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With all the buzz garnered by the CES announcement of the new Palm Pre and webOS, we thought it would be a good idea to take a quick look back at how Palm got here.  Looking back over this data, I find it almost unthinkable that the Treo 180 was launched in 2002, just 7 years ago.  As one of the first to get that phone (the 180g actually - long live Graffiti), it feels like centuries.  Palm has had ups and downs like a roller coaster.

Enter the Palm Pilot

It all started in 1996 with 3Com’s release of the original two Palm Pilots, the 1000 and 5000 that sold for $300 and $400 respectively.  Palm Computing had been focusing expressly on software but soon found they could produce better hardware and satisfy a niche.  3Com purchased Palm Computing and set to work a mass marketing plan that would sweep the nation and propel Palm forward.

After the 3Com buy out and Apple pulled the plug on the Newton, Palm Computing founders left 3Com to start a competing model, one that would allow their visions to evolve unlike the business direction 3Com insisted on heading in.  The new company, Handspring, found success in licensing the Palm OS and building a platform that would turn the ubiquitous PDA into a phone, camera, voice recorder etc. all by means of a spring board expansion pack.

I was there in 2000 at Comdex (now the yearly CES show in Vegas) where Handspring showed off 35 spring board modules and had 20 companies in and around their booth demonstrating modules, services or Visor accessories.  It was exciting, flashy and consumers, like me, were thrilled.

Here comes the Treo

So when Handspring announced they were taking the next step of combining the Visor and telephone module into one sleek product, I signed right up.  So did a bunch of other folks.  Named the Treo, it was smaller than any Palm OS device and incorporated phone, Internet and basic PDA functionality.  The Treo was available in both a graffiti version for handwriting recognition aces and a qwerty keyboard for thumbing typists.  The screen was monochrome, but touch enabled.

From there the Treo has been refined, enhanced and refocused at business customers whereas the Treo 180 was more of a consumer/business aim.  We all know where Treos are today. 

PDA lifespan

Many would argue the PDA did not die, in fact, they suggest it morphed.  The old PDAs of the late 90’s and early 00’s have gone two routes: into phones (a la the smartphone) and into iPods.  Smartphones litter the landscape now offering contacts, e-mail, web, notes, and are just more connected.  The iPod is a bit of a different story.

Witness the iPod touch’s success.  I would argue the touch (speaking only of first gen touch) is a worse iPod than other iPod models as controlling the music is a difficult task, especially if you happen to be running.  But yet, it sold well, well enough to offer a refined model (gen 2) shortly thereafter.  My iPod touch serves almost the same function to me as my Handspring Visor did, except the touch adds music and videos.  A nod to the Visor here, I just replaced the AAA batteries that had oozed acid with fresh ones and she fired right back up.  I doubt very much that in 10 years the touch would fire up.

The Palm PDA-only models were discontinued in 2008.

Billed as revolutionary, it’s the Palm Foleo

An idea before its time?  Perhaps.  Did you know the Ford Sync system will use your cell phone to connect to the Internet for things like traffic and weather data?  We are seeing a lot of devices come with their own cell connection.  From GPS devices like the TeleNav Shotgun to Netbooks and laptops to cameras, many of these devices could share you one connection instead of replicating the hardware do go it solo.

We are seeing more and more pushing to the cloud.  The Foleo was designed to compliment a powerful smartphone.  Looking like a thin laptop, the Foleo was the ultimate companion to your smartphone (yep even better than that awesome Croc clog case) as it allowed you to crank out e-mail on a big platform while keeping everything in sync with your phone.

Palm pushed this out the door onto skeptical media before it was fully baked and the media scoffed.  Palm pulled the plug on the project in embarrassment.  Today, there are those among us who use the project name as a verb.  Example: “Iyaz really Foleo’d that review of the awesome Akon Slotmusic.”  [Editor’s Note: I did Foleo it.]

Pre: primed for success or the last stop on Palm’s decent?

While the Pre wowed everyone I spoke with at CES, can they really do it?  Rare is it to find a company with literally everyone rooting for it, but yet they seem to have let so much wither on the vine. 

The phone is jaw-dropping gorgeous and the OS behind it looks like a wishlist from Gadgetell editors (yes, we have wishlists).  Can they bring this out without OS snafus?  Can it overcome Sprint as the warlord?  I have no idea, but I am thankful for a front row seat to watch this unfold.

For more fascinating reading on Palm’s history, check out: [RoughlyDrafted] [SearchMobileComputing] and [Nzeldes]