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Palm Foleo Revealed
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I don't think it's an either-or proposition.
Like most everyone else who has posted so far, I'm underwhelmed by this announcement. Until I can see some more hard technical specs (such as storage capacity, processor speed, etc.) I'm not exactly sure what to think. However, to play devil's advocate, I can see how it would be an attractive option for some customers. I'm thinking about people like my parents, or even my wife, who basically use their computers to check e-mail, surf the web, use Office-type applications, and maybe manage their photos and music. A Wi-Fi enabled, inexpensive "sub" notebook like this would be a pretty good fit for them.
Exactly...
The reason why people carry around bulkier PDA/Cellphones is that it makes a good compromise between form factor and utility. I carry around a phone. So carrying around a slightly bigger phone that gives me some limited computer function is valuable.
The problem with the Folio is that the form factor isn't sufficiently small to make it reasonable to carry around, but it's too small to make it a decent option as a computer. You'd need a bag of some sort to carry it and at that point you may as well carry a full blown laptop.
Basically I don't see any hybrid form factor doing well. Once something gets beyond pocket size you may as well go to a full size laptop. Where the useful innovation will be is in making that pocket size form factor more useful or the laptop form factor more powerful. My sense is that the iPhone may make some strides in the pocket size realm, but we'll see.
The reason why people carry around bulkier PDA/Cellphones is that it makes a good compromise between form factor and utility. I carry around a phone. So carrying around a slightly bigger phone that gives me some limited computer function is valuable.
The problem with the Folio is that the form factor isn't sufficiently small to make it reasonable to carry around, but it's too small to make it a decent option as a computer. You'd need a bag of some sort to carry it and at that point you may as well carry a full blown laptop.
Basically I don't see any hybrid form factor doing well. Once something gets beyond pocket size you may as well go to a full size laptop. Where the useful innovation will be is in making that pocket size form factor more useful or the laptop form factor more powerful. My sense is that the iPhone may make some strides in the pocket size realm, but we'll see.
love the idea.
love the size.
love the price.
hate the look.
hate the OS.
hate the wireless limitations.
so it has potential. come on apple....
love the size.
love the price.
hate the look.
hate the OS.
hate the wireless limitations.
so it has potential. come on apple....
It's okay... maybe my linux loving friends would die for it.
I really don't care about bashing this product or any other since Apple put out some bombs too that older fanboys are still loving, like the G4 Cube and the eMate. They were both innovative and crappy and expensive... at least this thing is only $500.
What I am really excited about is that this device is the stepping stone for Palm's new Linux based OS that will bring the company to the year 2007, up from 2001. I have Sprint, so the iPhone is way out of the question, the Blackberries suck, so the next best thing price and functionality wise is the Palm Treo. Give it a new OS that is a little more compatible with Mac OS X and Palm will have a device that will out sell the iPhone in the other markets that don't use Cingular.
p.s. The Foleo is ugly and a bit outdated, but the iPhone is no where near it in functionality... there is no substitute for an actual keyboard other than the thing MS introduced earlier.
I really don't care about bashing this product or any other since Apple put out some bombs too that older fanboys are still loving, like the G4 Cube and the eMate. They were both innovative and crappy and expensive... at least this thing is only $500.
What I am really excited about is that this device is the stepping stone for Palm's new Linux based OS that will bring the company to the year 2007, up from 2001. I have Sprint, so the iPhone is way out of the question, the Blackberries suck, so the next best thing price and functionality wise is the Palm Treo. Give it a new OS that is a little more compatible with Mac OS X and Palm will have a device that will out sell the iPhone in the other markets that don't use Cingular.
p.s. The Foleo is ugly and a bit outdated, but the iPhone is no where near it in functionality... there is no substitute for an actual keyboard other than the thing MS introduced earlier.
i said it in the other thread, and i'll say it again: take psion 5mx from 1999 and modernize it with more ram, faster cpu, more flash-storage and color-screen with higher resoltion. there, a true laptop-replacement that fits in.your pocket. psion did it right eight years ago!
They should just outright dump POS. (Those initials aren't just chance IMHO.) Its like using DOS 6.11 with a bunch of addon shells and crap on a Core 2 Duo. Old, obsolete, software that needs to die. cobalt was interesting however unlike Apple Palm came into it too late.
windows mobile is more interesting however I would rather see a pure bred Windows CE based device that has much more functionality built in vs. Windows Mobile. And before some smartalic comes along and say the two are the same; they aren't. WM has the core feature set of CE however its missing some of the major underpinning that make CE more robust.
As for this thing? Its using components that are found in a PDA so instead of it being a low end laptop its more a high end handheld PC. The problem is MS tried this 7 years back and it bombed because it sat in between PDA's and laptops. I'm not sure if this device is going to fare any better.
windows mobile is more interesting however I would rather see a pure bred Windows CE based device that has much more functionality built in vs. Windows Mobile. And before some smartalic comes along and say the two are the same; they aren't. WM has the core feature set of CE however its missing some of the major underpinning that make CE more robust.
As for this thing? Its using components that are found in a PDA so instead of it being a low end laptop its more a high end handheld PC. The problem is MS tried this 7 years back and it bombed because it sat in between PDA's and laptops. I'm not sure if this device is going to fare any better.
I've seen the past and it looks like the future...
Remember Psion?
Remember the netBook, or whatever their micro-clamshell was that appeared just before they fell through a hole in the ground...
Come to think of it I seem to recall Palm dug that particular hole.
Someone will be smiling down at this and thinking "..what goes around..".
Remember Psion?
Remember the netBook, or whatever their micro-clamshell was that appeared just before they fell through a hole in the ground...
Come to think of it I seem to recall Palm dug that particular hole.
Someone will be smiling down at this and thinking "..what goes around..".
I think I've seen something like this before....
Some companies are just so innovative...
The two have NOTHING in common and you dang well know it. Why is it that people HAVE to try and find some other instance of a product no matter how different they are just to be a PITA?
Exactly. Did you like Psion ? I still love it. I miss keyboards on all PDAs and smartphones today.
This type of thing was popular... 7 years ago.
Remember the Vadem Clio? (Also known as the Sharp Mobilon Tripad)?
Or NEC's MobilePro 800?
I actually had one of those for a while, but I got bored with it and sold it.
Remember the Vadem Clio? (Also known as the Sharp Mobilon Tripad)?
Or NEC's MobilePro 800?
I actually had one of those for a while, but I got bored with it and sold it.
Considering the price, I think there is very little to criticise. For a poor student this would be awesome. The weight, 2.5 pounds is perhaps not optimal, but I love the no-boot-up time feature, meaning you could just turn if off to conserve battery. Wifi + bluetooth = great. No OSX, ok, wrong forum here, but to get that you'd need to pay another 500+ minimum, so again not much to criticise.
Say goodbye to Palm
This is the one thing, I really can't see a market for. Why get a device like this if most people that have a Treo, already use a laptop???
Weird , very weird decision, and I feel to be the nail in the coffin of Palm....
This is the one thing, I really can't see a market for. Why get a device like this if most people that have a Treo, already use a laptop???
Weird , very weird decision, and I feel to be the nail in the coffin of Palm....
Mmm, yeah. It runs Linux. If OpenOffice.org and Firefox can be adapted to work on it, it might not be half bad. It appears to run a looong time on a battery. It's light. It is kind of ugly.
If I read correctly its running opera so there should be room for flash. I know with the Linux based Nokia tablets there have been some hacks so this could see it too specially with all the XDA-geeks that have a liking to Palm for one reason or not.
You can get a full fledged PC laptop for $400. Getting this instead would be dumb, especially for cash strapped college students. They get a whole lot more for their $400 than they do for the $600 (less $100 rebate) this thing costs.
but then again.... this thing is pretty cheap, and it's tiny for a laptop. and it runs linux. you know, it just might work. it would be perfect for students and road-warriors.
i would still prefer a modernized 5mx instead, though...
i would still prefer a modernized 5mx instead, though...