Palm Foleo: "#1 Worst Gadget of 2007"

[jæd]

It's designed for it. A pre-installed windows version will be out soon. Those who've installed it on the linux version report acceptable performance. It got a 1,132 PCMark score, comparable to that from the Fujitsu LifeBook P7230, a $1800 laptop. It's no slouch.

Thing is, you're running Xp on a 7" screen... Linux would be marginally better but only because you wouldn't have malware/viruses hassles.

I'd rather be running something custom that takes advantage of the hardware, rather than being shoe-horned in.

 

[Crispy]

True. Custom software would be a plus point for the foleo. I'm still not enamoured with the concept though. A plugin keyboard fro the treo would be more portable and useful (and differentiated from a laptop)

 

[Chz]

The TZ or TX series...? Yep, thats what I want to see from Apple as well...!

Considering that the Apple TV was the worst product that *did* ship, I'm not so sure...

 

[editor]

True. Custom software would be a plus point for the foleo. I'm still not enamoured with the concept though. A plugin keyboard fro the treo would be more portable and useful (and differentiated from a laptop)

There's already wireless/Bluetooth keyboards available for the Treo, but that won't solve the problem of the small screen.

 

[Crispy]

And as soon as you get a big screen, a laptop makes more sense. You can do so much more with it.

 

[editor]

And as soon as you get a big screen, a laptop makes more sense. You can do so much more with it.

Yes, but not everyone wants the complexity of a laptop.

When I was at Glasto, for example, something small, light, fast, cheap, tough and simple that could seamlessly hook up to my phone for surfing/email with a great battery life would have been perfect for my needs.

I'm not saying that the Foleo would have been exactly what I wanted, but it came close.

 

[jæd]

And as soon as you get a big screen, a laptop makes more sense. You can do so much more with it.

But for only four hours...

 

[Crispy]

Foleo was 5 hours wasn't it? Not a massive difference.

Ed - you really should get a HPC.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Jornada-720-w...ryZ38331QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[jæd]

Foleo was 5 hours wasn't it? Not a massive difference.

That was at top whack with both radios on. Without them its supposed to be 10 hours. http://profoleo.com/2007/08/foleo-battery-life-power-for-the-long-haul/

On my Powerbook I can get 4 hours if turn off everything and dim the screen...

 

[Xanadu]

Thing is, you're running Xp on a 7" screen... Linux would be marginally better but only because you wouldn't have malware/viruses hassles.

I'd rather be running something custom that takes advantage of the hardware, rather than being shoe-horned in.

The eee does run a custom build of Linux. Not played around with it too much though.

 

[editor]

Foleo was 5 hours wasn't it? Not a massive difference.

From initial reports, 5 hours was a very conservative estimate and some had put the figure at double that.

Why on earth would I want a HPC? It hasn't got Bluetooth, it doesn't run any Palm programs, won't sync seamlessly with a Treo, it's got a rubbish browser, edits on the HPC won't automatically update on a Treo, and the screen's much smaller than the Foleo (and not that much bigger than a Treo) - which would be the whole point of getting a 'phone companion.'

 

[Crispy]

I stand corrected, you don't want to get one.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

How can you say that when you've never even seen, let alone used, a Foleo?

In reverse how can you say anything positive about it given you've never seen it either?

 

[editor]

This comments from people who actually got to use the Foleo are interesting:

I've spent some time with the Foleo operating system and it's a very nice piece of work, too. I'd go so far as to say that Palm's lightweight DirectFB windowing system sets a new standard of responsiveness and simplicity for mobile Linux
http://www.pikesoft.com/blog/index.php?itemid=196

After playing with the Foleo off and on the last couple of days, I really believe this device could have competed with the Nokia based tablets that are out there in the consumer market.
http://www.geardiary.com/2007/10/03/the-device-that-never-was-palm-foleo/

 

[editor]

In reverse how can you say anything positive about it given you've never seen it either?

See above.

 

[editor]

I stand corrected, you don't want to get one.

Well, would you want one?

 

[Crispy]

Yes. I have one (larger screen model) and it was very useful while I was studying. Instant on, loads of battery, synched my email. I never got round to putting a wifi card in it, though.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

See above.

You wrote those comments? I thought you'd never used one, if you have I stand corrected. If not you're selectively reading my comments to back up your own points.

 

[editor]

Lotta people ruing the demise of the Foleo here:
http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/27/palm-foleo-the-exclusive-first-and-final-hands-on/

 

[jæd]

Lotta people ruing the demise of the Foleo here:
http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/27/palm-foleo-the-exclusive-first-and-final-hands-on/

Engadget getting it wrong...? Say it isn't so...!

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Lotta people ruing the demise of the Foleo here:
http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/27/palm-foleo-the-exclusive-first-and-final-hands-on/

Fools. The best decision Palm made was to dump that project...hopefully the coming year will prove a turn around the company desperatly needs.

 

[editor]

And here comes a Foleo rip-off for WM devices. And boy is it ugly!

The REDFLY Mobile Companion has a small 8-inch screen, keyboard and touchpad and hooks up to your Windows Mobile phone via USB or Bluetooth in order to "extend the smartphone platform to a larger display, keyboard, and mouse".

Exactly what the Foleo was designed for!

http://gizmodo.com/339387/redfly-mobile-companion-is-the-palm-foleo-for-windows-mobiles

Edit: funny to see Engadget starting to quietly shift their opinion about the Foleo concept:
http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/02/celios-redfly-platform-enables-foleo-like-winmo-devices/#comments

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Ugly true but at least it has a touch pad not that stupid nipple thing the foolio had...

 

[Sunray]

Nipple is 10x better than any touch pad, just takes more practice. I can't use the touch pad, too slow and unresponsive.

 

[Sunray]

And here comes a Foleo rip-off for WM devices. And boy is it ugly!

The REDFLY Mobile Companion has a small 8-inch screen, keyboard and touchpad and hooks up to your Windows Mobile phone via USB or Bluetooth in order to "extend the smartphone platform to a larger display, keyboard, and mouse".

Exactly what the Foleo was designed for!

http://gizmodo.com/339387/redfly-mobile-companion-is-the-palm-foleo-for-windows-mobiles

Edit: funny to see Engadget starting to quietly shift their opinion about the Foleo concept:
http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/02/celios-redfly-platform-enables-foleo-like-winmo-devices/#comments

Another device that cost and weighs nearly as much as a laptop yet has a smaller screen. 8hrs isn't so great.

Rubbish.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Nipple is 10x better than any touch pad, just takes more practice. I can't use the touch pad, too slow and unresponsive.

I've used both over the years and the pad is far better ime. The pad is fast and responsive for me.

 

[untethered]

I really like the Palm, but the natural companion for it is a proper computer, not an augmented screen and keyboard.

The Eee PC is a wonderful piece of kit and very much the shape of things to come in this niche.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

The Eee PC is a wonderful piece of kit and very much the shape of things to come in this niche.

I read somewhere the other day that laptop sales are set to overtake desktop ones this year (I think) and that within that ultra potables will be the fastest growing products.

 

[editor]

I read somewhere the other day that laptop sales are set to overtake desktop ones this year

That happened in the US nearly 2 years ago.

http://www.news.com/2100-1044_3-6033967.html

 

[Kid_Eternity]

That happened in the US nearly 2 years ago.

http://www.news.com/2100-1044_3-6033967.html

Sorry meant to say worldwide they're going too...