MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Why the Foleo might succeed even though we don't like it

JoninKrakow · 05-31-2007, 04:42 AM

I have seldom posted on this board, but read frequently. But reading this thread, I've just got to comment.

With a condition, I predict that by this time next year, a very good percentage of Mobileread members will have one of these, and be loving them. My prediction is predicated, however, upon Palm fixing the miserable battery life of this device--I mean, 5 hours? That's hardly any better than my Apple Powerbook got when new! My Newton still gets a couple weeks of use on an ancient battery! So, if this detail gets fixed, I suspect that a lot of us "techies" will be using the Foleo and loving it.

Why is that? I think that many of us are thinking inside the box at the present moment. We were expecting something either more revolutionary (whatever that means) or more "advanced." So, immediately, its utility is overlooked.

Here is my take on this device. I have a Palm Tungsten. It has the same screen size and resolution as a Treo--320x320 pixels. Sorry, but that is a _tiny_ window on the world. Every app I can, I've reduced the font size to miniscule, just to get a bigger "window" on my information. I have a full-size keyboard, but find myself seldom using it, simply because my "window" is too small. I've been wishing for something maybe like this for a long time.

Here's how I suggest we look at this device. Our mobile phone is our "main" computer, and the Foleo is merely a larger window to that device. When you are out and about, you have the tiny screen, and the appropriate interface for interacting with that information on the tiny screen--extremely portable and optimized for the tiny device, but when you can, you have the Foleo, with tools more appropriate to a desk environment. Your data still resides on that tiny device slung from your hip, or in your pocket or briefcase, but you access it via this larger window.

As it is now, yes, I could "sync" my Palm with my laptop, but the two are really less compatible than one would hope, and it's so much effort to use the Palm for things like spreadsheets, etc. that I just don't bother. This is, in large part, due to the fact that the Palm is the satellite and the computer the hub. The Foleo turns this upside down. The phone is the hub, and the "computer" the satellite! _That_ is what I've been looking for!

And I suspect that many more people will begin to see things this way.

All we need now, is a way to bring this (I hate the next word) paradigm to the desktop/laptop! Or maybe find a way to eliminate either or both. That's what I'm waiting for. :-)

-Jon

05-31-2007, 04:42 AM	#12
JoninKrakow Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2006 Device: (+48-603) 846-727	A prediction ;-) I have seldom posted on this board, but read frequently. But reading this thread, I've just got to comment. With a condition, I predict that by this time next year, a very good percentage of Mobileread members will have one of these, and be loving them. My prediction is predicated, however, upon Palm fixing the miserable battery life of this device--I mean, 5 hours? That's hardly any better than my Apple Powerbook got when new! My Newton still gets a couple weeks of use on an ancient battery! So, if this detail gets fixed, I suspect that a lot of us "techies" will be using the Foleo and loving it. Why is that? I think that many of us are thinking inside the box at the present moment. We were expecting something either more revolutionary (whatever that means) or more "advanced." So, immediately, its utility is overlooked. Here is my take on this device. I have a Palm Tungsten. It has the same screen size and resolution as a Treo--320x320 pixels. Sorry, but that is a _tiny_ window on the world. Every app I can, I've reduced the font size to miniscule, just to get a bigger "window" on my information. I have a full-size keyboard, but find myself seldom using it, simply because my "window" is too small. I've been wishing for something maybe like this for a long time. Here's how I suggest we look at this device. Our mobile phone is our "main" computer, and the Foleo is merely a larger window to that device. When you are out and about, you have the tiny screen, and the appropriate interface for interacting with that information on the tiny screen--extremely portable and optimized for the tiny device, but when you can, you have the Foleo, with tools more appropriate to a desk environment. Your data still resides on that tiny device slung from your hip, or in your pocket or briefcase, but you access it via this larger window. As it is now, yes, I could "sync" my Palm with my laptop, but the two are really less compatible than one would hope, and it's so much effort to use the Palm for things like spreadsheets, etc. that I just don't bother. This is, in large part, due to the fact that the Palm is the satellite and the computer the hub. The Foleo turns this upside down. The phone is the hub, and the "computer" the satellite! _That_ is what I've been looking for! And I suspect that many more people will begin to see things this way. All we need now, is a way to bring this (I hate the next word) paradigm to the desktop/laptop! Or maybe find a way to eliminate either or both. That's what I'm waiting for. :-) -Jon