Palm says Foleo still on schedule... for Summer

It seems possible that Palm took our advice when we asked the company to "stop keeping us in the dark," because the last few days have been filled with transparency. The latest bit of see-through from the PDA-maker comes today in the form of a denial concerning the recent Barron's news that the company's sorta-kinda-laptop, the Foleo, would be delayed due to syncing problems. According to Palm's director of communications, Jim Christensen, "As stated on May 30, U.S. availability for the Palm Foleo mobile companion will begin this summer. We will let you know if this changes," which runs contrary to rumored street dates for the laptop, and to what Deutsche Bank analyst Jonanthan Goldman reported on Wednesday. The company has had its share of activity over the past two weeks, including solid news on the tiny new Centro (AKA the Gandolf), rumored delays for the Foleo, and of course our gentle prodding. We can only hope all this movement, good or bad, is working as a wake-up to Colligan and co.

[shakbhaji @ Aug 24th 2007 3:31PM]

what a disaster

[waiownsyou @ Aug 24th 2007 3:36PM]

"Is it a laptop?"
"No."
"Is it a PDA?"
"No."
"Then WTF is it?!"
"A Foleo, fool!"

LMAO

[Jninja @ Aug 24th 2007 3:44PM]

do they mean unofficial end of summer (Labor Day) or when autumn begins?

[john.loughney @ Aug 24th 2007 7:55PM]

I think they meant summer 2008. There ain't much summer 2007 left.

[CL @ Aug 24th 2007 3:53PM]

Ask any Treo 700p owners about "MR" and you will know all the track record for release days from Palm.

[Tristan @ Aug 24th 2007 4:11PM]

heh heh Deutsche.. again

[Evan @ Aug 24th 2007 4:31PM]

Does anyone seriously care about this device?

[Shawn Wildermuth @ Aug 24th 2007 4:59PM]

They said Summer, but not what year...I'd guess 2008...(really guys...is Palm relevant anymore?)

[Jon @ Aug 24th 2007 5:06PM]

Why?
Who the hell is ruining, I mean running Palm these days? What CEO/Moron thought this was a good idea?
Seriously, this is one of the worst product ideas I've ever heard of. Why would anyone want to carry half of a laptop, that's the size of a full laptop?

I know it would be tough to scrap the product all together after what they've invested so here's my suggestion...
I don't know what the specs are on this thing, but why not throw a full OS (ubuntu?) on their and market it as a cheap laptop?

Anyone out there actually waiting to buy one of these?

[Rova @ Aug 25th 2007 6:23PM]

People who spend next to no time at thier own desk appreciate what the foleo is trying to do. I would happily trade the unused features of my laptop to be able to turn it on/off instantly and for a better battery life. It would allow me to make the most of airport lounges, cabs, trains, waiting for meetings to start etc - I can imagine it would effectivley give me an extra few hours of productivity per week. The foleo would have paid for itself with a fortnight.

[Boynamedsue @ Aug 24th 2007 5:12PM]

So all the people who are not going to buy it can forget what they weren't going to buy in the first place?

[Jon @ Aug 24th 2007 5:17PM]

Here's a crazy idea, and I hope someone important hears it!

Why do companys still insist on such secrecy with their products? Why not release a design idea to your potential customers (in large numbers, not some closed door testing) and get valuable feedback, FOR FREE!

I realize the desire to keep a product secret so that a competitor won't be able to copy it, but times are changing.

If I were Palm, I would release the details on what they are working on right now, before spending millions upon millions on research only to find out that the product SUCKS and WILL NOT sell(foleo)!

Show us what you think the next smartphone should be and then LISTEN to our opinions before finalizing a device.
Be the company to start a new trend, and allow your customers to essentially design their own device!

In engadgets open letter to Palm, they repeatedly spoke of a need for innovation. Change the way products are designed from the start, treat your customers almost as partners and you will end up with an amazing device with near guaranteed success.
Seems too simple, what am I missing here?

[strider_mt2k @ Aug 24th 2007 6:36PM]

In Palm's case they don't want to be called on the carpet by investors while they sit on their laurels and fiddle their money away with BS name-changing shenanigans and various golden parachutes.

Oh and a little energy put into product development.

In this case, as little as possible.

[Richard Cartwright @ Aug 24th 2007 7:47PM]

I expect that you were not around for the body slam Palm took when they announced a new product and were left holding the bag with a ton of unsold Palms because everyone was waiting on the new one. No company, particulary now, wants to telegraph their products too far out. They either can't move inventory and/or get copycatted by some Pac Rim sweatshop.

[Eriq @ Aug 24th 2007 5:21PM]

This will flop. Seriously, why is Palm trying to come out with an "independent" notebook PC running Linux? I have other doubts/concerns I could mention but all-in-all this'll be a flop.

[jd @ Aug 24th 2007 5:34PM]

my question is why would i spend $499 to get his under-powered Folio but not get a $499 dell? What where do they think?

Anyother question. why can't dell just use the $499 inspire and lower the spec to make it cost $299 or $199, i am sure that thing will be a big hit (see asus EEE)

[Rova @ Aug 25th 2007 6:17PM]

Instant On and battery life.
Why would you buy a 499 inspiron if you only ever plan on using it for email, web, and the occasional document (which is what my work laptop is used for). I dont love the foleo, but I can see where they are going with it.

[dudeInAmerica @ Aug 26th 2007 12:50PM]

Why in the hell would anyone want this?

Palm.. cut it out, make me a better Treo damnit!

[roberto @ Aug 24th 2007 5:52PM]

they're going to cancel it (that's the only chance they have)- they're just taking some time, then something will happen in a few months and everyone (hopefully) will forget about these COMPLETE disaster called foleo.

[Brent Gaskey @ Aug 25th 2007 12:14AM]

everytime I think of the Foleo, I think of a Foley catheter they use in hospitals to drain the piss put of someone. the Foleo will do the same for Palms financial wellness.

[roulette843 @ Aug 24th 2007 6:06PM]

Someone, anyone? Reply to this comment if you are purchasing this product. Oh, and in your reply, provide two reasons for your purchase.

What a senseless piece of garbage. Palm seems to be on schedule for another thing in their future too -- extinction.

[RSievertsen @ Aug 24th 2007 7:47PM]

Yes, I am going to buy one.
Instant on.
Has the applications I use for business.
I have more reasons but you asked for 2.

[Daren @ Aug 24th 2007 8:02PM]

i might get one.

For the same reasons as the poster above. Im just waiting to see real world battery tests. 6hrs is good. maybe to good for a $5oo product.

[Razor @ Aug 24th 2007 10:45PM]

I will once it hits the closeout bin. Shouldn't take too long for that to happen...

[Jon @ Aug 24th 2007 8:02PM]

I'm not sure about the story you are referring to, but I can't quite agree with that logic...whether I'm flat out wrong or not! lol

I don't think the majority of consumers have a clue or care about upcoming products. I think that it's people like us that read and post on sites like engadget that would be the users to help "design" a new smart phone.

I know for certain that most of my friends and family could not care less about upcoming smart phones. It's just not a thought most people have. However, once I got my iPhone and started showing it off, a lot of people wanted to buy one after seeing it and several have. These are not people that were following the iPhone since it's announcement (as us enagadget readers have), they had no idea what it was until the launch day craziness.

I stand by my origianl post...even if I'm the only one that likes it! lol

[Jon @ Aug 24th 2007 8:04PM]

@ Richard Cartwright
sorry for the double post...


I'm not sure about the story you are referring to, but I can't quite agree with that logic...whether I'm flat out wrong or not! lol

I don't think the majority of consumers have a clue or care about upcoming products. I think that it's people like us that read and post on sites like engadget that would be the users to help "design" a new smart phone.

I know for certain that most of my friends and family could not care less about upcoming smart phones. It's just not a thought most people have. However, once I got my iPhone and started showing it off, a lot of people wanted to buy one after seeing it and several have. These are not people that were following the iPhone since it's announcement (as us enagadget readers have), they had no idea what it was until the launch day craziness.

I stand by my origianl post...even if I'm the only one that likes it! lol

[Richard Cartwright @ Aug 25th 2007 12:22AM]

I expext we will have to agree to disagree. Consider this. The Wii is selling like hotecakes now. Nintendo ramps up production and builds say a million units. Then the company announces that they are coming out with the Wii 2 in four months that is twice as good as the Wii. Are you going to spend the money now and what does that do the Nintendo's cash flow. I agree that Aunt Minnie does not read Engadget..but Jon does and Auntie Minnie knows that little Jonnie is who she needs to ask about gadgets. That starved Palm's cash flow and burdened them with inventory that IMHMO dealt them a blow that I still think they are recovering from. It also resulted in some very tight lips from the survivors at Palm.

[rseijas @ Aug 24th 2007 10:13PM]

Oh yeah, baby! On track for a summer release!! All 6 or 7 units they'll sell! Tossers.

[Skon @ Aug 25th 2007 4:41AM]

Maybe Palm could rescue this device with a little atleration to it. Namely chop off the keyboard, make the screen a touch screen with a basic low end version of the Palm OS & graphiti and turn it into a color eBook reader that open and accepts tons of formats.

Just a thought but maybe Palm could could make a better eBook reader then Sony. Think about it, some of us have been reading eBooks exclusively on our Palm's for years now. I read 3 to 5 novels a week plus magazines, news feeds etc on my Palm T e2. I've been using a Palm for reading since about 1997 (Not sure of the year.. whatever year the Pilot first came out). That's about a decade since I started reading eBooks and in that time I've only read 3 or 4 in dead tree form.

Not only has Palm made a good start in this direction with the hardware and with there reader software but there is about a dozen 3rd party developers that have created readers for just about any imaginable format out there. And on top of that there are more conversion programs out there than I can count. You can even convert Microsoft's "lit" format so it's readable on the Palm.

So I think that an eBook reader would be one good product that Palm could start working on. They already have more experiance in this area then any of the eBook manufactures out there and they haven't even marketed any of there PDA's spacificly for that.
Just an idea.

Regards,
Skon

[Rova @ Aug 25th 2007 6:12PM]

You miss the point of the foleo entirely. The whole point is for it to be the smallest device possible with a full size keyboard and resonable screen - so you can really make the most of all the talked about features of your smartphone.

[Skon @ Aug 27th 2007 7:47PM]

I didn't miss that point. I would like a super lite and thin computer with a keyboard however with the capabilitys that a full fledged notebook has and the fact that the price is in the same range even on some of the 11inch ones why would anyone buy the Folio. I can go to Best Buy and buy a notebook with DVD/CDRW drive and a 40Gb hard drive for $450. Sure it's 4lbs but what's 4lbs? I'd realy like to see an eBook/slate computer at the size that screen is at and less then 1/4inch thick. There is no reason they cant do it and do it for a reasonable price. Start with developing it fully with all the bells and whistles and the sell below cost untill you hit voulume just like game console companys do. And there is a real need out there for some type of real slate computer not the joke table computers are now.

Regards,
Skon

[muhahaha @ Aug 25th 2007 10:34AM]

gandolf = gandalf + adolf

[Eric @ Aug 26th 2007 1:50AM]

This is just a knock-off of a previously released product:

The Atari Folio from 1991!

http://www.infogiu.uniroma1.it/public/frosini/pages/Dsc00023b_jpg.htm

[Empf @ Aug 25th 2007 5:00PM]

Palm Foleo?

WAHAHAAAAAAAAAA!!!
April 1st long go by....

[ark_v2 @ Aug 26th 2007 5:20PM]

The Asus Eee owns this Foleo thingy so much...:)

[AndreJ @ Aug 27th 2007 4:06AM]

Ok so i work for apple tech support, and not a day after reading the letter written by engadget to palm did i get a call from a palm designer! i was completely shocked by the coincidence but he / she was really cool and he / she said his / her staff did infact recieve the email the CEO said he sent out to every one. He / She said they were in fact working on some cool projects already but couldnt give details (obviously).

Btw her keyboard and trackpad stopped working :)