On Friday Palm launched their highly anticipated smartphone, the Pre, just as Apple was likely to (and subsequently has) reveal the latest version of the iPhone. So naturally, there are a flurry of tech blog articles and news source stories about “Is the Palm Pre the phone to unthrone the iPhone?”

Microsoft just launched Bing, its answer to Google search. WolframAlpha’s computational engine also just launched a few weeks ago. In both cases, the press coverage, even on NPR, has almost entirely been along the lines of “Will Bing unseat Google?” or “Is WolframAlpha finally the Google killer?”

I know it makes for good copy, but why are so many comparisons of late framed as though we live in an either/or marketplace? Why does the Palm Pre have to “beat” the iPhone? Why does Microsoft Bing or Wolfram Alpha have to “kill Google?” Why can’t the Palm Pre simply be a capable smartphone? Is market dominance the only measure of success anymore? Truth is, the Pre doesn’t have to sell more units than the iPhone in order to be a success. That’s a very good thing for Palm, now that the iPhone 3Gs has debuted to fairly unanimous chants of “long live the king.” The Pre simply has to sell enough. Likewise, I can search Bing, and I can ask Wolfram Alpha more meaningful questions, but that doesn’t mean I have no room for Google. Why have we reframed the discussion as confrontation instead of competition?

My objection to this is primarily that it doesn’t actually reflect the reality of the marketplace. Using the Pre as an example again, I don’t think anyone at Palm anticipated that they’d convert a huge number of current iPhone users, or even significantly cut into new iPhone sales. So in this case, comparing phone to phone is not a really relevant to the buying reality for most of the people shopping for a smartphone. The real factor is network carrier. If I’m with Sprint, the Pre is really appealing — not because of exactly how it stacks up against the iPhone, but because it’s a capable smartphone that’s actually an option for me. Switching networks is a huge barrier if you’re still under contract. That also works both ways. Only the earliest of first generation iPhone users are even approaching the end of their original 2-year contracts, and many re-upped and upgraded to the 3G last year — so it’s not like they can easily or cheaply hop over to Sprint, even if they’re in love with the Pre. What’s the reality then? The reality is that now Sprint users have a great smartphone option that they didn’t have before. New customers have the best options of all, but I’d wager that isn’t who Palm is really going after here. I bet they’re mostly after the folks who don’t want or can’t have the iPhone, and that’s exactly who they should be after. There’s great success in being #2. Just look at Avis. Or even look at a different part of the tech industry — personal computers — where Apple is the stellar #2 player in the marketplace and probably always will be. They’re not out to kill Microsoft, because that’s not really a practical measure of success.

I really do think that there’s room enough for everybody — or at least room enough for lots of competitive choice in the marketplace. Competition is great, but is this artificial sense of confrontation really necessary? Competition leads to more choice, to more innovation, to downward price pressure. If we only allow one winner, that leads to monopoly, to higher prices, and technological stagnation. Being top dog may have made Microsoft a lot of money, but it’s done it few other favors. The real goal then, I think, is not to be the best. The goal is simply to be great. Except perhaps olympic athletes, few who strive simply at being the absolute best at something actually achieve it. Rather, people of passion, determination, and vision with a desire to do something great often inevitably find success. My favorite example of this is the TV show Mythbusters. Here are five people doing what they really like to do, and it happens to make for really good TV. In business, I think that if great sales, rather than sales dominance is the focus, then you’re likely to succeed regardless of what percentage of the marketplace is yours. So let’s forget about being better and focus on being great.

Shopping for a desktop radio these days is somewhat laughable look into three generations of audio technology. They span the spectrum from cassette tape, to CD, to iPod dockable. So being the tech geek that I am, I figured that were I going to shell out for a radio alarm, it ought to be able to talk to my iPod. But then I took that a step further. It really should talk to my iPhone.

iPod speaker docks abound. iPhone docks, not so much. And it isn’t as though you can just plug an iPhone into any old iPod speaker dock. It either doesn’t work at all, insists on “Airplane Mode”, or all you hear is GSM static through the speakers every time the phone reacquires the tower. So you’ve got to go with a dock actually designed to work with the iPhone. There are a few options, some that even include speaker phone capability, but those run in the $200 range. Since what I’m truly looking for is a desk radio first and foremost, spending “two hundo” just isn’t worth it. After searching both the local Apple Store, the interwebs, and finally Best Buy, I nabbed a Sony ICF-C1iP Dock with Clock for iPod or iPhone.

After playing with it for about half an hour at Best Buy, three things really cinched it for me with this dock.

1. Real iPhone integration with full remote control of the iPhone’s iPod functions and menus
2. A deep and adjustable docking station with enough room in its base to allow me to dock my iPhone without removing it from its hard case.
3. Its $99 price tag — at least $50 less than its nearest competitor without lacking in any important features.

Setup
As I expected, getting set up was pretty much simply getting it out of the box. No big deal. But in plugging it in, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it sets its own time. All you need to do is tell it your GMT+x time zone and it somehow knows exactly what time it is. Score! The infuriating time setting buttons on my old clock radio are a big reason why that thing is going to be ceremonially destroyed.

Functions
The display is clear and easy to understand. I really appreciate its simplicity. The designers didn’t try to get clever, which would be a big temptation in an iPhone peripheral. Clear numbers, intuitive controls, and a handy remote. Not too shabby. You can set two separate alarms, choose iPod, radio, or buzzer as your alarm noise, and even choose a separate volume level for the alarm as you set it. You can’t set an alarm from the remote, but that’s not a huge shortcoming.

I especially appreciate the adjustable back rest on the docking station. By twisting a knob behind the speakers, a back rest pushes in or out to adjust to and support whatever size iPod or iPhone you’ve docked. All the way in, it supports my iPhone in its hard case perfectly. All the way out, it would surely support one of the super thin last generation iPod Nano models. Pretty slick.

Audio Quality
With such small speakers, sound quality is always the big “if” on gadgets like this. As I docked my iPhone for the first time and cued up The White Stripes, the sound was about what I expected. Nice highs, strong mids, and lows simply adorable in their pitiful little attempt at being thumpy. Although initially it seemed a little rough and sloppy in the sound, I switched over to U2 and was relieved that it was just Jack and Meg that sounded scratchy. With a little trial-and-error on the iPod EQ settings, Bono was belting out a Vertigo and the sound filled the room and my entire upstairs very nicely. Though the bass response is not at all thunderous, the sound is full and especially clear. These speakers paired with a small sub would be a great combination.

What really impressed me, however, was the radio. Switching over to NPR, the clarity of the signal and sound was just fantastic. I had to check to box to see if this was actually an HD radio receiver. It sounds that good. Which is perfect, since wake-up radio this was my principle reason for buying the thing.

My only gripes
First, the power chord is too short. It’s not quite three feet in length and that means that if you don’t have a power outlet real close, it’s extension chord time. Ick.

Secondly, the Sony remote control for this dock missed out on a real opportunity. Since its iPod/iPhone integration is its key selling point, why not arrange the controls to mirror the controls on an iPod? Granted, there are additional functions to say, the Apple Remote that’s used in Apple’s universal dock, Apple TV, and Apple computers, but why not group the iPod-specific functions in the way people are used to them? It isn’t as though the Sony remote doesn’t work, it’s just disappointing that this remote doesn’t seem designed intentionally for iPod use. It’s probably a shared remote with other Sony products. Not the end of the world, but a real missed opportunity.

Final Rating: 8/10

This is a great little dock, an even better radio, and a very nice addition to my bedroom. What it lacks in punch, it makes up for in clarity. Speakerphone would be nice, but it’s really just not worth $100 extra.

Hits

• Simple, elegant design
• Highly functional remote control includes iPod menu functions
• Great sound clarity, especially at this price point
• Good price point at $99
• Real iPhone integration and very little GSM interference
• A truly universal dock with enough room for my iPhone to dock in its case
• Sets time itself
• Fantastic radio reception
• Dual alarms with lots of options

Misses

• Could use a little more bass
• Remote will control iPod functions, but the buttons aren’t iPod intuative
• Power chord too short