Why the Foleo is Great News for Treo Fans

ballistic · 05/30/2007, 08:28 AM

For all of you Foleo bashers and Treo lovers, don't you see that the introduction of the Foleo will free Palm to push the design envelope for the Treo, bringing us sleeker and sexier devices? Qwerty-less flip phones, ultra-small candy-bar phones, etc?

Palm has recently said we'll see new smartphone form factors, and that a Treo a year from now will look very different from the Treo of today. The Foleo will allow this to happen, yet will still provide a large screen and full keyboard for the times when you need it. It's an ultra-portable laptop replacement smartphone companion. Now you can have that ultra small Treo smartphone from Palm without making too many sacrifices.

Brian

skfny · 05/30/2007, 08:35 AM

If I wanted a larger KB and screen, I'd get a 6800 or one of the giant HTC devices. There's a reason users come back to the Treo from these other devices- it's the usability, primarily the exposed keyboard that allows for one-handed use anywhere.

I don't think anyone is excited about buying a QWERTY-less KB with the idea that they can hook it up to a KB whenever they need it. We already have BT KBs for that.

Back to your original point, I'll agree this is good news for Treo fans because the technology will be in a future Treo. But Palm will deserve the severe backlash they get because they made this sound like the Next Big Thing, whereas it's really just a POS.

chadman · 05/30/2007, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ballistic

For all of you Foleo bashers and Treo lovers, don't you see that the introduction of the Foleo will free Palm to push the design envelope for the Treo, bringing us sleeker and sexier devices? Qwerty-less flip phones, ultra-small candy-bar phones, etc?

Palm has recently said we'll see new smartphone form factors, and that a Treo a year from now will look very different from the Treo of today. The Foleo will allow this to happen, yet will still provide a large screen and full keyboard for the times when you need it. It's an ultra-portable laptop replacement smartphone companion. Now you can have that ultra small Treo smartphone from Palm without making too many sacrifices.

Brian

I am as excited as you are!... and thanks for the support both here and 1src!

MarkY · 05/30/2007, 09:03 AM

I agree with Brian. If you look at Foleo as the foundation for new products, it really opens up the possibilities for consumers to have a device that is customizable depending on the current need.

LupeValenz · 05/30/2007, 09:06 AM

I'm just having to wait for the new treos now, I really don't want to have a backpack or something to carry around for the keyboard and screen, I just want one simplified device.

gkaatz · 05/30/2007, 09:11 AM

If Foleo is truly Linux based then it proves that Palm has the development team to make a Linux product. Basically, add the radio drivers and you have a Treo OS, right?

Although Foleo doesn't do anything for me personally (at least not right now) I'd bet we see the OS used in Foleo on future products. That is great news.

MarkY · 05/30/2007, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gkaatz

Although Foleo doesn't do anything for me personally (at least not right now) I'd bet we see the OS used in Foleo on future products. That is great news.

That is likely to be the main take-away for us Treo fans today. The good stuff is just around the corner.

treobk214 · 05/30/2007, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkY

That is likely to be the main take-away for us Treo fans today. The good stuff is just around the corner.

I suspect that is exactly the case.

michael1 · 05/30/2007, 10:52 AM

I see the Foleo as being for occasional use. You'd use the Treo for calls, and the usual PDA functions. The Foleo would be for when you're in a meeting, or at the park or in a restaurant and want to view a web page full size or edit a document or see more than 2 cells in a spreadsheet. I think it's a great idea. No more lugging around my desktop replacement laptop with 8 lbs of accessories, waiting for it to boot, to accept an email, edit it and fax it off. I'll get a lot of use out of mine. If what we're talking about is actually what the Foleo turns out to be.

Derek Kessler · 05/30/2007, 10:55 AM

Hmmm... yes, the Linux OS looks to be good for future Treos. That is, of course, assuming that the damn thing doesn't tank so badly that the past few years of R&D money doesn't pull Palm down with it.

ballistic · 05/30/2007, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chadman

I am as excited as you are!... and thanks for the support both here and 1src!

Good find, all I did was confirm and figure out Google Reader cached the release. Gotta love Google!

We'll see how this plays out, but it looks promising. It's not for everyone, but it's a viable option for many. I suspect the tried and true Treo form factor will remain largely unchanged (thumb board, antenna-less design) for those who are satisfied with it. But I also expect new Treo form factors to join, not replace, the current models.

skfny · 05/30/2007, 11:52 AM

Ok, some more optimism, since I can't believe Jeff will butcher this momentum. If they are going to announce a Foleo and sell it this summer, one would assume that it would also need a smartphone to work with, no? I doubt the OS5 or WM phones will be upgraded to be compatible, so I'm guessing (hoping) that we're going to see a new Treo today.

DominTreo · 05/30/2007, 12:01 PM

I do not think we see a new phone today, I have a feeling this device will work with WM6 and Palm's new OS but I doubt they tell us of a new Treo. But then again I hope I am wrong and you are right, cause I am just itching to buy something soon.

michael1 · 05/30/2007, 01:14 PM

I don't think there will be a new phone. I think it will work with all existing Treos with Bluetooth.

webedc · 05/30/2007, 01:27 PM

Treo is (or was?) the answer to leave the laptop behind. So it seems that the new solution is to abandon the idea of a converged device and going back to two pieces - one sleek/small cell phone and one Foleo-equivalent ultra-mobile unit....

I always wanted to have a PDA with me but I found it too bulky to carry both a cell phone and a PDA and thus I picked up a Treo. I'd really like to see how Foleo can convince me to go back to the 2-device mode. At this moment (i.e. before seeing a Foleo), I cannot see how I'd go back to the 2-device route no matter how small the 2nd device is.

duanedude1 · 05/30/2007, 01:30 PM

I hope it works better with existing Treo's Bluetooth than other BT devices.
Maybe they will finally update the BT stack and drivers on existing treos to work better with BT headsets/headphones (even stereo) as well as with the Foleo??

LupeValenz · 05/30/2007, 01:34 PM

Well it will have BT stereos since they finally decided to put BT 2.0 on it, it seems they only needed to make a new category device to add what we've been asking for for so long.

Derek Kessler · 05/30/2007, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duanedude1

I hope it works better with existing Treo's Bluetooth than other BT devices.
Maybe they will finally update the BT stack and drivers on existing treos to work better with BT headsets/headphones (even stereo) as well as with the Foleo??

AHAHHAHHHAHAHAHAHA! Good one!

Malatesta · 05/30/2007, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skfny

Ok, some more optimism, since I can't believe Jeff will butcher this momentum. If they are going to announce a Foleo and sell it this summer, one would assume that it would also need a smartphone to work with, no? I doubt the OS5 or WM phones will be upgraded to be compatible, so I'm guessing (hoping) that we're going to see a new Treo today.

Actually their OS Linux does run the Garnet module for running old OS5 apps. It'll be as compatible with MS as Linux is today (some of it is, some isn't).

I think it will have a CDMA radio but for Data only.

It certainly sounds like it is "device neutral" for smartphones.

maninrochester · 05/30/2007, 03:06 PM

If I can't fit it in my pocket then why do I need it? It looks like a spelling error to me.