In a few hours we can expect to see pictures and video, but for now we know what Palm is going to announce: The Foleo.
I’m going to make a huge prediction here that might make me sound like a total fanboy, but I think Nokia already has something like this in their pipeline. It would be foolish not to! The power of the mobile web server coupled with the talent of the Internet Tablet Team = Nokia’s Foleo.
There is a serious disruption about to occur in the world of mobile. No longer will we care about devices connecting to the cloud, we will care about devices that connect to devices that will eventually connect to the cloud. The importance of personal area networks is grossly underrated right now.
Between Sony Ericsson’s watch, Nokia’s Internet Tablet, Stereo Headphones and wireless headsets, don’t you think that Bluetooth is being completely underutilized?
The problem is standards. I hope Bluetooth 3.0 is not so much about speed, but about creating more connection profiles so more devices can exchange even more bits and bytes.
Thoughts?
Update (a few more thoughts):
I ultimately think that the concept of a dedicated hardware device as a "companion" to a smartphone is the wrong path to take. People already have large screens and keyboards, let them use those devices. Don’t get me wrong, a new breed of hardware will emerge due to this thin client concept, but we don’t want to end up with a closet full of 5+ proprietary docks.
This is my favorite part of the press release:
Smartphones will be the most prevalent personal computers on the planet, ultimately able to do everything that desktop computers can do. However, there are times when people need a large screen and full-size keyboard. As smartphones get smaller, this need increases. The Foleo completes the picture creating a mobile-computing system that sets a new standard in simplicity.
If I were in Nokia’s Mergers and Acquisitions department I would totally buy Palm. They get it.