RSSPalm Introduces New Laptop Product Line
By Ed Oswald | Published May 30, 2007, 2:44 PM
Aimed as a 'companion' for its smartphones but essentially a computer on its own, Palm introduced the Foleo, a Linux-powered laptop-like device.
The Foleo is connected to the smartphone and allows the user to read and edit documents and e-mail, and has web browsing capabilities. The device also features built in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and can use the phone's radio to access the Internet.
Additional features include a USB port, video-out port, headphone jack, and SD and Compact Flash card slots.
While it is designed for the Palm Treo, non-Palm smartphones based on Windows Mobile will likely work with little or no modification. Software modifications could make smartphones from Research In Motion, Apple, and Symbian operable with the device as well.
Palm is billing the device as an innovation as big as the PDAs the company first pioneered over a decade ago. "The Palm Foleo represents our first product in a new line of solutions that will redefine how people work while away from their desks," president and CEO Ed Colligan said.
With the smartphone market growing rapidly and content increasingly going digital, the company says it is the right time to introduce such a product.
Additional functionality is planned for the Foleo, and Palm has opened up the platform to allow developers to create new applications for the device. Software will be installable through a single click within the web browser.
Analysts say that the product has a lot of potential, but does face some challenges. "The real question is can Foleo become a platform in and of itself and is that the end-game here? Is Palm trying for a new platform for mobile computing and not just a companion product?" JupiterResearch analyst Michael Gartenberg questioned.
"That's a whole different ball game with a whole different set of challenges."
The Foleo is expected to become available during the summer for $499 after an introductory $100 rebate.
Makes one wonder what they are doing with
the BE OS.
Score: 0
|Kudos to everyone for their insightful posts here.
You done BetaNews good, Hoss!!!
Score: 0
|Well they have to do something since Windows won the pda race, and they're facing ever stiffer competition in the smart phone world, why with the iPhone comin round the corner. Just think of how many of these things will be sitting in landfills in India in less than 5 years!
Score: 0
|Palm's product Palm Pilot was not originally supposed to be about the Palm Pilot device but the actual cradle.
The engineers behind the product worked on networking cradles to your home and business and using the Pilot as a centralized command center.
I wonder if they are not trying to go back to that idea but this looks like a lot of money for something that can be done already.
Let's hope they push their thinking a little more and woo us with something truly revolutionary.
How about a BeOS box instead of Linux? Don't they own the rights now.
Score: 0
|Their marketing department seems to be living under a rock :P
This past weekend, Best Buy was offering a pretty decent laptop for mere $349 ...
Now, palm wants $499 for an "add-on" ?? Lol, nice try, but no cigar
Score: 0
|"The Foleo is connected to the smartphone and allows the user to read and edit documents and e-mail, and has web browsing capabilities. The device also features built in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and can use the phone's radio to access the Internet."
No thanks. For $499, I will get a real laptop that does a lot more.
Score: 0
|It's not April 1 is it?
Score: 0
|The only feature that looks special at all is the "instant on". They need to put the 3G radio in the device, or market it in the scenario where you use your non-smart phone with it... I could see some people who just want a simple phone you can shove in your pocket, but *occasionally* need email on the go with one of these... maybe...
Score: 0
|What a stupid idea. Seriously. This is way off the mark.
Score: 0
|Just what we need, another overpriced device (and another proprietary platform??? just what we need) that tries to tell us how to organize our business instead of facilitating how we want to do business.
I can carry it along with my $600 dedicated 4" DVD player and my $400 cell phone.
Does it include a 5.11 Tac combat readiness vest to carry all of these gadgets?
PalmPilot2....yawn...
Score: 0
|Not impressed yet...Maybe when more details come? But right now not impressed.
Score: 0
|WOW! Ten of fifteen years ago this would have been really big news. But now...
Ho-hum...........
Score: 0
|