Foleo to spawn keyboard-less Treos?
By Brian White 
posted Jun 19th 2007 6:50PM
posted Jun 19th 2007 6:50PM
Ever since the first Treo smartphone was introduced in 2003 (remember the Handspring 600?), a staple of the Treo name has been the integrated keyboard. Palm co-founder Jeff Hawkins, who later founded Handspring (which was acquired... by Palm) has hinted at a future keyboard-less Treo. When Palm announced the ho-hum Foleo a few weeks back, much of the world was underwhelmed by the idea of carrying around yet another device. The catch here is that Hawkins believes future Treos may not need keyboards since apparently everyone will use a Foleo hooked wirelessly to a Treo for all that broadband goodness. Hawkins has a respectable track record, but this one seems far off the mark. Perhaps Levis can make a Foleo-sized front pocket in those new 505s, eh?
Hmm, I remember the Treo Smartphone starting around 2001 with the 180, 270, 300 and THEN the 600..
So everyone who wants to send emails or SMS (with a Qwerty keyboard) will also go and purchase a Foleo (and lug it around with them everywhere they go)?
I think it's far more likely that it would only hasten the already-begun exodus to Windows Mobile and BlackBerry devices.
For a company off to such a good start, they appear to be trying to see how far they can drive it into the ground.
Mitch,
Exodus to WinMob may still mean they own a Palm these days. 700w, 700wx, 750v
Perhaps Hawkins is alluding to a large touchscreen treo? Something like a 'Lifedrive Treo' would be welcomed no doubt. It would have to be a large screen, because what else would you do with that empty space previously taken up by the keyboard?
It would make sense, the man did integrate graffiti interface, and the treo series always did seem a retrograde step to fall into the conventional wisdom of the blackberry's of the world to sell units to the corporate world.
Note that the iPhone does not have to kowtow to the corporate world with a physical keyboard, since they are not aiming for the corporate/business market.
If this means Palm is getting back to it's old ways, I would welcome it!
I think you are right. A "keyboard-less" treo doesn't necessarily mean bad. It seems to me that a Lifedrive inspired Treo might just compete with an iPhone quite nicely.
Ah, the Lifedrive...anyone remember that? Wasn't that Palm's last "life changing" product, the first of a new series of mobile managers?
Been begging for these forever it seems. Maybe I won't care when they actually arrive:
http://tinyurl.com/2anl5d
http://tinyurl.com/yona88
I guess everyone wants to lug around a keyboard that's big and clumsy so they can type a letter on their Treo. That is such a novel idea that I envy the smart person who came up with it. Who is that smart person?
Or here's a brilliant idea Palm: why don't I just get a data modem for the laptop I already carry around, or tether with my existing phone? I can't believe that anyone would want to carry around something much larger than a phone, but much, much less useful than a laptop.
Before staying bewildered at the Foleo, at least go to Palm.com and listen to the spill. It makes sense in a lot of ways. This is not like anything out there, although all the parts are pretty much off the shelf in some way.
Can Palm pull it off. Whew?!?
How about converting the Treo into Dick Tracy's wrist watch PLUS THE FOLIO which will have to evolve in weigth and funcionality..... THEN THROUGTH A WIRELESS CONNECTION VIA REMOTE CLIENT SERVER TERMINAL (or similar PROGRAM) ..YOU HAVE THE POWER OF YOUR HOME COMPUTER IN YHE PALM OF YOUR TREO AND FOLIO