OT: Palm Foleo - Linux, Portable

Palm introduced a new device today that it positions as a mobile
companion. It looks like one of the old full-keyboard Windows
"handheld" devices of a looong time ago.

The idea is that it enables business travellers access to e-mail in a
smaller and lighter form factor than notebook computers, with instant
on-off.

Dataviz which makes Documents to Go for Palm announced that it will
enable native Word and Excel editing.

Personally, I Itook it as an opportunity to sell my Palm stock today
with a small initial jump. Note though: that means everyone else
should buy, because stocks usually do the exact opposite of what I do
:-)

Also personally, it's a new gadget, and I will likely buy one if it
has a good keyboard (doubtful though) and would work well for word
processing.

However, I think it's a risky product for Palm, because if I were a
business traveller, I would want a laptop, not some bluetooth-enabled
(power hungry?) sync device for e-mail.

There is potential for this device to grow into something more. I am
surprised that it doesn't have the PIM functions. That will probably
come later.

Longer-term, it could end up being a "solid state computer". However,
with laptop technology directions, Windows laptops are heading into
the direction of solid-state too. In 5 years would someone want a
full-blown laptop capable of running Windows programs with almost
instant on-off and long battery life, or a much more limited Palm
device?

The new XPS 1210 information leaked on the web shows the direction I
think things are more likely to be headed. The new 1210 is expected
to weight about 4 pounds, have slot loading DVD, and a LED screen
which should either mean increased battery life for the system as a
whole or smaller form factor with battery life about the same as it is
now.

Solid state drives have already arrived in Sony laptops (maybe some
more) and are being sold to OEMs in 32G size by Sandisk.

Deja vu. There were some Windows mobile computers (then CE) back
around 2000 or earlier that had full-size keyboards, were solid state,
and edited Word and Excel in native format. I have the Jornada 728
which has a smaller keyboard.

Whether it's successful or not remains to be seen. I think instead
the same functionality (of e-mail sync to a device with full-size
keyboard via bluetooth) can easily be added to today's laptops.

There is nothing the Foleo will be able to do when it's introduced
that a laptop won't be able to do. Laptop wins as any solid-state
advantage the Foleo has now is eroded over time.
.

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