Palm's founder Jeff Hawkins unveiled the new Foleo device - a 2.5 pound laptop, with 10 inch display, with Linux OS installed.
The main idea of Foleo is to help smart phone users respond to their e-mails and edit their documents using a full keyboard and larger screen. It is designed for the users that have lots of typing and prefer full keyboard, it is easier to carry than the regular laptops and is good for business trips, as Hawkins says.
The device is based on flash memory, so it doesn't take a long time for booting. Foleo works with smart phones, which work with Windows Mobile or Palm's software over Bluetooth connection. Foleo users can surf the web with Opera browser and built-in Wi-Fi internet connection. Its processor is not designed for graphics, so it does not give high display quality. The device's battery life is five hours.
Foleo does not support calendar appointments and does not work with mobile e-mail products such as RIM's BlackBerry software or Motorola's GoodLink software.
Palm's founder said, that Foleo is not a stand-alone product, it is to work with smart phones to expand their typing capabilities, this is why the device has low resources and relatively low price $499 (£252). The smart phone users, who receive and send big amount of e-mails daily, have difficulties with small screens and low keyboard capabilities, they need to have multiple scrolls to read e-mails and lots of efforts to write replies. So this device is especially designed for them.
Analysts think that Foleo will not have a large range of consumers, because the users of ultra portable laptops are only 1.5 percent of US PC users, and the smart phone users are not that much among cell phone users. So only a few of very busy users will purchase Foleo for business trips.
Comparing the costs the users will have to pay for they comport, analysts give a chance to Foleo. Ultra portable laptops cost about $1,778 (£900), while general laptops cost about $851 (£430). So Foleo's $499 (£252) may make a sense for users. The price is a very attractive factor while purchasing something.
This first attempt to make a new laptop device is not the best one, and Foleo itself is not expected to be a winner yet, but the idea of making more comfort for business travelers sounds great, and if it be properly developed, it can drive a lot of money to Palm. By Ruzan Harutyunyan for HULIQ
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