Celio’s REDFLY ready for consumer purchase
Earlier this year, James and I took a hands-on look at the REDFLY from Celio. This device is a similar concept to the Palm Foleo; a mobile solution that never quite made it to market. It uses your Windows Mobile device as the "brains" and connection, while offering an 800 x 480 display and full keyboard. James gave it a full overview and found it to be a very usable mobile solution for a multitude of applications.
Many readers were interested in this device at that time, but Celio started out by targeting the corporate environment for good reasons: there’s tons of Windows Mobile smartphones in the enterprise and the REDFLY requires no support from the I.T. folks: just connect it to your device and go to work. Consumers had to wait a while, but the $499 REDFLY is now available online at Amazon and Expansys. Folks that have a higher-end Windows Mobile device might be more inclined to purchase one at this price, but I’d be curious to hear reader’s thoughts. Way back when the REDFLY was introduced, we didn’t have so many similarly priced netbooks available. Since I haven’t invested heavily on software for the Windows Mobile platform, I’d be more inclined to buy a full-featured and similarly sized netbook at that price. That’s just my situation… how about you?
(via The Mobile Gadgeteer)
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I agree. For this price, it would make much more sense to get a netbook and tether it to your mobile for an internet connection on the go. It seems to me that anyone who buys this device (and it is just a device, not a computer) lacks imagination.
I have considered purchasing a RedFly, I even pre-ordered one, which I latter canceled do to late shipping. The big attraction to me is the battery life. The 2nd thing is the idea of really having just one “computing platform” and then extending it.
If I had the money at this time I would probably pick one up. But I am also debating a netbook instead. It is a conundrum.
Pricing doesn’t work for me either, though in theory I find the device very attractive.
Couldn’t agree more with the OP. This thing makes sense at $200-$250; it makes no sense at $499, and I think Celio is going find that out pretty quickly when their shipping department is sitting around on their hands all day.
Couldn’t agree more with the OP. This thing makes sense at $200-$250; it makes no sense at $499, and I think Celio is going find that out pretty quickly when their shipping department is sitting around on their hands all day.
I just got the price protection rebate from Amazon for my Acer Aspire One. They’re now selling for $379 on Amazon as well.
$499 and no brain or $379 with a brain?
Hang on, I’m checking my brain on this one…
I have to agree also. For the average user $499 gets a nice net book you can tether to. If your not in the corporate world letting you boss buy the hardware, this doen’t make sense until the price drops to the mid-$200 mark. I do like the concept though.
Way to expensive to be a success, i think time ran out for the device, before the arrival of all the cheap net books there was probably a place for it
I have an iPAQ HX4705, but I rarely use it. $500 to rarely use it on a bigger screen doesn’t make much sense to me.
If I didn’t have 2 tablet PCs, this might have some appeal. Since I do, it has no appeal for me. But buttoned-down executive types who sit in corner offices might like this.
Woadan
We have one of these in the office. Its nice and has a good feel but at that price, I can not see buying it. Its still needs your phone and is a two piece solution. For that money, a HP mini-note or the like would be a far better purchase.
Remember though that tethering a cell phone to your mini notebook requires an expensive tethering plan — for AT&T tethering is an extra $30 a month on top of everything else. This helps make the Redfly make more sense financially (though it is still too expensive, in my opinion). Also, remember that if all you need it for is web surfing and document editing, the Redfly will get 8 hours battery life to the Aspire One’s 3.
This is a very good solution security wise.
All your date in one place only.
It can probably work for a corporation controlling data. For regular home user this of course doesn’t make much sense anymore as Redfly has missed this market by about a year.
Still if the smart phones pick up the power and start having next gens of Atom as the main chips it would be interesting to see as you would use this as an extension of your (on your belt or in your pocket) computer.
I have a laptop and would not want to replace it with a netbook, however if my blackberry would have the same processor as the netbook I would not mind the Redly giving a shot at the title.
A niche within a niche. At $500 they will fail in the consumer space. Maybe enterprise deals will carry them.
Missed the market by a year–I think thats dead on. The redfly just . . . doesn’t quite offer enough. Now if it had speakers I would be more tempted. Also add in some online storage like assus plans to do for the pacific rim market. Finally make connecteing to a regular pc a peice of cake. And yes, Lower the price by at least a hundred bucks. I hope the redfly makes it to round two and three. But the current redfly doesnt do enough.
I have almost pulled the trigger literally on this thing about 6imes now. I definitely want one, but am hampered by HTC Advantage Lust. Today I hear the battery is not replaceable in the Redfly. Do we know of ANY rechargeable battery that has ever NOT eventually become a Brick? Oh Mary….back to Conundrum Corner………
It was a dumb idea when Palm tried to do the Foleo and it’s still a dumb idea with REDFLY.
Why would anyone pay that much when, as you said Kevin, you can get similar, if not better, performance and specs from a “real” computer from the various netbooks at, below and above that price?
The backlash against the Foleo wasn’t that people didn’t see the need for a small laptop (ala netbooks), but they couldn’t see having to carry another device around that needed to be hooked up to another device (their phone) to even work.
Dumb on top of stupid.
these things were everywhere at computex ’08
but the price was more like $100
not sure how these guys justify the price…
Tyler brings up a very good point and another reason why this device is better suited for the Enterprise worker and not a consumer. The key to the REDFLY is simplicity.
The REDFLY is nothing more than an extension of your phone. You only bring it when you need a larger screen and a bigger keyboard with some extra battery life.
While consumers may pay for additional tethering charges or use hacks to get around it, Enterprise customers (read: businesses) don’t want the support headaches associated with this.
Also, theft and loss of laptops is always an issue. People loose their phones too, but an Enterprise level organization that is using Microsoft Exchange has the ability to remotely wipe a Windows Mobile device easily. Getting that level of security in a laptop is a far more expensive and complicated proposition. Since the REDFLY holds no data locally, the potential loss of the device does not represent a security threat.
I’m not saying it’s a great device. From a consumer standpoint, it’s largely pointless. But it can have a real value for a organization looking to extend existing functionality without significantly adding to support costs and maintaining strong security.
Pair this up with a browser like Skyfire or the new Opera Mobile 9.5 and you’ve got a decent low cost business solution.
Why not just buy a Netbook? I will tell you why…because those of use real road warriors don’t have the leasure time for it to load, or days short enough that 3 hours of battery life will be okay, etc.
Those who “don’t get it” are not the crowd this device is aimed at. Real Road Warriors get it. Very often I have just a minute or two before boarding my plane and I need INSTANT ON…to run an order right NOW! My phone is always on already…I plug the Redfly in and it is ready to go, and I have that order IN the system and I am gone while Mr. “lack of imagination” first comment loser guy above is still waiting for windows to load. If you have nothing but time on your hands…get a Netbook. If you live in the fast lane like I do…this INSTANT ON and long battery life device is a logical choice.
And as suggested above by another poster…skipping the tethering fees you pay for the Netbook actually BUYS this device. That changes the entire price equation yet the Netbook fans here ignore the REAL world price comparison.
As for that Instant On … it makes sense when you have a PDA.
This, you have to
1) Find a table
2) Lift lid
3) Hit On
Right. That’s quick.
I’ll agree it’s not for everyone, but if you already have a significant investment in Windows Mobile, it’s not a bad idea. http://tinyurl.com/5dptcz