The Hawk is... A laptop???

[quasar]

http://www.brighthand.com/default.asp?newsID=13059

I don't think anybody saw this coming. The Hawk is a laptop that can work with your Treo. It's unclear just how much the two will tie together at this point (beyond PIM and sharing an internet connection), but it'll be interesting. For $600 ($500 at release after rebate), we could see quite a few of these in the classroom next semester.

The device runs the (as-of-yet un-named) Palm OS II.

[The New No. Two]

Wow. This makes by T|X seem so much better by comparison...

[archangel]

This is really what I have wanted for years. My first PDA was the IBM Z50 and I loved the instant on and the fact it never got warm like a regular laptop.

This device has issues though. The battery life is way too short and I'm not seeing much needed multimedia features. That and the price.

However, I would pay $500 just to use it as an ebook reader. I would rather use this thing over a Sony eReader.

[LupeValenz]

Welp I'm glad i won't be giving Palm my money for a while, seems the 755P will hold out long enough as I wait for the newer treos with the new OS, this 'laptop' is not for me.

[knank]

Laptop Palm, NO THANKS

[sseale44]

Sorry... if I can't put it in my pocket, I don't want it. There are already plenty of subnotenbooks and UMPCs out there. It just seems a shame though, I'm really disappointed.

[SoS]

I really hope this is a late april fools joke. Seriously, with pc laptops with pretty good specs now touching $500 or so, which particular niche is this piece of junk aimed at...I really cannot believe what I am seeing here. Palm have really excelled themselves. The damn think looks like my old powerbook 165 ....aaaarrgghh :eek:

[archangel]

The more I read the more it seems its Palm OS compatibility is only with syncing your mail. This device will never be successful enough for many third parties to bother writing Linux software for it which means its pretty much going to be useless on its own outside of the software it comes with. No eReader or Mobipocket means no sale for me and I'm probably only one of 10 people in the world that planned to buy one.

[LupeValenz]

We need you Sonnnyyy!!!

[harpgliss]

We need you Sonnnyyy!!!

Hi,

You are so right on that statement.

I think I said something to that fact in the big thread about this latest dissapointment from Palm.

Thankfully I still have my TH55 and even my T665 that I still cannot get myself to part with.

David

[quasar]

Now I just want to figure out why Antoine Wright knew that the device would be called Foleo. I thought it was weird when I read it a few days ago.

http://www.brighthand.com/default.asp?newsID=13051

Looking at Palm's "experience foleo" video on their website, I could buy into this idea, provided they can tell me why I would buy and carry this instead of a laptop. That's the big thing right now: it doesn't fit into any category. It's a new category, but like a UMPC, few people need it. They need to show me why I need it.

[archangel]

Yeah, usually you find a market and create a device for them. Palm has created a device and hopes a market will show up that wants it. Good luck.

[pruss]

It does compare quite well in price to Windows subnotebooks, though. A nice little Linux based subnotebook for $500, running OpenOffice, might not be so terrible. But it seems far from Palm's core competencies, and I can't imagine very many users wanting it.

[andwewillbether]

I actually will buy and use this new device. I'm buying a new desktop because I have found out that I'm not liking the whole layout of a laptop. The Hawk will sync with my treo as much as possible and the treo will sync completely with my desktop. I know I'm going to be the only one who thinks this way, well good for me, right ;-)

[quasar]

Engadget has a WSJ video interview with Ed Colligan, who specifically addresses the question "why would I cary this and a laptop". His response is that laptops have really become a desktop that you can take with you, whereas the Foleo was designed from the ground up to be mobile.

http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/31/palms-ed-colligan-foleo-is-the-wii-of-portable-computing/

If someone gets OpenOffice running on this (no one in my school will accept "docs to go can't do that" as an excuse), I might consider this. After I get a Treo, of course.

[The New No. Two]

It does compare quite well in price to Windows subnotebooks, though. A nice little Linux based subnotebook for $500, running OpenOffice, might not be so terrible. But it seems far from Palm's core competencies, and I can't imagine very many users wanting it.

The price compares well, but the features don't.

It has no hard drive, no modem, and the processor is so underpowered it can't run video.

It's not meant to stand alone. It really is nothing more than just a BT/Wi-fi keboard + display for a Treo.

[Greek]

This is a device that does not compete with notebooks. Most "road warriors", professionals, don´t have computing knowledge, they don´t know how to install programs or uninstall them. It is an easy to use device, just for email and web browsing, all they need to do.

These kind of people is the vast majority of computer users, they are illiterate, and they can´t justify spending money on a subnotebook, full Linux is too much for them, even Windows is complicated for people who don´t know how to unzip a file.

It is not a "geek" machine. Just look around your family, friends, colleagues: how many of them do the things you do with computers? Most don´t know that forums exist or how to post.

Many Palm and Treo owners, can´t sync because they always install the software wrongly (the first thing they do is to plug the usb cable...). Or they forget and then they don´t have a backup. Don´t even ask them to do a SD backup. That´s too much. I am always asked: "How do I listen music in my Palm/Treo?", "how do I send the mp3 of my computer?", or even worse: "How do I listen on my Palm the CD I listen on my CD player?"...

Many don´t know how to set up an email account, most need an IT guy to do it for them. Most people I know with Palms, don´t know how to transfer their emails to their Palms, and I must say that VersaMail desktop is foolproof. It sends the exact account info to your Palm, so you may even can check the emails over wifi. But they just can´t set it up...

This machine will do what they need without having to learn more about Windows or Debian, RedHat, etc.

Regards,

[BrentDC]

Greek I totally agree, in fact I was just about post something to that effect. Let's face it 99.9% of the people that post on this forum are computer savvy, and scoff at such an idea, but we're not Palm's target audience. What do non tech savvy people do on a computer? Let me guess the order:
1) Browse the web
2) Check email
3) Play multimedia
4) Use word documents
and these are the things Palm wants to accomplish. I think if Palm can implement the "easy to use" interface into this operating system it will be a hit.

[intellidryad]

We need you Sonnnyyy!!!

Get a Sony Vaio TZ ( link (http://www.vaio.sony.co.jp/Products/TZ1/) ), and you get a fully functional laptop that's small, light, and also looks much more cool.

The only problem with the TZ is that it runs Windows...

If you could load MacOS on to a TZ, then you get the "instant on/off" function by shutting the lid and triggering the great sleep function of MacOS X. With that, you get everything the Foleo can do (except the real time sync, which isn't that important), and much more :D

Yet, a Vaio is much more expensive, though.
--
The Foleo will survive, because Apple doesn't do subnotes, and Sony doesn't license Mac OS...

[intellidryad]

Greek I totally agree, in fact I was just about post something to that effect. Let's face it 99.9% of the people that post on this forum are computer savvy, and scoff at such an idea, but we're not Palm's target audience. What do non tech savvy people do on a computer? Let me guess the order:
1) Browse the web
2) Check email
3) Play multimedia
4) Use word documents
and these are the things Palm wants to accomplish. I think if Palm can implement the "easy to use" interface into this operating system it will be a hit.

Yeah, geeks like us accomplish all 4 of those listed above on a ...
Sony Clie TH55 :D

[BrentDC]

Yea, but you get a big screen plus a keyboard. Did I hear one of you say that it was a minus it didn't have a hard drive? Hard drive technology was invented in the 1950's and it's about time someone ditched it for something that's:
Battery efficient
Faster
More reliable
Smaller.
Go flash!!

[espc31]

You must be joking. let me get this straight I have to by a mobile device in order to use this thing to full potential which will double the so called savvy price they are touting us with treo + Foleo + cellphone service + SD card (or other portable storage media) + accessories cases x 2, car chargers etc. Or is this aimed at individuals that already have a mobile device? And if this is the case what sort of compatibility are we talking about here. I am with Cricket communications and I can't even get my TX to do SMS through my motorola Silver 7c it Phone link does not even show my service in the drop down menu and phone link has not been updated in a while (the you will buy a treo if you want to do SMS twist). I can't see buying a treo just to use this device. Talk about missing the whole point of Palm (in the palm of your hand not hands!) :mad: :mad:

[BrentDC]

I think this device is supposed to be a companion, and a stand alone.

[LupeValenz]

You must be joking. let me get this straight I have to by a mobile device in order to use this thing to full potential which will double the so called savvy price they are touting us with treo + Foleo + cellphone service + SD card (or other portable storage media) + accessories cases x 2, car chargers etc. Or is this aimed at individuals that already have a mobile device? And if this is the case what sort of compatibility are we talking about here. I am with Cricket communications and I can't even get my TX to do SMS through my motorola Silver 7c it Phone link does not even show my service in the drop down menu and phone link has not been updated in a while (the you will buy a treo if you want to do SMS twist). I can't see buying a treo just to use this device. Talk about missing the whole point of Palm (in the palm of your hand not hands!) :mad: :mad:

Hey hey, just saw your from NC and saying heya! Used to be there as well (Well, mostly on the edge in Hanahan) Good place there ;_;

[LupeValenz]

Get a Sony Vaio TZ ( link (http://www.vaio.sony.co.jp/Products/TZ1/) ), and you get a fully functional laptop that's small, light, and also looks much more cool.

The only problem with the TZ is that it runs Windows...

If you could load MacOS on to a TZ, then you get the "instant on/off" function by shutting the lid and triggering the great sleep function of MacOS X. With that, you get everything the Foleo can do (except the real time sync, which isn't that important), and much more :D

Yet, a Vaio is much more expensive, though.
--
The Foleo will survive, because Apple doesn't do subnotes, and Sony doesn't license Mac OS...
I'm such a sucker for Sony Products, if I could afford this I would get it. I always love the cool look of Sony. Now if they can price it like the Foleo I would be all over that. :D

[Adam Helberg]

I also do not thing this Foleo is going to sell. Most people have a laptop, and who wants to carry a laptop, Foleo and Treo? As someone pointed out there will be a small niche market not enough to carry it through.

Adam

[Clie Patra]

The Polio is not tageting a small niche market, it's targeting the corporate business users. But those business guys all have laptops already, so ...

[The New No. Two]

The whole point of having a Treo (or Blackberry, or other "smart" pone) is that you can check your e-mail and surf the web without having to lug around a notebook PC.

So now Palm comes out with a a notebook PC-sized accessory for Treo owners to lug around?

Blackberry owners must be laughing their *****es off.

[joemun]

I just wanted a TX2...This new device is not for me...Why I would like a foleo if I have a Thinkpad X40?...PALM WHAT ABOUT A TX2?

[espc31]

Their demo is so see thru. Anytime a company spits out a laptop type device the first thing they want to do is boast about being able to read microstuff documents. palm just got half decent support for PDF files. I think they left the PIMs out so they could push the foleo as more than a handheld device. They don't mention any type of syncing with a standard desktop computer (any mac compatibility).

[jjesusfreak01]

You know, if that had a wwan card in it, it would be really great. It would be an ultramobile laptop capable of connecting anywhere without the need of a high speed cell phone.

And for the record, I dont know what Hawkins was smoking, unless this is the most underpowered palm ever, it shouldnt have a problem with youtube videos. I have a copy of Kinoma that can play them on my TX, and I think TCPMP supports them too.

[cstross]

Firstly, those of us who already use laptops as our main computer are not the target audience for this box.

Secondly, those of us who like to tinker or play games or do lots of weird **** with our machines are not the audience either.

I reckon the real audience are folks who already have a desktop PC, and who need to work away from their desk some of the time, but who can't afford/don't want a full laptop. It covers the basics, for that role. But to be competitive in that niche, it really needs to cost $150 to $300, not $500-600, and it needs a much better battery life. I'm typing this on a Sony Vaio TX3 that weighs the same, has an 8 hour battery life and an 80Gb hard drive, and runs full-blown desktop Linux or Windows XP pro. The only thing the Foleo has over the Vaio is the "ouch" factor if I sit on it or drop it or someone steals it.

... With Quanta threatening to start selling commercial OLPC units later this year for probably $250-350, and with machines like the Vaio TX available for about $2000 with the same weight and better battery life and performance, I'm afraid it's grossly over-priced and under-specified.

SECOND THOUGHTS:

There is one other possibility. A chunk of the users Hawkins was talking about are people who use web applications a whole lot. (I'd be more impressed if it ran a browser that was supported by Google docs and sheets, but there you go ...)

It's quite possible that Palm have another shoe to drop in the shape of some exotic killer web application suite that the Foleo plugs into neatly. If Palm have invested in the server-side software to push out a huge, powerful integrated web application suite, then the Foleo is really just a thin terminal and what will sell it is the back-end service.

I have a 3G mobile phone with a flat-rate all-I-can-eat data tariff. All-you-can-eat data over 3G is the coming thing, probably with wifi hotspot access thrown in, as part of your cell tariff; I expect it's going to be nearly universal within a couple of years. Behind it, 4G is aiming for peak bandwidth of 100Mbps, within ten years.

Now, imagine you've got that kind of mobile bandwidth, and a Foleo. And imagine that rather than relying on Docs to Go and Opera, You've got a huge repository of online apps available at Palm, with hosting for several gigs of data if you need it. And synchronization not just to your Treo, but to your PC (over cable) and to any other device you need your data on.

This is Palm's play for the network. Docs to Go and Versamail aren't the real office apps for this platform, they're just the local offline editing tools for when you're not plugged in and live. If I'm right, expect to see Palm announce a service not unlike Apple's .Mac accounts, only with added web applications and more storage. Maybe expect them to roll out uncapped access to this service via some of the bigger cellcos. And to offer toolkits and SDKs to help corporate customers build business support software that runs on Palm's service and is pushed out to their employees Foleos. (Which are cheap to replace and don't store any critical data if they're stolen, unlike laptops.)

Plausible?

[braj]

(Which are cheap to replace and don't store any critical data if they're stolen, unlike laptops.)

Plausible?

Yes, with all the risks business takes from their data wandering out of their offices, this is indeed plausible. A RDC application though would seem to be fundamental here.

The out of the door price of the Foleo may seem high but consider lots of other costs to business when supporting regular laptops and it actually seems much more reasonable.

[Icecruncher]

IMHO,

Most people who buy a smartphone for whatever reason (email, phone, palm abilities) want it svelt. They aren't going to want to "lug" around an additional large piece of hardware, unless they are a smartphone fanatic.

They will either go with the laptop (with wireless/CDMA/GSM/etc) and add the treo or just the treo.

I think it's a product without a market.

[ballistic]

You know, if that had a wwan card in it, it would be really great. It would be an ultramobile laptop capable of connecting anywhere without the need of a high speed cell phone.

And for the record, I dont know what Hawkins was smoking, unless this is the most underpowered palm ever, it shouldnt have a problem with youtube videos. I have a copy of Kinoma that can play them on my TX, and I think TCPMP supports them too.

See this post @ Ben Combee's blog:

http://unwiredben.livejournal.com/248731.html

Well, I can't promise anything, but we're certainly going to try to get something working soon after release. I think the real obstacle is finding versions of the Flash video codecs that are optimized for our CPU.

Brian