3Com's Audrey Debuts
After a month's delay, 3Com has finally released the Audrey, the first of its Ergo line of home appliances. The Audrey has an 8 inch, color touch screen, a wireless keyboard, uses a combination of the Palm and QNX Linux OSs and can also sync directly to Palm-based handhelds. It offers e-mail that can be typed, hand written, or voice recorded, a calendar that can be synced with up to two Palms, and access to selected Web sites, called Channels. It is available now for $500-$550 depending on the color directly from 3Com or from retailers.
Audrey features a built in V.90 56K modem and can be set to dial into the Internet several times per day to refresh its Internet channels and download new e-mail. Audrey is also adaptable to broadband connections.
By turning Audrey's channel selector knob, preferred Internet channels scroll across the bottom of the screen as if on a filmstrip. People can customize some of the basic channels to meet personal information needs such as local weather information or stock quotes. Users can also select six additional channels from a growing list of lifestyle-oriented Internet content and e-commerce providers. Credit card and shipping information can be kept securely on file. New channels will regularly become available as partners sign up with 3Com to offer specialized content.
Audrey is an embedded system so software can not be installed on it.
The Audrey also offers a serial port for your Palm cradle, 2 USB ports, built-in stereo speakers and microphone for voice e-mail and audio output for external speakers. It has 32 MB of RAM and 16 MB Flash memory.
Thanks to Edward Doan for bringing this to our attention.
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I can do this with an IPAQ for same price and better OS
Its kinda big and bulky.
A slim sexy, LCD Web Pad based on Transmeta's Crusoe would be nicer.
I've seen one.
Palm Support
The idea has some flaws.
M.
A Palm Basestation
As yet, a Palm really can't stand alone as your only computer. But a Palm with an Ergo basestation might be all that many people need for a home computer. Maybe they'll try this in some future version. Or maybe Palm Inc. should think about this.
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Plenipotentiary
Palm Infocenter
RE: A Palm Basestation
M.
palm's future
-Raishe
"Moster Pig kills Jesus
More at 11"
RE: palm's future
Audrey - Ethernet?
RE: Audrey - Ethernet?
I can see why they left a real Ethernet port off on this first model; there aren't enough home broadband users to justify the cost, especially among the low end users likely to be buying an Internet appliance like this. If all you are going to do is e-mail and light Web surfing, broadband is overkill, especially at the outrageous prices being charged for it now.
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Plenipotentiary
Palm Infocenter
Just a bad idea..
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