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    Redfly Mobile Companion Turns a Smartphone into a Laptop

    Discussion in 'Notebook News and Reviews' started by Ed Hardy, Jan 2, 2008.

  1. Ed Hardy

    Ed Hardy Notebook Enthusiast NBR Reviewer

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    Celio Corp will soon unveil the Redfly Mobile Companion, a laptop-shaped device that greatly extends the capabilities ofsome smartphones. This upcoming product can be used to give a Windows Mobile device a larger display, full keyboard, mouse, and USB ports.

    [​IMG]
    (view large image)

    Although at first glance this model willresemble an ultra-small laptop or Palm's canceled Foleo, the Mobile Companion will work completely differently. It willserve only asan accessory for a smartphone, and will not act as a stand-alone computer.

    When Celio's device is connected to a Windows Mobile phone, either by Bluetooth or USB, any application on the smartphone is shown on the Mobile Companion's 8-inch display without modification or synchronization. The user will then be able to interact with that application through a large keyboard and trackpad or mouse.

    This accessory will be 9 inches wide, 6 inches deep, and 1 inch thick. It will weigh 1.9 pounds.

    It will be able to run for eight hours on a single charge, or some of its battery power can be transferred to a smartphone.

    The Redfly Smartphone Interface System is compatible with Windows Mobile 5 Pocket PC and Smartphone editions as well as Windows Mobile 6 Professional and Standard Editions.It will available for other operating systems in the future.

    The formal unveiling of the Redfly Mobile Companion will come at CES next week, so details remain sketchy. Still, the company says this device will go on sale in March for $500.

    More information is available on Celio'sweb site.

     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 12, 2015
    Ed Hardy, Jan 2, 2008
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  2. Thomas

    Thomas McLovin

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    Hmmm, this is interesting.
     
    Thomas, Jan 2, 2008
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  3. Lite

    Lite Notebook Deity

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    Neat , But very simple... Its gonna be difficult to use a mobile emulated on somthing like this
     
    Lite, Jan 2, 2008
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  4. Undacovabrotha10

    Undacovabrotha10 Notebook Evangelist

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    Looks nice, but seems like it's just another thing to carry around...
     
    Undacovabrotha10, Jan 2, 2008
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  5. shrike

    shrike Notebook Consultant

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    Right on! :rolleyes: don't know what are they thinking?
     
    shrike, Jan 2, 2008
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  6. orev

    orev Notebook Virtuoso

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    Folio?!?!! This is ridiculous. These guys must have been smoking from the same hookah Jeff Hawkins was. At least this company has nothing else to lose when they go out of business.
     
    orev, Jan 2, 2008
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  7. json

    json Newbie

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    Guess palm was right all along. But i still wouldn't get something like this when a laptop is leaps and bounds better.
     
    json, Jan 2, 2008
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  8. Robnelle

    Robnelle Notebook Enthusiast

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    Too expensive - an Eee is much more for less.
     
    Robnelle, Jan 2, 2008
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  9. chuck232

    chuck232 Notebook Deity NBR Reviewer

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    Seems even more useless than the Foleo. At least that thing could write emails and documents without being connected to a device, whereas this must be to operate (from the sounds of it).
     
    chuck232, Jan 2, 2008
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  10. booboo12

    booboo12 Notebook Prophet

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    I think that if these "mobile companions" were less expensive, they would sound like a better idea. $500 dollars for a product that basically replicates your smartphone sounds excessive, at least to me. Yes I know that this is high technology but you could carry around a low end laptop with a tethered smartphone for data and get substantially more usefulness, and power for around that price.
     
    booboo12, Jan 2, 2008
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  11. jaycee

    jaycee Notebook Consultant

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    Good concept...however at $500, why would i get this over the Eee? A companion that ends up costing more than the smartphone itself?


    Probably the same reason the Foleo was shelved. Probably can't make them cheap enough to make market sense.
     
    jaycee, Jan 2, 2008
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  12. orev

    orev Notebook Virtuoso

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    So I guess that means they are both wrong.
     
    orev, Jan 3, 2008
    #12