Piloting Palm: The Inside Story of Palm, Handspring and the Birth of the Billion Dollar Handheld Industry

The definitive behind-the-scenes story of the visionary team that launched the handheld industry. Palm insider Andrea Butter and New York Times columnist David Pogue -- with full, exclusive cooperation of the company's founders and more than fifty key Palm and Handspring executives -- tell the riveting tale of the start of an industry constantly in the headlines. The origins of this volatile industry began with the tiny team who beat staggering odds to turn the PalmPilot into a billion-dollar market and later took their ultimate vision to Handspring, now Palm's most powerful rival. 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 Palm's founder Jeff Hanwkins and CEO Donna Dubinsky to take their vision elsewhere. The ongoing competition between Palm and Handspring. The new rivals to contend with including Sony.

The buzz on PILOTING PALM

"Thorough, intelligent, and inspiring, Piloting Palm tells one of the most remarkable stories in the history of American business— the birth of the handheld industry. There are important lessons for entrepreneurs and managers in almost every chapter. A fascinating book!"
— Emanuel Rosen, author, The Anatomy of Buzz

"The Palm is so ubiquitous, it's easy to forget what life was like BP (before Palm). If you want the inside scoop on the product that changed your life — and how it got here— this is the place to start."
— Seth Godin, author, Survival is Not Enough

"Even though I've been a user of every version of the Palm and am waiting breathlessly for the Handspring Treo Communicator, I never knew how Jeff Hawkins came up with the original design of the PalmPilot. Now I do. Piloting Palm is informative, well written, and a good read!"
— Stewart Alsop, General Partner, New Enterprise Associates columnist, Fortune magazine

"Piloting Palm is a fascinating blow-by-blow of the company that made the handheld revolution possible. Butter and Pogue have written a highly readable, insightful, and compelling history of the business strategies and the people who have redefined many of our lives."
— David B. Yoffie, Harvard Business School professor author of Judo Strategy: Turning Your Competitors' Strength to Your Advantage

"Piloting Palm is a compelling and engaging read. The story conveys the drama, heartbreak, and joy of building a Silicon Valley start-up. Both Dubinsky and Hawkins set an example of how to realize a vision and then build a team that can turn it into reality. This was definitely a book I could not put down."
— Bruce Chizen, President and CEO, Adobe Systems Inc.

"An incredible insight on the first successful handhelds ever! I thought I pretty much knew the entire history behind Jeff and Palm, but this book filled in all the details and nuances I never knew existed! My regards to Jeff and Donna for persevering!"
— Kenny West, President, PalmGear.com

"This book is a gripping (no pun intended) history of Palm and Handspring. Above all, it's a great story about stubborn entrepreneurs who overcame conventional wisdom, corporate calcification — and Microsoft."
— Guy Kawasaki, CEO, Garage Technology Ventures

This is the definitive story on the birth of the handheld industry, PalmPilot, and Handspring, authored by a Palm insider and a New York Times columnist with full, access to all of the key Palm players, including Jeff Hawkins and Donna Dubinsky. It is the tale of both the most successful startup in history and the visionary leader who won't stop until he's created the first computer to rival the human brain Looks at the evolution of the hand-held industry by tracing the visionaries at both Palm and Handspring, detailing the principles of business, economy, and product design and the ongoing competition between Palm and Handspring.