January 1, 2001

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Innovators And Influencers 2001

On The Verge Of A PDA Explosion

CEO Donna Dubinsky champions Handspring development

By Matthew G. Nelson

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personal digital assistant should make it easier to manage and schedule your time, but so far it hasn't created any extra free moments in Donna Dubinsky's daily life. "Being short of time is my perennial problem," she admits. But as the president and CEO of PDA-maker Handspring Inc., and co-founder of Palm Inc. in 1992, Dubinsky points out that the Handspring Platinum she carries does help her organize her time and thoughts. However, nothing can help if you have too much to do. "Having an organizer doesn't stop you from overbooking yourself," Dubinsky says.

Dubinsky, 43, began her IT career at Apple Computer in 1981 where the Harvard MBA worked in customer support until moving over to work at Apple software maker Claris Corp. as a sales and marketing manager. A decade later, Dubinsky joined PDA pioneer Jeff Hawkins to help create Palm, purchased by U.S. Robotics, which in turn was acquired by 3Com Corp.

Dubinsky and Hawkins left 3Com in 1998 to form Handspring. Though Handspring sales are solid--they soared 36% last quarter--Dubinsky downplays her role in the development of the company's Visor product line, giving credit to Hawkins for driving product strategy. "I get my vote on features and functionality, things such as colors and stuff like that," she says.

GREAT ESCAPE : A year off from work in the early 1990s to study French in Paris

LEISURE TIME: Belongs to a book club. This past year's fare had a millennium theme. "We started with the year 1000-the first identified novel out of Japan, 'Tale Of The Genji'-and did something from the year 1000, and then 1100, and from 1200, 1300, and all the way through to the last one, which was the first Harry Potter book."

But friend and mentor Bill Campbell says Dubinsky is too modest. Being CEO plays to Dubinsky's talents, he says, noting her ability not to micromanage personnel and letting people do what they do best. "She takes information and turns it into business fundamentals," says Campbell, Claris' founder and now chairman of the board at Intuit Inc. Campbell is especially impressed with Dubinsky's championing an open development environment for the Handspring Visor and Palm operating systems, which lets other innovators contribute to the platforms. "I think that 2001 is the year they're going to capitalize on that opportunity," he says.

Dubinsky, too, is optimistic about the PDA's future as the devices gain wider acceptance and use as companies attach handhelds to their networks. "Much as the PCs sort of came in through the back door, PDAs are coming at you, too," she says.

Running a highly touted Silicon Valley startup doesn't leave Dubinsky much free time. "I don't even know how to turn the TV on. I've never seen [Who Wants To Be A] Millionaire," she says. "I never watched Survivor. I never even saw Jerry Seinfeld."

Dubinsky does steal a few moments to play several games stored on her Visor. "I really like this game Sakoban," she says. "You push these boxes around this warehouse. I like puzzle games." For time-strapped Dubinsky, the PDA is, indeed, work and play.

Photo by Robert Houser

Continue on to Harriet Edelman, senior VP and CIO Avon Products Inc.

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