Given that REDFLY can't sell its Mobile Companion for free-after-rebate, we're not at all shocked by this move. If you'll remember, we actually heard that Celio was looking to dabble in software back at CES, and now the company has selected CTIA to showcase its REDFLY Mobile Viewer. Available as a free download today in beta form, the Windows-only program essentially turns any PC into a Mobile Companion by blowing up smartphone applications on a bigger screen. The software works with all current REDFLY-compatible handsets, and it gives users the ability to surf their WinMo desktop at 800 x 480, 800 x 600, 1,024 x 600 or 1,024 x 768 resolution. We're struggling to see how Celio is going to monetize this, but who knows, maybe it's just in it for the fame.

If you're crazy stoked about hooking up your X1 to a big ol' monitor and keyboard but you're not nearly as stoked about buying into one of Celio's dedicated REDFLY boxes, the company's announcing two new solutions that might fit the bill. First up, the aptly-named REDFLY PC Software brings all the spoils of your WinMo-based handset to any XP- or Vista-based system of your choice -- which, let's be honest, is probably a pretty limited-appeal solution unless you're dealing with some wild software package that's only available on your phone. Next up is the more interesting of the two -- the Smartphone Dock -- that basically takes a full-fledged REDFLY lappie and strips out all the human-interface stuff; in other words, bring your own keyboard and monitor. The dock's being billed as a proof of concept at this point, but the software hits shelves in March.

We just got the official announcement of Celio's REDFLY C8N a few hours ago, and Laptop magazine's already had a chance to touch it and make a video! Their initial impressions? That $20 REDFLY Media Cable you have to buy to hook the C8N up to your phone is a tangled mess! This is exciting stuff, folks -- that is if you are just dying to shell out $299 for a buddy for your Windows Mobile device. Check out the terrifically brief video of the terminal after the break.

What if you took the REDFLY -- you know, that Foleo-like thing for Windows Mobile phones -- and cheapened it up a bit? Maybe knock the luxurious 8.3-inch display down to a more reasonable 7 inches, lose three hours of battery life, and add $30 to the asking price, for starters? That's the indecent proposal Celio has put together with its new C7 model, trading endurance and screen size for an eight-ounce drop in the original's two-pound frame. Not what you had in mind, you say? Okay, okay, try this, then: the C8N carries over the 8.3-inch display and adds a "REDFLY Media Port" for connecting an iPod, iPhone, Zune, digicam, or pretty much anything else with a composite TV-out for viewing on the 800 x 480 screen -- but the catch is that you'll also need the $20 "REDFLY Media Cable" (sorry, but that really does belong in quotes) to complete the package on top of the cost of the C8N itself. Either way, the new models are still dumb terminals that need juice from a WinMo-based device to function -- so yeah, if your Treo 750's looking a little lonely over there in the corner, the C7 and C8N should fill the bill nicely when they hit in the first week of December for $229 and $299, respectively.

For those who've managed to avoid hearing about Celio's REDFLY up until now, we hate that you've been absent for so many laughs. Essentially, this here is a Foleo wannabe that somehow made it into production, and no, you can't even use the thing without your smartphone. Still down for throwing away $199 for a handset companion? Be our guest.

[Via jkOnTheRun]

We just don't see the Celio REDFLY Windows Mobile "companion" appealing to a lot of people as full-featured netbooks continue to flood onto the market, and it looks like the ol' invisible hand agrees with us: the REDFLY's price just dropped 20% to $400. That's a solid $100 lower than when it went on sale just a few days ago, but we're not convinced it's enough to sway people from an Eee or Wind -- anyone planning on buying one of these now?

Sure, we just saw the Celio REDFLY unboxed last month, but come on -- you know you really wanted one of the Foleo-like WinMo "companions" all to yourself, and now you can have one -- for $499. Yep, 5 bills to use WinMo 5 or 6 on an 8-inch screen -- and you can't use it at all if you don't have your phone. Or, you could spend your money on something 1000x more useful and get one of the million netbooks that have been released since this thing was first announced, but hey -- don't let a silly thing like common sense stand between you and your phone's desire to be loved. One more short unboxing vid after the break.

Have you been dying to see Celio's REDFLY Mobile Companion unboxed on video? No? Well tough, because that's what you're about to get. In the video -- available for your viewing pleasure after the break -- you'll witness the petite, smartphone-tethering laptop get sprung from its cardboard and styrofoam prison and handled in glorious, low-res YouTube-vision. Can't stand the Foleo-like excitement any longer? We thought so. Read on, friends.

It's not that we don't see the appeal of using a supplementary keyboard and display with our smartphones, rather, we simply felt that the Foleo was way overpriced for the relatively limited functionality it provided. Well now a new company called Celio seems to be heading down the same risky path as Palm, announcing the REDFLY Smartphone Interface System, a platform that allows Windows Mobile 5 and 6 devices to be controlled using external hardware -- sounds promising, except that the first piece of gear to incorporate the technology will cost $499, the same targeted MSRP as the failed Foleo (after its planned instant rebate). Celio wisely claims that it's initially targeting enterprise users with the Bluetooth 2.0, clamshell device, although frankly it seems like they'd have more success concentrating on the software and letting OEMs deal with designing products that offer a more attractive price / performance ratio.