 · Why: historical significance · Rarer

For nostalgia

  • Palm V (1999) — the design icon
    Price: $50–$150 · Slim aluminum case · Rechargeable battery (may be weak)

For actual use

  • Palm Tungsten E2 (2005) — last great PDA
    Price: $30–$80 · Color screen, more memory, newer hardware

Budget option

  • Palm Zire 21 (2003)
    Price: $15–$40 · Simple and cheap · No backlight

What to check before you buy

  • ✅ Screen condition

    • No cracks or major scratches
    • No dead pixels (color models)
    • Backlight works (if applicable)

  • ✅ Battery

    • Replaceable-battery models are safest
    • Rechargeable models often need service
    • Ask if it powers on and holds charge

  • ✅ Stylus

    • Frequently missing
    • Replacements exist; any resistive stylus works in a pinch

  • ✅ Sync cable / cradle

    • Nice to have, not essential
    • Generic USB cables work on newer models
    • Cradles look great for display

  • ✅ Overall condition

    • Check for cracks and heavy wear
    • Buttons should still “click”
    • No corrosion from leaking batteries

Rare / more valuable models

  • Palm Pilot Professional (1997) — $75–$150
    More memory than original; TCP/IP capable.

  • IBM WorkPad (1997–1999) — $75–$125
    IBM-branded reissues; rarer logo, same internals.

  • Palm VII (1999) — $100–$200
    Built-in wireless (now defunct); distinctive antenna; collectible.

  • Sony CLIE PEG-UX50 (2004) — $150–$300
    High-end clamshell with keyboard and a gorgeous screen; scarce in good shape.

Accessories worth having

  • Replacement stylus — $5–$10; generic or 3D-printed options exist.
  • Screen protector film — modern film cut to size refreshes old screens.
  • Case/cover — leather Palm cases are common on eBay; good for storage/display.
  • Charging/sync
    • Newer models: USB sync cable
    • Older models: AA/AAA batteries (easy)
    • Palm V: rechargeable pack often fails and is harder to replace

Modern Alternatives: Spiritual Successors to Palm Pilot

Imagine if Palm Pre Launched in 2006 (Before iPhone):

The alternate universe

  • Full touchscreen smartphone
  • webOS gesture controls
  • App ecosystem
  • Palm dominates
  • iPhone launches 2007 as “Palm competitor”
  • Three-way battle: Palm vs Apple vs Android

Why it didn’t happen

  • Palm’s leadership didn’t believe in it
  • Thought business users needed keyboards
  • Underestimated consumer market
  • Moved too slowly

Today’s tech landscape if Palm had succeeded

  • Three major mobile OSes (iOS, Android, webOS)
  • Palm worth $500B+
  • webOS everywhere
  • Different mobile computing history
  • We’d be nostalgic for “early Palm Pre days”

But that’s not our timeline. In our timeline: Palm is a cautionary tale about corporate arrogance, failure to adapt, and the danger of dismissing threats.

Conclusion: The Rise and Fall of Palm Pilot

Palm Pilot didn’t die from bad products. The original Palm Pilots (1996–2003) were excellent. webOS (2009) was genuinely innovative and ahead of its time in many ways.

Palm died from:

  • Arrogance (dismissed iPhone as expensive toy)
  • Slow decision-making (moved at PDA speed in smartphone era)
  • Spectacularly bad timing (Palm Pre 2.5 years too late)
  • Leadership chaos (6 CEOs, multiple reorganizations)
  • Financial weakness (ran out of money before recovery possible)

The cruel irony

  • Palm invented touchscreen handhelds (1996)
  • Palm invented mobile app ecosystems (1998)
  • Palm invented gesture navigation (2009)
  • Then got destroyed by companies that perfected their own ideas

The lesson: Being first doesn’t guarantee you’ll win. Innovation isn’t enough. You need:

  • Willingness to cannibalize your own products
  • Speed to adapt to market changes
  • Respect for competition (even “PC guys”)
  • Financial resources to weather storms
  • Consistent leadership and vision

RIP Palm Pilot (1996–2011). You showed us the future of mobile computing. You just couldn’t build it fast enough.

Where to Buy Palm Pilot & Accessories

Still want to own a piece of tech history?

Best places to buy

  • eBay Palm Pilot listings → (affiliate link)
  • Etsy vintage Palm Pilots → (affiliate link)
  • Facebook Marketplace (search locally)
  • Palm V — Most iconic design ($50–150)
  • Palm Tungsten E2 — Last great model ($30–80)
  • Palm Treo 650 — If you want the phone version ($40–100)

Modern alternatives

  • reMarkable 2 — Modern e-ink note-taking (affiliate link)
  • Boox Note Air 3 — Android e-ink tablet (affiliate link)

Further Reading

Books

  • Piloting Palm by Andrea Butter & David Pogue
  • The Decline and Fall of Nokia by David J. Cord (similar story)

Documentaries

  • Search YouTube: History of Palm Pilot — tech history channels cover Palm’s story

Articles

  • Link to your buying guide article →
  • Link to your price guide article →
  • Link to your Palm vs BlackBerry article →

FAQs About Palm Pilot

What was the first Palm Pilot?
The Pilot 1000 (April 1996, 3Com’s Palm Computing). It had 128KB RAM, a 160×160 monochrome touchscreen, and cost $299. It sold ~1M units in 18 months, a record at the time.

When did Palm Pilot come out?
The original launch was April 15, 1996. The most iconic model, the Palm V, arrived in February 1999.

Why did Palm Pilot fail?
Palm prioritized PDAs over phones, kept an aging Palm OS too long, and moved too slowly against the iPhone. Leadership churn (about 6 CEOs in 9 years) and weak finances sealed the decline.

Can you still use a Palm Pilot?
Yes—for calendar, contacts, and notes. But:

  • Web browsing is effectively unusable today
  • Sync tools are dated
  • Batteries often need replacement
    Great as a retro productivity piece, not a daily driver.

Where can I buy a Palm Pilot in 2025?

  • eBay: $20–$200 (widest selection)
  • Etsy (refurb): $50–$150
  • Facebook Marketplace: $10–$50
    Collectors often chase the Palm V.

How much is a Palm Pilot worth?
Typical ranges:

  • Common models (e.g., Palm III): $20–$50
  • Rarer models (Palm VII, Sony CLIE): $100–$300
  • Palm V: $50–$150 depending on condition

What happened to Palm?
HP acquired Palm in 2010 for ~$1.2B. After the TouchPad flop in 2011, HP shut down Palm hardware. In 2013, webOS moved to LG (now used in TVs).

Did Palm Pilot have internet?
Some later models (e.g., Palm VII) offered limited wireless service; most Palms had only basic TCP/IP and very primitive browsers.

What is Palm Pilot Graffiti?
Graffiti was Palm’s simplified handwriting recognition: single-stroke letters written in a small input area. Fast, accurate, and learnable in about 15 minutes.

Is Palm Pilot better than iPhone?
For focused, distraction-free productivity (and week-long battery), many still love Palm. For modern capability, the iPhone wins by miles.

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