Palm Foleo announced
By Donald Melanson 
posted May 30th 2007 1:28PM
posted May 30th 2007 1:28PM
As rumored, the big new device that's Palm's Jeff Hawkins has chosen to announce at the D conference today is the Palm Foleo, which the company is billing as a "mobile companion." Boasting a 10-inch widescreen display and a full-size keyboard, the device is intended to be used in conjunction with your smartphone, with any edits to documents made on one device automatically reflected on the other thanks to the device's Bluetooth connectivity. The device also promises to turn on "instantly," boasts built-in WiFi, and should last about 5 hours on a single charge. The pricing and release info leaked out earlier also look to have been spot on, with it now officially set to be released sometime this summer for $500 (after a $100 mail-in rebate). We'll have plenty more pics of it shortly, but for now you can check out one more after the break.
I'm the biggest Treo (*read: 650) fan EVER, and all I can think is why couldn't this come out 7 months ago so IT could've been the worst device of the year. I mean the Zune sucks and all, but this is on another level of suck altogether
I hate you Palm, you've let us all down for the last time, I'm sure of it.
Oh and I'm pretty sure bob page works for palm.
I think this could be the future. More apps are going up on the Web. Google apps for example. I am pretty sure Google can develop a way for the user to work on documents, spread sheets etc. offline. Opera is a pretty nifty browser, a VoIP extension can be added and since the foleo has wi-fi, it could be a communication device as well. The foleo is the perfect device to take advantage of this web 2.0 phenomenon. Netflix lets you stream video these days and Palm/Opera could may be work on a deal with Netflix/Google(Youtube) to let users cache multimedia on the Foleo. All this means the Foleo could work perfectly even when not "tethered" to a smart phone. The browser is slowly becoming the center of the computing experience and the foleo + a feature rich browser could really be the future. I think Palm may definitely have something here.
Well, it is nice to see everyone's comment. At least, Palm users care about the future, which the company does care at all. Tragedy.
Neither Google Apps nor our company's web-based firmware require a rich client. All I need on even extended trips is a full-featured web browser, text editor, ftp access and USB connectivity to a camera phone.
Solid state memory, long battery life, portability, full keyboard and screen. Psion Netbook and their ilk were victims of being too ahead of their time. With server-side applications so prevalent in 2007, why do I need a laptop again? Touchscreen would be nice, though.
At risk of being labeled a zomg palm employee I think this is a well timed idea.
A vast majority of employees are doing mostly word/excel work, and email. WHY should you purchase a high end core 2 duo for them, a gigabyte of ram, or a 120 gigabyte hard drive? You shouldn't! With razor thin margins, and a large amount of quality applications being designed for web based applications such as Google Apps (and recent Google Gears) this has the ability to fit a niche that has just opened up. This is a very business oriented machine and to compare it to other consumer systems really shows a lack of understanding for the future market.
The system is cheap because it's not being built with conventional hardware, and it's not top of the line.
That and most of the cost of the machine itself is probably the big LCD screen. Come on, we all know that to replace a palm pilot screen, its $100. Why not $500 for a screen 5x the size.
Someone buy people a clue on the cost of technology. Most of the cost of most laptops is the screen.
Yeah but still a move in the right direction - linux, wifi, browser, small, non-microsoft, etc. Probably still too expensive for limited resources offered. I like previous comment for Treo - add wifi, add a port for optional bigger screen, use expanded keyboard... Instant Foleo!
I used to work for Palm when they were inventive, out-there people. The company is not hungry any more. I agree with some of the comments from before. Make a smarter, lighter phone or an IPOD killer. Man, this thing is a waste of R&D $$$.
Actually, they might have something there. I know its not much now, but, since its has Linux, they can add all kinds of cool things like VOIP. Another cool addition would be WIFI and perhaps an integrated high speed wireless data radio. Put a 60 gig hard drive and decent sound engine and you have a big screen multi media device. Oh and did I mention dropping the price by $100?
Will it replace a really good phone? No but, I can really see an audience for a lightwieght internet, multi media device like with this footprint.
I've been reading reader responses regarding the immediate dislike of the foleo and almost immediate love for the nanobook (though not quite as passionate as their hatred of the palm unit). I'm perplexed: doesn't the foleo offer something that no current laptop or upmc offers, namely, instant-on web access through your broadband phone? Admittedly, if you have a pc-card for access, you can get it with your laptop (and I know of a number of people who do exclusively that for their internet access), but if you have a smartphone already--and that's the market for the foleo after all--why not pick up the foleo and just carry it with you? It has an SD-card slot for saving documents etc. I live somewhere that doesn't have wifi access everywhere you turn around, but does have various mobile broadband services. If I had a smartphone, I would consider the foleo. If I were in the market for a standalone, I would go for something like the nanobook. The nanobook does have wireless-g, though, and the foleo only has wireless-b. They're both ugly as sin, in any case.
I think what you are missing is operating costs. This device allows you to have the functionality of a notebook (email, doc editing, etc) without having to pay your wireless carier the PDA/Modem connect fee. Sprint for example: $15 a month for EDVO data (phone only) and $60 a month if you use that phone as a modem. So thats $45 bucks a month. I'd prefer to work from a larger platform but hate to pay the price of operating it. Over a year you are talking a difference of $540 just to maintain an EVDO data connection for modem use.
As the foleo is just an expansion of the device, it bypasses all FCC definitions of what is considered a notebook or terminal. As such it provides a more useful platform without the ability to charge the user anymore than the $15 base evdo (device only) service.
This product is genius if you consider more than what the device is as a standalone device.
PERFECT IDEA...if your smart.
I think its genius.
wmreed: I'm not clear on what you're trying to say, for which I apologize. If you're saying the foleo is a good product because it extends the phone and doesn't require a redundant internet connection (using the phone's instead), then I agree with you. My point was that the foleo was getting trounced while the nanobook (which has only one advantage over the foleo, namely wireless-g) is getting at least a slightly better reception.
I do not currently use the palm product line. However I work with a company that is introducing paperless applications with a signature input on a palm device. In August 2007 the company will release its latest technology developments for processing applications and the latest palm devices it will support. I plan on buying the latest supported treo and the foleo and I can't wait.
I also plan on adding an ultraportable thinkpad to my existing two (02) thinkpad arsenal for toting along when I need more computing power.
I am by no means wealthy, far from it, but I don't see it as an "either or" decision; but rather a nice additional option. Kudos and thank you Palm.
Man I really wish I knew what everyone else of these Palm Foleo expert naysayers knew. And I wish I could go to sleep, but I can't stop thinking about what this new Palm duo addition will do to my communications and computing capabilities.
I will be able to turn on and surf the web or check my email and be half way done or completely done before I could otherwise boot up my laptop? And when I start doing sales presentations I can be a third of the way finished before I could otherwise boot up my laptop?
I wish I was as smart as all these other experts, I guess I will have to wait and see what I don't know. In the mean time I am stoked - I can't wait! LOL! Bring it on Palm - and let me get some sleep!
There are many Linux and *BSD users who will be very excited about this product:
1. It runs Linux, which is a full, secure, network capable operating system.
2. One of the biggest problems Linux users face is finding compatible wifi hardware. We never get official support.
3. There are thousands of applications already available for Linux/Unix that are light enough to run on this hardware. The source code is freely available for porting to the foleo. The Linux community will probably have hundreds of binaries available at no cost after a month or two.
4. Most Linux/Unix users will be quite comfortable using the foleo to run heavier applications remotely on computers at home or office.
What many of you are missing is the open-ended possibilities of using an open operating system (as opposed to Windows). To prove a similar point, I once ran an email server on NetBSD (a unix) on a NEC MobilePro 780. Most hardware is much more capable once you remove Windows.
Honestly, this thing looks rad. I have been using a Sony SRX (pre TX) for the last 5 years, and even though it's 800 mhz, it's ideal for what I do, that is surf the web, check email, edit documents. I have a big monster computer at home to compliment it. I do all of the data crunching and graphics on that one.
Why do I have a five year old 800 mhz machine when there are faster and cheaper laptops out there? Simple. Most of what I do does not need a massive amount of computing power.
What limits my current machine IMO? 2 things: battery power (limited to 3 hours) and the fact that it doesn't turn on quickly.
I think this palm device is going to be rad. At 500 bucks, it's a deal really, because most of the palm devices out there range from $300-700.
It's not supposed to be a laptop or even supposed to replace anything we own. It's supposed to be a compliment to our existing system. I think we all need to deal and ask ourselves what we really do with our computers. If it's sitting on the couch surfing the web while watching cable TV, most of us don't need even half of the computer we have paid for.
Bottom line....This fool-E-O is for the user that does not know what compusa,Bestbuy or circuit city is.
Palm please fold soon.Im sick of hearing your faithfull trying to justify your stupid ideas.
This want to be laptop/We should be updating are treo is a hunk of freakin junk.hmmmm Timex computer yeah there you go.
Wow... You think they would have learned from their past mistakes... Can you say Audrey. It was a device no one was asking for. It was suppose to sync with your palm pilot. It was such a bad Idea it was recalled from the market. Owners were offered refunds. They didn't want to support it. It was also overpriced...$500. Sounds familiar. It even ran QNX a variation of Linux. One of the biggest differences between Folio and Audrey is that Folio is portable. The Folio should have been called the Audrey 2. It will probably end up the same way ... Sigh ...I think palm has a death wish. lol.;)
Actually I would have a big demand for this. I have been wanting a small device that instantly turns on and off for quick referencing of material, quick downloads for documents and something extremely portable. This looks like a great product. Would save me a LOT of time. I have a laptop with wireless connectivity, but it takes soooo long to boot up and turn off and repack. I pull it out 10 times a day, and could do so more often than that.
Very interesting set of comments and observations. I started out thinking that Palm has done a great job of introducing a small machine that merely compliments phone equipment. If an Ipod can be purchased for about $100 less, then this Palm device is a steal. I find myself traveling in countries where my 17" Sony attracts too much attention, on size alone and given the footprint of the Foleo I can travel a lot more discretely and even if I do loose it to robbery then I am only out $500 verses $3,500.
Anything that is $500 tends to fall in the cost of kids machines like the X-Box or other such machines. The Foleo actually computes which the game boxes merely play games but cost about the same. No, I do not work for Palm and yes, I have used Palm Pilots in the past. I have found they fall short on software applications at times.
Although I am an avid Excel user I despise Microsoft for running every single one of us through the mill with programs like Vista and Office 2007, so seeing Linux tied into the Palm Foleo gives us some hope that Gill Bates and the Boys at MS may get a little bit of a run for their money. I only hope that the Excel portion will stand up to my expectations. Two faced, maybe, but I really love Excel…
Anything as small as the Foleo cannot cost the big bucks to produce and like anybody producing almost anything new they must recover their R&D costs. An average kitchen hood range that costs $150 in the retail market in Western Canada is sold at a price of approximately $5 from the factories in Eastern Canada. If they sold for more than $5 they would not be competitive.
I would like very much like to physically see the Foleo but for $500 would be willing to take a chance on such a unit, sight unseen. I suspect that Palm will weather this storm even if the Foleo does not make the grade. Remember, tons of people call most PDA’s, “Palm Pilots” so Palm at least has that going in their favor.
Silicon Valley entrepreneur and strategy consultant Sramana Mitra, reviews Foleo, a Linux laptop replacement device by Palm. Read all about it.
Silicon Valley entrepreneur and strategy consultant Sramana Mitra, reviews Foleo, a Linux laptop replacement device by Palm. Read all about it.
This device would be perfect if they had a somewhat ruggedized version to compete with Symbol for the service industry. It could even be as simple as a dust proof keyboard and screen case/cover. The service and construction industries (think Amira and Serviceamerica, AC/HVAC, Elec, plumbers, contractors, painters, pest pontrol, estimators, surveyors, etc...) need a device exactly like this, only more rugged for writing field reports. This is an enormous market. Just make custom gui/api's/forms/syncing easy to implement, add a wifi printer and you're good to go.
Laptops with hard drives are too fragile on the road in work vehicles, and if they break or get stolen, it's a huge loss. @ $500 it's cheap enough to put in all your work vehicles.
http://www.symbol.com/vc5090
symbol vc 5090 $3,000 +
vs.
Palm Foleo $500
get a custom anti-vibration vehicle mount @ $200.00
If you don't need military specs and just want something for doing estimates/billing/notetaking/crm in your service vehicles, which is the more cost effective option?
Developers, are you out there?
This much time trashing a product before it's release, seriously? Why don't folks put all this energy into ideas for applications?
If this dies before arrival, it will be partially due to many well educated people being naive about an old idea on product development. Product/ software development by the users themselves. I think I've seen this done before, Palm maybe, I don't know, maybe Palm...
Palm is essentially releasing a blank canvas that you can create whatever applications you'd like. If there is further system need, I'm sure Palm will release future Folios.
I can't afford one of these right now but I can't wait until it's released. So I can suggest applications I'll need from third party software developers and work on getting this blank canvas to be exactly what I need.
Bang up job guys, please trash this post as you have the Folio before its release. When was the first time you used one? k.
Did they just put themselves in a spot for Google to buy? hmm...
Did they just put themselves in a place for Google to buy them? Hmm...
Interesting product. I'll buy one if they actually get it right. I've god an Apple MacBookPro 15in at the moment, which I carry around everywhere, and the instant on/instant off behaviour of Apple laptops is wonderful. But, it's still a fairly big laptop and more importantly it's vulnerable. I don't want my Apple to be broken or stolen, so I want a lighter, smaller, diskless sub-laptop to carry around more freely.
Things they need to get right, in my opinion, are: Decend physical design, size, and weight. Decent applications, especially the document viewers/editors. Provide instant messaging and skype. Fully featured web and IMAP email. A well-designed password manager (this is important, without it the device is all but useless). Decent user interface.
All of these should be doable in a Linux sub-laptop. Then again my confidence in Palm doing a good job is low. The physical design in the photos looks OK, sort of. The GUI, meh, also OK. Documents to go are sort of crappy versions of Office and sort of work. So, well, we'll see how well this thing works when it comes out.
This looks very much like my old HP Jornada 820. It's lightweight, super long battery length, runs Pocket versions of MS apps, instant off/on, USB port, flash drive, modem. it's great for traveling instead of lugging around a laptop. Problem is that it's outdated and I was hoping someone would come out with an updated version. Would be nice if the price was more around the 299 350 range...
As a reporter, I am salivating over this puppy. If everything is as advertised I will be first in line to hand over my $500.
I am very happy with my iBook G4 as my primary computer, but it is 4.9 pounds plus a few more ounces for the adapter. That weight difference matters when it's stuff you have to schlep day after day from place to place, often with a whole bunch of other material.
The iBook also boots up/shuts down too slowly for me to whip out at seated press conferences and type notes instead of writing them. I'm also terrified of dropping the poxy thing when I'm on the go since I have a lot of information on there, not all of it backed up.
The problem with the Folio is with expectations. People are expecting something earth-shaking. This is simply a niche product that will make a very small subset of people, including me, very happy.
I am an acupuncturist I use the databases on my palm all the time. I can use the bigger screen when working with them, as well as writing in my patient's notes. It definitely beats using a external keyboard that is a pain to deal with. The smaller size makes it convenient to carry in my medical bag and not to have to carry a second bag for my laptop.
I think the biggest users will be those who use a external keyboard on their palm. especially for note taking at business meetings, those who use it as a credit card processing in remote locations, and those who don't own a laptop.
I think people in the medical field will welcome the Foleo. I currently keep a whole shelf-full of medical reference texts on my PDA, and could use Wifi to download patient info when I enter the hospital. I always wished for a larger and more workable screen and keyboard, but need the portability of a pda. And so far the Palm Os seems to be more popular than Windows for running medical apps. We'll see how portable it really is.
If it has a video player so I can watch the videos on my treo on a bigger screen I would buy it the day it came out
I want this foleo, sometimes too much is too heavy... im using laptop with vista, whenever i talk to my client and starting opening my laptop, it yawns them and it breaks the conversation waiting for vista to booth- its faster to order a fries in mcdo than waiting for this OS to open. Just only to show picture and powerpoint presentation, it tooks 5-6 minutes. with foleo a second and there you go.
you can even present in a walkway, foleo is a must for executives and businessmen, so for those who are yelling down foleo, i think ur environment doesnt fit what foleo is meant to be used.
if you want video, a game, music, just get a pc... this gadget is not for you..ok.
different people, different needs. foleo is not gadget for the masses...its not an ipod...its not a phone...
get it?
What a turd. Folks, this isn't year 2000 technology or even Jornada 1998.
Try 1982:
http://intellivisionlives.com/bluesky/media/82catalog.html#keyboard
This device is a PERFECT solution for me. I absolutely hate laptops. The boot time isn't worth it to me, I will put off using the thing until I am around a desktop. A laptop that performs at half the ability of a reasonable desktop costs 3 times the price, is fragile, and virtually not upgradeable or repairable. Because this device will do enough of the things I need to do as a stopgap until I am around my desktop, and it turns on INSTANTLY, I will NEVER use my laptop again. The only thing I can see I might need a laptop for is if I have a need to talk to a piece of equipment via a serial port. The last device that came close to being a stopgap was the Radioshack Model 100, too outdated to be useable for most aplications today. Thank you Palm!
It may or may not be a value at $500 price point..we will need alot more info (about software, ram, and 20 gig storage) before passing judgement..if Palm wants to add value perhaps a solid browser, suite of Linux software that is file compatible with MS Office + a small gps receiver with Bluetooth and a set of North America maps preloaded on the Foleo..that would be close to a $500 value....however from what we can see it seems a lot like the new ASUS Eee PC..going for $200..
Palm needs to lead or perish..
I can see this working for an odd niche, those who likely use smartphones heavily for internet/email, but aren't likely to be regular mobile notebook users - maybe even still preferring paper, these people could care less about the OS (and maintaining it). They'd likely be shopping for a new phone and say " oh look this would rock on the train commute and coffee and quick meetings across the hall" where their phone/pda aren't keeping it up. I'd wage most don't read engadget, know of WinCE or OQQ/UMPC etc. This is a utility device not a notebook, instant on/off, only one app at a time...I can't imagine the latter would work for most on this list.
I like my aging PDA/TREO because the distinctions are quite clear, PDA = Fast but limited, notebook, cumbersome but does everything. Rather than this somewhere inbetween.So I carry my notebook everywhere I potentially want to work. It's not enough to have a 10.5 screen and a keyboard, I'd rather have a UXGA screen, and the gigabytes of projects, and a mouse too.
this device is very similar to the NETBOOK, wish they had added mobile functionality to a bluetooth headset and this would be the ultimate mobile device.
I use a suped up x41tablet and a mini xda (htc or qtek elsewhere)I think this has a lot of potential. Previously I had a Samsung Ego or Izzi pro some years ago, I still miss it probably the best PC device I ever owned. Why did this stop making it (it cost a fortune new)
Win HTC with applications, add wi fi and you have a serious portable device.
I could of done with something like this when i had a treo 750v, i just got rid of it as i really wanted wifi and be able to read web pages without continously scrolling.
I just got a Nokia E90.. granted its a little bigger than the Treo... but the high res screen inside is pretty darn good for browsing, it has 3G, 3.5G and wifi.. and for the road warriors it even has GPS. MS Office files work fine so far, pdfs are no problem, the 3.2MP camera is a bonus (i'm not likely to use it). And i can use it with my MS exchange server at work. (i had to download a free app from Nokia's Business website)
Also regarding the arguement about better quality parts... my treo broke twice and needed replacing within 6 months.
I liked the palm, but there is ALWAYS something missing... Just put wifi on the the treo and maybe a Bluetooth screen as an attachment (if thats possible) Now thats thinking different...
Surely Palm should realise making a device to add to another to overcome the shortfalls is not the way to go. Make a new device that has it all is; If its good people would buy it and you'll make your R&D money back.
I'm currently away from the office for 3 weeks and was slightly concerned that i may need to use the laptop for when the E90 wasn't up to a task... quite frankly i could of left it at home and carried less hand luggage!
Sad to say it... Palm RIP.
This is an idea who's time will come, maybe not for Palm, maybe not now. But given the rise of the laptop over the years, eventually this will be where we end up.
Then there's the fact that this isn't likely aimed at the geek minority. This is clearly a business box. provided it has some modicum of storage and you can sync it, I'm sure it'll do well i it's chosen field.
Touch screens are nice toys, but I've never seen a gadget with a touch screen in place of a keyboard that didn't fail. Same way that the internet didn't kill the book, nor did television kill movies. The general public did actually want to hear actors speak, and 640K was not enough.
My mother asked me years ago for a laptop, as she didn't want a desktop cluttering up the place. I've no doubt there are people out there who feel the same way about lugging laptops about, crappy battery life, and waiting ages for it to boot.
Whether this will find a market at $500 when you get a OLPC for $200 is another matter. But it certainly looks slick, and I've no doubt there will be buyers for the deluxe, stylish model out there.
God protect me from the "wisdom" of crowds.
Alas, the Foleo (for now) is dead. Palm Inc. announced September 4, 2007 that they would discontinue development of the Foleo to "focus all of our energies on delivering our next generation platform and the first smartphones that will bring this platform to market." Here is the entire announcement.
Here is the Palm, Inc.'s official announcement of the cancellation of the Foleo project: http://blog.palm.com/palm/2007/09/a-message-to-pa.html