Palm's Foleo gone, but idea isn't
Unlike the Foleo, the Redfly doesn't have an operating system, storage, or processing power.
(Credit: Celio)SAN FRANCISCO--When I first glimpsed the Redfly from Celio at this week's CTIA show here, I thought I was staring at a Palm Foleo.
But while both are "smartphone companions," there are a couple of key differences. First and foremost, the Redfly hasn't been shelved.
Also, although the Foleo was touted as a complement to a smartphone, it had its own Linux-based operating system and application development apparatus.
As noted in January, the Redfly looks like a laptop, but has essentially no processing power or storage of its own. Rather, it's designed to hook up with a Windows Mobile smartphone.
It takes all the applications and data from the phone (via a Bluetooth or USB connection) and adds an 8-inch screen, keyboard, and pointing device. PowerPoint presentations and Excel spreadsheets that barely show up on a 3-inch phone screen are much more usable. Also, as mobile browsers get better, Web surfing stands to be much better as well.
Palm co-founder Jeff Hawkins introduces the Palm Foleo at the May 2007 D: All Things Digital conference.
(Credit: CNET Networks)It's price tag is still hefty--around $400. That's a lot for a device that doesn't actually hold any information. Of course, that might also be Redfly's biggest selling point.
Because all the Redfly is doing is acting as a remote display for the phone, no data actually lives on the device. That feature alone could justify the price for some businesses. While most laptops can't be remotely wiped, many smartphones can.
For now, Salt Lake City-based Celio is still small, with just over a dozen employees.Marketing Vice President Brad Warnock told me his company still hopes to crack into the consumer market, but understands that it needs to get its costs down before that's a practical option.
During her years at CNET News, Ina Fried has changed beats several times, changed genders once, and covered both of the Pirates of Silicon Valley. These days, most of her attention is focused on Microsoft. E-mail Ina. 
I saw the Foleo, during an exposition for the Microsoft WPC in Denver. I thought that the idea was right.
But I think the press destroyed the product with so many negative reports.
Now we read often about Mac and new portable devices with bigger screens, kind of a tablet. And now that idea sounds cool.
I truly hope Palm is keeping a secret and soon will show the World a new evolution of the Foleo.
This thing seems like an interesting idea, but it is the same problem: it's too big to carry around, and it doesn't actually contain any data...basically it lets you get access to the data in your phone while you're talking on the phone, or when you want to use a real keyboard.
Doggone it, when is the industry going to wise up and figure out that if they start with the Psion Series 3/Series 5 form factor and build a modern machine that fits that footprint, then they might have a really awesome portable machine. But this whole "crippled mini laptop" idea, I just don't understand...
- by JBSimmons September 15, 2008 4:19 AM PDT
- One earlier warned that a mess up in the Palm One phone cell phone line would be the nail in their coffin. Did they blow it this time?
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(4 Comments)DEAE INA, I'm looking for a cell phone for the hearing impaired. I used to have the Motorola one from the late 90's with the green backlight display and the black snap on speakerphone. It worked very well for us. Then they updated it with a blue backlit display with the same accesories that worked very well. We could put the speaker up to our ear while the mic was still in close proximity. These phones were offered by Cricket cell services.
Are these copanies so far sighted tht they don't take into account the hearing impaired community that don't have access to TTD's and not enough loudness on plug in earpieces? We do need to contact people as well. A Blackberry is not practical in calling a cab, or am I wrong?