Yesterday's news that six senior Enyo engineers had left HP to join Google fell like Rome in the webOS community. Enyo is the open-source application framework that HP's team is building in preparation for the launch of Open webOS later this year. It's clear that the biggest winner in the fall of Palm was Google. Importantly, they snagged the father of webOS, Matias Duarte. Nokia and Microsoft scored some top Palm staffers as well. HP, as we all know, squandered the rest of the company's efforts....
Read more →
A few months ago Peter presented several scenarios regarding the future of WebOS. Among them was killing the platform, which I strongly believed would happen, though I wasn't expecting it this soon: http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/hp-punts-on-webos-di... What are your thoughts on these news?
My mom who is middle aged and wants to switch to a smart phone. Knowing her she NEEDS it to be simple and very reliable. I was thinking iPhone because it is just that... simple and fast. Any other phones or OS's we should consider?
I'm one of those early adopters of the original Pre on Sprint. I put up with the crappy hardware (all three replacements of them), the slow laggy software, the lack of updates, the lack of apps, the reneging of getting webOS 2.0 and finally the promise that we'll get something special in return for our "loyalty". Well, today Palm (HP) announced that we can qualify for a $50 mail-in-rebate for just the $599 32GB TouchPad (not the $499 16GB version). I know people will say that this is better than...
Read more →
HP/Palm just posted up on their blog that the TouchPad is coming out on July 1st in the US and UK, Ireland, France and Germany a few days later. You can pre-order on June 19th. Pricing will be $499 for the 16GB version and $599 for the 32GB version. So with this new information, do you think the Touchpad has a chance in the market? I was really hoping that they would undercut the iPad. Spec wise, the Touchpad and iPad are pretty evenly matched, but the TouchPad still doesn't have the apps,...
Read more →
Doesn't it seem dangerous for Microsoft to pursue an HTML5 strategy for Windows 8 Apps? First, I'll assume that they will run only in IE10, which will probably be backward compatible to Win7, eliminating a compelling reason to upgrade to Win8 in the first place. just run IE10 fullscreen. Second, if Windows developers begin to shift away from traditional Windows-native applications toward HTML5, doesn't that empower Chrome OS, iOS, Android, and even webOS at the same time (in fact, this whole...
Read more →
For a long time, they've been promising Pre and Pixi owners that the webOS 2.0 upgrade would be available for their devices "in the coming months." This was the vague message repeated at their developer events, in interviews, and through their social media channels — much to the chagrin of their customers, who were holding out for the update with decreasing patience. http://www.precentral.net/webos-2-0-will-be-releas...
Read more →
It appears from yesterday's webOS event that HP has decided to discontinue using Palm as a brand, and I wonder, was this a good move? Is there still some value in Palm as a brand? Or have the past few years of decline meant that it just didn't mean enough to the average person to bother keeping? There was a point when Palm dominated the world of handheld computing, and back then it'd be almost unimaginable that someone would buy Palm and then ditch the name. (It's also why it...
Read more →
Android and webOS both use the Linux kernel, but they're not considered 'Linux', webOS isn't even open source. Is it the accessibility of the source code, the willingness of the vendor to include the word 'Linux' in the name of the product, or does it have to be based on GNU/Linux?
Now, the other day, I dropped it and in the process got it a little bit wet (it wasn't submerged in water or anything, but a tiny bit of water got behind the back plate). I opened it up and took the battery out and set it out to dry overnight. The next day I was able to get it to turn on, but it wasn't making or receiving calls/texts or connecting to the internet. Then I let it power down and plugged it in to recharge, but it won't take the charge. The battery icon comes up on the...
Battery life so far doesn't seem to be going down noticeably faster and I've been using the phone quite a bit more since it's actually "modern" smartphone quick. There isn't any lag any more while scrolling between cards or initial lag when rendering larger webpages like Engadget or New York Times. While obviously overclocking isn't for everyone, it seems relatively stable so far. If you're bothered by lag on your Pre, I really recommend this to anyone...
Is Tweed the best Twitter app with the best app with the best (and most fitting) interface? Best Google Reader app? Facebook Chat? I'm also a freak about icons, so that helps me. Just tell me your favorite apps! Thanks!
It's sad news in the tech world today as HP kills of their tablet and smartphone development. Is this truly the end of webOS? A common meme I've seen over the past year or so with regard to webOS is that "it has a lot of potential." This is something numerous users, critics, colleagues, and even myself have said. It seemed to have a lot of legitimately great ideas, but suffered from extremely poor execution and marketing. It raises an interesting question though. Did webOS *really* ever have a...
Read more →
It's amazing how much things can change in such a relatively short period of time. Back in 2006 the big players were Nokia, RIM, Microsoft (with Windows Mobile), and Palm. Now every single one is struggling. Also serves as a reminder that no matter how high Apple and Google are riding right now, it is still a volatile business and it's not hard to imagine two or three other companies emerging in the next five years to seriously challenge them (like Facebook, for instance).
If the other Android licensees no longer perceive that they will be treated fairly and openly by Google, will they explore other OS options? Everyone seems to think, yes, and they say Windows Phone 7 next, but what about webOS? I'd have to think HP's licensing terms might be better, with the imperative of growing the user base. Don't Samsung, LG, and most likely HTC, have to think about it - if for no other reason than to improve their bargaining position with Microsoft?
As the proud owner of a MacBook Pro, iPhone, and iPad 2, it's safe to say I love Apple products. But when people call me a fanboy, it ticks me off: I don't just like Apple products because I'm some brainwashed zombie; it's because I admire the elegance, design, breadth of apps, and focus on the user experience that their products embue. That being said, I'm always curious about the other products in the technology space... is this Android phone more likely to suit my needs? is there a better...
Read more →
I'm starting to yearn for a new phone. Should I feel safe holding out for the Pre 3 to be released, whenever that will be, or should I just get an android phone? Some of the new OS announcements from google at their I/O are very tempting. What if i do hold out till July for the Pre 3? Is there a device that I should choose over it? Remember i'll be on Sprint and that's non negotiable considering how cheap they are for their family plans. All thoughts are appreciated. answer this...
Has anyone upgraded their AT&T Pre+ to 2.1 as per http://www.webos-internals.org/wiki/WebOS_2_Upgrad... ? If so how long does the process usually take? In addition, if someone has a AT&T Pre+ on T-Mo would it even be possible to flash it into a O2 unlocked model? It's already unlocked and I don't use the 3G bands on it so no worries there.
Hi, I'm really new to buying stuff on eBay, so I was wondering what a "bad ESN" is. I want to buy, http://cgi.ebay.com/Palm-Pre-Plus-Verizon-MINT-BOX... but I don't think I can use it..? Am I correct? How do I fix this so I can use it? Will it cost money, thanks!
original? Would any improvement be hindered by the fact that the screen is (considered by smartphone standards) low a resolution? I don't know if the PP2 is using the same graphics chip or if it is more powerful as well. I heard on a Palm podcast that the PP2's RAM is also clocked slightly higher than the Pre Plus.
I was wondering if I should pick up the Pre plus used off of craigslist to tide me over until I can get a windows phone. Would the Pre Plus perform any better than the droid eris?
I want to use it mostly as a messaging featurephone, and I want to try to put together an application or two on it. I'm mostly worried about responsiveness and battery life.
OK, I acknowledge that this might be a weird situation, but here's the deal: I currently own the (rerrible, terrible) Samsung Instinct, and am up for a 2-year renewal at Sprint. I've had the opportunity to spend a few days with the WP7 platform, and like it a lot, but I'm not 100% sold on it. I have also tried Android, and it's not for me. So, as far as smartphones go, that pretty much means I get the Pre now, or I wait 2-5 months until the HTC 7 Pro is released. Is the Pre a...
Read more →
I have envied the Pre Plus since the day of its announcement, and I wish I had waited for it badly. Today I went into a Verizon store and played with a Pre Plus for about an hour. I was so envious. At home, I searched on eBay for some Pre Plus unlocked deals, since I don't have a contract renewal open, and I will NOT pay $600 for this (technically) year and a half old phone. I found a Pre for about $70, expiring tomorrow, unlocked (meaning no contract required). I plan on buying an LTE...
Read more →
what are some essential apps for the pre. one i'm definitely downloading/paying for is the app to control itunes (remote something? forgot name right now). apps i use on android right now: facebook official twitter evernote listen shopsavvy my tracks shazam iheartradio any replacements for these? thanks! excited to use webOS
