CES Gadget Watch Finds New Products: New Palm Pre and Pogoplug
by Joe on January 10, 2009
If you couldnt tell by my absolute love of the internet, I also love a good gadget. This week in Las Vegas was the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show (CES, for those in the biz). From what I have seen, the top two gadgets are the new palm smart phone, the Palm Pre and a new plug that makes a hard drive backup into a server called Pogoplug. Gadgets aren’t fun unless you share them! So take a look at these new toys and lets talk gadgets together in the comments!
Palm Pre
One word. WOW. So the best part about this new smart phone is that it does everything the iPhone does but better. Bold statement, I know. The OS on this phone is spectacular as it allows you to have tons of “cards” open at once, which is basically the same as a application. The guys over at Gizmodo have explained the best part about the Palm Pre by saying,
“I think this phone’s biggest appeal will be the central role the internet plays in the OS. The way it pulls data from various web services, and melds it into its own framework is top notch. I think being able to text, and gChat and send IMs over AIM all from the same window is such a benefit to the user to not have to switch windows for 3 different apps for messaging.”
Another example is that your contacts and calendars all line up together on the phone. Your gmail contacts, work contacts and facebook contacts are automatically grouped by person with all their contact info in one spot. Your calendars, work calendar, google calendar are seamlessly stitched together on this phone. Duplicates no more… HORAY!
Its a great looking phone, with an amazing interface, and frankly, if it wasn’t on Sprint, I would buy this guy in a heart beat. But alas, the world continues to let the wireless service providers run the show. Its like Time Warner telling you what TV to buy. Its silly. Someone needs to fix it. End Rant.
Pogoplug
Plug your USB external hard drive or memory stick, and an ethernet cable into this guy and stick in the wall and let any computer in your home access those files like it is its own computer. This is great stuff especially if a family has a ton of music/movies on one computer that other computers cannot access. Share those movies and music collections with every computer in your family!
The Pogoplug also serves up your data onto the web via a secure website so you can get your data via the internet. Cool? Yes, very. At $79 pre-ordered, this is the easiest way to share backup storage and files ever!
So if you are looking for a new phone or a easier way to share files, look no further than the Palm Pre or the Pogoplug.
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I am a student of process, but not process outcomes. Operations, accounting and IT are the circles where I enjoy focusing on processesand the people that drive them. So if that's what gets you excited too, lets connect:
6 comments
I am very happy to see Palm finally producing a superb product again. I just hope they haven’t lost too much of their customer base due to sitting on their laurels.
It looks like my kind of phone (even after looking at all the specs) – I’m anxious to see how their new OS is embraced with the already overpopulated mobile OS market. In my mind it has been starting to have only 2 superpowers: iPhone & RIM with an unknown Android future. Kudos to them for using the web as the OS so developers don’t have to learn yet another API.
Features that make me smile: A) one handed texting keyboard AND a large touch screen B) mass storage device C) mass storage device D) mass storage device E) 3.5mm jack F) no more Palm OS G) interacting programs H) Wifi I) No more square screens J) modern and innovative form factor K) cool curving slider shape
Good for you Palm! (I’m surprised they didn’t update their logo with this big of a corporate change.)
(I’m currently on WinMobile after going through 4 Treos)
by Mike on January 10, 2009 at 6:02 pm. #
Mike,
I am so glad to see you shared out the things you love about the Palm Pre. All of those reasons are why everyone is digging it, including me!
As for going through 4 Treos, my treo just decided to stop charging this past weekend. So now it sits in my pocket, with no battery. It looks like it is new cell phone time for me. Now since I am stuck on Verizon, what phone?!
by Joe on January 12, 2009 at 4:37 pm. #
PogoPlug looks really cool. I am definitely going to check into this. I wonder how big the system it is tied to, can be? I am assuming it can be limitless. Like using in tandem with a data server. That would be cool for our office. Creating our own cloud in a simple and easy setup.
by brent(inWorship) on January 18, 2009 at 6:18 pm. #
Brent, that is a great idea for your office. I am sure a 1TB hard drive would work just perfectly! I still am amazed that for 79 bucks one time, gets you such a great piece of hardware and lifetime access to software. Let me know how it goes for you!
by Joe on January 18, 2009 at 7:32 pm. #
Joe,
What phone did you end up with? The message got junk mailed – grr.
by Mike on February 1, 2009 at 11:04 pm. #
Mike, I ended up going with a Blackberry Pearl. I figured for 20 bucks it would do the trick until the whole amazing phone market shakes it’s self out.
by Joe on February 5, 2009 at 4:51 pm. #