I Wanna Hold Your Hand(Held)

Just the other day, a colleague showed me Fast Company's AvantGo channel on his Palm Tungsten C, and I realized that I hadn't used my Palm V in ages. Why not? It seemed like such a good idea at the time. I'm not really using my Sidekick as a contacts organizer. Am I satisfied with my Slingshot paper organizer?

Rob Enderle has some ideas about why the handheld market hasn't really taken off, if not why I haven't fully embraced mine. Among his suggestions:

• Lack of standards Currently, there are almost no common standards among handheld computers. There are two strong software camps. The hardware picture is even more fragmented. That's a big problem for devices explicitly designed to sync up with other systems.
• User needs The handheld market seems determined to repeat a common mistake of the tech industry: the desire to focus on a competitor or a technology to the exclusion of customers' needs.
• Lack of segment marketing When a market segment such as handheld computing is still maturing, customers need to learn about what it can do for them. Inundated by product marketing alone, potential buyers become confused about which features are important and may conclude that it isn't worth the effort. To grow a segment rapidly -- or recover a failing segment -- often takes an industrywide effort. A central group should be funded to drive demand to this class of hardware.

What do you think is wrong -- or right -- with the handheld industry? Do you use a handheld? If so, what kind -- and how?