Greg Narain's thoughtful response to my post about Pocket Rendezvous misses one critical point: I was comparing portable Macs to other portable devices.
As for the "unique traits of portable devices" Greg mentions, I think they also apply to iBooks and PowerBooks.
Portable - Yes, my PowerBook is bigger and heavier than a Blackberry or a PocketPC, but it's not a PC accessory; it's a desktop replacement. If your Blackberry has replaced your PC, I'm impressed. If you carry a PC and a Blackberry (or PocketPC, or Palm), I submit that my PowerBook is not bulky by comparison.
Accessible - You win. Unless I carry my PowerBook under my arm at all times, it's going to take me a moment to consult my Address Book. (As of yet, there is no PowerBook belt holster.)
Instant-On - Your comments lead me to believe you have not used Mac OS X. Within 1-2 seconds of opening my PowerBook, it's awake and connected to the nearest 802.11 network, ready to go. You can't get much faster than that.
Always-On - I think RIM's Blackberry is alone here in terms of useful functionality. PocketPC, Palm, PowerBook and anything else using Wi-Fi eats up battery power like crazy.
Efficient - If you're talking about the Blackberry or the "Zen of Palm," I'm with you, but PocketPC is still too Windows-like and requires multiple clicks to do simple chores. And I have yet to meet a cell phone interface that isn't cluttered, complicated and confusing.
Economical - Yes, handheld devices are cheaper than laptops, but that's only if you buy them instead of a laptop rather than as well as a laptop.
Reed's Law - You point to Apple's market share and invoke Reed's Law, implying that Mac's are incompatible with PocketPC and Palm devices. On the contrary, Macs can talk to both of them as well or better than Palms and PocketPCs talk to each other.
Today's modern Mac can talk to any other device that uses standard file formats and Internet and network protocols. If something like Pocket Rendezvous takes off in handheld devices, it will be great for every Mac that's already using this technology, because we'll have more devices to talk to.
My PowerBook uses the same networks and communication protocols as devices powered by Windows, PocketPC, Symbian, Palm, Linux, etc. The fact that my Mac had USB devices (and 802.11 and IEEE 1394 and DVD-R disks) before my Windows machine does not reflect badly on my Mac. Apple got there first, but wisely chose standards that others would later adopt. That put me ahead of the crowd, not behind it or outside it.
If you haven't used a Mac in the past 2-3 years, find an Apple retailer or a Mac-using friend and ask them to tell you about Mac OS X. You don't know what you're missing.
