Rick Cooper, The PDA Pro

Is Foleo the Perfect Companion for your Smartphone?

Palm is launching a mobile companion device, the Foleo, designed to work with their smartphones. It looks like a laptop, but is much lighter and has a more focused purpose. It is designed to provide a larger graphical user interface for your smartphone, along with a larger keyboard.

It's probably one of the more exciting innovations in smartphones, responding to the increasing needs of mobile computing. I have my doubts whether Palm will be successful in finding a market for this device. There will be early adopters who will see improved productivity as an added benefit. But, I don't think it's a perfect solution for most people.

What are other people saying about the Foleo? Palm fanatic Russel Holliman states:

"I'm an early adopter, a Palm lover (I'm talking about the devices here people), and a mobile gadget freak. Seems like a 'no brainer' that I'd be out buying a Foleo right now. I'm not."

I applaud Palm for taking a chance and trying to address the needs of the marketplace. Only time will tell whether people see the value or whether the Foleo will end up on the technology junkheap.

Navigating with the Magellan Maestro 3100 GPS

Engadget mentions that GPSMagazine reviewed the Magellan Maestro 3100 GPS. This GPS system retails for less than $300. Unfortunately, it lacks Bluetooth support. But, if you spend a lot of time digging through maps, this may be an option for you.

I wrote about GPS options for PDAs back in February.

New GPS Software for Palm Smartphones

I occasionally get questions from people asking about GPS software for PDAs and smartphones. I'm very much a believer in using the right tool for the right job. I think for most people, getting a separate GPS device that will be mounted in their car is probably the best option. For one, safety is your ultimate priority when you're driving. You don't want to do anything that's going to jeopardize your safety or those around you.

A GPS device designed for the car will typically have a larger display. This is important if your eyesight is beginning to deteriorate. You want to be able to easily see maps. The sound quality for turn by turn directions will generally be better.

Another factor is that it's very likely you will want to drive, use the GPS device and make a phone call at the same time. What happens then? I'm not exactly sure, but at the very least, when you begin to make that call, you will no longer be using the GPS software on your smartphone. And some smartphones get a little dicey when you try running multiple applications at once. They have been known to crash from time to time. Usually a soft reset will fix it.

However, in certain circumstances, GPS software for your smartphone may make sense. If you travel a lot, you can cut your rental car costs by using GPS on your smartphone rather than having it in your rental car. If you ride along with someone who doesn't have GPS, it can be handy to help you navigate. In any case, it's important to consider your needs, now and over time. This will help you identify your best options.

Good news for Palm customers, Palm® GPS Navigator Smartphone Edition 3 is now available.  According to Andrew from Treonauts,

"Palm yesterday released its new Palm GPS Navigator Smartphone Edition 3 which includes an updated version of the terrific TomTom Navigator software  (see my review Travelling With A Treo GPS In My Pocket) that is now finally compatible with nearly all Treo smartphones models including the Treo 650, 680, 700p, 700w|wx an Treo 750."

I recommend you do your research first. As with any technology, consider all of your options. Visit retail stores and ask for product demonstrations. View online demonstrations. Identify the pros and cons for each option and rate them. And check out the return policy for the product. Then, you will be able to make an informed decision and not have any regrets. Good luck and happy motoring!

Making Your Car Wireless

If you've wondered how to get high speed internet access in your car, be sure to read Arne Hess's post on the::unwired. He says,

"Ok, there is nothing more boring than sitting in the car while in a traffic jam without a high-speed connection, that's wasted time. Sure you can have your Notebook with a 3G/UMTS PC-card with you or (if you are lucky) your HTC Universal, also with inbuilt 3G or - if you are not that lucky (but lucky enough) - you have your GPRS connected Pocket PC with you but why not making the whole vehicle truly wireless? I did - with O2's Surf@home box I'm calling from now "Surf@Autobahn". "

This isn't for everyone, but it gives you an idea where mobility is taking us. Let's hope for a more simple and cost effective option in the future.

Mobile Technologies have Cultural Impact

Gadgetopia refers to an article that explains how Saudis are using mobile phones to break cultural taboos. They are using Bluetooth to send innocuous messages that would otherwise be verboten in public.

What other changes do you foresee mobile technologies having in the future? How has it changed your life?

Rant on Airline Smartphone Policy

Have you come to hate the airlines, yet? I attended the 2005 Power Marketing Annual Conference last week. On the return flight, I was using my Treo 600 smartphone. Suddenly, the flight attendant asked if my PDA had a cell phone in it. Of course, I said yes. Then, she informed me that I could not use any device that contained a cell phone anytime during the flight. I asked if that was the case even if the phone connectivity was turned off. She said yes. I asked if this was a new policy and she stated that has always been their policy. To be fair, she had announced that policy during pre-flight announcements. I assumed I could use it if the phone connectivity was shut off.

Needless to say, I was disappointed. I’m not an expert on radio frequencies and electromagnetic forces; however, I don’t see the harm in using a PDA on a flight. In fact, the man next to me continued using his non-smartphone PDA. What’s the difference? If the cell phone connectivity is shut off, the two devices should have the same effect. I think they're going too far.

So, I’m curious whether anyone else has had a similar experience. Please post your comments on The PDA Pro blog or trackback back to this site. I’m not sure how other airlines are handling this. I would appreciate any comments.

On a side note, I noticed increased security at every location. During a week long trip, which included travel out of the U.S., I was required to show some form of identification over 50 times. Have we gone security crazy or what? I’m beginning to wonder whether this added security is really worthwhile. Any terrorist worth their salt is simply going to cross the border along the thousands of miles of unguarded border. This added scrutiny provides a false sense of security for law abiding citizens. I would hazard a guess that these efforts are beginning to have an adverse effect on trade with other countries.

Unfortunately, I don’t have a solution at this time. I will have to examine this issue more closely. It appears that airlines are being overly cautious in relation to PDAs. I will pursue a change in airline industry policy. It certainly makes me think twice about business travel. Maybe a teleconference would be better. I'll check with teleconference expert Gordon Clarke from iPowerPlex for suggestions.

BoingBoing has written a post, "Why is American Airlines gathering written dossiers on fliers' friends?" detailing further security measures.

Small Business Trends warns we will see even more emphasis on safety and security. Unfortunately, it appears things are getting worse, not better.