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Gadget Watch: Palm Foleo breaks new ground for mobile computing |
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Smartphones may be THE thing but how practical is it to browse the Web or view spreadsheets on them? In response to this problem PDA and smartphone maker Palm has just revealed the new Foleo, its first smartphone companion product, due for release this summer.
Palm’s view is that, while the computer in your pocket is getting smaller and more powerful, sometimes you need a large screen and a proper keyboard. The Foleo mobile companion therefore represents a major new product category, a device that enables you to harness the full computing power of a smartphone. The long term aim is to make the mobile device in your pocket your primary PC.
The Foleo has a large 10 inch colour screen and full-size keyboard with which to view and edit email and MS Office documents (Word, Excel and Powerpoint) and view PDFs residing on a smartphone. Edits made on Foleo are reflected automatically on its paired smartphone and vice versa. Powerpoint presentations can be run directly from the Foleo via a special VGA adapter.
The Foleo features instant on and off and a battery that lasts for up to 5 hours of use. It synchronises via Bluetooth and uses the smartphone’s mobile connection or the Foleo’s built-in Wi-Fi for general Internet connectivity.
The first generation of Foleo mobile companions will be designed to work with Treo smartphones using both Palm OS and Windows Mobile. However, Palm claims that most smartphones based on Windows Mobile should work with little or no modification. Smartphones based on operating systems from Research in Motion (i.e. Blackberries), Apple, and Symbian will likely be supported with a ‘modest’ software effort. Since the Foleo’s synchronisation architecture is open, Palm expects to work with third-party developers in future to support as many smartphones as possible.
Palm is quoting a US launch price of $499 for the Foleo this summer. UK prices have not yet been announced by any vendors.
Submitted Date: Jun 04, 2007
Source: AccountingWEB.co.uk
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