Celio Corporation REDFLY Mobile Companion
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Introduction
The advent of integrated thumb keyboards on Windows Mobile devices has meant the demise of compatible portable Bluetooth keyboards. The current class of devices are almost full-fledged computing platforms, however the size of the screen and keyboards limits their full potential. The Celio Corporation identified this need and created the REDFLY Mobile Companion - a combination full QWERTY keyboard and 8" LCD screen. This accessory looks more like an Ultra Mobile Personal Companion (UMPC) than an accessory for a Windows Mobile device. Let's see how well it performs its job as a Mobile Companion to our beloved Windows Mobile devices!
Review Date: August 13, 2008
Picture Highlights
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| The Device | The built in keyboard is a key component of the REDFLY and provides similar functionality to a PC with shortcut keys and the ability to use single letter mnemonics to access menu items. The USB port can also be used to plug in flash drives. Unfortunately, that is the only USB accessory, other than an external keyboard and mouse, supported by the REDFLY, that means no printers/scanners or external hard drives. |
Overall Impression
The Celio REDFLY Mobile Companion is a one of a kind accessory which enhances the usability of Windows Mobile devices. I found the REDFLY rendering of Excel spreadsheets, Pocket Internet Explorer, and Powerpoint impressive. Unfortunately I could not say the same thing for video rendering. The lack of USB hard drive support is also a disappointment. The REDFLY is currently targeted to enterprise customers which do not need video and would like to reduce their laptop total cost of ownership by providing a single manageable device (a Windows Mobile device), rather than two (a laptop and a smartphone).
The first generation REDFLY Mobile Companion was introduced at a very steep price of 499 USD. That is much more than the subsidized price of a Windows Mobile device.
The second generation REDFLY Mobile Companions were introduced in two models: C7 and C8N. The C7 model features a 5 hour battery while the C8N has an 8 hour battery. Additionally the C8N model has a video input to allow one to watch video from media players and other video sources. The C7 was introduced at a price of 229 USD and the C8N was introduced at a price of 299 USD. After the release of the second generation REDFLY Mobile Companions Celio updated the drivers for the REDFLY to allow programs that use hardware acceleration to work on the REDFLY.
In the end this is a compelling device for business, however given the price and lack of proper video functionality, I don’t believe it is ready for the consumer market.
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