A Message to Palm Customers, Partners and Developers

As many of you are aware, we are in the process of building our next generation software platform. We are very excited about how this is coming together. It has a modern flexible UI, instant performance, and an incredibly simple and elegant development environment. We are working hard on this platform and on the first smartphone that will take advantage of it.

In the course of the past several months, it has become clear that the right path for Palm is to offer a single, consistent user experience around this new platform design and a single focus for our platform development efforts. To that end, and after careful deliberation, I have decided to cancel the Foleo mobile companion product in its current configuration and focus all of our energies on delivering our next generation platform and the first smartphones that will bring this platform to market. We will, of course, continue to develop products in partnership with Microsoft on the Windows Mobile platform, but from our internal platform development perspective, we will focus on only one.

Because we were nearly at the point for shipping Foleo, this was a very tough decision. Yet I am convinced this is the right thing to do. Foleo is based on second platform and a separate development environment, and we need to focus our efforts on one platform. Our own evaluation and early market feedback were telling us that we still have a number of improvements to make Foleo a world-class product, and we can not afford to make those improvements on a platform that is not central to our core focus. That would not be right for our customers or for our developer community.

Jeff Hawkins and I still believe that the market category defined by Foleo has enormous potential. When we do Foleo II it will be based on our new platform, and we think it will deliver on the promise of this new category. We're not going to speculate now on timing for a next Foleo, we just know we need to get our core platform and smartphones done first.

I would like to thank our customers for their interest in Foleo. I know there will be disappointed folks who were looking forward to carrying a Foleo for all their mobile computing needs. I am certainly one of them. I would also like to thank the developers who have supported our Foleo efforts. They have been loyal to Palm and have worked hard to deliver some compelling solutions on the Foleo platform. I know that they will understand that the right thing to do for the long run is to focus on one platform that will live for years, rather than invest energy in a one-off solution. We will make every effort to make sure we bring our developers forward to our next generation platform.

This decision will require us to take a limited charge of less than $10 million dollars to our earnings. This is a lot of money, but it is a small price relative to the costs that would be required to support two platforms going forward. This decision is in the best interest of our customers, our team, our products and our shareholders. I hope this renewed focus at Palm will allow us to deliver more compelling solutions to our core smartphone market, and it will allow us to position ourselves for the long run around one Palm experience.

-Ed Colligan, CEO

Comments

[SimonTek]

Can I have a prototype? I love play with the small laptops. I would have probably been the only customer. lol. How much for it?

[Don]

Palm is in a race to save itself. They are being successfully attacked in its existing foundational and core product lines: PDAs and smartphones. Like it or not, the Foleo would compete with laptops, a mature market Palm is not experienced in. Even if the Foleo had a chance, you have to protect your core/foundation first before expanding. I have owned Palm-based devices for over a decade and I'm having trouble moving to another Palm device (755p) beyond my outdated Treo 650 given the lack of innovation between the 2.

Give us a reason to stay with Palm.

[Sunil]

I'm glad to hear that Palm is going to focus on the core business of PDA's... however, don't forget about your once loyal Palm OS lovers. I bought the Treo 680 with high hopes that it would be the perfect device... and it could easily be. BUT, it is so buggy and flaky that at times I'm ready to throw it out the window! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE get an upgrade out for the 680 that addresses some obvious software bugs like Bluetooth problems, Versamail issues... all the stuff that is covered over and over in the message boards. Do something to keep your customers! PLEASE.
Thank you.

[melissa anderson]

It seemed perfect for me and I was waiting to order one???

[Robby Porwal]

I think it was a good decision to cancel the Foleo device. Although Foleo did feature some unique features like instant on and instant two way synchronization with a PDA device, these features did not present a Unique Selling Proposition to a consumer to buy this device instead of a laptop at the price of a laptop. Two way instant synchronization can be achieved through a software application, anyway. With UMPCs already in market, the devices of the form and size of Foleo, do not have a future.

[Armando GarciaGuerrero]

What about PDA´s and Beyond?

It is always Honest to have information regarding the policy and vision of a company we trust, regarding the Foleo plataform for Treo´s...but what about PDA´s?

Personally I have been loyal to PALM since 2001 when I had my first Handspring Edge, then I upgrade to a Zire 71 and finally to a Palm TX... I see that there is a lot coming from Treo´s but on the PDA´s department it´s practically decaying (or dying!) if you notice that the most powerful PDA ever from PALM it´s out of the market (LIFE DRIVE).

So what is Palm going to offer (if any) to the persons who have trusted the company this far?...
I still don´t see a device that makes me want to quit carrying my TX and my mobile phone...IPhone perhaps?... even the TREO 500V (wich is not release yet) does not a have a plataform or an inner memory capacity to stand vs the IPHONE or the Pocket PC not to mention that they still have not added the almost fundamental feature here and now: WI-Fi (one still have to BUY an external card to use it!) that enables users to take advantage of programs as skype...
Do you still remember when you were the Number One PDA company? not even the Pocket PC was a shadow for the Palm, now Palm is emulated...and not only that it has been completely overpassed by the very first mobile phone device by a newcomer: IPhone!
I Hope for the best for the Palm Team in a time where it is so hard to compete and I wait still for you to develop that Ideal Device that I know you can create...that keep us in the Palm Family...
Sincerely
Armando Garcia-Guerrero MD

[Troy Glasner]

I like my original - I am not a big smart phone user - but hey I do like Apple - so take a page from them - make your TX / E2 whatever into a smart phone - to me that would be heaven. Add in the capabilities of recording msgs, all the wi-fi, blue tooth, touch screen, etc - but most important listen to your customers!!!! Where on the Palm site is there a customer feedback section, or "suggestion box" for the next version of software, hardware, etc. You guys drive me nuts - the usual high-tech myopia. Good luck - kill the Foleo - sorry but I do field work - I would much prefer a Full Version of Excel that runs all macro's and drop down boxes on my Palm than a computer - leave that to HP and Dell - give me MEGA functionality - in the PALM of my hand - and I would be in heaven again. Give me the ability to run my ECCO from 97 synced with my XP Palm compliant application!! I HATE OUTLOOK except for e-mail. Give me the ability to run my other apps on my Palm and VOILA - I would be happy - I am in Energy conservation - I have light weight Apps. THAT I WOULD DIE TO HAVE RUN ON MY PALM!

Don't kill the stylus and the graffiti - ADD the key board if you must - but keep the ability to write in - again think about the guys in the field not the gumbies in Washington using their Blackberries!

Thanks.

Troy
troyg@telus.net

[Fading Fanboi]

I like Palm. I like my Treo. Except when I hate it. Which is whenever it freezes or lags or resets by itself or endlessly reboots. Which is often, far too often. Or the latest problem, which causes it to reset every time someone calls on the other line, which means I had to cancel call waiting until I can get my phone fixed yet again. I have had to take it to Verizon twice already in the year I've had my 700p (upgrading from the 650). Of course nobody seems to acknowledge there's a problem, which is an insult to me and all the other Treo owners I know and commiserate with often. I really want to stay with the Treo, but that seems more like an impossibility, or an act of stubborn foolishness, every passing day with every passing freeze-up. Like so many friends and associates I may have to go with a Blackberry if Palm doesn't get its act together and work on quality control.

[Ricardo Garay]

A suggestion
All smartphones and pdas depend on the PC (to backup). Launch pda completely independent, to take off of the box and to leave using (all installed and pre-configured). Backup would be in one second memory flash. They believe much people do not have a PC and pda would be its first computer. If want to place softwares and games, by SD card. But your specs they must be powerful and pda (half of the one price notebook cheap).

[tony]

oh what a real shame, i thought at last i had something i could replace my trusty psion 7 with. this product is so sorely needed in the mobile market (i am a mobile it support engineer and owner of company) it would have been ideal. i am truly disappointed that even after all the years since the demise of the epoch psion nothing has come anywhere near it, thanks microsoft you suck, and i thought palm would never sell out. shame real shame. i have a lifedrive and had a tungsten.

[Jan]

Dear friends at palm,

too bad the Foleo will not make it to the markets... I really liked the design and the idea to have a mini laptop with a simple but elegant streamlined OS - instant on no frills and doing everything it is suposed to. The Foleo reminded me a little bit of my good old psion series 3 that i used years ago in school. Eversince i have been looking for somthing like that...

Maybe if you make foleo II one day, keep the design and ruggedness of those good old psions in mind...

and try to make the marketing a little bit different. I think many people got confused over the question wether or not you actually need a smartphone to use the foleo, or if it could be coupled with any bluetooth enabled handset (like sony, nokia, or iphone - which would of course be my favorite :) )

best regards,
jan

[Paul]

Hi Ed,

Unfortunate news about the Foleo but with one less thing to worry about, perhaps Palm could focus on the small things like getting Windows Mobile 6 updates for your unbranded customers? We (the customers purchasing unbranded phones) demonstrate the greatest faith in Palm by paying full price for your products yet we are being made to wait and wait for an update. It is a little difficult to fathom when there are no carrier customisations that need to be made, yet carriers such as Vodafone have received their update.

[Tracy Fulce]

I am an active treo user who wasn't really sure about how the foleo would work for me but I wish I could get my hands on one to LEARN.

Like the audrey, the foleo is a device that could become a cult classic, used in ways that no one orginally imagined. I love that element of Palm devices, the customization, the ability of the individual to tailor the device to one's specific needs.

[Glenn Rossman]

Okay, so forget the Foleo. When traveling, I’d like a way to connect my Palm to a keyboard and larger screen – sort of simulating a PC. I know there are full-size keyboards for the Treo, but that’s only half the equation … the other half is a bigger screen. Alas, the Foleo would have done this. Obviously, in my scenario, I don’t want to have to have any other software required either. Also, the Foleo would have done that, too.

I'd be very, very happy with a portable keyboard (exists today) and a simple wire connection from the Palm to some sort of monitor. Is that possible?

[Jim Hickman]

I have a Tungsten T3, and at age 50, I struggle with the small screen. So I'm with the previous fellow who said "Any leftover prototypes? I'll buy one, no support needed!". I was SSOOoo looking forward to something to replace my ancient Jornada 820, with something non-MS and with the EXACT feature set you all listed for the Foleo! Big keyboard, bright screen, and this time a shot at WiFi! And the Linux OS was something I was interested in as well! Big opportunities for a wide group of developers! You were days from release - Please, if you can't reconsider, atleast give us a shot at the units that were sitting ready for release day! If you doubt it has a place in the world, go look at the number of *OLD* HP and NEC palmtop units still being swapped around on Ebay. Asus is now getting a bit of my attention...

[Eric Butterworth]

I'm just one user. I've been a loyal Treo user since the 600. I'm also loyal to AT&T. I see the real problem as failure to take care of the base. The best Palm can offer me is the 680? My wife switched from the 650 to the 680 and she says she's ready to jump ship from Palm. My enthusiasm for Palm is waning. As soon as the iPhone comes out with a real task list I'm out of here.

[hung]

Văn phòng Q.1 HCM từ 50 USD/tháng !
* Chỉ cần từ 50 - 120 USD/tháng, Công ty của bạn đã có thể sở hữu 1 văn phòng làm việc chuyên nghiệp tại Building 19 tầng ngay trung tâm quận 1 Tp.HCM.
* Thủ tục đăng ký đơn giản, hậu mãi chu đáo; có chiết khấu cho người giới thiệu (Hấp dẫn!).
* Vui lòng xem chi tiết tại: Van phong gia re Q.1 HCM - Virtual office Vietnam

http://www.goffice.com.vn - http://www.goffice.vn
hoặc gọi: 08.2200911

[Agustin Piñeiro]

Yo quiero comprar una de todas formas!

[Anders]

I have been looking for several years something to replace my HP Jornada 820e now, which i bought 1999. I had Palm Foleo, targeted as my next ultra protable long battery qwerty keyboard device, to mate with my 3G mobilephone. Why reduce performance with MS Vista operating system, which makes all device's unusable for battery operation?

/Anders Stockholm Sweden

I think that it is time for Palm to put Foleo 2 on the front burner. The Asus $199 eeepc FUD campaign (powered by Intel) that was designed to take out the OLPC also took out the Foleo as collateral damage. Now that the eeepc has made its debut at 2X the original price, the window of opportunity is wide open again. Just don't position is as a $600 accessory to a $300 phone, please? Lower the price to $300-400. Make it open source Linux (a la Nokia Maemo). Give it enough CPU power to do MP3 and video playback. Develop some killer productivity apps and port over the best Linux apps available. This is your last chance, Palm. The steamroller called Google Android is coming your way!

[tony]

I think that it is time for Palm to put Foleo 2 on the front burner. The Asus $199 eeepc FUD campaign (powered by Intel) that was designed to take out the OLPC also took out the Foleo as collateral damage. Now that the eeepc has made its debut at 2X the original price, the window of opportunity is wide open again. Just don't position is as a $600 accessory to a $300 phone, please? Lower the price to $300-400. Make it open source Linux (a la Nokia Maemo). Give it enough CPU power to do MP3 and video playback. Develop some killer productivity apps and port over the best Linux apps available. This is your last chance, Palm. The steamroller called Google Android is coming your way!

[Nino]

I really wanted to buy a Palm Treo. The ONLY thing that frustrates me from buying the device is that I'm required to sign-up for a cellphone subscription line. Is there a way for me to buy Palm Treo that's NOT "SIM-locked"?

[Keith]

Please do revive the Foleo as a Linux-based eeepc-killer - my beloved Psion Netbook is not long for this world and I need a replacement. Something ultraportable which could stand-alone on any kind of network as an e-mail/web client with a decent screen and keyboard would do nicely Go on, tempt me away from Symbian :-)

[juan guillermo ossa]

I know it was a hard decision to take, but I think it was the right one. Palm should focus in developing new products like you did ones with the LifeDrive. If you take a closer look to iPhone, you should note that is the improved version of a LifeDrive. Don’t work on those Treos or Centros... focus on a bigger screen. Palm is an excellent platform and has great product, and I love it. Go ahead!!!!

[T.]

I agree that Palm shouldn't branch into small laptops--just making the next gen of Palms will keep them busy enough. I wish someone would partner w/ Palm to make a Foleo-like device compatible w/ Palm. I also wish Palm would make a cheap Palm w/ a keyboard.