Home  Out Now  Coming Soon Advertise  WAP  Search  Subscribe   RSS 2.0 Feed   YouTube   
 

 

Palm Foleo

 Palm Foleo Cancelled
30th May 2007

NOTE: This product has been cancelled

The Palm Foleo looks like a subnotebook - but it possibly the world's largest mobile phone accessory instead.

Roughly analogous to the Nokia N800 and 770 in terms of concept, the Palm Foleo is a very compact Linux-based computer with Bluetooth and WiFi connections. Unlike the Nokia variants, the Palm Foleo integrates tightly with either a PalmOS-based Palm smartphone, or a Windows-based one.

The close integration makes the Palm Foleo an extension of the smartphone. There's not need to worry about synchronisation and tricky software add-ons as the Foleo has been designed specifically to work in conjunction with a compatible smartphone.

 Palm Foleo The Foleo isn't just restricted to Palm handsets - Palm say that most Windows Mobile devices should be able to work with the Foleo with little or no adaptation. It should also be possible to synchronise the Foleo with Symbian devices, BlackBerry handhelds and even the Apple iPhone should the correct software become available (with a "modest software effort" according to Palm). Palm states that it is working with third-part developers to expand the appeal of the Foleo.

Using a Linux computer as a front-end for a Windows (or PalmOS) smartphone is certainly odd, but it seems promising. The Palm Foleo can Microsoft Office documents, PDF files and access the smartphone's email and calendar appointments. In effect, everything you can do on your smartphone, you should be able to do on the Palm Foleo.

We said that the Palm Foleo was the biggest mobile accessory we can think of - it boasts a 10" 1024x600 pixel display, a good sized QWERTY keyboard, WiFi and Bluetooth and it weighs around 1100 grams (2.5 pounds). There's no internal hard drive - storage uses CF and SD memory cards.  Battery life is quoted at 5 hours, and the Foleo features an "instant on/off" function too. We don't know the exact size, but the Foleo will fit comfortably in an airline seat tray. The screen isn't touch sensitive, but it's controlled by a fairly typical "nipple" mouse instead.

 Palm Foleo The Palm Foleo also has a built-in Opera web browser and the handset's WiFi functionality and flexible operating system should mean that the Foleo is also quite capable as an ultraportable computer in it's own right. However, at around $500 after a $100 rebate, the Foleo isn't cheap (we don't know how much this might be in Europe if it ever crosses the pond - our guess is around £300/€500).

It's better integrated with the phone than the Nokia N800, and it's more device independent than T-Mobile Ameo, plus it's an awful lot cheaper than the HTC Shift. It's hard to say if there's a much of a market for this type of device, but if there is then it could be a real winner for Palm.

The Palm Foleo will be available in the summer of 2007 in the United States. Availability elsewhere is not known at this point.


Slashdot Slashdot It    Digg this Digg this     Post to del.icio.us Post to del.icio.us

 Subscribe to our newsletter for more news on upcoming releases 
 

Palm Foleo at a glance

Available:

Q3 2007

Network:

None

Data:

WiFi + paired Bluetooth phone

Screen:

1024x600 pixels

Camera:

No

Size:

Subnotebook
1100 grams approx

Bluetooth:

Yes

Memory card:

CF + SD

Infra-red:

No

Polyphonic:

No

Java:

No

Battery life:

5 hours

 

 About Us       Links

Copyright (c) 2014 - Unauthorised copying is prohibited by law. Use of this site means that you agree to our privacy and cookie policies.

Quantcast