Editorial: Palm’s New Foleo Mobile Companion
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My first impression of the new Palm Foleo Mobile Companion wasn’t positive because the “big new product announcement” wasn’t what I had expected. I was thinking we might receive a new Treo based on Linux. Or maybe a new Treo form factor with a full-face touch screen, like the upcoming iPhone from Apple. So my first impression of the Palm Foleo Mobile Companion was along the lines of, “What is this, some kind of poor-man’s laptop? I want to see the next generation Treo!” And based on some of what I’ve been reading in the discussion forum today, I wasn’t the only person who initially felt this way.
But after listening closely to what Jeff Hawkins said in Palm’s webcast, I understand his vision, and that the Foleo Mobile Companion is just the first step towards a very interesting and exciting future.
What We Know
The Foleo Mobile Companion won’t be released until this summer, and the technical specifications haven’t been clearly defined. But let’s review some of the information we have about the Foleo today:
- Cost: $499 after $100 mail-in rebate
- Size: 0.94” thick, 6.67” deep, 10.55” wide (basically just wide enough for the full-size keyboard)
- Memory: The amount of internal memory is not known, but there is an internal Compact Flash slot for “built-in” memory that will be user-upgradable and an external Secure Digital slot for expanded storage.
- Processor: No details on the specific processor, but Jeff mentioned in the webcast that it wasn’t a high-end processor so we shouldn’t expect too much
- Battery Life: 5 hours of actual usage (or all day when you consider that it is powered down when you turn it off or close the lid)
- Display: 10” color screen (1024×600) with VGA output (1024×768), but not a touch-screen
- Network Connectivity: Wi-Fi (when within range of a hotspot) or Bluetooth (using your phone)
- Supported Devices: The Foleo works with the Palm Treo running Palm OS, the Palm Treo running Windows Mobile. It should also work with any Windows Mobile smartphone.
- Navigation: There is a button mouse in the middle of the keyboard, and a scroll wheel with left and right buttons below the keyboard. There are also four arrow keys for navigating documents. Scroll wheel can be moved one click at a time to move one row at a time or faster movement moves one page at a time.
- Other features:
- “Instant On” so there is no delay between pressing the power button and using the Foleo.
- Includes a new version of Documents to Go from DataViz for viewing editing Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF files.
- Slight ribbing on the side so it is easy to grip
- Like a book, the screen can be opened from the front or sides without any latches
- Running Linux OS with access to terminal interface
- Allows third-party developers to deliver additional features and functionality (just like the Palm OS and unlike the Apple iPhone)
- Can be password protected and you can use Treo to automatically unlock when within range
What the Foleo is Today
While it looks a lot like a laptop, the Foleo is described as the first device in a new category called “Mobile Companions”. There is a difference between a mobile companion and a laptop, and in order to understand the Foleo it’s necessary to understand this difference.
Rather than starting with the laptop, we need to start with the original Palm Pilot. The first Palm Pilot was a personal digital assistant that allowed you to keep track of contacts, events, tasks and notes, with the ability to be extended by developers to do much more. Once the mobile phone industry could support it, the Palm OS devices evolved to support wireless networking features such as email and web browsing, becoming a new type of device called the “smartphone”.
Over the next few years the Treo smartphone incrementally evolved, gaining more memory, faster processors, better screens, higher resolution cameras (not necessarily better), Bluetooth support, and so on. Life was good and getting better (a possible exception being the frustrated Treo 700p users who waited a year for a maintenance release).
But the more powerful the Treo smartphone became, the more obvious it became that there are two irreconcilable desires that users have. We want something with a keyboard that is easy to type on, we want a large screen for browsing the web, and we want our smartphone to be as small as possible so it is easy to carry around in our pocket. Big keyboard and big screens are simply incompatible with small devices.
In my opinion, the Treo form factor is by far the best compromise between form and function when compared to any other smartphone. But it is still a compromise.
And that’s where the concept of a “mobile companion” comes in…
What are the two main problems with using a smartphone for heavy duty email, writing documents or browsing the web? The screen and keyboard are both too small.
What does the Foleo do? Its primary purpose is to address these problems by providing a full-size keyboard and large screen that can be used as input and display devices for your smartphone. Jeff Hawkins emphasized this point a few times during his presentation, but it still took a while for the point to sink in for me. Since the Foleo looks like a laptop, I kept comparing it to a laptop, and while some people might be able to use the Foleo instead of laptop, I think that is more of a side effect than Palm’s intention.
But just because the Foleo’s primary purpose is to be a video and keyboard extension to your smartphone doesn’t mean it can’t do a lot more…
I’m thinking the Foleo would be an awesome device for browsing the web around the house. Just leave one on your coffee table and if you want to check something on the web all you need to do is open it up, turn it on and start browsing. With the instant-on feature you can be browsing in a second or two using your household Wi-Fi connection. While I love being able to browse the web with my Treo, if I have the choice between a 10” screen and a 2.5” screen, I’ll take the larger screen any day.
And if I want to head down to the coffee shop for a bit of reading or writing, or possibly putting together a draft of a presentation for work, I can easily do that with the Foleo. If I need more powerful features I can always copy the files to my desktop PC, but for the majority of things I need to do on a daily basis the Foleo should be fine.
What the Foleo is Not (at least Today)
While it looks like a laptop, the Foleo is not intended to be a replacement for your laptop. It doesn’t have the processing power or memory to run CPU-intensive applications like Photoshop or to do video editing, and it probably never will because major processing power meaningfully shortens the battery life of mobile devices.
That doesn’t mean the Foleo can’t do many things you would normally do on your laptop. It can, just like your Treo smartphone can. But for full laptop functionality, such as being able to run Windows or Mac applications, you will still want a laptop.
What the Foleo May Become
I believe Palm still intends to continue making smartphones both smarter and more powerful, but with the introduction of the Foleo Mobile Companion I believe Palm now has the flexibility to explore different form factors to address different customer needs.
For example, while the current Treo form factor with a built-in keyboard is targeted at users that do a lot of typing on their Treo, some users might be willing to trade the Treo’s keyboard for a larger screen and on-screen keyboard. While on on-screen keyboard isn’t as usable as a fixed keyboard, this shortcoming is minimized if you can use a Mobile Companion for your more intensive data entry tasks.
Also remember that the Foleo is running the Linux OS, and just like the original Palm Pilot and Palm OS, Palm is going to publish SDKs so that the developer community can build upon this new platform. There is every reason to expect that at least some of the many Linux developers out there will be looking at the Foleo as an opportunity to leverage their skills at building great applications to fill the needs of Foleo and smartphone users.
I believe the Foleo is a lot like the early Palm Pilot, the first product in a new category that will evolve in the coming months and years. It may take a while for a lot of people to be convinced that these devices are useful and worth their price tag, but as functionality is added and costs come down, I believe more and more people will start to “get it”.
Closing Thoughts
Like any first generation device, the first Foleo Mobile Companion will have some shortcomings and some of them will be showstoppers for certain users. The initial price is fairly high if you only see the Foleo as a full-size keyboard for your Treo, and the features are too skimpy if you see it as an alternative to a laptop. But I’m sure that there are a number of smartphone users out there like myself who will immediately find the Foleo a useful companion for their Treo or Windows Mobile device. And I think that, just like in the early days of the Palm Pilot, the number of users will increase over time.
Related Links
Palm Foleo Announced: Laptop-like Smartphone Companion
Palm Webcast: Foleo Mobile Companion
Foleo Mobile Companion Video Clips
Filed under: Editorials
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ok, excitement turned into disapointment. $500 for email and a crappy browser? give me a processor to run docs2go, that would be helpful.
A couple odd things:
* If Palm actually expects this to be used as a modem via bluetooth, then they had better have a “sit down” with the carriers. Sprint is by far the most reasonably priced carrier - and just using the Treo as a modem is an *additional* $40.00 per month. (yes, there are ways around that like PDAnet - but they technically violate the cell agreement. Surely Palm doesn’t expect to release something like this which will make all it’s owners overpay for tethering or break their contracts).
* Seems to me that the “hot new thing” Palm is embracing is the less-useful and smaller capacity MiniSD cards. If these are so great - why does the “Fooleo” have that “antique” SD card slot *only*? Oh, and a compact flash card too - just like Abraham Lincoln used to have in his digicam… If Palm is going to shove miniSD down our throats - why not include that slot on here? I don’t want yet another “adapter” to carry around and lose at the worst possible time…
ilabelul:
The Foleo WILL run a new version of docs2go, just like on the Treo but with a bigger screen. It will also let you give PowerPoint presentations (or at least D2G versions) using the VGA output at 1024×768 resolution (actually, the connector looks like some mini VGA port that will require a special adapter).
WRONG (if you are talking about sprint charging 40.00 for data plan that is)
I use my Treo as modem everyday and have ever since the option was available (Treo 700p) and have had my data plan for years with sprint, and it’s 14.95/month unlimited. If you are paying more than 15.00 through sprint, you better get ahold f them, cause you are being screw**. I even had a kid help me find a device driver for it one day and he said that he uses his all day long as well (a SPrint emplyoee) Most carriers are like 49.99/month for data ahem…Verixon to name one.
Faslane
Joad:
Yeah, I wondered about the use of SD cards instead of MiniSD, but I think it makes sense because the Foleo is targeted at ALL smartphone users, not just Treo users and many of them will have SD cards. Plus, most Mini and MicroSD cards come with full-size SD card adapters that you could just leave in the Folio’s SD card slot so it doesn’t get lost.
I believe the internal CF memory is more like a computer’s RAM…you might upgrade it once, but otherwise you leave it alone. I’m not sure why they went with CF instead of SD for this memory…maybe costs or maybe some other technical reasons. But since it isn’t really intended to be swappable memory it shouldn’t matter that much (unless you want to upgrade it and don’t have a CF card around). Also, CF cards are still commonly used in most high-end digital SLR camers (sometimes in addition to SD).
Joad:
Yeah, I wondered about the use of SD cards instead of MiniSD, but I think it makes sense because the Foleo is targeted at ALL smartphone users, not just Treo users and many of them will have SD cards. Plus, most Mini and MicroSD cards come with full-size SD card adapters that you could just leave in the Folio’s SD card slot so it doesn’t get lost.
I believe the internal CF memory is more like a computer’s RAM…you might upgrade it once, but otherwise you leave it alone. I’m not sure why they went with CF instead of SD for this memory…maybe costs or maybe some other technical reasons. But since it isn’t really intended to be swappable memory it shouldn’t matter that much (unless you want to upgrade it and don’t have a CF card around). Also, CF cards are still commonly used in most high-end digital SLR camers (sometimes in addition to SD).
Joad:
Yeah, I wondered about the use of SD cards instead of MiniSD, but I think it makes sense because the Foleo is targeted at ALL smartphone users, not just Treo users and many of them will have SD cards. Plus, most Mini and MicroSD cards come with full-size SD card adapters that you could just leave in the Folio’s SD card slot so it doesn’t get lost.
I believe the internal CF memory is more like a computer’s RAM…you might upgrade it once, but otherwise you leave it alone. I’m not sure why they went with CF instead of SD for this memory…maybe costs or maybe some other technical reasons. But since it isn’t really intended to be swappable memory it shouldn’t matter that much (unless you want to upgrade it and don’t have a CF card around). Also, CF cards are still commonly used in most high-end digital SLR camers (sometimes in addition to SD).
faslane>>>> WRONG (if you are talking about sprint charging 40.00 for data plan that is)
I use my Treo as modem everyday and have ever since the option was available (Treo 700p) and have had my data plan for years with sprint, and it’s 14.95/month unlimited. If you are paying more than 15.00 through sprint, you better get ahold f them, cause you are being screw**.
—————————————————–
Let me get this straight, faslane - you have a legitimate unlimited EVDO data “Phone As Modem” plan with Sprint for $14.95/month? AND you are representing that this is easily available for anyone?
If you are actually talking *true* “Phone as Modem” EVDO coverage through Sprint for $14.95/mo - please cite where Sprint publishes this plan. Here’s all I see:
Plan Info
Vision Phone as Modem 40 MB
For customers whose data usage varies from month-to-month.
Per Month $39.99
Included Usage: 40 MB
Additional Usage: $.001 per Kilobyte
Maximum Monthly Usage Charge: $69.99
* After reaching $69.99 Maximum Monthly Usage Charge, all additional usage billed at $0.000 per kilobyte
faslane>>>> WRONG (if you are talking about sprint charging 40.00 for data plan that is)
I use my Treo as modem everyday and have ever since the option was available (Treo 700p) and have had my data plan for years with sprint, and it’s 14.95/month unlimited. If you are paying more than 15.00 through sprint, you better get ahold f them, cause you are being screw**.
—————————————————–
Let me get this straight, faslane - you have a legitimate unlimited EVDO data “Phone As Modem” plan with Sprint for $14.95/month? AND you are representing that this is easily available for anyone?
If you are actually talking *true* “Phone as Modem” EVDO coverage through Sprint for $14.95/mo - please cite where Sprint publishes this plan. Here’s all I see:
Plan Info
Vision Phone as Modem 40 MB
For customers whose data usage varies from month-to-month.
Per Month $39.99
Included Usage: 40 MB
Additional Usage: $.001 per Kilobyte
Maximum Monthly Usage Charge: $69.99
* After reaching $69.99 Maximum Monthly Usage Charge, all additional usage billed at $0.000 per kilobyte
faslane>>>> WRONG (if you are talking about sprint charging 40.00 for data plan that is)
I use my Treo as modem everyday and have ever since the option was available (Treo 700p) and have had my data plan for years with sprint, and it’s 14.95/month unlimited. If you are paying more than 15.00 through sprint, you better get ahold f them, cause you are being screw**.
—————————————————–
Let me get this straight, faslane - you have a legitimate unlimited EVDO data “Phone As Modem” plan with Sprint for $14.95/month? AND you are representing that this is easily available for anyone?
If you are actually talking *true* “Phone as Modem” EVDO coverage through Sprint for $14.95/mo - please cite where Sprint publishes this plan. Here’s all I see:
Plan Info
Vision Phone as Modem 40 MB
For customers whose data usage varies from month-to-month.
Per Month $39.99
Included Usage: 40 MB
Additional Usage: $.001 per Kilobyte
Maximum Monthly Usage Charge: $69.99
* After reaching $69.99 Maximum Monthly Usage Charge, all additional usage billed at $0.000 per kilobyte
Other features:
* “Instant On” so there is no delay between pressing the power button and using the Foleo.
…maybe soon this technology will come to the laggy Treo line :)
YES……ask around here, there was a forum on this somewhere awhile ack, i pay 39.00 for a 300 anytime minute plan in S.D. CA, I pay an additional 14.95/month for my data plan, so i can tether my phone and use it as a modem on my laptop, My monthly bill is 39.00 and 14.95 each month, plus a few in the normal taxes and insurance. I bouth the data plan a year or more ago, maybe that’s why it’s cheaper, I dunno…Ask Alli about it, she also knows, because she and I corrected someone on a forum one other time about it….I pay 14.95 for my data plan a month, I use about 2hrs a day average phone as modem.
Cheers
Faslane
p.s. here is a direct quote from a similar discussion here on the board, just looked it up….read 3rd one down from Karen, she also has the 14.95plan!!!
http://mytreo.net/forum/index.php/topic,29750.msg236754.html#msg236754
Not asure why this stuff is double posting….weird I only hit enter once and I see 2 messages posted, each the same as other. weird….not me I swear!!! I’m only hitting post once!
Faslane
ok, missed the docs2go info in the column. guess i was shaking my head so hard, i went right past it. so i want it to do more with the calendar, do some graphic editing and plug in a laptop mouse…oh, and i want it to do my job for me so i don’t have to wake up in the morning and drive to the office. if it can’t, then drop the price to $200 and maybe i’ll consider it. oh, and video messaging.
ilabelu:
Heck, if it would do my job for me I’d pay $1,000 easy…it would pay for itself in no time ;-)
The Foleo definitely has some shortcomings, but then again I consider this a V1.0 device…much like the original Palm Pilot where you had a choice of a whopping 128K or 512K. But I think Palm’s plan is that these mobile companion devices will evolve much like the Palm devices have.
oh no i’m very dissapointed… this may make my final situation to not invest in the next treo, because Palm would rather create a useless assesory rather than addressing problems with the 700p
IF anyone is interested in what this fantastic new product might be like just search on “psion netbook”. The references may be a bit old as the product was released in 2001, explains no BT but the wifi is there and the battery lasts 6-8 hours. You can buy one on eBay but here in the UK the used price is more than the Foleo’s RRP. BTW, my T-Mobile data plan is £7.50 for the Treo (all I can eat) but if I use the Treo as a modem it goes to £12.50 or £22.50 (if I want VoIP or IM).
I have read and re-read this review, as well as others, and still have not found anything the Folio + a Treo can do or may do in the future that cannot be done with a laptop. And they cost about the same, but the laptop can do more. Can someone give me an example of something that can be done with a Folio that cannot be done on a laptop - other than run 3rd party apps? There are great keyboards that cost less that $100.
Quite frankly I bought my first Treo in the hopes of replacing my laptop. Now my employer is switching to remote access and webmail applications that won’t work on a Treo.
I would like very much to see improvements in the OS, better interface with 3rd party apps. I truly wish this change in direction made sense but is doesn’t.
WOW@ the price anyway faslane is correct all you need is an unlimited data plan from sprint $15 or $20 and use your phone as a modem. I have the $20 plan and i can surf all day on my laptop…
To ehw:
Do you want to know what you can do with a Treo + a Foleo that you can’t do with a laptop? Here is an example: You can carry the Treo in your pocket all the time, and for most tasks that will be enough.
But sometimes you will need a larger screen and keyboard — which is what the Foleo adds to your Treo. I foresee that this will happen more and more frequently as smartphones get more memory and CPU power.
You say that a keyboard costs $100. That addresses only a small part of the problem. For many people and for several tasks, a large screen is at least as important as a large keyboard.
I live my entire life on an 11 inch Sony TX laptop. It was supposed to be my second “travel” computer. But the 7 hour battery life, EVDO connectivity and light weight make it a joy to have with me.
The experience with the Sony showed me how appealing the form factor is. I believe Palm’s much lower priced Foleo is going to be very popular. People are going to want internet and web browsing from a lightweight easy to use device that can go anywhere.
I’d like to see Palm roll out precisely the same product but with enough processing power to accommodate movies. Maybe future iterations can run full versions of Windows (though I’m interested to see how much I like Palm’s Linux skin).
Ok, it’s sounds nice: But will it reset in sync with the 700p so both devices go down at the same time, thus saving hours of frustration having each reset at different times?? (lots of sarcasim here)
Frankly, it’s too expensive to consider an option at this time.
alessandrot60 says:
QUOTE:To ehw:
“Do you want to know what you can do with a Treo + a Foleo that you can’t do with a laptop? Here is an example: You can carry the Treo in your pocket all the time, and for most tasks that will be enough.
But sometimes you will need a larger screen and keyboard — which is what the Foleo adds to your Treo. I foresee that this will happen more and more frequently as smartphones get more memory and CPU power.
You say that a keyboard costs $100. That addresses only a small part of the problem. For many people and for several tasks, a large screen is at least as important as a large keyboard.END QUOTE
(Sorry I don’t know how to copy your post into my reply) Any way, I don’t see your suggestion to be any different than what I could do with a laptop - I carry my Treo for most things and for others you suggest Folio. I truly don’t see this as different than carrying a laptop when needed. And as far as the Keyboaard is concerned - I can carry mine in my pocket.
I wonder if Palm ultimately wants to break into the Laptop market. Hmmm.
I followed that link faslane posted: (”Need help deciding between 650 and 700!”), and maybe I’ve lost my ability to read but there’s nothing in there about a “phone as modem for $15/mo” plan. I’ve got unlimited EVDO plan, but AFAIK there’s an additional charge for tethering - which this Fooleo will definitely be doing by a Carrier’s definition. If you are tethering a 700p to your laptop without a “phone as modem” plan and not getting charged more than $15/month then I want in!
Ugh! You people don’t get it! Many of us don’t want to carry around a laptop when we aren’t going to use 90% of the functionality it has. When I’m on the road, most of what I do with my laptop is email, work on documents, make Powerpoint presentations, and browse the web. My laptop is heavy and to big to effectively work on a plane. My Treo is great, but the keyboard and screen are too small to do serious work on documents or Powerpoint. So, the Foleo is exactly what I am looking for. With that tethered to my Treo, I have almost everything I need when on the road and nothing I don’t need. Now, I will admit, movies would be great, but I can live without that. The only negative about the Foleo is that it doesn’t have the Palm PIM functions. I’m hoping they add that before it comes out.
How much did Hawkins pay you??? I viewed the webcast, and I was not at all impressed. Rather spend a few hundred more and get a small laptop (about the same size, and do a whole lot more). Thanks, but no thanks, I rather put my money to far better use.
Ok, so here is the first piece of add-on software that this very interesting device needs: a Linux-based GoToMyPC viewer. With that single addition, I can access my desktop at work (with all of its software, power and network files) or my home system (with all of its power, files, and software). Viola, I can work on a home photoshop project, or access any of my corporate applications from the Starbucks with my T-Mobile hotspot account that is included with my Treo unlimited data plan. I truly do not need a laptop on the road, because everything I need is either in my corporate network or my home network, and all I need to do is leave those machines on to access everything. I think this is a brilliant direction (and by the way, my very un-tech-savvy uncle, who we’ve been communicating with via Blackberry, can now have a fully-functioning email and web-browsing machine without all the complications of Windows for a very reasonable price, once we switch him to a Treo).
I’m not a power computing user - just an average computer user that spends all day in front of a computer using only a handful of general management and office software. I don’t program nor do video/graphics in any large way apart from keeping my photographs organised. I’ve a desktop computer in the office and at home and during the time I spend between these 2 places, I don’t really need a computer with the Treo being sufficiently powerful to do all my mobile computing needs.
Occasionally I travel for work and I have to work out of the Treo. It’s slightly geekish and a little tricky but works fine - emails, web and general documents (plus all the other Treo niceties). I have made do without a laptop all this while but the Foleo device would be just the thing I want for slightly more serious work outside of the office and home. And will probably be the device of choice for me to surf on at home.
I’m looking forward to instant web and having to charge only once per day. My concern is that the Foleo web will not be fully featured - I use Opera now (damn good browser) but some sites are not configured to run under Opera - only IE.
This is brilliant for the many clinicians that move between hospital, office, auto and home. Put Citrix and a VPN on it and they’ll sell a zillion; if my docs can use this instead of a device the hospital provides them to connect to the hospital record or their office record it will also reduce hospital challenges in delivering one device per active clinician in an area as per Tinstman’s research.
@ jc924
You are right. I don’t get it. How is the Foleo better than a laptop?
The ONLY slight advantage that I see is that things are synched with the Treo as you do them on the Foleo. Big deal.
The Foleo isn’t that much smaller than a laptop, is it? But it can’t do as much as a laptop.
We aren’t saying you should give up the Treo for a laptop; we are just trying to understand why Treo + Foleo > Treo + laptop. No one has been able to show me how this is true. All I see is Treo + Foleo < Treo + laptop.
Ok so this annoucement of the Foleo was a disappointment, Hawkins had us salivating for a month and guessing what he’d rollout. And yes, I was stunned at what IT turned out to be. BUT, this could just be the first product in a new device category that will arrive in full force over the next five years. No it’s not laptop, doesn’t profess to be one. And thankfully it won’t do Windows, it’s not a god awful Tablet (good luck with that one Gates), it’s a companion, an extension of the Treo or any mobile/pocket size device. And I can envision it’s usefulness.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to tweak a spreadsheet from an email I received on the road and had to pull over pull out the laptop, boot WinXP, then Excel, … heck I’d be done and sent on a Foleo by now.
Jobs & Gates in their interview at D5, (see part 3 Video) both express the belief that a small portable device will be the next “form factor” to emerge. They both acted like they didn’t know what Mossberg was talking about when he mention the Foleo, but I am not so sure they didn’t just stiffen in anxiety of not being the first to market.
Palm may have got the jump on both Apple & Microsoft here. If Palm can get the Third Party support, like a Slingplayer or Kimona for Foleo, with WiFi, this thing could rock!
The price point, well I think $399 could really get the early adopters lined up, heck we’re paying that for new Treos on Ebay.
Bottom line: the Foleo has potential as the accessory it’s meant to be. I’ll be sending my laptop to my college student if this thing gets the support from Palm etal that it’ll need to be for real.
I want a Foleo with the OLPC technology so:
1) I can take my time and read on the larger screen in ePaper mode, with the power turned off.
2) I can recharge it with a hand-crank.
I am also *intensely* sceptical about pointing usability - they are seriously suggesting the only point device is the keyboard-mounted nipple^h^h^h^h^h mini-joystick? Do you know *anyone* who uses those even for menu selection, let alone clicking and accurately selecting areas of text in a document?
Ok…let me see…a 10″ screen (mini-laptop sized), lite-weight processor, runs specialized apps (not conventional Win Apps) for $500 PLUS you have to connect through your phone.
My IBM Thinkpad X31 has a 10″ XGA screen (1024*768),1.5 gig processor, 2 gig RAM, 5 hours of REAL battery life (in USE, and I only use standby mode on occasion!), a 100gig hard drive, runs XP and native Win apps (or Linux if you desire!), built-in 100 mbit ethernet, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, a PCMCIA card for my Sprint card all for under $1000 (granted not-new price…about $1200 new). And I use my Treo as my smart phone that syncs to my laptop.
http://www.prelovedcomputers.com/proddetail.php?prod=75067
http://compreviews.about.com/cs/laptops/gr/aaprIBMTPX31.htm
Tell me how this device can compare? Seems like $500 for a not-quite laptop but the same size/weight of a lightweight laptop.
The cf slot….well I have seen these cards with up to 16gbs so if this is like hard drive space, that’s a lot of mp3’s and documents…if that is ram….well, that’s a lot. The fact is that even iPod mini’s use these cf cards, and can be upgraded with a little work. Why not use mini sd…well, I have seen a 4gb sd card, but not that big of a mini or micro sd, although the micros are at 2gb. Just another place to have more storage. I am not sure that I would buy this…because I already have a laptop and a treo…but if I didn’t have the laptop…maybe this would be something i would consider.
Silicon Valley entrepreneur and strategy consultant Sramana Mitra, writes a review on Linux laptop replacement device by Palm. Read all about it in her blog: http://sramanamitra.com/blog/1072.
Great review, John. Obviously, from the feedback, there is at least some interest in this type of technology, whether it’s wanted or not. Even the naysayer’s have read the article, done a little research and spent the time to comment. That in itself, is positive. It shows the developers where the interest and ideas for improvement exist. Like it was stated, this is a Ver.1.0 product, similar to the Psion Netbook and some other efforts in the late 1990’s, but at least an attempt at stirring the pot of SOS-DD technology moves. I believe the spectrum is so broad, as to the effective use of such a device, Palm, in an effort to be innovative, stuck “it” out there and is trying something new. It took a creative mind to develop the screw and screwdriver, but at the end of the day you only have tools. It’s what you do with these tools that makes them powerful. Some users just don’t need this type of tool (or haven’t thought of a way to employ them, yet), for others, especially those who interact with W3C compliant web sites and portals, this could be a dream fulfilled of a lightweight/small form factor mobile interface terminal.
I, also welcome the boldness of Palm to skin Linux. As a cert. carrying MCSE for the last 8+ years, I’m fine with the various directions MS has gone with their OS’s and apps, but I predominantly support SMB’s and of those several real estate companies. The Palm PDA’s did wonders for the speed and performance of a Real Estate Agent, who was willing to learn it and turn it into their magic “Screwdriver”. Adding the phone, with the Treo, has changed to turning the screws with a drill; exponentially more powerful. However, getting the user up to speed on the interoperability, and at the same time getting them to dream up new ways to use this tool to their client’s advantage, has proven to be a huge challenge. The carriers, have not helped either, since depending on who you’re with, different features and functions vary, based on what has been intentionally crippled in the carrier’s version of the firmware. The Foleo, seems to flatten the field a bit and allow connectivity from a variety of methods, and interoperability with a large variety of Treos and devices (i.e. the standard SD slot, which you can keep you MiniSD adapter which will securely stow in the slot, and now you have a MiniSD slot…)
The price tag is steep, but not unexpected for bleeding edge, since R&D is a large chunk of the rate.
A final note, would be on the Citrix issue. I have had some success with the web delivery models and the use of Java based clients on PalmOS based devices. However with the skinning of Linux this may be a lot easier. Citrix has a terrific quiver of servers and tools these days, and the Foleo definitely fits in the mix as an Inter/Intranet thin node, working off published apps and interacting with portal data and connectivity.
Thanks again for the review, John.