By Brad Smith
Thursday, October 25, 2007
SAN FRANCISCO—Palm still plans on bringing out a new Foleo device as a companion to its Palm OS smartphones, but isn't saying anything more about the timing.
The first Foleo, announced last May by Palm founder Jeff Hawkins, was given the heave-ho in September because CEO Ed Colligan said the company wanted to focus on the next-generation Linux-based platform for the Palm OS handset. The Foleo was a laptop-sized companion that could be connected via Bluetooth to a Palm OS phone.
Joe Fabris, wireless solutions director for Palm, said on the sidelines at the CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment show this week that the Foleo development had detracted from the work that needed to be done on the upcoming Palm Linux OS. He said both devices will have the same operating system. No dates have been announced, but it likely will be 2008 before a new Palm OS-based handset is ready.
Meanwhile, Fabris says Palm is deeply involved with Microsoft on the pilots for the software giant's just-announced Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008. That server will allow enterprise IT departments manage Windows Mobile smartphones as they would other computing assets, including over-the-air configuration and security through a mobile VPN.
Fabris says about 300 Palm Treo 750s are being used in the pilots with about 60 customers.
Palm sees the Windows Mobile platform as its enterprise play going forward, Fabris says, while the Palm OS will be pedaled more toward consumers and small businesses.