Thinking of Mobile Computing Anew
Don't mind me, I am up late because of personal reasons and thinking again about mobile computing. Most of this is because of the new Palm Foleo (www.palm.com) that was announced yesterday. There have been sever schools of thought about it, and much of it right. Heck, I have even spewed a good deal on various websites about what I think. But as I sit here with the Palm BT keyboard and typing on my Treo, I do realize that a computing device like the Foleo is darn near close to exactly what I need.
So what do I mean? The Foleo is a laptop-looking device that has a 10in screen and works with your smartphone in order to gain its functionality. If you will, it flips the script of what we think about PDAs and smartphones. Our thoughts are that PDAs and smartphones are accessories to the desktops and laptops of our computing world. And to some extent that is correct. However, as anyone who has been well bitten by the smartphone bug will tell you. There is a freedom in having your entire computer with you (in a PDA or smartphone) that is simply something you don't want to go back to.
When I look at the past year plus and how I have used my Treo as my laptop, I basically come up with a few issues. I need for the screen to be bigger for browsing and some browser testing, and I'd like a better ability to handle email on the larger screen for those personal emails that need some "space."
The Foleo does just that. And to some extent, it really does meet a need of being a companion to a smartphone that I would need. Could I see myself getting rid of the desktop that I have for it? Yes. I do think that if it is mature enough software wise, that I will not have a problem. But I am not the main person that needs to be sold on this, people who are just now getting into the smartphone world are.
I don't think that most of the world is ready to be completely mobile on a smarpthone (at least not those areas that are not doing it). Too many times we see bigger meaning better and all we are doing is simple browsing and emailing. The N800 has basically shown me that I only need a large screen for browsing. The Treo has shown me that email can be a cinch to keep on top of. What the Foleo, and I believe other devices will do, is take that idea and stretch it to something that we all can see as useful: mobile computing that works with me, not against me.
There are a ton more thoughts on this, and like the other posts that I tend to do as emails, this one has to get edited some. But until I pen those thoughts, I think that I will begin to start saving for the Foleo or something really similar. Because as my world has it, thinking of mobile has got me doing more than just wishing that mobile was possible.
So what do I mean? The Foleo is a laptop-looking device that has a 10in screen and works with your smartphone in order to gain its functionality. If you will, it flips the script of what we think about PDAs and smartphones. Our thoughts are that PDAs and smartphones are accessories to the desktops and laptops of our computing world. And to some extent that is correct. However, as anyone who has been well bitten by the smartphone bug will tell you. There is a freedom in having your entire computer with you (in a PDA or smartphone) that is simply something you don't want to go back to.
When I look at the past year plus and how I have used my Treo as my laptop, I basically come up with a few issues. I need for the screen to be bigger for browsing and some browser testing, and I'd like a better ability to handle email on the larger screen for those personal emails that need some "space."
The Foleo does just that. And to some extent, it really does meet a need of being a companion to a smartphone that I would need. Could I see myself getting rid of the desktop that I have for it? Yes. I do think that if it is mature enough software wise, that I will not have a problem. But I am not the main person that needs to be sold on this, people who are just now getting into the smartphone world are.
I don't think that most of the world is ready to be completely mobile on a smarpthone (at least not those areas that are not doing it). Too many times we see bigger meaning better and all we are doing is simple browsing and emailing. The N800 has basically shown me that I only need a large screen for browsing. The Treo has shown me that email can be a cinch to keep on top of. What the Foleo, and I believe other devices will do, is take that idea and stretch it to something that we all can see as useful: mobile computing that works with me, not against me.
There are a ton more thoughts on this, and like the other posts that I tend to do as emails, this one has to get edited some. But until I pen those thoughts, I think that I will begin to start saving for the Foleo or something really similar. Because as my world has it, thinking of mobile has got me doing more than just wishing that mobile was possible.
Labels: mobility
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