Comments on: WebOS on a Netbook Could be the NBT

By: howie

howie — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:24:57 +0000

No brainer!
A Palm netbook with webOS, a Touchstone magnet/charger on the monitor lid, you magnetically attach your Pre to the back of the netbook to charge, sync, backup and tether (cell data, the netbook should have wifi on it’s own).

Foleo was a bit ahead of its time…people were unclear what you could and couldnt do with it. This netbook should be able to do everything a normal linux netbook can do with tight integration to your Palm phone as extra.

It will play well with the increasing number of cloud services from google and palm.

By: turn.self.off

turn.self.off — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 09:57:17 +0000

arm is already on the job:
http://i.gizmodo.com/5185700/arms-gpus-will-make-this-years-mainstream-phones-more-powerful-than-the-current-iphone

and the cortex series of cpus are able to go multi-core.

By: kaffeboy

kaffeboy — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 09:34:47 +0000

Hmmm…Foleo seemed like a good idea, but not a good product. However, if WebOS can outperform their previous attempt and if they can get ARM to develop a small dual-core energy efficient CPU capable of decent video playback (nowadays it means HD folks), you got a winner.

I mean, if not…close the book on it. We would have no use for another OS that delivers the same as Linux and still pay for it when you buy a netbook. However, if you promise a thick array of thrid party developers, lots of Palm Apps (cheap) a good browser and HD Video playback on a good ARM machine with 6 hour battery or more, you got yourself a winner.

You see, a lot of people dont know Linux, but they do remember Palm.

My ideal device would be a Dual Core ARM with HD capable video.
10 inch screen. WebOS. 6 Hour battery when online. Thethering capabilities with Palm friendly devices. etc…

By: turn.self.off

turn.self.off — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 19:48:53 +0000

iirc, the foleo had a fully working linux os, and they where handing out developer samples and was getting ready for the official launch when they suddenly did a 180 and canceled it.

from what i recall, the line was that with its linux base (provided by third party) it made for the third os palm had to deal with, and they wanted instead to consolidate on one os.

as gor to tethered to a phone. the only thing there was a late rumor that the mail client could not go directly to the servers, but was only good for syncing with palm phones. i do not recall if that was ever confirmed…

By: Jim

Jim — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 18:59:30 +0000

The Foleo was a concept device without a working OS. If it ‘could’ have been something (and if it was ever ready for manufacturing) Palm would have brought it to the market — they were as desperate for sales then as they are now, and it appeared to have a lot of backing within the company. But the Foleo as displayed was too tethered to a smartphone to be really useful; what makes netbooks so popular is their ability to connect to the net independently of a phone, and to surf/view/edit/play files on their own.

It might be better to say that a netbook with WebOS is what the Foleo was trying to be but couldn’t reach.

For me, a quick boot, all-day battery, low footprint netbook that plays well with my phone and main computer would be an instant buy.

By: B

Sat, 28 Mar 2009 13:05:12 +0000

Hmmm, interesting. This news certainly makes the forthcoming ‘touch book’ more interesting.

By: Ricky B.

Ricky B. — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 20:55:18 +0000

I do wonder if the original Foleo could have had the crown given to the Eee.

By: turn.self.off

turn.self.off — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:48:29 +0000

can someone say palm foleo 2.0?