2 ms·

Nope, it's an e-reader in a cell-phone form factor. No modem.

ergocoder 2y ago
LMAO what. I was really impressed and thought of buying one. I was thinking that it could replace my phone, and I wouldn't use phone as much.
hombre_fatal 2y ago
What's confusing is that it's not just a small e-reader. It has a microphone, SD card, the Google Play store, and normal smartphone apps. Everything except cell data / SIM card.
- bondarchuk 2y ago
  Throwback to ipod touch.
  - hombre_fatal 2y ago
    Yeah, good point. Because the iPod touch was also kinda awkward as a product, but it made more sense as a transitionary device when smartphone penetration wasn't fully ubiquitous. In 2025, the Palma product seems like feature creep since I wouldn't expect smartphone apps to appeal to anyone looking for less distraction. That's how most people use tablets which are dedicated distraction devices stuck on wifi.
- JansjoFromIkea 2y ago
  I've often wondered why there aren't devices that have all network operations bundled into a removable module; that way you could get both people who want some level of disconnect and those who want a more thorough level of disconnect.
  - robocat 2y ago
    There are attempts at module based electronics. Google had “Project Ara" https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Ara https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Ara The HMD fusion budget smartphone has a pogo-pin port on the back for peripherals https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/03/hmd_fusion_review/ https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/03/hmd_fusion_review/ Not sure why they fail in the marketplace. Maybe look at other similar market failures like power tools with different interchangable heads? I suspect the sticker price of the individual modules scares consumers.
  - culopatin 2y ago
    A hotspot?
  - numpad0 2y ago
    I had one of these[1]. Worst part was that the push-push slot wasn't so secure and modem would crash silently. 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W-SIM https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W-SIM

LMAO what. I was really impressed and thought of buying one. I was thinking that it could replace my phone, and I wouldn't use phone as much.

hombre_fatal 2y ago

What's confusing is that it's not just a small e-reader. It has a microphone, SD card, the Google Play store, and normal smartphone apps. Everything except cell data / SIM card.

bondarchuk 2y ago
Throwback to ipod touch.
- hombre_fatal 2y ago
  Yeah, good point. Because the iPod touch was also kinda awkward as a product, but it made more sense as a transitionary device when smartphone penetration wasn't fully ubiquitous. In 2025, the Palma product seems like feature creep since I wouldn't expect smartphone apps to appeal to anyone looking for less distraction. That's how most people use tablets which are dedicated distraction devices stuck on wifi.
JansjoFromIkea 2y ago
I've often wondered why there aren't devices that have all network operations bundled into a removable module; that way you could get both people who want some level of disconnect and those who want a more thorough level of disconnect.
- robocat 2y ago
  There are attempts at module based electronics. Google had “Project Ara" https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Ara https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Ara The HMD fusion budget smartphone has a pogo-pin port on the back for peripherals https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/03/hmd_fusion_review/ https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/03/hmd_fusion_review/ Not sure why they fail in the marketplace. Maybe look at other similar market failures like power tools with different interchangable heads? I suspect the sticker price of the individual modules scares consumers.
- culopatin 2y ago
  A hotspot?
- numpad0 2y ago
  I had one of these[1]. Worst part was that the push-push slot wasn't so secure and modem would crash silently. 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W-SIM https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W-SIM