Network Computing is part of the Informa Tech Division of Informa PLC

This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.

What the Heck is a 'Mobile Companion' Anyway: Page 8 of 9

- Larger keyboards - also something I've thought about. Now, I went
out and bought one of these but I haven't used it yet with a
smartphone, but wouldn't a $20 rubber keyboard solve the problem?
(example:
http://www.keytools.co.uk/keyboards/images/duraflex_rollup.jpg )
You can literally roll them up and they are very light...

I think the use-cases/points brought up are valid but I still struggle with the justification for a new class of device. Doesn't this still boil down to wanting either a larger form factor (laptop) because of keyboard and screen, or settling for a smartphone? Is all of this saying anything other than "hey, it would be nice if my laptop was a little smaller and lighter?" (To which my response would be, there are smaller and lighter laptops out there...and more coming!)


Jordan Wiens: On May 31, 2007, at 12:19 PM, Greg Shipley wrote:

I'm pretty torn. I'm a big Palm and Linux proponent, but I did have to think long and hard about whether I'd get any use out of the Foleo. In the end, I don't think it's useful for me right now, but there have been times in my life where something of that form factor would have been perfect.