Will you buy a Foleo?

Bob Russell · 06-02-2007, 11:10 AM

As you can probably tell, I've developed a new technology induced disease which was passed on to me by Jeff Hawkins. It's called "Mental Foleo-itis!" I can't stop thinking about this device and wrestling with what Palm might have in mind for it.

I'm beginning to think that the lack of detail about where the Foleo line of products is going and the lack of specifications is intentional. They have a goal that we don't know about, and it is only going to make sense to us when we know where they are headed.

As a result, I wonder if the only proper treatment for "Foleo-itis" is for me to buy one to put in my very own hands. This quest to understand the potential and future of the Foleo is consuming me, and is in great need of concrete evidence and facts. It might be worth the $500 just to have something to work with as I try to read Hawkins' mind and see Palm's plans. Obviously, it's not worth $500 for the stated purpose!

So I tell you right now - there's something missing. More secrets. He's a smart guy, and this simply cannot be the whole picture. One day the secret will be revealed and it will all make sense.

So I'm actually thinking about buying one (on the condition that it can use my existing data plan without additional charges). Partly to play with it and try to understand its potential, but also for web browsing on the go. I think that if the browser has good support of web standards, then I would get a lot of use out of that. Of course, you can already do that on a laptop or UMPC, but let's ignore that fact for the moment.

Is there anyone else out there that's crazy enough to even consider for a moment throwing away $500 on this device, or is it just me?

NatCh · 06-02-2007, 11:31 AM

I'm not surprised you can't resist it, Bob.

Personally, I don't think my curiosity is nearly strong enough for me to consider buying one ... much less try explaining it to the wife.

But then, we're trying to buy a house, and that's dampening the gadget budget for a while.

rmeister0 · 06-02-2007, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Russell

Is there anyone else out there that's crazy enough to even consider for a moment throwing away $500 on this device, or is it just me?

I am, but everyone has to make that decision based on three things: what will you use it for, can you afford it, and can you live with the limitations it imposes?

It is no different than buying, say, an iPod. If all you will ever do is listen to podcasts, than dollar for dollar it is not a good value. If you're scraping by on $8/hour, the price tag is probably an issue. If what you really want is a portable radio than the iPod is a lousy choice.

By the same measure, this is a good match for me because I can type a heck of a lot faster than I can write, I have a lot of stuff that comes out in meetings I need to track because my memory is crap (and sometimes people try to weasel out of what they said), and while you *can* get a $500 laptop, you really don't want to work on one.

The fact that I alread own a shiny Treo 755p helps push me off the fence.

yvanleterrible · 06-02-2007, 12:46 PM

They got you there!

If you have a Treo, bying a Foleo is like getting a garage for that fine racy sports car.

My phone is two years old and out of the race. That means I'd have to buy the $1000.00 combo! No thanks! No positive software functionality incentive to justify the investment.

aagstn · 06-02-2007, 12:47 PM

I probably will if Mobipocket and eReader come aboard with software for it.

I was close to buying a Sony Reader for $350, but have so much money tied up in eReader and Mobipocket books that I don't want to start over with yet another DRMed book format. I'm also not a fan of the Sony Reader. That flicker on every page turn drove me nuts.

My first eBook reader was the IBM Z50. That was a device pretty much identical to what the Foleo will be. It was a laptop replacement and I loved that it was instant on, that it ran very cool and that it had a nice big screen to read books on. I've gotten used to reading on smaller PDAs over the years, but will definitely buy a Foleo for $500 if I can use it to read all of my ebooks. I would love to replace my LifeDrive with anything at this point.

Gameboy70 · 06-02-2007, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Russell

Is there anyone else out there that's crazy enough to even consider for a moment throwing away $500 on this device, or is it just me?

There's no point in throwing money away, buying a product for which you don't see the value.

I have a different reference point, having owned a Psion Series 7 a few years back. I've desperately wanted to have another subnotebook based on a solid state memory model, with instant-on and instant application launching. I've said as much in another thread, but a device with the responsiveness of a PDA with the ergonomics of a laptop is something you have to experience to see the value of. Right now, people are just comparing the Foleo's specs to other devices in the mobile computing space, but I think once people actually start using something like this (assuming the UI is well implemented), we may be in for quite a surprise.

rlauzon · 06-02-2007, 02:21 PM

I still can't figure out what I'd use it for. It can't replace my PDA. It can't replace my laptop. So my answer is "No".

If I wanted something like this, I'll wait for the OLPC system to be available (it will have more functionality and cost less).

Steven Lyle Jordan · 06-02-2007, 02:23 PM

Sorry, not me. For $500, it's just too high for me to consider... even if I didn't already have a laptop-cellphone combination that can do the same job.

But if I didn't have the laptop, and it were, say, $200... I'd be rushing out to take a look at that puppy today.

texag · 06-02-2007, 05:24 PM

Nope....don't understand the value of a product like this. My $500 is going to go to the iphone in a couple of more weeks. That's a device I understand!

orcinus · 06-02-2007, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Russell

As a result, I wonder if the only proper treatment for "Foleo-itis" is...

I think the correct term would be "chronic Foleosis"

Don't worry, it'll pass. Eventually. Just drink plenty of liquids, lie back and read your Sony Reader

Bob Russell · 06-02-2007, 07:08 PM

Unfortunately, if you look at the Palm pages, you will find the following footnote...
" 3 A dial up networking plan from your service provider may be required at an incremental cost above and beyond the service provider's regular smartphone data plans."

mogui · 06-02-2007, 10:07 PM

Fortunately we have many people here with gadgetosis who, like Bob, are motivated to share interesting opinions.

To me, the instant-on feature is the most interesting. I have wanted that for a long time. So what are the pros and cons of the Foleo?

Pros
* Instant on.
* Linux and (maybe) Palm software compatibility.
* Connectivity.

Cons
* Size and weight.
* Need to carry two devices.

Questions
* Will it be hackable with Palm company support?
* Will it have enough storage to operate self-contained?

JAcheson · 06-04-2007, 03:09 PM

For me, I'm very interested in this as a lightweight, cheap laptop that can function as a PDF viewer. Possibly with a side job as a writing tool.

I don't find $500 to be a bad price for this. In fact, a few years ago, when people were dreaming that Palm might make a laptop-like device, $500 was the magical dream price point everyone was quoting. For an ultraportable laptop with this quality screen, it's still a good price.

Yeah, you can get a $400 laptop now. A POS laptop with lousy battery life, lousy build quality, huge size and weight, and obsolete components. That doesn't tempt me. A better comparison might be a used model of an older, good laptop like a Thinkpad (I picked up a T23 last year for $500 and it's been a champ). But even then, the laptop is way bigger than this, and tied down to an outlet in practical terms if you are going to use it for more than a short time.

The keys for me will be two things:

Can I get it without any strings attached? Having to buy a phone plan or Treo with this would be a deal breaker.

Will it attract a community of developers? If people start porting apps over to it, it could be great, but Palm has to win over Linux folks first, and I don't see much sign of that yet.

NatCh · 06-04-2007, 04:01 PM

2.5 pounds isn't so very lightweight, but and 5 hours of battery life may be sufficient for the sort of thing you seem to have in mind.

I suspect that there will be developers -- if I recall correctly, it will have a PalmOS emulator, so the present Palm developers should be able to move right in, and I imagine enough linux folks will be interested in a new platform to draw some apps fairly quickly.

Xtremegene · 06-05-2007, 06:58 PM

Definitely looks cool to me, but I'd have to try it out in person before I could become more enamored with it. :P Having to have a 'smart'phone to fully take advantage of it makes me sad since I don't want to make the plunge yet with those prices still high as they are. I'd love to see where this concept leads to in the next year or so.

06-02-2007, 11:10 AM	#1
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Will you buy a Foleo? As you can probably tell, I've developed a new technology induced disease which was passed on to me by Jeff Hawkins. It's called "Mental Foleo-itis!" I can't stop thinking about this device and wrestling with what Palm might have in mind for it. I'm beginning to think that the lack of detail about where the Foleo line of products is going and the lack of specifications is intentional. They have a goal that we don't know about, and it is only going to make sense to us when we know where they are headed. As a result, I wonder if the only proper treatment for "Foleo-itis" is for me to buy one to put in my very own hands. This quest to understand the potential and future of the Foleo is consuming me, and is in great need of concrete evidence and facts. It might be worth the $500 just to have something to work with as I try to read Hawkins' mind and see Palm's plans. Obviously, it's not worth $500 for the stated purpose! So I tell you right now - there's something missing. More secrets. He's a smart guy, and this simply cannot be the whole picture. One day the secret will be revealed and it will all make sense. So I'm actually thinking about buying one (on the condition that it can use my existing data plan without additional charges). Partly to play with it and try to understand its potential, but also for web browsing on the go. I think that if the browser has good support of web standards, then I would get a lot of use out of that. Of course, you can already do that on a laptop or UMPC, but let's ignore that fact for the moment. Is there anyone else out there that's crazy enough to even consider for a moment throwing away $500 on this device, or is it just me?

06-02-2007, 10:07 PM	#12
mogui eNigma Posts: 503 Karma: 1335 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: The Philippines Device: HTC G1 Android FBReader	Foleo pros and cons Fortunately we have many people here with gadgetosis who, like Bob, are motivated to share interesting opinions. To me, the instant-on feature is the most interesting. I have wanted that for a long time. So what are the pros and cons of the Foleo? Pros * Instant on. * Linux and (maybe) Palm software compatibility. * Connectivity. Cons * Size and weight. * Need to carry two devices. Questions * Will it be hackable with Palm company support? * Will it have enough storage to operate self-contained? Last edited by mogui; 06-02-2007 at 10:11 PM.

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06-02-2007, 11:31 AM	#2
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	I'm not surprised you can't resist it, Bob. Personally, I don't think my curiosity is nearly strong enough for me to consider buying one ... much less try explaining it to the wife. But then, we're trying to buy a house, and that's dampening the gadget budget for a while.

06-02-2007, 12:46 PM	#4
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	They got you there! If you have a Treo, bying a Foleo is like getting a garage for that fine racy sports car. My phone is two years old and out of the race. That means I'd have to buy the $1000.00 combo! No thanks! No positive software functionality incentive to justify the investment.

06-02-2007, 12:47 PM	#5
aagstn Evangelist Posts: 422 Karma: 1004351 Join Date: Jun 2007 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 3, iPad mini 2	I probably will if Mobipocket and eReader come aboard with software for it. I was close to buying a Sony Reader for $350, but have so much money tied up in eReader and Mobipocket books that I don't want to start over with yet another DRMed book format. I'm also not a fan of the Sony Reader. That flicker on every page turn drove me nuts. My first eBook reader was the IBM Z50. That was a device pretty much identical to what the Foleo will be. It was a laptop replacement and I loved that it was instant on, that it ran very cool and that it had a nice big screen to read books on. I've gotten used to reading on smaller PDAs over the years, but will definitely buy a Foleo for $500 if I can use it to read all of my ebooks. I would love to replace my LifeDrive with anything at this point.

06-02-2007, 02:21 PM	#7
rlauzon Wizard Posts: 1,018 Karma: 67827 Join Date: Jan 2005 Device: PocketBook Era	I still can't figure out what I'd use it for. It can't replace my PDA. It can't replace my laptop. So my answer is "No". If I wanted something like this, I'll wait for the OLPC system to be available (it will have more functionality and cost less).

06-02-2007, 02:23 PM	#8
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	Sorry, not me. For $500, it's just too high for me to consider... even if I didn't already have a laptop-cellphone combination that can do the same job. But if I didn't have the laptop, and it were, say, $200... I'd be rushing out to take a look at that puppy today.

06-02-2007, 05:24 PM	#9
texag Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2007	Nope....don't understand the value of a product like this. My $500 is going to go to the iphone in a couple of more weeks. That's a device I understand!

06-02-2007, 07:08 PM	#11
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Unfortunately, if you look at the Palm pages, you will find the following footnote... " 3 A dial up networking plan from your service provider may be required at an incremental cost above and beyond the service provider's regular smartphone data plans."

06-04-2007, 03:09 PM	#13
JAcheson Tech Writer Posts: 211 Karma: 1745785 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Philadelphia, PA Device: Palm TX, Nook Color, Nook Simple Touch, Vizio Tablet, Nexus 10	For me, I'm very interested in this as a lightweight, cheap laptop that can function as a PDF viewer. Possibly with a side job as a writing tool. I don't find $500 to be a bad price for this. In fact, a few years ago, when people were dreaming that Palm might make a laptop-like device, $500 was the magical dream price point everyone was quoting. For an ultraportable laptop with this quality screen, it's still a good price. Yeah, you can get a $400 laptop now. A POS laptop with lousy battery life, lousy build quality, huge size and weight, and obsolete components. That doesn't tempt me. A better comparison might be a used model of an older, good laptop like a Thinkpad (I picked up a T23 last year for $500 and it's been a champ). But even then, the laptop is way bigger than this, and tied down to an outlet in practical terms if you are going to use it for more than a short time. The keys for me will be two things: Can I get it without any strings attached? Having to buy a phone plan or Treo with this would be a deal breaker. Will it attract a community of developers? If people start porting apps over to it, it could be great, but Palm has to win over Linux folks first, and I don't see much sign of that yet.

06-04-2007, 04:01 PM	#14
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	2.5 pounds isn't so very lightweight, but and 5 hours of battery life may be sufficient for the sort of thing you seem to have in mind. I suspect that there will be developers -- if I recall correctly, it will have a PalmOS emulator, so the present Palm developers should be able to move right in, and I imagine enough linux folks will be interested in a new platform to draw some apps fairly quickly.

06-05-2007, 06:58 PM	#15
Xtremegene Connoisseur Posts: 66 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: TX, USA Device: Sony Reader PRS-500 --- Nokia n800	Definitely looks cool to me, but I'd have to try it out in person before I could become more enamored with it. :P Having to have a 'smart'phone to fully take advantage of it makes me sad since I don't want to make the plunge yet with those prices still high as they are. I'd love to see where this concept leads to in the next year or so.

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