Comments on: Foleo - Are you freaking kidding me? http://www.jeffkirvin.net/2007/05/30/foleo-are-you-freaking-kidding-me/ The journey of a reluctant writer Fri, 08 Aug 2008 21:09:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: It’s Foleo Day! Did You Celebrate? « Mike Cane 2008 http://www.jeffkirvin.net/2007/05/30/foleo-are-you-freaking-kidding-me/#comment-723 It’s Foleo Day! Did You Celebrate? « Mike Cane 2008 Fri, 30 May 2008 15:58:08 +0000 http://www.jeffkirvin.net/2007/05/30/foleo-are-you-freaking-kidding-me/#comment-723 [...] can’t think of a better column to read to commemorate this day than this one. Explore posts in the same categories: Tech - [...] [...] can’t think of a better column to read to commemorate this day than this one. Explore posts in the same categories: Tech - [...]

]]> By: The Palm Foleo Disaster: Part One « Mike Cane’s Blog http://www.jeffkirvin.net/2007/05/30/foleo-are-you-freaking-kidding-me/#comment-574 The Palm Foleo Disaster: Part One « Mike Cane’s Blog Mon, 10 Sep 2007 21:30:51 +0000 http://www.jeffkirvin.net/2007/05/30/foleo-are-you-freaking-kidding-me/#comment-574 [...] Jeff Kirvin, who has for years advocated PDAs for writing, had this reaction to the Foleo: Foleo - Are you freaking kidding me? All the hassle of a laptop, none of the [...] [...] Jeff Kirvin, who has for years advocated PDAs for writing, had this reaction to the Foleo: Foleo - Are you freaking kidding me? All the hassle of a laptop, none of the [...]

]]> By: /tychoish: semi-linear thoughts @ tealart.com http://www.jeffkirvin.net/2007/05/30/foleo-are-you-freaking-kidding-me/#comment-517 /tychoish: semi-linear thoughts @ tealart.com Mon, 25 Jun 2007 16:29:32 +0000 http://www.jeffkirvin.net/2007/05/30/foleo-are-you-freaking-kidding-me/#comment-517 [...] this follows right from my last response–Jeff posted about the Foleo, a new laptop-replacement/mobile device from Palm [...] [...] this follows right from my last response–Jeff posted about the Foleo, a new laptop-replacement/mobile device from Palm [...]

]]> By: Griftwriter http://www.jeffkirvin.net/2007/05/30/foleo-are-you-freaking-kidding-me/#comment-501 Griftwriter Sat, 02 Jun 2007 03:32:32 +0000 http://www.jeffkirvin.net/2007/05/30/foleo-are-you-freaking-kidding-me/#comment-501 I've been thinking about it more and I am convinced that Palm is trying something very bold; re-defining our concept of a personal computer as a set of smaller cheaper devices that divide up the functions... none of which require Windows. I’ve been thinking about it more and I am convinced that Palm is trying something very bold; re-defining our concept of a personal computer as a set of smaller cheaper devices that divide up the functions… none of which require Windows.

]]> By: jeff http://www.jeffkirvin.net/2007/05/30/foleo-are-you-freaking-kidding-me/#comment-499 jeff Fri, 01 Jun 2007 04:36:39 +0000 http://www.jeffkirvin.net/2007/05/30/foleo-are-you-freaking-kidding-me/#comment-499 I freely admit that if you do everything via Google (Gmail, Gdocs, Gcal, Gnotebook, Gporn, etc.) then the Foleo starts to look like a pretty good option. Except that you can get a "real" laptop from Best Buy for $400 (a Benjamin cheaper than the Foleo, even after the BS rebate) if you shop around for a good sale. The problem with the Foleo is that no matter what market segment you're aiming for, the Foleo comes just short. Aging boomers who just want to do email while they watch Boston Legal? Screen's too small for sixtysomething eyes. College kids who would benefit from a lightweight and very durable (due to having no moving parts) laptop to schlep to class? No multimedia, especially YouTube. Road warriors who already have smartphones (the Foleo's actual market, if you believe Palm)? Already have a laptop, thanks, some of them ultralights not much bigger than the Foleo but nonetheless able to run Vista and Office 2007. This could be a new platform, it could be the first really viable Linux consumer PC, it could be a rethinking of what a laptop should be in the Web 2.0 era, but... it's just not very good. Nice idea, Hawkins, pretty laughable execution. I freely admit that if you do everything via Google (Gmail, Gdocs, Gcal, Gnotebook, Gporn, etc.) then the Foleo starts to look like a pretty good option. Except that you can get a “real” laptop from Best Buy for $400 (a Benjamin cheaper than the Foleo, even after the BS rebate) if you shop around for a good sale.

The problem with the Foleo is that no matter what market segment you’re aiming for, the Foleo comes just short.

Aging boomers who just want to do email while they watch Boston Legal? Screen’s too small for sixtysomething eyes.

College kids who would benefit from a lightweight and very durable (due to having no moving parts) laptop to schlep to class? No multimedia, especially YouTube.

Road warriors who already have smartphones (the Foleo’s actual market, if you believe Palm)? Already have a laptop, thanks, some of them ultralights not much bigger than the Foleo but nonetheless able to run Vista and Office 2007.

This could be a new platform, it could be the first really viable Linux consumer PC, it could be a rethinking of what a laptop should be in the Web 2.0 era, but… it’s just not very good. Nice idea, Hawkins, pretty laughable execution.

]]> By: power user http://www.jeffkirvin.net/2007/05/30/foleo-are-you-freaking-kidding-me/#comment-498 power user Fri, 01 Jun 2007 04:24:58 +0000 http://www.jeffkirvin.net/2007/05/30/foleo-are-you-freaking-kidding-me/#comment-498 Jeff, you forget that you were the one who had the vision of future mobile computing as not having to take all your data and documents with you. If the "Foleo" is a device that allows you to access data from your home or office PC by using a direct link to the Web or through your phone, then this what some business users will want. Jeff, you forget that you were the one who had the vision of future mobile computing as not having to take all your data and documents with you. If the “Foleo” is a device that allows you to access data from your home or office PC by using a direct link to the Web or through your phone, then this what some business users will want.

]]> By: jeff http://www.jeffkirvin.net/2007/05/30/foleo-are-you-freaking-kidding-me/#comment-497 jeff Fri, 01 Jun 2007 00:36:37 +0000 http://www.jeffkirvin.net/2007/05/30/foleo-are-you-freaking-kidding-me/#comment-497 Originally, that was one of the things I liked about writing on my Palm: there wasn't much else to do on it, so my distractions were minimal. Now I have so many other things to do on my phone that I'm better off writing on my PC. Weird. Originally, that was one of the things I liked about writing on my Palm: there wasn’t much else to do on it, so my distractions were minimal. Now I have so many other things to do on my phone that I’m better off writing on my PC. Weird.

]]> By: Griftwriter http://www.jeffkirvin.net/2007/05/30/foleo-are-you-freaking-kidding-me/#comment-495 Griftwriter Thu, 31 May 2007 15:48:05 +0000 http://www.jeffkirvin.net/2007/05/30/foleo-are-you-freaking-kidding-me/#comment-495 I'm hopeful. Of course, I haven't really been happy with my very-mobile writing options since I abandoned my Tungsten with keyboard and Wordsmith for a Treo. I generally carry either my primary computer, an IBM thinkpad which requires I carry more weight including padding and power cables, or I use my ancient Alphasmart. It's my experience with Alphasmart which is an indestuctable, instant-on, very light and small word processor that makes me think Foleo has real potential - at least for my needs. What I really need though is a feature that won't let me web surf or check email until I have written a certain number of words. I’m hopeful. Of course, I haven’t really been happy with my very-mobile writing options since I abandoned my Tungsten with keyboard and Wordsmith for a Treo. I generally carry either my primary computer, an IBM thinkpad which requires I carry more weight including padding and power cables, or I use my ancient Alphasmart.

It’s my experience with Alphasmart which is an indestuctable, instant-on, very light and small word processor that makes me think Foleo has real potential - at least for my needs.

What I really need though is a feature that won’t let me web surf or check email until I have written a certain number of words.

]]> By: imageneer http://www.jeffkirvin.net/2007/05/30/foleo-are-you-freaking-kidding-me/#comment-494 imageneer Thu, 31 May 2007 14:47:33 +0000 http://www.jeffkirvin.net/2007/05/30/foleo-are-you-freaking-kidding-me/#comment-494 Jeff, some of your comments are not right, at least technically speaking. The Foleo is not a dumb machine dependent on your treo. It can work standalone and has enough processing power to run a Linux kernel, some kind of GUI layer, and Opera on top (even with DOM, JavaScript and Flash). So, even if you won't be able to edit photographs with Photoshop or play the latest fancy 3D game it will have enough power to run normal mobile applications. I think we need to look with a bit of distance to get all the possibilities of this machine. It's too soon... but with the right third party software it looks promising to me... Imagine you're on vacation... you could connect your small 120Gb HDD to the USB port, insert your SD card and transfer all your photographs to your HD, review them, classify them and get your cards ready for next day. You can even write blog posts, resize them and publish them through its wi-fi connection (or bluetooth DUN to your mobile phone -it doesn't have to be a treo-). Part of this can be done with a Treo or a Lifedrive, but the bigger screen and keyboard is what I need to not feel so lazy and really do it (it feels so cumbersome to do the same thing in my Lifedrive, with Blazer accesing wordpress and the graffiti II for typing the post.... ugjjj). ...and you don't need a big bag to carry it.... ...and it doesn't have spinning or moving parts... so it won't be as fragile as a normal laptop... You can probably put in your everyday bag with no hassles and worries... ...and it's "instant on" feature means it's always ready for action, much faster than even the "hibernate" thing... I admit I was a bit down at the first moment, but now I'm feeling more and more interested on the possibilities of this little machine (specially at the introduction price). Maybe Hawkins it's not as crazy as we all think. Jeff,

some of your comments are not right, at least technically speaking.

The Foleo is not a dumb machine dependent on your treo. It can work standalone and has enough processing power to run a Linux kernel, some kind of GUI layer, and Opera on top (even with DOM, JavaScript and Flash). So, even if you won’t be able to edit photographs with Photoshop or play the latest fancy 3D game it will have enough power to run normal mobile applications.

I think we need to look with a bit of distance to get all the possibilities of this machine. It’s too soon… but with the right third party software it looks promising to me…

Imagine you’re on vacation… you could connect your small 120Gb HDD to the USB port, insert your SD card and transfer all your photographs to your HD, review them, classify them and get your cards ready for next day. You can even write blog posts, resize them and publish them through its wi-fi connection (or bluetooth DUN to your mobile phone -it doesn’t have to be a treo-). Part of this can be done with a Treo or a Lifedrive, but the bigger screen and keyboard is what I need to not feel so lazy and really do it (it feels so cumbersome to do the same thing in my Lifedrive, with Blazer accesing wordpress and the graffiti II for typing the post…. ugjjj).

…and you don’t need a big bag to carry it….

…and it doesn’t have spinning or moving parts… so it won’t be as fragile as a normal laptop… You can probably put in your everyday bag with no hassles and worries…

…and it’s “instant on” feature means it’s always ready for action, much faster than even the “hibernate” thing…

I admit I was a bit down at the first moment, but now I’m feeling more and more interested on the possibilities of this little machine (specially at the introduction price). Maybe Hawkins it’s not as crazy as we all think.

]]> By: jeff http://www.jeffkirvin.net/2007/05/30/foleo-are-you-freaking-kidding-me/#comment-493 jeff Wed, 30 May 2007 23:41:08 +0000 http://www.jeffkirvin.net/2007/05/30/foleo-are-you-freaking-kidding-me/#comment-493 Ow. Okay, officially not feeling the love. Ow. Okay, officially not feeling the love.

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