Palm's Jeff Hawkins live from D 2007
By Ryan Block 
posted May 30th 2007 1:30PM
posted May 30th 2007 1:30PM
10:31am - Last time you were here talking about the brain... you basically created the first handheld computer. You've been working on something else for a couple years.
The concept of this product is five years old, devleopment is a couple hours. A little history behind all this... we started palm 15 years ago on a palm and an opportunity. Desktops and laptops were too large, expensive, complex. You're not going to build billions of these complex machines, you build mobile computers. But the technology didn't exist, but that was the goal behind Palm. We are a future-of-personal-computing.
But it became clear the smartphone wasn't going to fill that role. It has a keyboard, nice display, except there's a problem. You need a full size screen and keyboard. The smartphone is a truly capable computer, billions of comptuer have one, but sometimes you need to be able to look at that big spreadsheet.
Hawkins isn't convinced. You need a big display, there's no technical solution for that. I thought about it, came in Monday morning, I have this great idea! Here's the solution... no, come back later. But I also knew this concept, the mobile companion, is taking that mobile phone and extending it with a large screen and full size keyboard.
10:35am - So I have my Treo, a lot of people say I can go for two days, I don't need a computer... but this extends that experience.
10:37am When you want to introduce a new platform, a new product category, you have to find someone who really wants it, and it grows beyond that. The thing we focused initially on is that email experience. Talking about battery life... it's similar to a cellphone usage model.
10:38am - I want to use it more and more, it's got a nice browser (Opera), you can use it with your phone. You can use it as a little laptop...We're careful not to position it as a laptop... it doesn't have a DVD drive, but it does have a lot of functionality built around the phone, but you're right, this is the smallest... crowd shouting to take it out and show it off!
10:41am - Almost no ports on the unit, very clean lines. You open it like a hard-cover book.
10:42am - Less than an inch, weighs about two pounds. Full size keyboard
10:43am - I believe this is the smallest keyboard with a full size keyboard. There are no modes, no sleep, no suspend.
10:45am - Showing the email client. This is what's on your phone, not what's going on at the server, its synced only to your phone. You don't have to set anything up, just use it with your phone -- "you don't even have to tell them you bought one!" You're looking at the email on the phone...
10:48am - On-screen demo time.. starting off pairing a Foleo to a Treo. 755p with two accounts, one with POP3... it has video output, that's nice. So they're going through the initial guided setup routine. Four steps, Bluetooth pairing.
11:01am - Can I talk about other things? No... it's available this summer, it's selling for $499 with $100 mail-in rebate. It'll be sold direct and through our stores and rolled out... it gives us the ability to do whatever we want, we can position it any way we want, distribute it any way we want, it gives us an opportunity to do more innovation. There are laptops that are small, 10.4 inch screens, laptops that are $499...
11:04am - We're going to start doing that, we're going to support the iPhone. They're gonna need it. We'd love to do that. Great, thank you.
http://www.palm.com/us/products/mobilecompanion/foleo/
I don't like the idea of carrying around yet another device, and all it really adds is ease of input/reading.
they came up with an under-powered laptop....awesome!
Yeah, its the same weight and battery life of the Intel Metro concept, except the Metro is thinner and runs Vista, has a Sideshow device, etc. The Syncing of the Foleo is neat, but any laptop or programmable device could do the same thing (it just uses Bluetooth). Of course, it is a lot cheaper than what the Metro would cost... but also a lot less useful.
thats the same thing i was thinking.....now you can get the same size high powered labtop
Lovely; a subcompact notebook with a proprietary linux variant. No matter how many times I hear him say "it's not just an accessory, it's a whole new category", I keep thinking "it's not bankruptcy, it's financial restructuring". Good luck, Jeff. I can't see buying a subcompact from a company that never opened up the Palm OS or did very many update/firmware revisions, doesn't have upgradability other than an sd card slot and is only two hundred dollars away from a fully functioning pc.
Love it
BUT
Do I have to pay Sprint for DUN if I surf web on it?
no, you can hack your phone to do it for free. search google on how to do it
Yeah, I know of two ways to do this on a PC (PDANet and the other one) but not sure if this is going to work, at least not initialy for a Palm/Palm set up.
Here is hopeing PDANet gets a program working for this ASAP.
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Wow, they've made a Psion Series 7. Palm really has it's finger on the pulse..
Really, Palm?......Really?
- I'm going to need a lot of convincing before I begin to "get" this. Looks like a keyboard/screen accessory for a Treo to me.
- Jobs competitive juices may be motivated by Microsoft Surface Multitouch - but not by this. Jobs has head start with iPhone, M$ coming at it from other end with $10k servers for hotels/casinos. Question is who can get to the the center fastest/most efficiently.
- Palm seems done to me. Stick a fork in them. Their innovation since the Treo 650 has been non-existent.
Today is the day Palm killed it self. That product won't turn the company around.
So why can't this be implemented as a software program for any notebook computer with Bluetooth?
I'm missing something ...**WHY** in the hell would I just not use my laptop instead of the Folly-O?
The Samsung Q1 Ultra is just $300 more (whenever it becomes available, that is) but offers a heck of a lot more than this thing, in a slightly smaller format. I might snag one of these though when they're on Woot for $150 next summer.
@Dster - thanks for the link.
I actually think this could be useful. I would use it in my car for directions. Its a MID except the internet part is provided through ur phone. Its not the greatest invention ever, but priced nicely, i am in. Beats $1,500+ for a UMPC
Dumb Terminal + Smart Phone = ???
Does Palm really expect to sell a crippled laptop for $500? Seriously, just liquidate your assets to the highest bidder already.
The hell... good job palm, you invented the laptop computer... just a little too late.
this is ballocks.
How can Hawkins stand up with a straight face and display an anemic laptop as the next greatest thing? How embarrasing for him and Palm!!
Think they missed an opportunity to make it also open as a tablet, makes sence for this device and Palms user group. Maybe second generation if they are still in business.
A few years ago this would excite me, but now it is nothing. I can already sync my smartphone to my ultra-portable notebook anyway.
what is the big deal about this? It is a proprietary UMPC?
Are you saying that all of these other UMPCs that run Windows aren't proprietary?
hey don't tell me your jeff hawkins, cause that would be embarrassing
just kidding
Is this device a joke??
I am not impressed at all. I really though Palm would create something innovative considering the hype surrounding Hawkins.
This device is crap. My 14" notebook can do a everything and doesn't weigh me down.
There isin't a need for this new category of a dummied down device at all.
I guess I should look at the new Windows Mobile 6 powered smartphones that have the works.
What is the problem with Palm? All they had to do is create a linux based OS for the Treo based on the Palm architecture, fix bugs and they would have a winner.
Palm should learn from Motorola. The new Linux based interface on the Razr2 is great.
This has my vote for worst gadget of 2007
everyone here is right. this thing will be on bargain tables at Staples in September for $99. because what i really need is a device so big i have to lug it around. i can just imagine the initial meetings:
it shouldn't be pocket size, it should be laptop bag size! we all carry those! oh, wait! i know, let's make it just a giant $500 screen for a phone! and it should have 'instant' applications! because we all know that eight seconds to open an email app is WAY too long...
That is truly incredible. I mean, anyone in their right mind can see that's a bad idea. I really think Hawkins is just throwing in the towel, but why humiliate yourself to do it? Why back up a product that looks like a throwback to 1995 with a nicer screen and WiFi?
This thing looks nice, and the form factor is great, but what is it supposed to do?
shure, it "extends" my smartphone, but what else?
it runs linux, so can i use it like a normal linux, on a most likely weak cpu?
can i install programms on it?
when i first read about it, i sounded like it could be great, but the more im reading ...
but maybe it is a great cheap hackable subnotebook?
the appletv of notebooks?
one can always dream ...
vert
Jobs, Gates, and Schmidt must be laughing BALLZ backstage.
They "want" to support blackberry's ? how about wanting to support symbian and such ?
yeah am not blown away ... and for e-mail and web what ya gonna use ? my data package from my mobile ? or is there wifi ? cos that at least would make it worth something .. ie .. bring it into the same category as that wifi internet tablet from nokia ..
sorry PALM .. i really was expecting more ..
but i do like that new softer more 2007 interface on screen .. cos it blows away the lamo interface of ya smartphone..
love ..
Tada- it's a subnotebook.
The non-technical will be scared off trying to pair it (no matter how easy they say it is).
The technical already MUST use a laptop for various other things like citrix, etc -- so they're not buying this in droves.
And not for nothing but developers already seem to be abandoning the Palm ship. So I'm left with a fast booting $ 499 paperweight.
Well, if it's hackable, that might give it some life. But I gotta admit, it's going to be a tough sell, especially as UMPCs get faster and cheaper. If they had introduced this before the UMPC, they might have had something. But as it is, they're a day late and a dollar short.
WTF?!? Unless this abomination is under $100, it's ridiculous. Even then...
Palm's history. They had a good idea for a minute, now they couldn't create something inovative to save their lives. How's about making a Treo that isn't the size of three Blackjacks/Qs stacked on top of each other? No, they've decided we don't have enough crap to carry around with us.
FYI Palm, the whole concept of a smartphone is to leave the laptop at home! Morons...
So, I just shorted PALM stock. Maybe that was dumb, maybe not.
But I really don't get it. Right now I tether my macbook to my phone no problem - and I use it to check my email, web browse, etc. People do these with other PC / mac / linux laptops as well. Why don't I just use my laptop instead of a foleo??
Like, I really think i'm missing something... Am I??
-Kevin
...and it's UGLY to boot
So, to recap:
Microsoft has released a device that we can't get.
Palm has released a device that we won't get.
C'mon Steve, don't let us down. Please tell me you have something besides a rehash of DRM-free songs.
So although at first glance this doesn't look life-altering, it could be a way for many people who don't need a full laptop to have the portability of a laptop. It may also remove some of the complexity of a laptop for those who just want to surf on the couch.
Questions:
1. Does it become a brick if you don't have a Treo? I.e. can you surf over WiFi with it, where are the files stored? etc. If I show up at Starbucks without my phone can I hope on their WiFi?
2. How many people can share it? Is it locked to one Treo? Can my wife an I both use it?
3. Is it only for the Treo? I used VersaMail on my LifeDrive and it was great for reading mail but not anything with input, can I use this with other Palms? The video mentions support for other phones, but I'm guessing that it's a way off.
4. If this is pretty much a dumb terminal, will someone write a utility to allow me to connect to my PC upstairs via my home network? Can I access other resources then my Treo? If it can do some of those things, then $500 for a stripped down, ultra portable laptop doesn't seem so bad.
I'm fine with a Psion Series 7 that actually works in 2007!
If this thing actually works, that is. The first Palm amazed me in that they made something that worked without thinking about it. There's no way you can tell from this sketchy product intro whether it does that. Just as many people couldn't tell about the iPod from its intro.
I carry a Treo around and I have Opera on it, but I will not pick it up if there's a laptop available. Why? Because of the laptop's larger screen and better keyboard, that's why.
I'm not saying that this will succeed, but I think I need to try it with my Treo to find out, not look at swiveling pictures of it. Many old products like the Psion could work today if they had a certain amount of work done on them to make them usable in today's environment.
It's a portable Audrey!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3Com_Audrey
Actually, I'd say it was more like the rebirth of the eMate.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emate
What community college dropouts are RUNNING Palm?? This impotent laptop is going to sell less than the LifeDrive, and at least LifeDrive was a moderately acceptable idea.
Between Windows Mobile, the iPhone, and Palm's own chronic ineptitude, Palm Inc is so beyond dead, they need a new word for dead.
I don't get it, clearly I'm not in the target market. I don't want a somewhat bigger device to attach to my smaller device. I have a 12" laptop without a hard drive, with a cell radio model it could do everything but make phone calls (on a regular phone network, i know with wireless I could skype, etc)
Seems like an odd idea to me.
I honestly thought it could have been kind of neat - a screen extender/keyboard for your phone, I could sort of see the utility in that - until he said the price. At that price, you could get a laptop pretty easily, new or used... which would have bluetooth support to enable the syncing, and would be able to access e-mail and Office applications... they just completely blew it. Maybe now someone will see the opportunity for a display/imput accessory that's under $200. Something folding would be nice.
Hawkins says: "We're going to start doing that, we're going to support the iPhone. They're gonna need it."
Now, I'm ROTFL!!
I can't even get bluetooth headset to work reliably with my 700p! I have to stare at a blank screen for several seconds when switching apps; now he talks about INSTANT access to e-mail!!
Instead of spending five years to come up with an underpowered laptop, Palm could have at least spent a little time fix the numerous bugs on the Treo.
The Palm Foleo: DOA
oh my goodness! Are we in 1984?
Did I miss something here ?
Maybe there's something that Hawkins didn't convey to the masses. It certainly seems like a dumbed down laptop. At a net price of $399, I'm sure some would consider it...but why not pay $200 more and get a REAL laptop?
Perhaps these should be sold through a non-traditional CE retailer....maybe even Starbucks???
I agree with a previous poster...these'll be sold during "Back To School" in August for $ 99 - $ 199. And for that price, they might move off the retail shelves.
Or...maybe a bundle....1 FREE Treo with every Palm Foleo purchased!
Please....share with why the incredible hype for this product ??
Enlighten me.