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Palm Foleo gallery

engadget.com — 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...

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  • jnxyz, on 10/11/2007, -7/+37death of palm is here....
    • neel360, on 10/11/2007, -2/+30I'm not sure how they can get away with calling themselves "Palm" after this...
    • TomPlansMedia, on 10/11/2007, -1/+36yawn

      if it was going to be useless they should have at least made it pretty. it's like a one-two punch of pointlessness.
    • glasnostic, on 10/11/2007, -5/+10Ok one thing gets me, and that’s because I developed a bit of software with the suffix “folio”. The misspelled folio, and its not two words. Portfolio is one word which is derived from Italian “porto folio” which means carry pages.

      Anyway.. I will at least admit that I had to check to make sure it wasn’t I who had it misspelled. I am a terrible speller.

      I hope they change the name though..
    • unibomber999, on 10/11/2007, -1/+14I'm still trying to figure out what the target market of this thing really is. It doesn't replace the laptop, or the phone, so it's just another piece of gear to lug around on the road.
    • mmastrac, on 10/11/2007, -0/+13"The misspelled folio, and its not two words."

      Palm Treo - Trio
      Palm Foleo - Folio

      It's just a common theme to their branding. Bonus points for finding a word that sounds realistic, but hasn't been used much before so it will always rank well in google & other search.

    • signal15, on 10/11/2007, -1/+10My initial thought is that this is is pretty pointless. I mean, let's be honest here, there's nothing really groundbreaking with it. However, I can see myself using one on vacations or when traveling for non-work type stuff. I don't need a laptop bag to lug it around, it's small enough to fit in a hotel safe (unlike a Macbook/MBP, and if it gets stolen it's not worth nearly as much as a good laptop.

      No business traveler is going to use this, they will all just use their laptops because they probably need them with anyway. And why would I carry both this AND a laptop? I already have a bag full of gear that weighs 45 pounds when fully stocked with all of my equipment.
    • pop1, on 10/11/2007, -1/+7I totally agree. And $500 for a device that still requires a smart phone?

      I can buy a laptop for $500 (a modest one, but still...).
    • zip000, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2Um, yeah - that's a laptop.
    • ricksite, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1I think a better idea would be to make a stripped down (no hard drive, etc...) GoToMyPC / RDP / VNC client "laptop". It would need to be superlight and have a long battery life. It would also have to cost between $100-200.
    • Gaki, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4These Palm guys are driving me crazy.

      Sure, we need a bigger screen, but it doesn't have to be THAT much bigger. Sure, we need a keyboard, but there are folding keyboards already on the market. They are so close with their TX model it hurts and then they jump off into the stratosphere with this piece o' junk.

      Take the TX as your template. Get rid of the front buttons, square off the form factor and increase the screen size to 5-6" (a HUGE increase compared to a Treo and a moderate increase from a TX). If you have no buttons and a thin bezel, the overall size would be slightly bigger than a TX. Still portable by far. With the newly added volume, ADD THE CELL CHIP TO THE PDA. Now, you've got one item with screen size, telephone and a keyboard (using a folding model already on the market). If you replace the TX's cheesy proprietary power cable with a simple USB cable, you can connect this to portable HDDs for storage, Burners, USB keys, etc. Keep the card reader, but make it a multi card reader and you are done on the hardware side.

      On the software side, make the bluetooth bulletproof so that a monkey can add a headset and the keyboard. Use Linux with an open, easy to use API for outside developers and, bam, you are done.

      I would buy this in a nanosecond. WiFi, Bluetooth, Cell in one package. Out goes my iPod, my phone and my notebook.
    • BingeBoy, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1death for sure. To late and to lame.
    • themastersb, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1The important question is: What kind of games does it play?
    • procopio, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Is it a big PSION?
    • SVPirate, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Great idea - a lightweight sub-notebook - but the execution is terrible.

      Frankly I'd rather use a Psion 3a than that...
    • josegutz, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2They should of just went toward the HP Jornada Concept... I had one and it was Sweet!
      If they could do it that small, Then I'll wear a hotdog costume and run through a Day Spa.
  • laseractive, on 10/11/2007, -2/+18I've always wanted a Palm device like this, but there is no real market for it. Too expensive with terrible battery life.
    • ceralor, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4It's interesting because of the instant power-on, I suppose. I used a Dana, by Alphasmart, for several years, and it's powered by Palm OS, and I liked the instant power on/off, which I don't get with a laptop.
    • Antialias, on 10/11/2007, -4/+4With Mac laptops you get instant on, or very close to it. My 4 year old iBook wakes from sleep in less than 2 seconds when you open the lid. As for battery life, I've had the iBook sit in sleep mode for days at a time without being plugged in. I know PC laptops have added this more recently, but am not familiar with their performance.
    • ceralor, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1It's not the same, actually. Palm is instant on, instant reaction, no spin-up time for the display to live, or the disc to activate, since it's all flash-based. And no, sleep doesn't count. Sleep still uses battery, far more than a palm does in "off" mode.
  • frieddonuts, on 10/11/2007, -12/+6Check out engadget's gallery. I didn't believe the comment when I read it, but the models really do look like middle-aged gay men.

    http://www.engadget.com/photos/palm-foleo/258047/
  • superpixel, on 10/11/2007, -5/+18wow, way to think yerself back in the box Palm. jeez, just die already. I was your biggest fan until you changed hands more times than Inspector Gadget on Thanksgiving morning-- your soul left long ago, and the innovation went with it.
    • geminitojanus, on 10/11/2007, -1/+25No, this device is pretty innovative; it's exactly what the OLPC and Classmate laptops should look at for their future models. But the device is badly positioned on the market, which is why it's going to fail.

      It's a great idea; a super-portable laptop, based on an uber-inexpensive platform, running a Free operating system. But they're charging way, way too much for it (upwards of $500, when they could build these devices in the $150-180 range, and sell them for $300-350, which is the absolute sweet spot), and the technology used is rather underwhelming (it's heavy for what it is and how much battery life it's lacking, it's rather ugly in styling, brain-dead lack of a touch-pad pointing device, rather generic keyboard, no web camera when the MX31 that's likely running it supports a camera sensor in hardware [and why not? video conferencing would be the huge reason to tie one of these to a phone, otherwise I can see very, very little reason]).

      The biggest problem here is they're targeting Super-portable laptops (in the $2000-2500 range), when they should be targeting Intel's MIDs and other UMPCs, which are in the $500-$1500 range, and where this thing could actually do a huge amount of good. The fear is that they'd probably get out-competed in this area, as they've lost a lot of steam in the smartphone market (which they could really dominate if they were more aggressive; the Treo is a damned solid platform), and Palm was always a conservative "find-our-own-way" company rather than a market-follower; one could say they attempt to be a market leader, but they're really doing a poor job of it, they end up looking more like the guy who drags a few, loyal followers with them into the jungle...

      I'd really love to own one, but with only 5 hours of battery life for $500+, they can forget it. My Lifebook does better than that (8+), and it's got a beefier processor (but I paid around $800 for it, which is slightly more than the Palm offering before rebates), or in the economical tradeoff, my Toshiba Satellite only runs for two or so hours, but it also only cost $300 (only $500 before rebates).
    • unibomber999, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2@gemini

      Your post makes no sense. You say they are innovative and should be a model for others, yet prove exactly why they are not innovative and shouldn't be a model in the very next paragraph. You say want to own one, then say exactly why you wouldn't buy one.

      So, basically what you're saying is that if it were a completely different product from what it actually is, and more like something you could actually use, then it would be great!
    • geminitojanus, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1"You say they are innovative and should be a model for others, yet prove exactly why they are not innovative and shouldn't be a model in the very next paragraph."

      I quite clearly say the platform is innovative, but it has no bells and whistles that would make the platform pop and be exciting, and thusly attract users to it. I also complain about some of the fundamentals of style, but the hardware design is absolutely cutting edge electronics, using an ARM, completely solid state devices as the central hub for a super-portable laptop-replacement. It's beautiful in that it can be made absolutely dirt-cheap and scales up incredibly well, and it's the exact device I've been crying for years to have made, but it's somehow much more awkward in implementation.

      I also say I'd love to own one, it's such a great idea, but why as a consumer, I wouldn't buy one. If someone gave it to me, or they dropped the price to make it better compete with models in its same category, I'd snap one up. Innovation, the application of new ideas to old products to make them better, has no baring on the true economics of this particular device. It's not expensive to build, they under-engineered certain parts of it, they should be able to print money with them by selling them for next to nothing, but it seems instead they're going to profit taking, which is extremely bad for an already limping company like Palm to try to pull off.
  • UberGeek, on 10/11/2007, -0/+11the palm foleo, aka the NQL (Not Quite a Laptop)
  • trigatch4, on 10/11/2007, -9/+12Too many people ***** on Palm for this release.

    The concept is solid... smartphones will become THE mobile computing device but the fact remains that sometimes you need a screen and keyboard when you're on the run... especially for business professionals. They're not going to get it 100 percent right on the first try but this is a good start.

    Read an article about 4 groups this will have great appeal to: consultants, students, journalists and soccer moms. Bingo... that's called marketing... read the article here: http://palmfoleo.info/news/4-palmfoleo-perfect-people

    Remember... just because you geeks don't want it doesn't mean it won't sell!
    • geminitojanus, on 10/11/2007, -0/+5Well, this device is well targeted to the business-man/professional market, but it's badly positioned price-wise and concept-wise. It's going to end up competing with Laptops, when it should be competing with MIDs like the Nokia's N800, the iPhone, and similar devices. The N800 outclasses this device in almost every single aspect of its being (minus a full QWERTY keypad), and it's $400.

      I love that Palm is trying, and I love that this is a very down-to-concept device (not a whole lot distracting you from realizing immediately what it is), but it's lacking severely in bells and whistles for its sticker-shock.
    • akira117, on 10/11/2007, -3/+3Is it running Linux or some in house palm OS?
    • pevensen, on 10/11/2007, -2/+6How is it better than a cheap laptop? True, it is a bit smaller, better battery life, but $500 is a lot for that, when it doesn't really run Office or other main-stream programs.

      Won't most business people have a laptop already? So they will have their laptop, their smart phone, AND their folio? I don't think so. They'll just stick with their laptop and smart phone.

      I really don't see a big market for this device.

      Palm could have come out with a really great (i.e., more powerful) smart phone, expecially since Apple is raising the price bar, but instead they come out with this?!?!
    • profOblivion, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2"Read an article about 4 groups this will have great appeal to: consultants, students, journalists and soccer moms."

      I heard about this on the radio this morning (yes, I still listen to radio :P) and saying this as a student, I was really interested. It really would be nice to have something that does the basics really well, with a bigger screen than a palm PC or smartphone, but doesn't cost as much as a full-featured laptop. And then they mentioned the price... $600-$700 CAD?? Also speaking as a student, I wouldn't want to pay more than about $400-$500 (CAD) for something like this. It has to be more affordable because I don't see it as something I *need* (I have a separate computer, and paper + pen works for taking notes as far as I'm concerned), and I'm paying my own way through school - it's gotta be at least *mostly* justifiable as "school supplies".
    • profOblivion, on 10/11/2007, -2/+5^^ I should also add that if it requires a smartphone to run or do anything useful, then ***** that.
    • unibomber999, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Here are the problems with saying those 4 groups could use this:

      Students: Need the office app's of a laptop, don't need a smartphone. Most won't want to pay for a smartphone + dataplan + foleo. Especially when free wireless is so prevalent on campuses.

      Consultants: Need full featured office app's. Most already have a smartphone and laptop making the foleo redundant and just extra gear to lug around.

      Soccer moms: Most don't even need a smartphone let alone a foleo + smartphone combo, but the ones that do will find the smartphone to be more than adequate for the occasional email and looking up movie times/directions using a smartphone browser.

      Journalists: Smaller screen and keyboard won't be as comfortable for lots of typing.
  • GTuritto, on 10/11/2007, -3/+1Hummmm...... Nahhhh. too late. I still love the Nokia, or the HP-Ipaq.

  • pickerin, on 10/11/2007, -6/+2Dumb.

    'Nuff said.
  • thewebguy, on 10/11/2007, -2/+4the most ironic part about this is that most of the people who use treos probably require IE6 for their ***** enterprise software.
  • josegutz, on 10/11/2007, -0/+27How do you carry this? In your man purse?

    • fuliginosus, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3I think Nokia got the form factor right with 770 and N800. Big screen but still small enough to carry in your jackets pocket. Anything bigger and you might as well be carrying full laptop, because you need a bag anyway. Anything smaller and you can't put screen to it with resolution high enough to read web pages without side scrolling. Too bad those Nokias don't have integrated keyboards.
    • sjbdallas, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1It's a backpack sir, not a purse.
    • drgruney, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2It's a European Carry-all
  • joe90210, on 10/11/2007, -1/+8it doesn't replace the smartphone and it doesn't replace the laptop, nice.
  • arsemaster, on 10/11/2007, -2/+4So a nearly full sized laptop that requires a separate device just to function? That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard of. Just get a smaller laptop!
  • RationalXubrnce, on 10/11/2007, -0/+7 Wow, a mini laptop that I can't install any of my software on, where can I get one!!!
    • profOblivion, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Heard an interview on the radio with a guy from Palm this morning, he said it's actually Linux-based, and they're "expecting" developers to come out and write open-source software for it. And I'd imagine that means that a bunch of existing open-source/Linux/Unix software will be compatible.
  • tnvwboy, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1I still don't see the point. How does this replace a laptop? A laptop for dummies? Seems like a waste to me.
  • ShArKSe7eN, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Wait, can't I already use my laptop, and Palm Desktop on my laptop, to do everything the Foleo does?
    *yawns*
  • trer, on 10/11/2007, -3/+2It'd be better if they just integrated the smartphone into the Foleo so you didn't need the smartphone at all. Then you'd hold the Foleo up to your ear or something to make calls.
  • Mudcrutch, on 10/11/2007, -3/+2ugly
  • Smuikas, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2I think a better product than this would be a PDA accessory. Has its own battery supply, snap your phone into the back of it (or it connects with bluetooth, though that can get hairy if there are a lot of devices) and simply works as an external monitor and keyboard to your pda/smartphone.

    Could probably get the cost of it to under $200, too - with no need to sync data between the two.
  • derekknight, on 10/11/2007, -2/+2Anyone else get the feeling they are stabbing in the dark over there at Palm?
    • schotty, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2No.

      I am actually looking forward to this release. This can axe my need for a laptop in many situations. Since I am positive that the thing will tether to a cell phone for HSDPA access or whatnot, I have a cheap portable browser & email platform. If it has WiFi then I can also use the plethora of great Palm apps that can do network analysis (ssh, nessus, etc), ebooks, and more easily manage my calendars.
    • teradome, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1This really should have been more of an e-book model. i.e. slightly smaller, tablet style and have the keyboard flip out instead of the thing flip open. Make it an e-ink display and get a crapload of better battery life, too.

      At least that way they'd have a real end-user use that could be fulfilled in a way that isn't being done today, it'd be a trojan-horse for their custom brand of Linux-lite, and it could still be the whole document-editor, big-screen-emailing tool that it's currently trying to be.
  • spiffywilco, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1Really? This is possibly the most ill-concieved product I've seen in a while. It's like they put the treo out and decided that innovation stopped there. Devices like this end up being sold on ebay 5 years later in bulk... reminds me of eMate, and just as pointlessly expensive.

    Now if I can put Newton OS on this thing... then we're talking.
  • pyman, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1What a waste of time effort and energy.....
  • levi, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1They put the Palm logo on upside down.
  • Thex1138, on 10/11/2007, -2/+1it's a toy...it looks like an old Toshiba from the 90's lol
  • loudmouth11, on 10/11/2007, -2/+0hahahahahahahahaha well i would just like to say a farewell to palm BYE
  • LeonThePro, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3Looks just like the NEC MobilePro 790

    http://www.pocketpcmag.com/_archives/Nov01/NEC790.asp

    http://www.suntimes.com/technology/ihnatko/368657,CST-FIN-Andy03.article
    • trer, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1That NEC actually looks cool. Too bad no one has adopted that design anymore.
  • gjscds, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1If the Apple iPhone actually does what they say it can do--then a device such as this will be nearly pointless, sans the full sized keyboard.

    Seems like a 10 year old recycled idea.

    I mean--seriously. Back when I religiously used a Palm device, I would get pissed because I would have to carry a Palm AND a phone. Now, I have to carry a big clunky phone AND this pseudo laptop.

    This isn't a solution, it's another problem.
    • schotty, on 10/11/2007, -2/+1The IPhone is useless to me for one major reason -- not even 3G speeds. That means that its on par with my RAZR which is slower than my dialup I gave up years ago (the 2.5G EDGE/GPRS speeds max out almost everywhere at 36Kb/s).

      WTF good is a smartphone when its this slow these days? And at the price they are asking for? Subsidized and over $500 is a retarded price point aimed merely at the moron fanboys who throw money at Jobs like he is God. The Foleo is not going to be something that is only accessible from one carrier. The Foleo can most certainly be found for less after launch online. The Foleo isn't going to cost me per month to operate still. Ill take one of these Foleos and a RAZR2 this July when they both launch and have the same monthly fee for unlimited data and not need to lug a lappy around to have a keyboard that fits my hands.
    • ElectroBot, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Who cares whether the iPhone is 3G or not. It has WIFI. Why would I want to use EVDO/EDGE/etc. when I can use free Wifi access.

      The iPhone isn't a smartphone - It's a great MP3 player (iPod), a cool smartphone, and a phone all-in-one. The price is reasonable when you combine those three devices into one.
  • bigteebo, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1What's the over/under on this product being on future PC World's "Worst tech products ever" lists?
  • eddiepeay, on 10/11/2007, -1/+0I dont think i would buy this but as far as phones go my work phone is a sprint 6700 running windows and my personnel phone is a treo 650 running palm. I love my treo,palm is so much faster than windows mobile(at least windows on my 6700). I dont do a lot of surfing the web so I might like windows mobile more if i did but for everyday use palm smokes windows as far as speed goes. With that said i still dont want a laptop that does not do anymore (or not even as much) as my smartphone.
  • GabrielS, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1The Tmobile dash cost me $75 after rebate and an 2 year extension on my contract. It does almost everything I want from a mobile product. I can admin servers. I get my email on the dash before it arrives in Outlook on my desktop. It's a little hard to read PDF documents, but that can be tweaked.

    I have very little use for my notebook computer now. I still want a notebook though for sitting on the couch computing, but the Dash makes it very hard to take any new mobile product seriously unless it's a Dash with a larger viewing screen.

    I don't even use my ipod anymore. The Dash just reads my micro-SD cards.
  • FZero, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Kinda silly, innit?
  • rman666, on 10/11/2007, -2/+1Palm, you shot yourself in the head a long time ago. Die already. I was your biggest fan until you simply lost your soul. If you want any chance of survival, go back to your roots. A low-cost (US$150) palm-sized PDA with color, lots of memory, improvements to your apps, easy sync, and a real warranty (1-year parts and labor). That's your only chance. If you can through in a SDK, wi-fi, a browser, and base it on Linux and a screaming fast processor, great. But what is really needed are the basics. The Tungsten E was a great product, but now it is too expensive. Others have been telling you the same things for a long time. Quit screwing with the market. Either give us what we want, or get out of the game already.
  • brianheys, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3Why ever did Psion stop making those great PDAs? I used to love my Revo. Size-wise, it would still put Palm's new Foleo to shame, and it came out back in 1999!
  • kamikaze87, on 10/11/2007, -1/+0I don't see what the fuss is all about, I will be looking very stylish with my new Palm Foleo and Home Alone 2 Deluxe Talkboy.

    Get a ***** clue Palm.
  • AhronZombi, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2bet is beos
  • jav1231, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1It never ceases to amaze me how a Linux-powered device that should be priced lower due to the OS is almost always priced higher. Are they merely trying to cash in on the Linux buzz? Then when it fails or has mediocre success they cry, "No one wants Linux!" Hand-helds were notorious for this. Palm - $250, WinCE device $250, comparable Linux device (ala Zaurus etc.) $599. Welcome, Foleo, you're place price-wise very predictably.
  • uofmpike, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2The Palm Flopeo. I'd rather have a $500 dell laptop
    • JQP123, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Flopeo!?! LOL! From the same people who created the LifeDrop.

      Apparently, I'm the only one who got it.
  • diggthisman, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0what palm needs to do is make their treo smartphones razor thin!
  • monkeyrun, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1sweet ..... Palm's long painful death.
  • efexay, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0choices are always good. while palm is nowhere near dead imho, I'm kind of surprised to see them make this move when they could definitely be focusing their slowly shrinking resources elsewhere.
  • blogger123, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1the only way I see this succeeding is for people to hack it and get Linux running on it, cause it has no point otherwise, and I think the hardcore linux users would actually use this as a $500 uber-portable laptop.
    • monkeyrun, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1the problem is the hacking community is so very small.

      Let's hope this is an early version of the "linux" based Palm OS.
  • steban, on 10/11/2007, -2/+1If fails! just wait for the price to drop under $200 dollars and you have a great toy to use Linux with, http://www.foleoforum.org
  • adinb, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1And lets all watch Palm jump the shark together! ::drumroll::

    ::looking though gallery:: oooooh, ow. That's gotta hurt! Looks like they didn't even clear the last few sharks!

    The Foleo is really a flashback to those early 90's NQT WinCE devices.

    Glad I didn't buy palm stock and bought apple instead. wow.
  • UnclePunk, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1I am the great Cornholio. I need FOLEO for my bunghole!
  • Squill, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Man this thing is ugly, looks like this thing was made 10 year agos.
  • Halcyon, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0WHY Palm, WHY??? The goal here is to help me carry LESS stuff, not MORE!!!
  • G5Man, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0Why does this look so old for a new product? I mean it already looks dated. Perhaps actually touching one it would seem 'newer'

    My 3 year old Powerbook, on the other hand still, seems fresh and pleasing to the eye.
  • discourse, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1Dear Palm

    This is a piece of crap. Please die quickly.

    signed:
    a guy who used to love you but smashed his treo against the wall after seeing this ugly thing
  • couragewins75, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0"The misspelled folio, and its not two words."
  •  

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