We are seriously not going to take credit for this, but holy crap,
Palm just cancelled the
Foleo, just like
we asked them to! Palm CEO Ed Colligan just posted a message to the company's official blog stating that they've decided to cancel the Foleo mobile companion "in its current configuration" in order to "focus all of our energies on delivering out next generation platform and the first smartphones that will bring this platform to market." In a way we're sort of disappointed that we'll never at least get to play with one and put it through its paces, but it's definitely the right move -- Palm needs to focus on one thing right now, and that's coming out with a category-killing smartphone. Not that they're giving up on the idea for good; Ed says that they'll do a "Foleo II" based on the new mobile platform they're already developing for their next generation of smartphones.
posted Sep 4th 2007 5:12PM
Holy crap! That's pretty late in the development cycle to cancel a product!
Good move though. Not sure if it'll save Palm, but it's still a good move.
Now how about hiring someone decent to redesign the aesthetics of Gandolf?
The Foleo had no class and the community called it. I'm glad Palm listened.
nih, people also said the Wii was a stupid idea before trying it.... "a remote?? like a tv? that's stupidz!".
this might be "good on palm" or really bad on them for not even finding OUT if people like it. in the end you DON'T know until you try something.
Thats very late in development to kill the Foleo.
I think its major weak point was the fact it had to be tethered to a Palm phone. This should have been a cool bonus rather than a requirement.
If it was made as a stand alone laptop with office apps, schedule/calendar, browser and mail apps then it would have made an awesome portable for all the traveling business types. It would be cheap and secure, two things corporations love. Secondary market could have been all those people that don't need a full blown laptop.
Oh well I guess they still have the ability to redesign it and bring it out to market without that tethering restriction.
Thank god! The Foleo would have been a colossal flop.
Holy crap!! Wow, maybe they ARE serious about getting their crap together again! Hats off to Palm, this is a very good sign.
Holy crap!
..
I have that same trash can in my room!
http://img204.imageshack.us/my.php?image=throwingawaypalmzireer4.png
There is still hope for Palm!
If Palm wouldn't have killed the Foleo, the market surely would have. Good call Engadget.
Wow...seriously...
I definitely have a feeling some Palm execs were reading Engadget's blog.
"I definitely have a feeling some Palm execs were reading Engadget's blog."
Wow, you figured this out from Ed Colligan's post on the Palm blog, saying how he forwarded Engadget to all the other execs? You are so observant!
Dear palm,...
Maybe Engadget needs to charge Palm some consulting fees? And a little something for us readers, too. :)
A free Treo would certainly make me into a vocal Palm enthusiast. ;)
The entire internet called the Foleo garbage, but Engadget is given credit? Read the great letter, the Foleo had a single tiny paragraph devoted to it.
The letter was about how we enjoy their smartphones and we want them back in the game.
"You got to know when to hold 'em,
know when to fold 'em,
Know when to walk away
and know when to run."
Smart move, even if it was at the ass-end of clock.
Sony never got that message....well they got it but never listened internaly.
Wow - all the R&D money down the tubes.. What were they thinking?
Maybe they were thinking smart and decided to stop wasting all of that R&D money on something that few if any people would buy and reinvest into a new and actually useful product...
I think he means "What were they thinking even considering creating this thing in the first place??!". That's what I was thinking. Thankfully someone smartened up and stopped the cash-flow going into the circular file.
Yes David.. that is what I was thinking!
("What were they thinking even considering creating this thing in the first place??!". )
I doubt it's 'down the tubes' anyway - it's reasonable to assume that they'll reinvest some of the Foleo R&D into the next gen Treo, since they're both Linux-based.
Thank God. A mini-laptop to go *with* your Palm Pilot.... yeah great idea :P.
The Foleo would be a much better product if it didn't have to depend on a cellphone.
mm They must have seen that UMPC VIA thing by packard bell ( acer ?? ) . I wonder how far they where in the process of desiging this foleo thing.
Finally some common sense from palm. If they really want to put out something similar, like a dumb device of about the same screen size and keyboard size (hopefully thinner) that simply extends the desktop but nothing more, and market it as a simple accessory (for a reasonable price--say $150), I think they would have a lot of takers, especially if they get some new smartphones out the door first. I personally liked the looks of the foleo, and don't think it was a bad idea for someone who had no interest in lugging around a laptop all the time, but occasionally needs to do work on the road, but at that price point you may as well just buy a laptop.
Wasn't there a photo from a foleo in the wild only a short while ago?
wow, I wasn't expecting palm to get rid of foleo BEFORE it was released
Congratulations Engadget. You've gone from reporting on technology to actually affecting it. Now, please convince Apple to lower their prices...
"Now, please convince Apple to lower their prices..."
Engadget writers aren't miracle-makers lol.
You and Ryan always had it out for that faleo
"PALM KILLS THE FOLEO DEAD"
jeez somebodys happy
I don't think you got it.
Palm kills the foleo dead.
Palm calls the foleo dead.
Peter wanted to have a little fun with it.
And then you'll be dead! Because I KILLED you!
Whoo! Shouts of joy! The company may have a chance to turn themselves back around after all.
Good job Engadget. It's good for companies to pay attention to the hordes of gadget nerds - we really DO know what works and what doesn't. Not some overpaid "tech trends analyst" you've got in some cushy office
Awesome! Engadget saves the day again. Now if only Engadget could obtain a spy shot of the expressions of the engineers who wasted their time, we'd be set.
The engineers are no doubt happy about it. It's the marketing dweebs who are crying in their beers. An engineer would have never come up with this idea.
Good Job ED, Shows Palm is listening....they really do need to save their asses to play with the big boys...lots of nice smart phones out there, and not just iPhone, but MANY tempting devices out there. Can't wait to see what they revolutionize us with, the did basically start the PDA market, they should be leader, maybe this will slide them into that slot again, we'll see.....but hurry, because EVERYONE is throwing stuff out for X-mas 07, don't think they'll make it for xmas, but at least they are focusing on hopefully a bright new year!!!
Faslane
Palm has finally grown some balls.
Now Ed can focus his efforts on the Treo, and how to pull it out of 2004.
You seriously should take credit for it. That letter to Palm was one of the best things I've read in years.
Hmm, I wonder if they had already manufactured enough of them to liquidate on some overstock site.
I'm looking for something more obscure than my Nokia 770. :-)
Engadget, what a bunch of bullies...
Someone should be fired.
OK, you're fired.
..that would be hawkins.
if you take credit for a crappy product, you might as well take the blame.
Dude, it's easy to say "Someone should be fired." but do you really know anything about running a huge public company? You have any idea how much is involved. It's a lot more than just saying "this is a good product, this is a bad product." The Foleo, like MANY other products before it, looked pretty good as an idea. When it was conceived a couple years ago, it probably looked even better. That was before the term UMPC even existed. Palm did the right thing by killing it, but that doesn't necessarily mean that someone failed. Someone made a gamble that didn't pan out. Cut your losses and move on. Doesn't mean we should be out for blood. Palm was smart enough to listen to the community that supports it. Let's give them credit for that and stop trying to be an armchair CEO. If it was so easy, everyone would do it. I, for one, could use a couple hundred million extra dollars. :)
Well. I am a great fan of Palm and have been for years. I have a treo 680 but know that there are better pieces of hardware out there. But that doesnt mean other piecesof hardware will do what I want it to do. I realy want Palm to jump back and be regain there crown they so deserve. They inovated and pushed the PDA market and have done so mch for Smartphones. WHat was the Folio?? I am so happy that they will be focusing on what they do best and also what will give them the best finacial return. Its a brave decision to cancel it after all the R&D that has gone in to it. But its the right one as who would have bought one? Well done guys!!
Craziness! This would have been a revolutionary product if the released it alongside the Treo 650, but now would have been essentially obsolete. It makes me wonder how many products get axed so close to release - the only reason this one was so public was that the introduction was a keynote, not just a press release.
Ahhhh, Palm, you were one of my favorite companies - I still hold you in kind regard - wow me again!
First they were able to bring down Apple stock because of a rumor.
Now they were able to convince Palmo to take down the Foleo.
Engadget, you have a true gift, a powerful gift. Use it wisely.
In other news, people rejoice as the thing that could have possibly destroyed Palm was taken down. We truely (even if indirectly) thank you for what you have done Engadget.
AKBlade13
Dear Engadget,
Please write a similar "intervention" email to RIM, Motorola, and the basket case known as Sony. If you need any help I would gladly assist in drafting these letters -- especially the Sony one.
Seriously.
Thanks,
Johan
the only difference between palm and sony is that palm apparently looks to the community for advice and listens, while sony pretty much just puts their fingers in their ears and screams.
The idea was "ok", having an instant on device. But their initial sale price was way too high. If it only cost like $250 - $350 then I think it would still be worth to buy it just to "try it".
good idea, who the hell would have bought it anyways?
serious people knows theirs limits
"In a way we're sort of disappointed that we'll never at least get to play with one and put it through its paces.."
that part really isn't fair. You guys couldn't say one good thing about the Foleo, constantly harping on it. Now they get rid of it and you're "disappointed." Damned if you do, damned if you don't, I suppose..
Wow. It's amazing that Engadget can affect company's stocks (Apple) and completely stop product lines (Foleo).
You guys are gods among mortals.
Whew! I Assume "delivering out next generation platform" means something I can finally replace my trusty (yes, mine has been pretty solidly reliable) Treo650 with, and sooner rather than later.
It's a great time to be a Palm stockholder!
Just look at your investment!
Again.
You missed a great oppertunity for a pun there. :'(
thats awesome, now if they could only compete with my iPhone maybe i wouldn't have had to pay $600 to experience something i would have expected from palm a few years ago. (maybe more then a few)
anyway why do all the palm's look the same that drew me away from them...
Funny, all iPhones look the same...
Thank god! I hope Palm uses the money intended to the crappy foleo to make that new platform something great.
Best move they ever made!
Oh no!
I am shocked to my very core! If palm is killing the Foleo, I wonder, what other product will fill that invisible subnotebook void in the market then...!?
...I have many sleepless nights ahead of me now.
Wow. behold the power of engadget.
Not to be cynical, but isn't taking advice from a blog signs that a business is directionless/ in trouble?
I'm just saying...
Not when the advice was as well thought out, concise and salient as Engadget's was.
It's pretty tough to admit when you got it wrong. While some may interpret listening to your audience as weakness and misdirection, I see it as a strength. If you remember, it's what made Palm a force in the industry to begin with.
That being said, Palm DOES need some direction right now. If they follow the open letter from Engadget, they'll be OK. They need to get back to what made them great to begin with.
Well at least they have the common sense to cut a product. It was a novel idea and like most novels best left to fiction.
There was never such a thing. It was all hype. To put palm in the spotlight. lol
very smart move. that would have been just one big failure for them.
yess!!!! finally they can focus on whats truly important and thats getting the treo into the here and now. And hopefully something better than the hideous windows powered Centro.
I liked the folio.... not as they configured it though. I'd still like to see the folio as just a standalone pda.. something to use when a don't have time for windows boot up.
hell, you can't say soemthing sucks before you use it.
EVERYONE thought the Wii would suck, "a remote??!" and then it turned out to be great.
Difference, people freaked out, the realized the possibilities after two - five hours. It was a new way to play.
How many months since the Foleo was announced and how many people were thinking it was going to work?
AKBlade13
ya.. exactly. NO ONE has USED a folio yet...
comparing real world usage time, to months of looking at a photo.. not the same bud..
This ups my respect for Palm a bit. I have been a fan of this company for a long long time, but that warm and fuzzy feeling has been replaced by a little doubt and a little shame in the past couple years.
It feels as though Palm has put so much money and even more TIME in to R&D that by the time they come out with something new it's already a year late to market.
Come on, look at the iPhone! It's a great device that has changed the industry in a really great way - you just have to one up Apple! The Foleo is a step backwards in portable computing. Bust out your iPhone look-a-like, get your SDK out to developers and give me some real software I can use on a daily basis that Apple has yet to offer! And don't do any of it without at least a gig of user accessible storage space!
No if you could just write him a letter and ask him to resign! He has destroyed this company!
best choice ever for Palm. Now give me the real new Treo
Where can I purchase one?
If you didnt call this one, then you live under a rock. Someone needs to photoshop a gravestone with Palm's name on it.
focus Palm!!
Noooooooooo. I got to play with one these for a long while at LinuxWorld - even spent a while talking to the IT Geeks there. I thought it was a really cool product!!! Don't kill it Palm!!! I want one!!!
that's the difference, this was a tool for geeks, not for the ipod crowd... unfortuntly the ipod crowd voiced themselves while everyone else WANTING a thin linux palmtop kept quiet...
palm if you read this, the folio was cool, but as a standalone, not as a sidekick, let it be what it could be.
Well to be fair, thats what I thought was cool about this. Was its standalone a capabilities. Think OLPC, except alot cooler and more useful (and of course more expensive). I could give something like this to my mother and not have to worry what she's up to on the net - and it would be near impossible for her to break.
I thought it would be nice to have something like this so I didn't have to take my full laptop with me in many cases - would be SOOO much nicer. Plus it was just cool. What Palm should do is bring back the foleo but in a tablet format - I'd be ALL over that too. 3 pound tablet w/ 5 hour battery life? Hell yes.
The first bit of logic Palm has shown in quite sometime.
That's pretty sad actually, I wanted to get one of those for hacking :)
At least someone was listening. Best of luck to Palm, they will need it.
Bloody WOW.
Just.. WOW.
Good move, on everyone's part.
Chris
Engadget, even Palm notice it´s a wildcard.
My table is a real gadget trash. Use it. Then I use it.
Dude, step away from the beer.
Foleo was two years too late.
There are UMPCs out there that are ready to take this spot.
I still think there is room for a device like that, but not with a some kind of proprietary OS like Foleo was going to have. That new os is probably what it killing it as the development cycle to get rid of all the bugs is going to take another 10 months. How about a Foleo 2 that runs CE.NET instead.
Wow. Very unexpected, but a good move. This probably just saved Palm tons of energy and money better used in other, hopefully greater projects down the road. Hope Palm gets its stuff back together soon!
OMG...its de ja vous all over again.... They did an Audrey on the Folio... They released the Audrey back in the day as a "companion to the palm".. sound Familiar.. Ya would have thought they had enough with the companion fiasco.. They offered every sucker...ie customer of the Audrey a full refund of their purchase price. I ended up picking one up on ebay.. hacking it and using it in the kitchen.. Somewhere out there are a few thousand Folios waiting to be dumped as soon as Palm writes them off.. Nice Job... most businesses that make the same mistake twice, don't get the chance to do it a third time. see yah Palm its been nice knowing you...
thank god, the foleo was the stupidest device i have ever heard of, now if plam focuses on creating something like the n800 for Sprint utilizing wi-max, thats what i would want.
http://www.garysbasement.com/index.php/fuck-the-iphone/
HOLY CRAPSORS!!!!
I was actually going to buy one of these...
GOLD BABY! I want to go wireless EVERYTHING!
lol ur ded
LOL About time
You guys never gave Foleo a chance and put an end to foleo WOW!!!