Palm Foleo – buy or eBay?

The days of “thumbing it” could be over if Palm can get a price point that makes sense. Yesterday Palm announced Foleo, a companion laptop-like device for your mobile phone. Basically, its a 10” screen laptop with a full keyboard, USB, bluetooth and more but without a hard drive. This allows it to run for about 5 hours and connect to the Internet using your PocketPC for network access.

Awesome? You bet! With more and more applications ending up on the road, getting a light device that can give you access to the Internet and ability to sync and connect easilly back to the workplace is essential.

There are, however, two things wrong with this device. First, the price $600 – I can get a laptop for half that much. Second, why isn’t Linux software pitched more prominently. Let’s face it, this is a paperweight with the apps they put on there. But throw in Citrix ICA or Remote Desktop Client, both available on Linux, and you’ve got yourself a secure remote office.

It’s a very good idea for a road warrior, but the price and promotion need a few touchups. Will you buy one, or will you buy one on eBay later this year after it’s discontinued?