i-mate working on a Foleo-like "shell" for the Ultimate line?

The last we heard about i-mate's Ultimate line, the company was allegedly planning on "staggering" the release of the WM 6 Pro handsets, but it's been over two months without any news to report -- and now suddenly the tubes are alive with i-mate news: not only did the company announce the Ultimate 9502 and 8502 handsets today, UberGizmo is reporting that i-mate is working on a Foleo-esque "shell" for the line, with 1024 x 768 display, larger keyboard, and 80-hour battery. Unlike Palm's charming folly, however, the i-mate shell won't contain any processing power of its own, instead serving more as an extended dock for the Ultimate devices themselves. It's a pretty sketchy rumor, to be sure, but given the i-mate's topsy-turvy handling of the Ultimates, it's as likely as anything else.

[Thanks, webon]

[Herman Manfred @ Oct 23rd 2007 11:55AM]

If they "bluetooth" dock it, they can make that thing generic across WM6 (or other OS with proper software) devices.

The Foleo is deader than a doornail if they do.

[Benson @ Oct 23rd 2007 12:04PM]

The Foleo is already deader than a doornail:
http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/04/palm-kills-the-foleo-dead/

[Benson @ Oct 23rd 2007 12:02PM]

Clever idea, in theory. A dock like this with the more compact, lower-res phone makes sense in a way. However, it seems like a user (at least this one) would tend to leave it docked all the time.
Would anyone else actually find the modularity here useful?

There's not really that often I'd gain by not carrying the whole thing. Small hip holster vs. big hip holster? I'll go with the big one, always. So it seems something like the Eeeeeee
(processing-power-wise, should have display to match this) bluetoothed up to a cheap phone with respectable data connectivity makes as much sense -- Keep the phone in your pocket except on the rare occasions you're actually making a phone call, and use the eee for everything else.

[Erwos @ Oct 23rd 2007 12:17PM]

The big win is that this would be the same device - no synchronization required. And as long as docking was easy, I'm not sure why you would keep it docked - keep this thing in your bag, and when you need it, just plug your phone in. Instant-on, etc. The only real issue is that PDA operating systems tend not to scale all that well to real screens, and you're lacking any sort of serious office suite.

Also, the eeePC doesn't have Bluetooth.

[Benson @ Oct 23rd 2007 12:50PM]

I know the eee doesn't have BT, nor the 1024x768. It's probably a bad example, but it's the first small (jacket-pocketable) low-processor thing that came to mind. The N810 would be great, but is too small. Just a little bigger, and the laptop-like 1024x768 screen becomes workable.
I'm just thinking that, with the way laptop/tablet/palmtop-ish things are shrinking, there doesn't seem to be much point in it being one device -- I don't see much to sync, as you can keep all contacts, etc. in the big device.
It just seems to me that, if you always carry a jacket-pocket sized device (computer or shell), you may as well step back from the smart-phone and put the smarts in the computer, leaving the phone functioning merely as a radio-modem, and when needed, voice phone.
And, while I guess I didn't say as much, the reason I was thinking a computer would be _better_ than the shell was indeed the OS issue. Even with the same processing power limitations, the move to some sort of tablet OS will enable better use of the screen, and (likely) better office, etc. apps.
Then again, perhaps my thinking and phone usage are atypical. If you actually use your phone a lot as a voice phone, maybe it is more convenient keeping everything that's practical in a phone form-factor in the phone for convenience. Then the ability to use the phone in the shell with no syncing would be great when you need it.

[cruci fiction @ Oct 23rd 2007 12:36PM]

I like how Engadget is not slamming the shit out of this thing like they did the Foleo, despite it being even more of a "smartphone companion". Where is the righteous indignation and bad press forcing the product to be killed? You guys are getting slack.

[Nilay Patel @ Oct 23rd 2007 12:43PM]

It's not yet a real product. What's there to slam?

[webon @ Oct 23rd 2007 8:55PM]

@nilay dude the foleo was "never" a real thing, and engadget "killed" it before it became "real"

[turn_self_off @ Dec 17th 2007 3:28AM]

glad to see im not the only one thinking this way...

[Jona @ Nov 7th 2007 3:46AM]

By the way - just say no to holsters - especially for phones but ESPECIALLY for mini-laptops.

[Jona @ Nov 7th 2007 3:46AM]

Engadget aren't slamming it yet because they are slowly 'getting the foleo'. The EEE is a lot more half baked at the same price than the foleo was pitched at and everyone is loving it. 80 hour battery sounds nice!

I'd still love a smartphone companion. Its the instant-on web, size, sync, and price mix that work for me.