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By David Rothman

NanoBook UltraMobile Device“If you’ve got space for a kilo of Foleo, you’ve probably got space for a real laptop rather than this glorified add-on,” says Bill Thompson, an independent journalist who’s a BBC commentator. “Even the Nokia N800 Internet Tablet would do a decent job.”

Well, I can appreciate the Foleo’s built-in keyboard and ten-inch screen and some other features, but all in all, I agree—especially with rivals like the smaller, lighter NanoBook Ultra Mobile Device on the way (photo).

Looking ahead

Chin up, though. Thompson is excited about flexible color screens and about such possibilities as see-through electronics for displays. Not to mention decent projectors for reading documents from small devices. I myself am rooting, too, for roll-out-screen devices like the Readius. Technology can influence design. Perhaps the real problem with the Foleo is that it debuted when Palm was struggling to come up with new hardware but the requisite technology didn’t exist to distinguish the Foleo sufficiently from other gadgetry. I still think Palm should have done an e-book friendly tablet that would also shine for other uses.

The WiFi angle: What happens if WiFi and other wireless technology take off really big-time? This could radically change the device picture. Just as one example, Nokia phones will soon do video and voice with Skype software, and while the screens and keyboards aren’t as big as the Foleo’s, I do see some overlap.

U.S. political angle: Yes, the future of hardware may be tied to telecommunications laws. Let’s hope that Congress sooner or later will diminish the power of the telcos and broadcasters and really let wireless live up to its potential. Any thoughts from TeleBlog readers outside the States on the situations in their countries?

Related: Other TeleBlog items on the Foleo and MobileRead’s different perspective. Also see Foleo-related Google news coverage. Plus Wikipedia entry.

 
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