We're still not 100 percent clear what Apple's next move is, but we do know they're a little more than nonplussed about Pre's ad hoc iTunes syncing methods. Despite Cupertino's update to its support site last night, Palm seems unconcerned, as relayed by a spokesperson to Digital Daily. In a statement, the company said disabling the sync "will be a direct blow to their users who will be deprived of a seamless synchronization experience" and that "there are other third-party applications we could consider." In other word, it'd be Apple's loss. We're not quite sure we agree there, nor would we really think "stay with the iTunes version that works to sync their music on their Pre" method is really the best suggestion, but hey, we're not the multimillion dollar phone manufacturer here. We anxiously await to see if and when this cold war is turned up a few notches.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Pre hackery brings some fancy VNC action
They certainly weren't kidding when people declared the Pre a very hackable OS. Nebula from the #webos-internals IRC channel has done it again. Not too long ago he mad history by porting running a native linux Nintendo emulator on the Pre, full controls and all. Well, he's back and this time he's gotten a native linux VNC application running on the Pre. (That's Virtual Network Computing, if you're unfamiliar, which basically means the Pre is can view and control your desktop.)
This is merely a proof of concept, like running the NES emulator, though this one has much less functionality (due to the lack of a mouse, etc.). Nebula has written up a handy guide if you have a rooted Pre and would like to try it yourself. If you have any questions about setup, feel free to pop on by #webos-internals on freenode IRC. One thing that should also be noted is that the VNC app (like the NES application) is ran from your SSH connection and is not in any form integrated into the WebOS interface, though that could change in the future.
Still, it's a very impressive feat and really helps to show the strength and versatility the WebOS and Pre can come to represent.
From precentral.
This is merely a proof of concept, like running the NES emulator, though this one has much less functionality (due to the lack of a mouse, etc.). Nebula has written up a handy guide if you have a rooted Pre and would like to try it yourself. If you have any questions about setup, feel free to pop on by #webos-internals on freenode IRC. One thing that should also be noted is that the VNC app (like the NES application) is ran from your SSH connection and is not in any form integrated into the WebOS interface, though that could change in the future.
Still, it's a very impressive feat and really helps to show the strength and versatility the WebOS and Pre can come to represent.
From precentral.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Palm Pre to take Europe by storm this September at around 400 euro
Palm have been pretty secretive about their European domination plans obviously aiming at getting us by surprise with the Pre embarking on our shores out of the blue one sunny day. While we like that idea, we're glad that information about the actual availability is already leaking out.
The Palm Pre WebOS is one of the most exciting mobile OS lately. If you haven't seen a demo of it, you've missed so many things. Fans of Palm's latest device are already able to get it via the CDMA-operating Sprint network carrier. However, the European availability of a GSM-enabled Palm Pre is something that has not received due attention by the Palm PR.
Yes, we know there is a GSM version of Palm Pre, since we saw it ourselves at this year's Mobile World Congress. We even know that O2 is getting it as a part of an exclusive deal for the UK. But how about a timeframe - why not something more substantial on actual availability dates and pricing?
As it seems the Romanian newspaper Ziarul Financiar is that one of the Romanian Palm importers I.R.I.S. have shared juicy details on those two things that we have been missing on.
According to Palm distributor I.R.I.S., Palm Pre should be hitting the Romanian market (as well as the rest of Europe) in the end of this September for a price that's pretty much the same as the one in the USA (around 550 US dollars or 400 euro) without a contract.
That's a bit of really nice news there and we really hope that Palm people would step up and announce the release schedule themselves.
And if you've really missed out on seeing the Palm WebOS in action, here's the full demo on video (quite long, we know, but it's worth it):
[Originally Posted at gsmarena.com]
The Palm Pre WebOS is one of the most exciting mobile OS lately. If you haven't seen a demo of it, you've missed so many things. Fans of Palm's latest device are already able to get it via the CDMA-operating Sprint network carrier. However, the European availability of a GSM-enabled Palm Pre is something that has not received due attention by the Palm PR.
Yes, we know there is a GSM version of Palm Pre, since we saw it ourselves at this year's Mobile World Congress. We even know that O2 is getting it as a part of an exclusive deal for the UK. But how about a timeframe - why not something more substantial on actual availability dates and pricing?
As it seems the Romanian newspaper Ziarul Financiar is that one of the Romanian Palm importers I.R.I.S. have shared juicy details on those two things that we have been missing on.
According to Palm distributor I.R.I.S., Palm Pre should be hitting the Romanian market (as well as the rest of Europe) in the end of this September for a price that's pretty much the same as the one in the USA (around 550 US dollars or 400 euro) without a contract.
That's a bit of really nice news there and we really hope that Palm people would step up and announce the release schedule themselves.
And if you've really missed out on seeing the Palm WebOS in action, here's the full demo on video (quite long, we know, but it's worth it):
[Originally Posted at gsmarena.com]
Sunday, June 14, 2009
No Skype For Palm Pre Yet
Palm's Pre smartphone has received generally positive reviews since its June 6 launch, but one complaint is that its application store lags behind the competition. It's unclear how quickly developers will embrace the webOS platform, and the VoIP-calling company Skype said it will be taking a wait-and-see approach.
Skype has been trying to expand its presence beyond the desktop for years and has developed applications for Windows Mobile-, Android-, and Java-powered phones. The recently released version for the iPhone and iPod Touch rocketed up the most-downloaded list of the App Store as well.
"If someone has a cell phone, we want them to be able to use Skype on it," a Skype spokesperson told GigaOM. "As things are evolving quickly in this space, we will continue to keep our eye on Palm's Pre and webOS platform, which seems to be getting good traction in its first weekend. But we have nothing to announce at this time."
Palm's App Catalog is hoping to replicate the success Apple has had with its App Store, which has seen more than a billion downloads in less than a year. Palm may be facing a chicken-and-egg situation, though, as developers will flock to platforms with large audiences, but audiences like platforms with lots of applications.
To alleviate some of these problems, Palm has made it easy for content creators to make software for webOS using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and other standard Web technologies. Palm said this means Web developers can quickly make programs for the Pre, even if they don't have experience in the mobile app space.
[Originally Posted at informationweek.com]
Skype has been trying to expand its presence beyond the desktop for years and has developed applications for Windows Mobile-, Android-, and Java-powered phones. The recently released version for the iPhone and iPod Touch rocketed up the most-downloaded list of the App Store as well.
"If someone has a cell phone, we want them to be able to use Skype on it," a Skype spokesperson told GigaOM. "As things are evolving quickly in this space, we will continue to keep our eye on Palm's Pre and webOS platform, which seems to be getting good traction in its first weekend. But we have nothing to announce at this time."
Palm's App Catalog is hoping to replicate the success Apple has had with its App Store, which has seen more than a billion downloads in less than a year. Palm may be facing a chicken-and-egg situation, though, as developers will flock to platforms with large audiences, but audiences like platforms with lots of applications.
To alleviate some of these problems, Palm has made it easy for content creators to make software for webOS using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and other standard Web technologies. Palm said this means Web developers can quickly make programs for the Pre, even if they don't have experience in the mobile app space.
[Originally Posted at informationweek.com]
ARM A9 Dual Core Arm Chipset Coming to Palm Soon
ARM the makers of smart phone chips said they will deliver the new chipset which contains more than one core, will be delivered in the next generation devices very soon. We are speculating that this could be in the next version of Palm's webOS handset and may soon also contain the same design for iPhone. Who will see the chipset in the first handset remains to be seen. But from Palm's aggressive strategy with Palm Pre and working with app developers which I met Friday night in San Francisco, Palm is certainly moving in the right direction, as their stock price had indicated.
"The A8 is just a single core while the A9 will be dual-core, all the way up to quad-core to give smartphones an even bigger performance boost," Bruce said.
He said the move to dual-core phones should happen relatively quickly. "It's very aggressive. It's only going to be in a year's time that you're going to get these phones," he said.
"You'll definitely see handsets shipping with a dual-core A9 in 2010," James Bruce, wireless segment manager for ARM, said in a phone interview earlier this week, referring to the next-generation Cortex-A9 processor from ARM.
"You're getting a 2X increase (over the previous ARM design). "And actually the A9 takes that even further, It's a superscalar design but it's also an out-of-order design as well. There is some out-of-order aspects with the A8 but the A9 is a very aggressive out-of-order processor," he said. The ability to process instructions using an advanced out-of-order architecture typically results in better performance.
And graphics will follow suit. The upcoming multi-core OMAP 4 processor from Texas Instruments (the OMAP 3 is used in the Palm Pre) is based on the ARM Cortex-9 and will boast graphics that support 1080p video and high-definition record and playback, larger screen resolutions, and "digital SLR-like performance with 20 MP (megapixel) imaging," according to TI documentation.
[Originally Posted at prethinking.com]
"The A8 is just a single core while the A9 will be dual-core, all the way up to quad-core to give smartphones an even bigger performance boost," Bruce said.
He said the move to dual-core phones should happen relatively quickly. "It's very aggressive. It's only going to be in a year's time that you're going to get these phones," he said.
"You'll definitely see handsets shipping with a dual-core A9 in 2010," James Bruce, wireless segment manager for ARM, said in a phone interview earlier this week, referring to the next-generation Cortex-A9 processor from ARM.
"You're getting a 2X increase (over the previous ARM design). "And actually the A9 takes that even further, It's a superscalar design but it's also an out-of-order design as well. There is some out-of-order aspects with the A8 but the A9 is a very aggressive out-of-order processor," he said. The ability to process instructions using an advanced out-of-order architecture typically results in better performance.
And graphics will follow suit. The upcoming multi-core OMAP 4 processor from Texas Instruments (the OMAP 3 is used in the Palm Pre) is based on the ARM Cortex-9 and will boast graphics that support 1080p video and high-definition record and playback, larger screen resolutions, and "digital SLR-like performance with 20 MP (megapixel) imaging," according to TI documentation.
[Originally Posted at prethinking.com]
Indications of Pre coming to Telstra and Optus in Australia
Crikey mate, that ROM is chock full of interesting stuff! Edoan on our forums uncovered something quite interesting for our Australian friends: evidence that the Pre will be landing not just on Telstra as we reported last month, but that it may very well also be coming to Optus (via Singapore-based parent Singtel):
wap.cingular?ISP@CINGULARGPRS.COM
10.1.1.180http://mmsc.telstra.com:8002
http://mms.singtel.com:10021/mmsc#
wap.voicestream.comyhs_nullhs_null
10.128.1.69http://mms.gprs.rogers.com
At this rate, it looks like everybody’s going to be getting the Pre at some point, which can only be a good thing for you and me (more users equal more apps) and for Palm. It is worth noting that the iPhone is also available on Telstra and Optus (and Vodafone and Virgin Mobile) in Australia.
[Originally Posted at precentral.net]
wap.cingular?ISP@CINGULARGPRS.COM
10.1.1.180http://mmsc.telstra.com:8002
http://mms.singtel.com:10021/mmsc#
wap.voicestream.comyhs_nullhs_null
10.128.1.69http://mms.gprs.rogers.com
At this rate, it looks like everybody’s going to be getting the Pre at some point, which can only be a good thing for you and me (more users equal more apps) and for Palm. It is worth noting that the iPhone is also available on Telstra and Optus (and Vodafone and Virgin Mobile) in Australia.
[Originally Posted at precentral.net]
How to: Rearrange and Delete Apps in your Launcher, Plus Shortcuts
The Palm Pre’s launcher is good, and it’s also okay. The best description is a melding of the iPhone and Palm launchers, giving you a scrolling application list like Palm, but with no categories or auto-arranging - just like the iPhone. Granted, with Universal Search you probably won’t be visiting the launcher often, but for those of us engrained in the ways of Palm OS and the iPhone, it’s going to be a hard habit to break. So that leaves us with how to manage your launcher.
First up we’re going to cover rearranging the icons in your launcher. If like me you’re obsessive about the organization of your digital information, or like others simply want this app and that app at the top of the list, you’ll want to switch up the order of your launcher icons. To move an app, all you have to do is tap and hold on it until glowing rings appear around it, and then drag it to where you want and release. Thankfully due to the scrolling nature of the launcher it won’t be nearly as frustrating as the iPhone (where apps seem to randomly switch pages when you try and move something). If you want to move the app to a different one of the three pages (Three? Come on Palm!), all you’ve got do is move it to the edge of the screen and wait a second for the page to slide over. You can quickly gauge which page you’re on by the little white bars at the bottom of the launcher - they indicate how many pages are to your right and to the left.
One of my favorite applications from the Palm OS days was SharkLinks; it let me add websites to my launcher as if they were applications. You can do the same in your browser, just open the menu, click on Page, and then select Add To Launcher. Just like in Bookmarks you can rename the site, change the URL, and reposition/resize the icon snapshot. Once you click the Add To Launcher button it will throw a link onto your launcher at the bottom of the first page (and then you can rearrange it to wherever you like).
You can do the same in Contacts. Just open the contact you want to add to the launcher, open the menu, and then click Add To Launcher. They’ll appear just like an application, and clicking on the icon will open that contact. Using Universal search any links or contacts you’ve added to the launcher will appear as applications (at the top of the list) and as the original contact (or not at all, in the case of web bookmarks). To remove a contact shortcut from your launcher, just open the contact and in the menu select Remove From Launcher (which will have replaced Add To Launcher).
But what about removing a web page? Since they aren’t technically applications, nor are they bookmarks, you can’t delete a web page link through the List Apps option in the Launcher menu, nor can you get rid of it through the Bookmarks menu in Web. To delete a launcher web link, or any third party application for that matter, all you have to do is hold down the Orange/Option key and tap on the icon. This will bring up a dialog with the app name and version, plus the option to Delete or just hit Done and get out of there. Tapping Delete will give you a Delete or Cancel confirmation and then you’re done. Easy as pie, and if there’s anything that we at PreCentral like, it’s pie. And webOS.
[Originally Posted at precentral.net]
First up we’re going to cover rearranging the icons in your launcher. If like me you’re obsessive about the organization of your digital information, or like others simply want this app and that app at the top of the list, you’ll want to switch up the order of your launcher icons. To move an app, all you have to do is tap and hold on it until glowing rings appear around it, and then drag it to where you want and release. Thankfully due to the scrolling nature of the launcher it won’t be nearly as frustrating as the iPhone (where apps seem to randomly switch pages when you try and move something). If you want to move the app to a different one of the three pages (Three? Come on Palm!), all you’ve got do is move it to the edge of the screen and wait a second for the page to slide over. You can quickly gauge which page you’re on by the little white bars at the bottom of the launcher - they indicate how many pages are to your right and to the left.
One of my favorite applications from the Palm OS days was SharkLinks; it let me add websites to my launcher as if they were applications. You can do the same in your browser, just open the menu, click on Page, and then select Add To Launcher. Just like in Bookmarks you can rename the site, change the URL, and reposition/resize the icon snapshot. Once you click the Add To Launcher button it will throw a link onto your launcher at the bottom of the first page (and then you can rearrange it to wherever you like).
You can do the same in Contacts. Just open the contact you want to add to the launcher, open the menu, and then click Add To Launcher. They’ll appear just like an application, and clicking on the icon will open that contact. Using Universal search any links or contacts you’ve added to the launcher will appear as applications (at the top of the list) and as the original contact (or not at all, in the case of web bookmarks). To remove a contact shortcut from your launcher, just open the contact and in the menu select Remove From Launcher (which will have replaced Add To Launcher).
But what about removing a web page? Since they aren’t technically applications, nor are they bookmarks, you can’t delete a web page link through the List Apps option in the Launcher menu, nor can you get rid of it through the Bookmarks menu in Web. To delete a launcher web link, or any third party application for that matter, all you have to do is hold down the Orange/Option key and tap on the icon. This will bring up a dialog with the app name and version, plus the option to Delete or just hit Done and get out of there. Tapping Delete will give you a Delete or Cancel confirmation and then you’re done. Easy as pie, and if there’s anything that we at PreCentral like, it’s pie. And webOS.
[Originally Posted at precentral.net]
Homebrew Pre firmware just a button, cable away?
If you were to put the Pre on a scale of hacker friendliness from 1 to 10, where 1 is the iPhone (remember how long it took for the first jailbreaks back in the day?) and 10 is, say, OpenMoko, we're starting to get the impression that Palm's latest effort falls somewhere way past the 5 mark. We got out first hint that they're being good sports about letting developers play with the Konami code access to developer mode, and now we've got news that it's easy -- nay, trivial -- to run whatever firmware you'd like on the phone.
It seems all you've got to do is hold down the volume up key when connecting the Pre to your computer via USB, then you can flash the phone 'til you're blue in the face; even better, the enterprising dev who found the trick says that it's mega simple to modify the stock build and he'd wiped out the activation check with minimal effort. This can only be good news for tweakers and anyone wanting to walk off the App Catalog's beaten path, and if this ultimately means we're a few solid steps closer to a Pre running WinMo 6.1, sign us up. Way up.
[Originally Posted at engadget.com]
It seems all you've got to do is hold down the volume up key when connecting the Pre to your computer via USB, then you can flash the phone 'til you're blue in the face; even better, the enterprising dev who found the trick says that it's mega simple to modify the stock build and he'd wiped out the activation check with minimal effort. This can only be good news for tweakers and anyone wanting to walk off the App Catalog's beaten path, and if this ultimately means we're a few solid steps closer to a Pre running WinMo 6.1, sign us up. Way up.
[Originally Posted at engadget.com]
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Font Bureau takes credit for Palm's custom 'Prelude' fonts; our hearts melt
Normally we're just happy to be able to read a bit of legible text on a mobile device -- maybe with a bit of anti-aliasing tossed in -- but we really have to hand it to Palm for the truly stunning and readable set of fonts in webOS. Apparently we have Boston-based Font Bureau to thank, who developed the all-new "Prelude" sans serif font family for the device, along with a related "Apres" set for print and marketing. The project was lead by Font Bureau co-founder David Berlow, who has also developed fonts for Microsoft and Apple in the past.
[Originally Posted at engadget.com]
Friday, June 12, 2009
Texas Instruments: The New Force in Palm's Cellphone Chips
TI, which has decided to exit the market for baseband chips, seems to be the big winner in the new device. The company provided Palm with a chip called the OMAP 3430, which has an application processor design called the Cortex A-8 from ARM Holdings that is two or three times more powerful than its predecessors, estimates Jeff Dougan, a TI director of product management.
TI’s OMAP line also contains other speciality blocks of circuitry, known as cores in industry parlance. One is a digital signal processor to accelerate high-quality video capture and playback. Another core manages three-dimensional graphics. Still another manages photographic images.
But Palm didn’t go the single-chip route with the Pre, iSuppli notes in a report issued Wednesday. It did choose Qualcomm for baseband technology, but broke from a common pattern by choosing alternative suppliers for the application processor (TI) and power management chip (Maxim Integrated Products).
[Originally Posted at prethinking.com]
TI’s OMAP line also contains other speciality blocks of circuitry, known as cores in industry parlance. One is a digital signal processor to accelerate high-quality video capture and playback. Another core manages three-dimensional graphics. Still another manages photographic images.
But Palm didn’t go the single-chip route with the Pre, iSuppli notes in a report issued Wednesday. It did choose Qualcomm for baseband technology, but broke from a common pattern by choosing alternative suppliers for the application processor (TI) and power management chip (Maxim Integrated Products).
[Originally Posted at prethinking.com]
Rooting the Palm Pre and the webOS
This has been a long day full of Palm Pre webOS rooting news. Many of the contributors over at precentral and others around the world, have been up half the night and most of the day working with the Root system of the Palm Pre. The guys over at http://predev.wikidot.com/ have already posted a YouTube video of how to exactly Root the Palm Pre.
The written procedures are below:
Windows:
1.Download the WebOS image
2.Rename this file to .zip, and extract it
3.set the Konami code on your pre (upupdowndownleftrightleftrightbastart), and put it into dev mode. Plug it into your windows laptop after it's booted
4.Run the driver installer from the extracted file, it is: webosdoctorp100ewwsprint/resources/NovacomInstaller_x86.msi
5.Install Python 2.6
6.Get the rooter from subversion: http://svn.saurik.com/repos/webos-dev/trunk/rooter/
7.Run talk.py inside of the rooter in subversion, it'll output a bunch of lines. If you see an error, join the irc (irc.freenode.net #webos-internals)
8.Turn on the wifi on your pre. Get your pre's IP address, and you can telnet into it (username: root)
Mac OS X:
1.Download the WebOS image
2.Rename this file to .zip, and extract it
3.untar resources/NovacomInstaller.pkg.tar.gz (tar -xzvf)
4.run NovacomInstaller.pkg
5.click through the installer
6.put your Pre in dev mode following instructions above
7.connect to your mac via USB cable ( no need to select a mode, doesn't seem to matter )
8.cd /opt/nova/bin
9. ./novaterm
10.At this point you should have root
[Originally Posted at rethinking.com]
The written procedures are below:
Windows:
1.Download the WebOS image
2.Rename this file to .zip, and extract it
3.set the Konami code on your pre (upupdowndownleftrightleftrightbastart), and put it into dev mode. Plug it into your windows laptop after it's booted
4.Run the driver installer from the extracted file, it is: webosdoctorp100ewwsprint/resources/NovacomInstaller_x86.msi
5.Install Python 2.6
6.Get the rooter from subversion: http://svn.saurik.com/repos/webos-dev/trunk/rooter/
7.Run talk.py inside of the rooter in subversion, it'll output a bunch of lines. If you see an error, join the irc (irc.freenode.net #webos-internals)
8.Turn on the wifi on your pre. Get your pre's IP address, and you can telnet into it (username: root)
Mac OS X:
1.Download the WebOS image
2.Rename this file to .zip, and extract it
3.untar resources/NovacomInstaller.pkg.tar.gz (tar -xzvf)
4.run NovacomInstaller.pkg
5.click through the installer
6.put your Pre in dev mode following instructions above
7.connect to your mac via USB cable ( no need to select a mode, doesn't seem to matter )
8.cd /opt/nova/bin
9. ./novaterm
10.At this point you should have root
[Originally Posted at rethinking.com]
Total cost and feature chart: iPhone 3G S vs. Palm Pre vs. Android G1
Many original iPhone adopters have their contracts ending this summer and many others are simply looking to take the plunge on a new smartphone. There’s never been as many solid choices in smartphone market than there are right now with the new Palm Pre and iPhone 3G S, plus the Google Android G1, the Nokia N97, the BlackBerry Bold, and the BlackBerry Curve 8900.
BillShrink.com, which runs a Web site dedicated to helping consumers save money on their every day bills, has put together an excellent chart (see below) comparing the features and total cost of the iPhone 3G S, Palm Pre, and Google Android G1.
This comparison is based on unlimited data, unlimited voice, and unlimited text messaging. The iPhone comes in as the most costly device at $3800 over two years. The Palm Pre was the cheapest at $2600, with the G1 falling in the middle at $3150.
It should be noted that the Palm Pre really shines because of Sprint’s All-Everything plan, as Sam Diaz recently noted. If you don’t need unlimited voice or texting, but just unlimited data, the wireless costs of the three phones (and the different carriers) are actually pretty close in cost.
IT departments that buy any of these phones in bulk will get better pricing on both hardware and group plans, but this chart is still useful for individuals and small businesses that purchase smartphones at retail.
See Chart Inside...
Click to Enlarge
[Originally Posted at blogs.zdnet.com]
BillShrink.com, which runs a Web site dedicated to helping consumers save money on their every day bills, has put together an excellent chart (see below) comparing the features and total cost of the iPhone 3G S, Palm Pre, and Google Android G1.
This comparison is based on unlimited data, unlimited voice, and unlimited text messaging. The iPhone comes in as the most costly device at $3800 over two years. The Palm Pre was the cheapest at $2600, with the G1 falling in the middle at $3150.
It should be noted that the Palm Pre really shines because of Sprint’s All-Everything plan, as Sam Diaz recently noted. If you don’t need unlimited voice or texting, but just unlimited data, the wireless costs of the three phones (and the different carriers) are actually pretty close in cost.
IT departments that buy any of these phones in bulk will get better pricing on both hardware and group plans, but this chart is still useful for individuals and small businesses that purchase smartphones at retail.
See Chart Inside...
Click to Enlarge
[Originally Posted at blogs.zdnet.com]
My top 5 wish list for the Palm Pre
For a first-generation device, the Palm Pre is quite impressive. Palm has developed a strong operating system in WebOS, beating the competition in certain areas and laying a solid foundation for future devices. However, as with any product, there's always room for improvement.
Earlier this week, I listed five of my favorite things about the Palm Pre and as promised at the end of that post, here are five things that I dislike about the smartphone or would like to see in future updates/devices. Fortunately, some of these issues, as well as others not mentioned here (voice dialing, video recording, Bluetooth tethering), can be resolved through over-the-air updates, but here's my Top 5 wish list based on the smartphone as it is now.
Improved battery life: While the overall reviews (from both tech journalists and Pre owners) have been positive, there's been one universal complaint about the Pre and that's battery life. Palm has already identified a bug with the AIM client that is sucking more power than it should be and has promised a fix for it. There are also ways to optimize the battery life and the smartphone has a user-replaceable battery, so you can always carry an extra with you. However, it's not a completely unlikely scenario that I might be using the device heavily and have no access to an outlet or perhaps forgot an extra battery and inevitably end up with a dead Pre on my hands. Again, an issue that can be dealt with, but from an out-of-the-experience, it's still a drag.
Enhanced contact management: As I said in my post from Tuesday, overall, I really like the Synergy feature of the Pre and how it seamlessly imports all my contacts and calendar appointments from my various accounts. However, as I also pointed out, there needs to be a better way to filter or group contacts. This really became an issue when I synced my Facebook account, since I don't necessarily know every "friend" or keep in constant contact with them, so it'd be nice to assign them to have some sort of filter or easier way to manage them. Universal Search helps when you've got a specific contact, but if you're simply viewing your address book and have to sort through a long list, it can get pretty unwieldy.
Better Universal Search: The Pre's universal search works well, but right now, it's limited to just contacts, applications, the Web, Google Maps, and Twitter. The Palm Pre holds a lot of information, especially with the Synergy function, and its incapability to search e-mails and calendar entries is a bit of a head-scratcher for me.
Soft keyboard: As I've said many times before, a physical keyboard is a must for me (just a personal preference), but that doesn't mean I think a soft keyboard is completely useless. In fact, the Pre needs one. When viewing Web sites in landscape mode, there's no way to enter text into search fields without having to flip the smartphone back to portrait mode and using the physical keyboard. Does it take a huge amount of effort? No, but it's still inconvenient. We had similar issues with the T-Mobile G1, RIM BlackBerry Storm (lacked portrait keyboard), and Apple iPhone (lacked landscape), all of which eventually resolved the problem with updates, and hopefully Palm will do so sooner rather than later.
More memory: This can't be fixed on the current Pre, but hopefully something Palm considers for its future WebOS smartphones. It might be that 8GB of memory is enough for some people, but I would still like the option of an expansion slot. If not that, then higher-capacity devices. I happen to think that the Pre has a pretty decent-sounding media player and a beautiful screen for viewing videos, so I'd like to load up the phone with a bunch of media without having to worry about the remaining storage. Plus, I like what I've seen so far in terms of applications, and as more become available, I imagine I'll download more. Not that apps take up a lot of memory, but still.
Those are my big-ticket items. Now, once again, it's your turn. I've already received a number of e-mails with wish list items and other issues, such as limited Microsoft Exchange support (specifically PIN service and remote wipe), soft ringtones, limited copy/paste, and not being able to forward text messages, but if you've got the same concerns or new ones, share them below.
[Originally Posted at news.cnet.com]
Earlier this week, I listed five of my favorite things about the Palm Pre and as promised at the end of that post, here are five things that I dislike about the smartphone or would like to see in future updates/devices. Fortunately, some of these issues, as well as others not mentioned here (voice dialing, video recording, Bluetooth tethering), can be resolved through over-the-air updates, but here's my Top 5 wish list based on the smartphone as it is now.
Improved battery life: While the overall reviews (from both tech journalists and Pre owners) have been positive, there's been one universal complaint about the Pre and that's battery life. Palm has already identified a bug with the AIM client that is sucking more power than it should be and has promised a fix for it. There are also ways to optimize the battery life and the smartphone has a user-replaceable battery, so you can always carry an extra with you. However, it's not a completely unlikely scenario that I might be using the device heavily and have no access to an outlet or perhaps forgot an extra battery and inevitably end up with a dead Pre on my hands. Again, an issue that can be dealt with, but from an out-of-the-experience, it's still a drag.
Enhanced contact management: As I said in my post from Tuesday, overall, I really like the Synergy feature of the Pre and how it seamlessly imports all my contacts and calendar appointments from my various accounts. However, as I also pointed out, there needs to be a better way to filter or group contacts. This really became an issue when I synced my Facebook account, since I don't necessarily know every "friend" or keep in constant contact with them, so it'd be nice to assign them to have some sort of filter or easier way to manage them. Universal Search helps when you've got a specific contact, but if you're simply viewing your address book and have to sort through a long list, it can get pretty unwieldy.
Better Universal Search: The Pre's universal search works well, but right now, it's limited to just contacts, applications, the Web, Google Maps, and Twitter. The Palm Pre holds a lot of information, especially with the Synergy function, and its incapability to search e-mails and calendar entries is a bit of a head-scratcher for me.
Soft keyboard: As I've said many times before, a physical keyboard is a must for me (just a personal preference), but that doesn't mean I think a soft keyboard is completely useless. In fact, the Pre needs one. When viewing Web sites in landscape mode, there's no way to enter text into search fields without having to flip the smartphone back to portrait mode and using the physical keyboard. Does it take a huge amount of effort? No, but it's still inconvenient. We had similar issues with the T-Mobile G1, RIM BlackBerry Storm (lacked portrait keyboard), and Apple iPhone (lacked landscape), all of which eventually resolved the problem with updates, and hopefully Palm will do so sooner rather than later.
More memory: This can't be fixed on the current Pre, but hopefully something Palm considers for its future WebOS smartphones. It might be that 8GB of memory is enough for some people, but I would still like the option of an expansion slot. If not that, then higher-capacity devices. I happen to think that the Pre has a pretty decent-sounding media player and a beautiful screen for viewing videos, so I'd like to load up the phone with a bunch of media without having to worry about the remaining storage. Plus, I like what I've seen so far in terms of applications, and as more become available, I imagine I'll download more. Not that apps take up a lot of memory, but still.
Those are my big-ticket items. Now, once again, it's your turn. I've already received a number of e-mails with wish list items and other issues, such as limited Microsoft Exchange support (specifically PIN service and remote wipe), soft ringtones, limited copy/paste, and not being able to forward text messages, but if you've got the same concerns or new ones, share them below.
[Originally Posted at news.cnet.com]
Palm Pixie leaked as follow-up to Palm Pre
According to the data buried within the webOS structure, Palm has two new handsets in the pipeline, code-named Pixie and Castle. Although there are no details about when these devices will be launched, the Pixie is expected to have around 4GB of storage, compared to the 8GB capacity of the Pre, and a two-megapixel camera, compared to the Pre’s three-megapixel snapper.
The Castle, which is also known as the Palm Eos, is expected to be shaped like a BlackBerry, and have a 2.6in touch-screen, 4GB of storage, integrated GPS and a two-megapixel camera.
The Palm Pre was launched in the United States at the weekend to rave reviews. It has won praise for its innovative operating system and ability to run multiple applications simultaneously. The Pre is exclusive to the Sprint network in the US, and the operator reported steady sales over the opening weekend. However, the Pre may soon find itself overshadowed by Apple’s new handset, the iPhone 3GS.
Palm has not yet announced a UK release date for the Pre, which some are viewing as a competitor to the iPhone. However, the device is expected to go on sale by the autumn, and O2 – which has the exclusive carrier rights for the iPhone in the UK – is widely expected to be chosen by Palm as its preferred operator.
In separate news, Palm announced that Jon Rubenstein, who joined the company from Apple as executive chairman in 2007, has been appointed chairman and chief executive. Rubenstein was widely credited with helping to create the Pre, and the new operating system webOS.
[Originally Posted at precentral.net]
The Castle, which is also known as the Palm Eos, is expected to be shaped like a BlackBerry, and have a 2.6in touch-screen, 4GB of storage, integrated GPS and a two-megapixel camera.
The Palm Pre was launched in the United States at the weekend to rave reviews. It has won praise for its innovative operating system and ability to run multiple applications simultaneously. The Pre is exclusive to the Sprint network in the US, and the operator reported steady sales over the opening weekend. However, the Pre may soon find itself overshadowed by Apple’s new handset, the iPhone 3GS.
Palm has not yet announced a UK release date for the Pre, which some are viewing as a competitor to the iPhone. However, the device is expected to go on sale by the autumn, and O2 – which has the exclusive carrier rights for the iPhone in the UK – is widely expected to be chosen by Palm as its preferred operator.
In separate news, Palm announced that Jon Rubenstein, who joined the company from Apple as executive chairman in 2007, has been appointed chairman and chief executive. Rubenstein was widely credited with helping to create the Pre, and the new operating system webOS.
[Originally Posted at precentral.net]
Palm knows EAS support is lacking, fix due within 60 days
There are a few areas that Palm could stand to improve webOS and the Pre. One of the most glaring are the holes in their implementation of Microsoft Exchange Active Sync. As undoubtedly many of you have discovered when attempting to hook your Pre up to your corporate EAS server, the Pre does not support EAS remote wiping or EAS pin locks (though such features do exist via your Palm Profile and on the device, respectively). Without those security features that many corporations demand, the Pre simply won’t connect, meaning the investment was for naught.
Thankfully, we’ve received word from Jon Zilber, Director of Online Communications at Palm, that they’re working on it:
Palm understands that some business customers need support for specific Exchange ActiveSync (EAS) policies. We are working to develop support for EAS PIN and password enforcement, as well as EAS remote wipe, for webOS and hope to announce these new features within the next 60 days. We will deliver the features through our over-the-air update system, which Palm has already started using to bring new updates to Pre users as they become available. Until then, Palm Pre customers can enable a PIN or password directly on a device, and can also remotely wipe a device via a Palm profile.
We’ve also heard from a source within Palm that they are aware that many are having problems with SSL connections (in that their server doesn’t support it but the Pre demands it anyway) and are working on a solution that should hopefully be out in the near future. These changes should hopefully fix the vast majority of Exchange server issues we know that many of you have encountered. Just hold on tight, the fix is coming!
[Originally Posted at precentral.net]
Thankfully, we’ve received word from Jon Zilber, Director of Online Communications at Palm, that they’re working on it:
Palm understands that some business customers need support for specific Exchange ActiveSync (EAS) policies. We are working to develop support for EAS PIN and password enforcement, as well as EAS remote wipe, for webOS and hope to announce these new features within the next 60 days. We will deliver the features through our over-the-air update system, which Palm has already started using to bring new updates to Pre users as they become available. Until then, Palm Pre customers can enable a PIN or password directly on a device, and can also remotely wipe a device via a Palm profile.
We’ve also heard from a source within Palm that they are aware that many are having problems with SSL connections (in that their server doesn’t support it but the Pre demands it anyway) and are working on a solution that should hopefully be out in the near future. These changes should hopefully fix the vast majority of Exchange server issues we know that many of you have encountered. Just hold on tight, the fix is coming!
[Originally Posted at precentral.net]
The Missing Sync for Palm Pre arrives
Less than a week after the Palm Pre landed in thousands of eager palms nationwide, the first local desktop synchronization solutions are coming. Perennial saver-of-Mac-Users Mark/Space has released the first beta of The Missing Sync for Palm Pre (with a PC version on the way). The Missing Sync creates a new Synergy profile for Calendar and Contacts and will sync with iCal and Address Book, or Microsoft Entourage if you so desire. The Missing Sync will also make it easy to sync music (via iTunes), photos, documents, movies, and more. It also comes with a Safari component that will send your bookmarks to a new bookmarks app on the Pre (which will then launch the links in Web).
The Missing Sync for Palm Pre also comes with proximity sync of your Synergy information over your Wi-Fi network, meaning you never have to think about syncing with your computer - it just does it. For a limited time, The Missing Sync will be available as a free beta application and can be found in the App Catalog on your Palm Pre, and the desktop component is up on Mark/Space.com. When The Missing Sync for Palm Pre comes out of beta, it will be available for $39.95.
[Originally Posted at precentral.net]
The Missing Sync for Palm Pre also comes with proximity sync of your Synergy information over your Wi-Fi network, meaning you never have to think about syncing with your computer - it just does it. For a limited time, The Missing Sync will be available as a free beta application and can be found in the App Catalog on your Palm Pre, and the desktop component is up on Mark/Space.com. When The Missing Sync for Palm Pre comes out of beta, it will be available for $39.95.
[Originally Posted at precentral.net]
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Jon Rubinstein takes over as Palm CEO
You sort of knew this was coming after he shepherded the Pre to launch, but Palm just announced that Jon Rubinstein is taking over as CEO, replacing Ed Colligan after sixteen years in the top spot. After a short break, Colligan will join the very vocal Roger McNamee at major Palm investor Elevation Partners, so he won't be totally out of the loop, but the shuffle is still somewhat unexpected -- and the Palm / Apple bloodlines just got even deeper with the Rubinstein, the ex-head of the iPod and Mac divisions, now totally in charge.
[Originally Posted at engadget.com]
Enter Palm Pre Developer Mode with Konami Code
Ah yes, the Konami Code. This was the wonderful series of button presses that provided me with 30 lives in Contra. Since then, we’ve seen the Konami code implemented on a series of websites, but it turns out that the code works on the new Palm Pre smartphone as well. Dive back a few years, enter the Konami Code, and you’ll enter Developer Mode on the Pre.
For those of you who weren’t obsessed with Contra back on the original Nintendo Entertainment System (these people really exist?), the Konami code is: up up down down left right left right B A Start. For multiplayer, it ended with Select Start, but that’s beside the point.
In any case, if you open up your Palm Pre and enter the legendary Konami Code (typing it in), you unlock a secret Developer Mode Enabler. From here, you can reset your smartphone and, while connected to a machine running the Palm Mojo SDK for webOS, you can do fun development things.
For people who are interested in coding or just want to experience a unique Easter Egg on Sprint’s hottest new phone, be sure to give the Konami Code a try. If you don’t have a Pre (like me), watch the video embedded below and live vicariously.
[Originally Posted at mercurynews.com]
For those of you who weren’t obsessed with Contra back on the original Nintendo Entertainment System (these people really exist?), the Konami code is: up up down down left right left right B A Start. For multiplayer, it ended with Select Start, but that’s beside the point.
In any case, if you open up your Palm Pre and enter the legendary Konami Code (typing it in), you unlock a secret Developer Mode Enabler. From here, you can reset your smartphone and, while connected to a machine running the Palm Mojo SDK for webOS, you can do fun development things.
For people who are interested in coding or just want to experience a unique Easter Egg on Sprint’s hottest new phone, be sure to give the Konami Code a try. If you don’t have a Pre (like me), watch the video embedded below and live vicariously.
[Originally Posted at mercurynews.com]
Palm's Pre goes head-to-head with newest iPhone
The smart phone wars have heated up over the past few days with the release of Palm's new Pre and Apple's announcements of a new iPhone, a cheaper price for its existing phone and a new operating system for users of all iPhones.
The Palm Pre, which hit stores on Saturday for $199 after rebate (and a two-year contract with Sprint) is a worthy competitor for Apple. Unlike the iPhone, it has a physical keyboard which, while small, is quite good. The Pre also has a touch-screen that you can use to launch programs, zoom, shrink or move windows and dial the phone, although there's no virtual keyboard for entering text.
One of the things I like best about the Pre is that you can wirelessly synchronize it. Rather than physically connecting it to a PC or Mac to move over contacts and calendar items, you sign into existing accounts through the Sprint network. It works with Google's calendar and Gmail, Yahoo and other Web-based services as well as for businesses with Microsoft Exchange servers. Apple does this through its MobileMe service for a annual fee of $99, but Palm does it for free with a variety of services.
Like the iPhone, the Pre has a media player for video and music and comes with a cable to move files. But rather than write their own synchronization software, Palm encourages users to synch their media files with Apple's free iTunes software. When a Pre is connected, iTunes thinks it's an iPod or iPhone. I'm not sure what Apple's legal department will have to say about that, but if Palm can get away with it, it makes life easier.
I also like the way Palm organizes programs. The device's Web OS operating system is multitasking, so you can run several programs at once. To make the most out of the Pre's small screen, each program runs in a "card," and all the cards become visible when you press the Pre's physical button below the screen. You use your finger to flick from card to card and just touch the card you want to make full-screen.
You can dial the Pre's phone by punching numbers on the on-screen keypad or typing them from the physical keyboard. However, you're more likely to just start typing the name of the person you want to call so the phone can look up and dial the number for you.
I like the Pre a lot but I do have a few complaints. It's a little sluggish, and it's not as user-friendly as the iPhone. I find myself having to think about what to do and occasionally having to type "help" to bring up the cheat sheet. I don't recall any learning curve with the iPhone, aside from getting used to the virtual keyboard, which I'm still not comfortable with.
Both the Pre and iPhone have pros and cons. If you had to buy a smart phone today, the Pre and the iPhone are pretty much neck and neck.
But wait — Apple isn't sitting still. Not only did the company on Monday announce a new iPhone, it also announced free software that'll be released on June 17 to upgrade existing models.
The iPhone 3G S (which I haven't yet tested) is said to be faster than the existing 3G, have much better battery life and come with a 3 megapixel camera that can also record video. It will come with twice the memory for the same price: $199 for 16 GB and $299 for 32 GB, up from 8 and 16. The Palm Pre comes with only 8 GB. Also, Apple announced that the price of its existing 3G phone would be now $99.
Apple says that the phone will load applications faster and take advantage of upcoming planned speed improvements in AT&T's 3G network. Apple also says the new phone will have better battery life — up to 5 hours of 3G talk time or 12 hours if you're on the 2G network.
Based on memory configuration, the iPhone hardware is now less expensive than the Pre, but it might cost you more to use it. Sprint has aggressive pricing, including a $99 "Simply Everything" plan to covers unlimited voice, data and texting. AT&T has a $99 "Nation Unlimited" plan for voice and a mandatory $30 fee for the data plan and an optional $20 plan for unlimited texts.
The new iPhone will be available June 19. Expect long lines at Apple and AT&T stores. The Palm Pre is available now, and retailers are experiencing shortages but no long lines.
[Originally Posted at mercurynews.com]
The Palm Pre, which hit stores on Saturday for $199 after rebate (and a two-year contract with Sprint) is a worthy competitor for Apple. Unlike the iPhone, it has a physical keyboard which, while small, is quite good. The Pre also has a touch-screen that you can use to launch programs, zoom, shrink or move windows and dial the phone, although there's no virtual keyboard for entering text.
One of the things I like best about the Pre is that you can wirelessly synchronize it. Rather than physically connecting it to a PC or Mac to move over contacts and calendar items, you sign into existing accounts through the Sprint network. It works with Google's calendar and Gmail, Yahoo and other Web-based services as well as for businesses with Microsoft Exchange servers. Apple does this through its MobileMe service for a annual fee of $99, but Palm does it for free with a variety of services.
Like the iPhone, the Pre has a media player for video and music and comes with a cable to move files. But rather than write their own synchronization software, Palm encourages users to synch their media files with Apple's free iTunes software. When a Pre is connected, iTunes thinks it's an iPod or iPhone. I'm not sure what Apple's legal department will have to say about that, but if Palm can get away with it, it makes life easier.
I also like the way Palm organizes programs. The device's Web OS operating system is multitasking, so you can run several programs at once. To make the most out of the Pre's small screen, each program runs in a "card," and all the cards become visible when you press the Pre's physical button below the screen. You use your finger to flick from card to card and just touch the card you want to make full-screen.
You can dial the Pre's phone by punching numbers on the on-screen keypad or typing them from the physical keyboard. However, you're more likely to just start typing the name of the person you want to call so the phone can look up and dial the number for you.
I like the Pre a lot but I do have a few complaints. It's a little sluggish, and it's not as user-friendly as the iPhone. I find myself having to think about what to do and occasionally having to type "help" to bring up the cheat sheet. I don't recall any learning curve with the iPhone, aside from getting used to the virtual keyboard, which I'm still not comfortable with.
Both the Pre and iPhone have pros and cons. If you had to buy a smart phone today, the Pre and the iPhone are pretty much neck and neck.
But wait — Apple isn't sitting still. Not only did the company on Monday announce a new iPhone, it also announced free software that'll be released on June 17 to upgrade existing models.
The iPhone 3G S (which I haven't yet tested) is said to be faster than the existing 3G, have much better battery life and come with a 3 megapixel camera that can also record video. It will come with twice the memory for the same price: $199 for 16 GB and $299 for 32 GB, up from 8 and 16. The Palm Pre comes with only 8 GB. Also, Apple announced that the price of its existing 3G phone would be now $99.
Apple says that the phone will load applications faster and take advantage of upcoming planned speed improvements in AT&T's 3G network. Apple also says the new phone will have better battery life — up to 5 hours of 3G talk time or 12 hours if you're on the 2G network.
Based on memory configuration, the iPhone hardware is now less expensive than the Pre, but it might cost you more to use it. Sprint has aggressive pricing, including a $99 "Simply Everything" plan to covers unlimited voice, data and texting. AT&T has a $99 "Nation Unlimited" plan for voice and a mandatory $30 fee for the data plan and an optional $20 plan for unlimited texts.
The new iPhone will be available June 19. Expect long lines at Apple and AT&T stores. The Palm Pre is available now, and retailers are experiencing shortages but no long lines.
[Originally Posted at mercurynews.com]
First Palm Pre homebrew app arrives
What was that, 4 days? The Palm Pre only went on sale in America on Saturday, but already one Pre owner has hacked into WebOS and made his own Pre app. Read on to see how it’s done!
Last night, a rom of the WebOS Palm Pre operating system leaked out online, and Palm Pre fanatics familiar with coding were all over it in an instant. So much so, that by this morning, the first homebrew Palm Pre app had been made, a simple screen that pops up with the message “Hello World!”.
The current workaround involves editing another Palm Pre app already on the phone (The hacker in question wisely chose to scrap the Nascar application), and hilariously, part of the process to hack the Palm Pre and start tinkering with the apps involves tapping in the legendary Konami cheat code (Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A) in order to enter developer mode.
It’s one small step for man, one giant leap for Palm Pre owners, as Palm has yet to release its WebOS SDK for all third parties. Expect plenty more ingenious hacks on the way for the Palm Pre before the App Catalog hits.
[Originally Posted at mirror.co.uk]
Last night, a rom of the WebOS Palm Pre operating system leaked out online, and Palm Pre fanatics familiar with coding were all over it in an instant. So much so, that by this morning, the first homebrew Palm Pre app had been made, a simple screen that pops up with the message “Hello World!”.
The current workaround involves editing another Palm Pre app already on the phone (The hacker in question wisely chose to scrap the Nascar application), and hilariously, part of the process to hack the Palm Pre and start tinkering with the apps involves tapping in the legendary Konami cheat code (Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A) in order to enter developer mode.
It’s one small step for man, one giant leap for Palm Pre owners, as Palm has yet to release its WebOS SDK for all third parties. Expect plenty more ingenious hacks on the way for the Palm Pre before the App Catalog hits.
[Originally Posted at mirror.co.uk]
Palm Pre reaches stores with Cellufun Social games
Palm launched its recent Pre smartphone, with the App catalog in its beta stage. Consumers of the smartphone will have inadequate privileges to use third-party games, applications, and other software offerings. However, one of the exceptions is current chartbuster, Ponzi scheme game, ‘Made Off’ by Cellufun.
Cellufun claims to be the largest mobile virtual community in the world. Millions of people play wide range of social games and bond with each other via this community. The Pre’s web browser will now provide access to Cellufun games, mobile blogging applications and mobile commerce prospects. It is one of the non-Palm applications accessible to early users of this new smart phone.
“When married to the right mobile application, smart phones like the Pre allow consumers to have an engaging and fun experience for every day things like gaming, social networking, and commerce. The Pre looks to be a runaway hit for Sprint, and we believe that the millions of Pre buyers will sprint to Cellufun.com to play our social games and tell their friends about it.” stated Neil Edwards, Chief Executive Officer of Cellufun.
“There is a reason why Cellufun has been a top 10 download on the BlackBerry App World since its launch. We turn smart phones like the Pre into a social and entertainment network for consumers,” he added.
The Palm Pre is already available to the public via the Sprint stores across the United States.
[Originally Posted at mobiletor.com]
Cellufun claims to be the largest mobile virtual community in the world. Millions of people play wide range of social games and bond with each other via this community. The Pre’s web browser will now provide access to Cellufun games, mobile blogging applications and mobile commerce prospects. It is one of the non-Palm applications accessible to early users of this new smart phone.
“When married to the right mobile application, smart phones like the Pre allow consumers to have an engaging and fun experience for every day things like gaming, social networking, and commerce. The Pre looks to be a runaway hit for Sprint, and we believe that the millions of Pre buyers will sprint to Cellufun.com to play our social games and tell their friends about it.” stated Neil Edwards, Chief Executive Officer of Cellufun.
“There is a reason why Cellufun has been a top 10 download on the BlackBerry App World since its launch. We turn smart phones like the Pre into a social and entertainment network for consumers,” he added.
The Palm Pre is already available to the public via the Sprint stores across the United States.
[Originally Posted at mobiletor.com]
Five of my favorite things about the Palm Pre
On Monday, I asked readers to tell me about their experience with the Palm Pre, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Not surprisingly, the Palm WebOS received most of the accolades for its multitasking abilities and integration of contacts and calendars from various accounts. Others mentioned good call quality, fast performance, and sleek user interface, and the list goes on.
It's been almost a week since I've been using the Pre and some of the newness has worn off. Yet, there are still times where I say "wow" and see where the smartphone stands out from the crowd, so I've rounded up five of my favorite things about the Pre. These are features that I personally find the most useful. Obviously, everyone has different uses and needs for their smartphone, so I'll be asking you to share your list at the end of the post but for now, here's my top five.
Multitasking: This is an obvious one, but really, how can you not mention the multitasking abilities of the Pre? While there are ways to switch between apps on other devices, such as Windows Mobile and Google Android smartphones, it's not as sophisticated or as easy as the Pre. Having programs running in the background while working in another and being able to easily switch between them is huge and the Pre's killer feature. It just comes down to a better user experience and smarter device management.
Synergy: In one of my previous blogs, one reader commented about how the name Synergy is complete marketing speak. Agreed (and it's one word that makes me particularly cringe when used in the corporate world), but damn if I don't love this feature. I always thought of myself as an organized person, but turns out, I'm not really. Over the years, I've created numerous e-mail accounts so I have contacts all over the place. The Pre helps me bring them all together in a couple of easy steps, gets rid of duplicates, and imports contacts photos.
I understand there are some who don't want this type of mass integration (I ran into this problem myself when syncing my Facebook contacts), and I think Palm needs to find a better way to filter or "unlink" contacts, but overall, I found more value in this feature than not. Plus, I think Synergy is most useful in calendar synchronization. I don't put personal appointments in my Outlook calendar so having my Google and Outlook calendars merged into one and color-coded by account has been wonderful.
Camera: Despite the lack of editing options and video recording, the Pre's 3-megapixel camera is really impressive. I've tested numerous camera phones with 3.2-megapixel cameras or higher and have been disappointed by the image quality. Either the colors are washed out or there's some orange hue or hazy effect that softens the sharpness. However, I have none of those complaints with the Pre. Images were sharp and colors were vibrant; plus there's very little shutter lag.
Taken with the Palm Pre
Web browser: I don't own an iPhone, and until Apple adds a physical keyboard, I will never own an iPhone. That said, I'd be lying if I said I haven't been envious of the Safari browser. The easy navigation and page management and the benefits of the multitouch screen made the iPhone stand apart from the competition, but guess what? The Palm Pre's browser does that now too. You lose a bit in screen size, but I experienced better browsing speeds on Sprint's 3G network than AT&T's and I'll take that over a few tenths of an inch anytime.
GPS: I don't drive much during the week, but on weekends, I like to head out of town. Lately, I've had to travel to some unfamiliar places for various events and whatnot, so the Pre's GPS capabilities and Sprint Navigation have really come in handy. I was impressed by its speed and accuracy, and I also like how the location services are integrated into some of the applications, such as Citysearch and Fandango. The fact that real-time turn-by-turn navigation is native to the Pre and the use of Sprint Navigation is included in the data plan is a bonus.
So those are just a few of my favorite things. What are yours? Also, in the next couple of days, I'll write about five things I dislike about the Pre, or features I would like to see pushed out in an update or in future Palm WebOS devices. So think about your list for that as well.
[Originally Posted at news.cnet.com]
It's been almost a week since I've been using the Pre and some of the newness has worn off. Yet, there are still times where I say "wow" and see where the smartphone stands out from the crowd, so I've rounded up five of my favorite things about the Pre. These are features that I personally find the most useful. Obviously, everyone has different uses and needs for their smartphone, so I'll be asking you to share your list at the end of the post but for now, here's my top five.
Multitasking: This is an obvious one, but really, how can you not mention the multitasking abilities of the Pre? While there are ways to switch between apps on other devices, such as Windows Mobile and Google Android smartphones, it's not as sophisticated or as easy as the Pre. Having programs running in the background while working in another and being able to easily switch between them is huge and the Pre's killer feature. It just comes down to a better user experience and smarter device management.
Synergy: In one of my previous blogs, one reader commented about how the name Synergy is complete marketing speak. Agreed (and it's one word that makes me particularly cringe when used in the corporate world), but damn if I don't love this feature. I always thought of myself as an organized person, but turns out, I'm not really. Over the years, I've created numerous e-mail accounts so I have contacts all over the place. The Pre helps me bring them all together in a couple of easy steps, gets rid of duplicates, and imports contacts photos.
I understand there are some who don't want this type of mass integration (I ran into this problem myself when syncing my Facebook contacts), and I think Palm needs to find a better way to filter or "unlink" contacts, but overall, I found more value in this feature than not. Plus, I think Synergy is most useful in calendar synchronization. I don't put personal appointments in my Outlook calendar so having my Google and Outlook calendars merged into one and color-coded by account has been wonderful.
Camera: Despite the lack of editing options and video recording, the Pre's 3-megapixel camera is really impressive. I've tested numerous camera phones with 3.2-megapixel cameras or higher and have been disappointed by the image quality. Either the colors are washed out or there's some orange hue or hazy effect that softens the sharpness. However, I have none of those complaints with the Pre. Images were sharp and colors were vibrant; plus there's very little shutter lag.
Taken with the Palm Pre
Web browser: I don't own an iPhone, and until Apple adds a physical keyboard, I will never own an iPhone. That said, I'd be lying if I said I haven't been envious of the Safari browser. The easy navigation and page management and the benefits of the multitouch screen made the iPhone stand apart from the competition, but guess what? The Palm Pre's browser does that now too. You lose a bit in screen size, but I experienced better browsing speeds on Sprint's 3G network than AT&T's and I'll take that over a few tenths of an inch anytime.
GPS: I don't drive much during the week, but on weekends, I like to head out of town. Lately, I've had to travel to some unfamiliar places for various events and whatnot, so the Pre's GPS capabilities and Sprint Navigation have really come in handy. I was impressed by its speed and accuracy, and I also like how the location services are integrated into some of the applications, such as Citysearch and Fandango. The fact that real-time turn-by-turn navigation is native to the Pre and the use of Sprint Navigation is included in the data plan is a bonus.
So those are just a few of my favorite things. What are yours? Also, in the next couple of days, I'll write about five things I dislike about the Pre, or features I would like to see pushed out in an update or in future Palm WebOS devices. So think about your list for that as well.
[Originally Posted at news.cnet.com]
Sprint achieves weekend record sales of the Palm Pre
The most awaited smartphone received a humungous response within hours after its release in the market. Sprint introduced the Simply Everything plan with the Pre, enabling users to save $1200 as compared to AT&T’s plan and save even more as against Verizon’s smartphone and PDA.
Pre brought about an important breakthrough for Sprint by redefining wireless crossover devices. The device is designed for business and consumers and is offered by Sprint’s Now Network. Pre makes most out of Sprint’s 3G network by providing faster and more reliable downloads.
Dan Hesse, president and chief executive officer remarks, “Sprint is a very different company than it was 12 months ago. Palm Pre is the coming out party for the new Sprint. It is the perfect device that highlights all of the positive changes in our company, including our revolutionary Ready Now retail store experience, greatly improved customer care, unmatched value pricing plans and America’s most dependable 3G network.”
Pre is apparently exceptional in delivering wireless services. Geared with multitouch functionalities, support for collection of contacts and calendars being organized in one place, it claims to be a must have for any multi tasker. Moreover it has a handy keyboard and is supported by the latest operating system, webOS. With this system users can open many applications at once similar to a PC.
The Ready Now capability is the latest feature of Sprint provided an impetus to the sales of the Pre. This feature is designed so that the Sprint retail stores connect with consumers and provide them with services that personalize their phones.
The Pre launch provided a platform to move ahead with Sprint’s perception of positive customer experience. Call resolution and customer satisfaction on the whole with Sprint’s customer care experience has enhanced for 15 consecutive months. The Pre launch epitomizes the improvements that have take occurred at Sprint which was represented by customers’ happiness with the product.
Sprint is now gearing up to make ways for Pre to reach the far and wide markets as fast it can.
[Originally Posted at mobiletor.com]
Pre brought about an important breakthrough for Sprint by redefining wireless crossover devices. The device is designed for business and consumers and is offered by Sprint’s Now Network. Pre makes most out of Sprint’s 3G network by providing faster and more reliable downloads.
Dan Hesse, president and chief executive officer remarks, “Sprint is a very different company than it was 12 months ago. Palm Pre is the coming out party for the new Sprint. It is the perfect device that highlights all of the positive changes in our company, including our revolutionary Ready Now retail store experience, greatly improved customer care, unmatched value pricing plans and America’s most dependable 3G network.”
Pre is apparently exceptional in delivering wireless services. Geared with multitouch functionalities, support for collection of contacts and calendars being organized in one place, it claims to be a must have for any multi tasker. Moreover it has a handy keyboard and is supported by the latest operating system, webOS. With this system users can open many applications at once similar to a PC.
The Ready Now capability is the latest feature of Sprint provided an impetus to the sales of the Pre. This feature is designed so that the Sprint retail stores connect with consumers and provide them with services that personalize their phones.
The Pre launch provided a platform to move ahead with Sprint’s perception of positive customer experience. Call resolution and customer satisfaction on the whole with Sprint’s customer care experience has enhanced for 15 consecutive months. The Pre launch epitomizes the improvements that have take occurred at Sprint which was represented by customers’ happiness with the product.
Sprint is now gearing up to make ways for Pre to reach the far and wide markets as fast it can.
[Originally Posted at mobiletor.com]
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Slider crashes inspire MacGyver solution
A number of Palm Pre phones seem to be afflicted with an unsettling issue: closing or opening the slider causes the Pre to reset. Considering that the slider is a fairly major component of the phone, this is a big problem. Several users on our forum reported this issue and we’re happy to report that both cause and solution have been discovered. The battery on some Pre phones is loose/slightly too small, and any sudden jars (such as snapping the slider shut) cause it to disconnect for that millisecond of time it takes to kill the phone and force a restart.
Obviously, that’s a problem, but the solution is surprisingly simple and just shines with MacGyver brilliance (ToolkiT, you rock!): make the battery fit more snuggly by sticking a tiny bit of paper (only a few layers are necessary) in along the top of the battery compartment. Several users have tested this solution with resounding success, and now knowing the solution can head off to their local Sprint store and demand a replacement battery, instead of the much harder to find replacement Pre.
[Originally Posted at precentral.net]
Obviously, that’s a problem, but the solution is surprisingly simple and just shines with MacGyver brilliance (ToolkiT, you rock!): make the battery fit more snuggly by sticking a tiny bit of paper (only a few layers are necessary) in along the top of the battery compartment. Several users have tested this solution with resounding success, and now knowing the solution can head off to their local Sprint store and demand a replacement battery, instead of the much harder to find replacement Pre.
[Originally Posted at precentral.net]
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Louder Palm Pre Ringtones
The Palm Pre does come with some fairly nice ringtones onboard, but there are two completely understandable complaints to register: they're not loud enough, and they're not yours. Well, we at PreCentral are here to fix both of those problems!
Say you actually like the percussive ringtones that came packaged on your Pre, but they're just too quiet and you keep missing calls. Using the MP3 Gain desktop application that cencom14 in our forums found, we were able to ramp up the volume on the default Pre ringtones and deliver them straight to you (download: 4 MB ZIP file). To get them (and other music files) onto your Pre, unzip the files, plug your Pre in via the Micro-USB cable, select USB Drive, and then drag and drop the files into the ringtones folder on the Pre. You can also sync via iTunes (select Media Sync instead of USB Drive) or using the Palm Music Assistant.
Those default ringtones aren't for everybody though, so Palm has smartly made it easy to add your own MP3 ringtones to the Pre. Once you've synced your music onto the Pre, launch Sounds and Ringtones, click on the Ringtone selection box, and then click the +Music button at the bottom left. This will give you and alphabetical list of all the music synced to your Pre, just tap on the one you want and after a bit of processing it will appear in your ringtones list. If you end up not liking a ringtone you've loaded, simply swipe to the left or the right to delete it.
Say you actually like the percussive ringtones that came packaged on your Pre, but they're just too quiet and you keep missing calls. Using the MP3 Gain desktop application that cencom14 in our forums found, we were able to ramp up the volume on the default Pre ringtones and deliver them straight to you (download: 4 MB ZIP file). To get them (and other music files) onto your Pre, unzip the files, plug your Pre in via the Micro-USB cable, select USB Drive, and then drag and drop the files into the ringtones folder on the Pre. You can also sync via iTunes (select Media Sync instead of USB Drive) or using the Palm Music Assistant.
Those default ringtones aren't for everybody though, so Palm has smartly made it easy to add your own MP3 ringtones to the Pre. Once you've synced your music onto the Pre, launch Sounds and Ringtones, click on the Ringtone selection box, and then click the +Music button at the bottom left. This will give you and alphabetical list of all the music synced to your Pre, just tap on the one you want and after a bit of processing it will appear in your ringtones list. If you end up not liking a ringtone you've loaded, simply swipe to the left or the right to delete it.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Remote erase bricks Palm Pre
tnkgrl in her forum posted the following post, So Palm Pre user be aware of this issue!!!!!!!1
Well I no longer have a Palm Pre – until tomorrow, anyway…
Why? I was forced to activate my Pre after purchase while at the Sprint store, which robbed me from enjoying (and documenting) the “first run” experience. To remedy this and out of curiosity, I tried doing a remote erase instead of using the reset functionality on the phone.
Unfortunately, this bricked my Pre instead of resetting it!
A Palm representative kindly picked up my Pre, and is reflashing it overnight. As much as I’m impressed with Palm making a house call, perhaps the “Erase Device” button above should be relabeled “Disable Device”?
I’m pretty bummed to be without my Pre within 12 hours of picking it up :/
That Huge Facebook Set for Palm Pre? The Commercial is Now Released!
Remember that HUGE Facebook set that was built and leaked a while back and was speculated for the Palm Pre? Well it is officially out and it the Palm Pre/Facebook commercial touting the Palm Pre as the phone for use with Facebook. The ad features celebrity Joann Gikas singing with her band.
[Originally Posted at prethinking.com]
Missing Sync for Palm Pre allows Mac and PC users sync information.
The Missing Sync for Palm Pre works with Palm Synergy so that contacts from Address Book on your Mac can be viewed together on your Pre in a single list that links them with contacts from Google and Facebook accounts. Calendars from iCal can be viewed or layered together in a single view with other calendars. Synchronize contacts and calendars automatically and wirelessly, via WiFi. Transfer and sync music, ringtones, photos, files, and videos fast with a USB cable. Missing Sync is not yet released but we will let you know when it comes out.
[Originally Posted at prethinking.com]
Sprint Says Palm Pre is Exclusive to Sprint for Longer Than 6 Months
At the Palm Pre launch event in New York on Friday, CNET editor Maggie Reardon interviewed Sprint CEO Dan Hesse, who explained that the Palm Pre is exclusive to Sprint for longer than the six months recently reported. Hesse also talked about what Sprint thinks makes the Pre a unique product and answered the question of whether Sprint will ever get the iPhone.
[Originally Posted at prethinking.com]
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Palm Pre PSA: Run Update, Get 1.02
We know that a ton of you are playing with your new Palm Pre -- congratulations!! While you're doing that, make sure you take a quick moment to head over to the Updates App - if our Pre Phones were any indication, the devices shipped out to Sprint don't have the latest firmware, version 1.02. If you're not connected to WiFi, the Pre will give you a message letting you know that it will download the update in bits and pieces when your phone is "Idle." If you do have WiFi enabled, it'll start sucking that sweet sweet ROM action down right away. Be aware, installing the update requires a fairly lengthy reboot process.
As noted in the comments, some stores had the 1.02 firmware pre-loaded, so if you run Updates and don't get anything -- congrats, you're set!
We'll also take this opportunity to mention that the place to be right now is our very own PreCentral.net Palm Pre Forums. If you're visiting them form your Palm Pre, you might be interested in checking out the mobile version of the forums at http://m.forums.precentral.net. We're still tweaking them a bit here and there to make them a bit more finger-friendly, but if you have suggestions, we're open to them.
[Originally Posted at precentral.net]
As noted in the comments, some stores had the 1.02 firmware pre-loaded, so if you run Updates and don't get anything -- congrats, you're set!
We'll also take this opportunity to mention that the place to be right now is our very own PreCentral.net Palm Pre Forums. If you're visiting them form your Palm Pre, you might be interested in checking out the mobile version of the forums at http://m.forums.precentral.net. We're still tweaking them a bit here and there to make them a bit more finger-friendly, but if you have suggestions, we're open to them.
[Originally Posted at precentral.net]
SDK Coming Soon? Could Timing Play a Factor?
As they say, when it rains it pours. According to Gearlog (via webOShelp.net), yesterday morning during a Palm press event, Palm's very own Dave Whalen, VP of Global Sales, said that the Palm Mojo SDK is "very close to launch." This news will no doubt excite the many developers who haven't been invited into Palm secret club of the Early Access Program.
What's even more interesting is the timing. Yes, it could just be a quick shout-out to drum out interest an drum up developer interest for the new platform. However, it could also be part of Palm's anti-WWDC strategy. Making the SDK public after Apple's had it's announcements at WWDC would definitely help bring some attention back to the WeboS platform and Pre.
In the meantime, I somehow doubt what's on the App Catalog is all there is for the Pre, prior to the SDK's release. That leaked application list could still prove true if they're released "near launch".
[Originally Posted at precentral.net]
What's even more interesting is the timing. Yes, it could just be a quick shout-out to drum out interest an drum up developer interest for the new platform. However, it could also be part of Palm's anti-WWDC strategy. Making the SDK public after Apple's had it's announcements at WWDC would definitely help bring some attention back to the WeboS platform and Pre.
In the meantime, I somehow doubt what's on the App Catalog is all there is for the Pre, prior to the SDK's release. That leaked application list could still prove true if they're released "near launch".
[Originally Posted at precentral.net]
Palm Pre already torn to shreds, estimated to cost $170
Zero-day teardowns are now a staple of major new product launches, and Rapid Repair is eager to do the deed on the Pre just a few hours after going on sale. Word like "pry," "razor," "spudge," and "difficult" all make appearances in this one, so the long and the short of it is that you don't want to try doing this yourself unless you're a microsurgeon, an electrical engineer, or you have a total commitment and willingness to destroy your brand new Pre in the name of science. Overall, Rapid Repair estimates $170.02 in components -- but as always, this figure doesn't mean a lot since you can't quantify the blood, sweat, tears, and poached engineers from competitors that went into this product over the last several ye
[Originally Posted at engadget.com]
Palm Pre available today!
After unveiling Palm Pre at CES in January, we wanted to give you the opportunity to get to know a
few of the people behind the product. Over the past few months, we’ve introduced you to people who
have helped to:
1.Turn Pre from concept to reality
2.complement Pre with breakthrough accessories like the Touchstone inductive charger
3.develop the webOS that powers Pre
4.ensure that the Pre user interface was intuitive and engaging
5.effectively convey the Pre story on palm.com
6.convey the Pre message to everyone through break-the-mold advertising
7.coordinate every facet of launching Pre.
Today, Palm’s first webOS-powered phone -- Palm Pre -- is available on the Sprint Now Network. We
thought this would be a good occasion to give you the chance to “meet” the rest of the team at
Palm. From all of us at Palm, we truly appreciate your enthusiasm -- and your patience -- since
January. We couldn’t have gotten to today without you!
[Originally Posted at blog.palm.com]
[Originally Posted at blog.palm.com]
few of the people behind the product. Over the past few months, we’ve introduced you to people who
have helped to:
1.Turn Pre from concept to reality
2.complement Pre with breakthrough accessories like the Touchstone inductive charger
3.develop the webOS that powers Pre
4.ensure that the Pre user interface was intuitive and engaging
5.effectively convey the Pre story on palm.com
6.convey the Pre message to everyone through break-the-mold advertising
7.coordinate every facet of launching Pre.
Today, Palm’s first webOS-powered phone -- Palm Pre -- is available on the Sprint Now Network. We
thought this would be a good occasion to give you the chance to “meet” the rest of the team at
Palm. From all of us at Palm, we truly appreciate your enthusiasm -- and your patience -- since
January. We couldn’t have gotten to today without you!
[Originally Posted at blog.palm.com]
[Originally Posted at blog.palm.com]
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Sprint CEO:We're A Different Company From 12 Months Ago
Sprint Nextel Corp. (S) is a "very, very different" company from a year ago, according to Chief Executive Dan Hesse.
While the Overland Park, Kan., wireless carrier continues to improve its customer service, Hesse acknowledged at a conference on Friday that there remains a gap between perception and reality.
Hesse noted that customer care resolution has improved for 15 straight months. Existing customers talk about the better experience, although people who haven't been on Sprint's network for a while continue to have a negative view of the company.
Hesse was speaking at a conference ahead of the launch of the Palm Inc. (PALM) Pre on Saturday. The device is touted as the toughest competitor to Apple Inc.'s (AAPL) iPhone. But one of the knocks on the Pre has been whether Sprint's reputation may affect sales.
Tim Donahue, a marketing executive for Sprint, said he believes the "positive momentum" at the company will offset any customer service concerns. The company has eliminated 60% to 70% of the negative perception, he said.
Hesse was adamant in touting the company's improvement, citing its "Most Dependable" claim three times during his speech.
The event was held to discuss the Pre's fit in the business world. Hesse said the Pre has been the only device that he has used in the past six weeks.
One of the early criticisms of the Pre has been the lack of applications. Dave Whalen, senior vice president of global sales for Palm, said he was aware of the issue, and noted that older Palm applications would work on the device through its "Classic" program.
Sprint executives expect "thousands" of programs to become available. The carrier's open network and ease of the WebOS operating system will mean a short development time for programs, Donahue said.
Sprint's stock has also outperformed the Standard & Poor's 500 index, he said.
Looking ahead, Hesse said he expects to have four markets with 4G WiMax technology, and 10 markets by the end of the year.
[Originally Posted at money.cnn.com]
While the Overland Park, Kan., wireless carrier continues to improve its customer service, Hesse acknowledged at a conference on Friday that there remains a gap between perception and reality.
Hesse noted that customer care resolution has improved for 15 straight months. Existing customers talk about the better experience, although people who haven't been on Sprint's network for a while continue to have a negative view of the company.
Hesse was speaking at a conference ahead of the launch of the Palm Inc. (PALM) Pre on Saturday. The device is touted as the toughest competitor to Apple Inc.'s (AAPL) iPhone. But one of the knocks on the Pre has been whether Sprint's reputation may affect sales.
Tim Donahue, a marketing executive for Sprint, said he believes the "positive momentum" at the company will offset any customer service concerns. The company has eliminated 60% to 70% of the negative perception, he said.
Hesse was adamant in touting the company's improvement, citing its "Most Dependable" claim three times during his speech.
The event was held to discuss the Pre's fit in the business world. Hesse said the Pre has been the only device that he has used in the past six weeks.
One of the early criticisms of the Pre has been the lack of applications. Dave Whalen, senior vice president of global sales for Palm, said he was aware of the issue, and noted that older Palm applications would work on the device through its "Classic" program.
Sprint executives expect "thousands" of programs to become available. The carrier's open network and ease of the WebOS operating system will mean a short development time for programs, Donahue said.
Sprint's stock has also outperformed the Standard & Poor's 500 index, he said.
Looking ahead, Hesse said he expects to have four markets with 4G WiMax technology, and 10 markets by the end of the year.
[Originally Posted at money.cnn.com]
Friday, June 5, 2009
First Palm Pre ad, plus exclusive details of ad campaign rollout
Palm’s been teasing it for a few days now, and they’ve finally posted their first ad for the Palm Pre, titled “Flow” and directed by feature film director Tarsem Singh (The Cell, The Fall).
The ad was put together by ad agency Modernista!, who has done work for Cadillac, BusinessWeek, Converse, Napster, and Product(RED) amongst others. Flow was shot in and around the Chinese cities of Beijing, Zhengzhou, Dengfeng, and Kunming. The guys in orange you see are over 1,000 martial arts dancers from the Shaolin Kung Fu School in Dengfeng. Used here to show how your life and the Palm Pre experience ‘flow’, these talented young dancers previously performed in the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. The woman we see here - ‘Anima’ - will be a recurring character in Palm’s Pre ad campaign, which will focus on the phone’s ability to anticipate the user’s needs.
Check out Palm’s making-of video after the break, plus get the exclusive first details on Palm’s upcoming Pre ad campaign.
As you may recall, the ad campaign kicked into viral mode a week ago with Palm issuing an invitation via their Facebook and Twitter pages to watch the yesterday’s premiere of the ad, along with a series of behind-the-scenes and making-of videos about the ad. Flow will go live today on Palm.com, as well as on various social-networking and video-sharing websites.
Even though the Pre is going on sale on Saturday, June 6, Palm’s ad campaign won’t kick fully into gear for a full two weeks after that on June 21 with an expensive homepage take-overs of YouTube (the #3 website worldwide, serving up more than 100 million video views a day), AOL.com, and Wired.com. Palm will also produce exclusive content for YouTube and will advertise its content integration on websites like the New York Times and Pandora.
June 22nd will mark the Pre’s first foray into television advertisements, outside of the brief un-credited appearances in Sprint’s Now Network commercials. Palm will focus on “in-season” primetime broadcast and cable shows such as Southland on NBC, Numb3rs on CBS, USA Network’s Burn Notice, and Mad Men on AMC, among others. Palm is also planning on making extensive use of outdoor digital advertisements, including ad space in airports, coffee shops, and various high-traffic office buildings.
So there you have it, the Palm Pre ad campaign in a nutshell. Be sure to check back with PreCentral regularly for more on the Pre’s release, marketing, and other developments surrounding Palm.
[Originally Posted at precentral.net]
The ad was put together by ad agency Modernista!, who has done work for Cadillac, BusinessWeek, Converse, Napster, and Product(RED) amongst others. Flow was shot in and around the Chinese cities of Beijing, Zhengzhou, Dengfeng, and Kunming. The guys in orange you see are over 1,000 martial arts dancers from the Shaolin Kung Fu School in Dengfeng. Used here to show how your life and the Palm Pre experience ‘flow’, these talented young dancers previously performed in the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. The woman we see here - ‘Anima’ - will be a recurring character in Palm’s Pre ad campaign, which will focus on the phone’s ability to anticipate the user’s needs.
Check out Palm’s making-of video after the break, plus get the exclusive first details on Palm’s upcoming Pre ad campaign.
As you may recall, the ad campaign kicked into viral mode a week ago with Palm issuing an invitation via their Facebook and Twitter pages to watch the yesterday’s premiere of the ad, along with a series of behind-the-scenes and making-of videos about the ad. Flow will go live today on Palm.com, as well as on various social-networking and video-sharing websites.
Even though the Pre is going on sale on Saturday, June 6, Palm’s ad campaign won’t kick fully into gear for a full two weeks after that on June 21 with an expensive homepage take-overs of YouTube (the #3 website worldwide, serving up more than 100 million video views a day), AOL.com, and Wired.com. Palm will also produce exclusive content for YouTube and will advertise its content integration on websites like the New York Times and Pandora.
June 22nd will mark the Pre’s first foray into television advertisements, outside of the brief un-credited appearances in Sprint’s Now Network commercials. Palm will focus on “in-season” primetime broadcast and cable shows such as Southland on NBC, Numb3rs on CBS, USA Network’s Burn Notice, and Mad Men on AMC, among others. Palm is also planning on making extensive use of outdoor digital advertisements, including ad space in airports, coffee shops, and various high-traffic office buildings.
So there you have it, the Palm Pre ad campaign in a nutshell. Be sure to check back with PreCentral regularly for more on the Pre’s release, marketing, and other developments surrounding Palm.
[Originally Posted at precentral.net]
Join us for a LIVE video chat about the Pre: 3pm Eastern Today!
Come on back to this very post at 3pm Eastern today. I'll be doing a live video feed (with a surprise guest from the forums!) answering questions from forum members. Our Palm Pre Forums have been the best place to get your nitty gritty Palm Pre questions answered, so we felt it was time to try to give back to our members by helping give more information to them live!
We're expecting there will be too many questions flying in too fast for a regular-style chat window, so here's how it will work. Head on over to this thread in our Palm Pre forums to post your questions. I'll answer them and then hit refresh to get to the next ones -- more sanity for everybody. :) To make things easier, we've also put the video on this very light page so you can load it up in a separate window and have open next to the thread.
We'll see you at 3 -- well, actually, you'll see me, but you get the idea.
p.s. I'm also on the clock to answer all the questions in this massive "Help Us Review the Pre" thread -- will have those next week.
[Originally Posted at precentral.net]
We're expecting there will be too many questions flying in too fast for a regular-style chat window, so here's how it will work. Head on over to this thread in our Palm Pre forums to post your questions. I'll answer them and then hit refresh to get to the next ones -- more sanity for everybody. :) To make things easier, we've also put the video on this very light page so you can load it up in a separate window and have open next to the thread.
We'll see you at 3 -- well, actually, you'll see me, but you get the idea.
p.s. I'm also on the clock to answer all the questions in this massive "Help Us Review the Pre" thread -- will have those next week.
[Originally Posted at precentral.net]
Palm Pre hits eBay prior to official launch: just $900 and a fistful of shame
Look, if this were one of those elusive GSM Pres, we might be able to understand this. But seriously -- $899.99 for a Palm Pre that you won't get until launch day anyway? 'Course, there are those certain folks that are born everyday, but we couldn't caution you enough to steer clear here. After all, lines won't even be a problem come tomorrow, right guys? On another note, how did some chap from Encino end up with five of these gems? White panel van delivery or something?
[Originally Posted at engadget.com]
Palm Pre Will be available at 8:00 AM
At last the wait is over and the most anticipated Palm Pre will be available in the stores at 8 AM.So guys are you already in the queue ;).
Palm’s Pre Already Wins the Wallet Wars
When it comes to choosing a smartphone, there’s one feature in particular that can trump all others: Cost.
According to BillShrink, a start-up which offers free analysis of consumers’ cellphone bills and recommends cheaper plans based on calling patterns, that’s where the Palm Pre could have a leg up on the competition.
The company calculated the monthly bills for the Palm Pre (Sprint), iPhone 3G (AT&T), the Android-powered G1 (T-Mobile) and the BlackBerry Storm (Verizon).
Of the four, the Palm Pre incurred the lowest monthly cost. Assuming the handsets were operating under two-year contracts with unlimited data and voice plans, the Palm Pre cost just $100 each month. The G1 trailed the Pre with a monthly usage bill of $135 per month, but the BlackBerry Storm and iPhone were the biggest drains on the bank account, with each plan costing $150 per month.
In addition, BillShrink has set up a dedicated Web page to allow the Pre-curious to compare Sprint’s plan to AT&T’s for the iPhone.
The site asks users to type in usage habits — such as number of text messages sent each month and voice minutes used each month — before spitting out an estimation of cost savings. My own calculation came out to a savings of $30 per month, or close to the equivalent of my electric bill.
It remains to be seen whether the Pre is worth the hassles of swapping handsets, carriers and losing my current high score on Flight Control (78!), but it certainly raises an interesting question: In a down economy, how much does monthly cost factor in the decision-making of smartphone owners?
[Originally posted at gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com]
According to BillShrink, a start-up which offers free analysis of consumers’ cellphone bills and recommends cheaper plans based on calling patterns, that’s where the Palm Pre could have a leg up on the competition.
The company calculated the monthly bills for the Palm Pre (Sprint), iPhone 3G (AT&T), the Android-powered G1 (T-Mobile) and the BlackBerry Storm (Verizon).
Of the four, the Palm Pre incurred the lowest monthly cost. Assuming the handsets were operating under two-year contracts with unlimited data and voice plans, the Palm Pre cost just $100 each month. The G1 trailed the Pre with a monthly usage bill of $135 per month, but the BlackBerry Storm and iPhone were the biggest drains on the bank account, with each plan costing $150 per month.
In addition, BillShrink has set up a dedicated Web page to allow the Pre-curious to compare Sprint’s plan to AT&T’s for the iPhone.
The site asks users to type in usage habits — such as number of text messages sent each month and voice minutes used each month — before spitting out an estimation of cost savings. My own calculation came out to a savings of $30 per month, or close to the equivalent of my electric bill.
It remains to be seen whether the Pre is worth the hassles of swapping handsets, carriers and losing my current high score on Flight Control (78!), but it certainly raises an interesting question: In a down economy, how much does monthly cost factor in the decision-making of smartphone owners?
[Originally posted at gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com]
Palm Pre review: To Pre or not to Pre?
Fortune senior writers Michael V. Copeland - a BlackBerry fan - and Jon Fortt - an iPhone devotee - share their reactions to Palm's new smart phone.
Here's how we are going to break this review down. I am Michael Copeland -- I'm a BlackBerry user. I have the Bold. It's a silly name, but I never reference it in public ("Where's my bold?" See -- silly). My colleague Jon Fortt is an iPhone user/lover. The reason I point this out, is that BlackBerry users and iPhone users are likely to have different reactions to Palm's shiny new Pre.
I think it's pretty slick, and spoke with more than a few BlackBerry users who would swap out their BBs for the Pre. The iPhone users, (ahem, lovers), they don't seem ready to break up with their phones yet over the newest lovely in the gadget world. (See more Pre reviews)
The view from the BlackBerry contingent? I want to say that the Pre and I only had a short time together, about a week, and for part of that time it was useless as I was camping alongside a fetid creek, surrounded by raccoons and didn't have a signal. So, there wasn't enough time to develop a real relationship with Pre, to find out all of its hidden strengths and annoyances, but enough time to form an opinion.
Interface. It's a great device. Setup is easy, and it integrates well with standard services like Facebook, chat and web-based email. A smart approach the Palm (PALM) team took is how the Pre circles around contacts rather than applications. A person is associated with their Facebook page, their email and phone number, and you can have a continuing conversation with them using whatever mode is most convenient at the moment. So you might use email when you are in a WiFi zone (the phone has WiFi and Bluetooth built in), switching to SMS or voice if you choose. You don't have to think about what form of communication to use,just the person you want to contact. The Pre has some battery issues, especially with AOL instant messenger running, but those are being addressed according to the Palm folks.
Operating system. What I liked most about the Pre was the much hyped WebOS, which lets you launch and shuffle so many applications like cards. It worked well, and while a little sluggish, didn't bog me down. WebOS is by far the coolest thing about the Pre, and the reason for taking a hard look at it. If you find your interaction with the BlackBerry too boring, or the iPhone just too commonplace these days, the Pre is a good alternative. It has all the touch screen gestures -- sweeping, tapping, etc. -- if you like that sort of thing. The screen itself is bright, and video looked spectacular, even though the screen is a bit smaller than Apple's (AAPL, Fortune 500) iPhone.
What it also has is a keyboard. That's right, with actual keys you can push.
I like that, a lot. I like my BlackBerry because it has a keyboard. The Pre keyboard is much smaller than on the Bold. The keys themselves are a bit squishy and sticky. Some described them to me as "plasticky," but the stickiness sort of guides your fingers home and makes texting or composing an email easier. I use two hands on the Pre keyboard, but I do on my BlackBerry as well, so that's a non-issue for me.
Design. As a piece of hardware the design of the Pre is good, but not drop-dead gorgeous. Think Lexus, not Ferarri --nice but you don't hurt your neck looking at it as it speeds by. In San Francisco I made a point of taking the Pre out and displaying it strategically at as many places as I could -- bars, lunch counters, my desktop. No-one batted an eye until I told them what it was. Maybe it is gadget-jaded Silicon Valley, but that was disappointing to me. You want the newest, shiniest gadget on the block to elicit at least an appreciative "Oooh," but I got nothing. Babe magnet, the Pre is not.
On our subway system here in San Francisco the other day, I settled myself and my bicycle in a crowded car and took the Pre out yet again. Finally, an iPhone user started eying it. I handed it over, proclaiming the gadget Palm's best hope for salvation. Mr. iPhone peeped at it a bit, slid the keyboard open, and then handed it back. He then asked me about my bicycle. I changed the subject back to the Pre. "Would you trade in your iPhone for it?" I asked. He looked at my bicycle, and responded. "I would trade my bike for yours, but I wouldn't trade my iPhone for your Pre." I am not sure what that means for Pre sales, but maybe Palm should consider the bike business.
So will I trade in my BlackBerry? Not yet. If I can get a Pre running on AT&T's (T, Fortune 500) network I would be much more tempted. As of now, Sprint (S, Fortune 500) is the only option, and given the poor experience I had with Sprint years ago, it's not much of an option for me. In six months, however, that could change as Sprint's exclusive rights to Pre expire. Does Palm have that much time? I would say yes. The Pre is good enough to attract enough buyers to give struggling Palm the breathing room it needs to last out the year. If you like a keyboard, or just want something different than an iPhone, you are part of the customer base that will keep Palm alive.
Is the Pre the second coming of the iPhone? I will let Mr. Fortt answer that.
Fortt: What the iPhone guy has to say
The Palm Pre is the second-best smartphone I've used. Its black plastic physical casing is attractive and feels well crafted. Its screen is bright and sharp. Its keyboard, though too cramped for comfortable one-handed typing, feels good and works well when attacked with two thumbs. And the software -- the true test of any modern phone -- is smooth and intuitive enough to challenge Apple's iPhone.
Before I share details of my take on the Palm Pre, a little context: I was an avid Palm Treo user (and Sprint customer) for four years. It was a tough decision to leave the Treo, because we'd become friends. I knew its keyboard and its quirks. But after months of frustration with Sprint's coverage and customer service, I got an iPhone three months ago.
After spending a few hours with the Pre, I wasn't tempted to give up my iPhone. While the Pre is a very good device that matches the iPhone in many ways and even surpasses it in a few, the iPhone is still a better handset in the ways that matter to me -- and in ways that I think will matter to a lot of potential buyers. Here's how the two phones stacked up against each other:
Design. iPhone has the advantage. When it's closed, the Pre looks like a smooth stone, fits easily into a pocket, and does so without extraneous buttons -- there's an on/off switch on top and a navigation button in front, and that's it. Open it and there's a small keyboard. Compared to the iPhone, the Pre feels lighter, more plastic and less luxurious. But it also feels durable enough that you might throw it into a pocket or purse without worrying about it getting scratched up. The Pre's camera is better than the iPhone's too, through many expect Apple to address that with new hardware and a software upgrade.
The Pre gets points for having a removable battery (which the iPhone lacks), and for its keyboard (a must for some heavy e-mailers). It falls short, though, in usability. The Pre is a little too slim and small to use comfortably with one hand, and the keyboard is so small and squat that one-handed typing is a painful affair. And the battery, while accessible, doesn't last long -- with WiFi on it seemed to drain more quickly than the iPhone.
Interface. It's a tie. Palm deserves huge credit for giving the iPhone a run for its money in the usability department. It's pretty easy to find what you're looking for on the Pre, whether it's e-mail, instant messaging, the web browser or the camera. The touch screen navigation is smooth, including a method of managing tasks that's like working through a deck of cards - flick to the side to show a new window, flick up to discard it.
There are a couple of areas where the Pre outshines the iPhone. Its ability to run multiple programs at once -- a talent the iPhone lacks -- is probably the most hyped, but there are others. The way the Pre's address book pulls down contacts from online sources like Google (GOOG, Fortune 500) and Facebook is nifty, though it can cause duplicate entries for the same person; it similarly pulls info from online calendars. And its universal search function is a nice one-stop way to find information both on the device and the web.
But there are other aspects of the Pre's interface that aren't so great. The screen is too small to easily navigate through calendar information. And the screen size also becomes a problem on the web, where text is often too small to read without first zooming in.
Applications. Here the iPhone has the advantage. Apple has a store with tens of thousands of applications that iPhone and iPod users can download. Palm doesn't. The availability of so many applications makes the iPhone a more useful tool. Whether you're looking for a game, a database, or a Twitter client, you'll have a better chance of getting a great one that works on the iPhone rather than the Pre.
It's a bit early to criticize Palm too much for this, since the Pre is brand new. But the disparity in applications isn't likely to even out anytime soon.
Why? Third-party software developers want to make back the money it costs to create their product, and to do that they need volume. When they're deciding whether to make an app for the Pre versus. the iPhone, the BlackBerry or Android, they'll want to see which is most likely to pay off. The iPhone and BlackBerry have sold millions of units already, so they're in the lead. Android, which is backed by Google, hasn't done nearly as well -- but word is that more than a dozen Android phones will be out by the end of the year, expanding the potential market.
One ambitious mobile developer I spoke with last week said that even if developing for the Pre is easy, he's focusing on the iPhone and Android for the foreseeable future -- the Pre just isn't worth it yet.
That means even if you're one of the folks who likes the Pre's features a bit better than the iPhone's, you might have to do without some of the cooler mobile apps for a while. If that's OK with you, the Pre is a very good choice.
[Originally posted at money.cnn.com]
Here's how we are going to break this review down. I am Michael Copeland -- I'm a BlackBerry user. I have the Bold. It's a silly name, but I never reference it in public ("Where's my bold?" See -- silly). My colleague Jon Fortt is an iPhone user/lover. The reason I point this out, is that BlackBerry users and iPhone users are likely to have different reactions to Palm's shiny new Pre.
I think it's pretty slick, and spoke with more than a few BlackBerry users who would swap out their BBs for the Pre. The iPhone users, (ahem, lovers), they don't seem ready to break up with their phones yet over the newest lovely in the gadget world. (See more Pre reviews)
The view from the BlackBerry contingent? I want to say that the Pre and I only had a short time together, about a week, and for part of that time it was useless as I was camping alongside a fetid creek, surrounded by raccoons and didn't have a signal. So, there wasn't enough time to develop a real relationship with Pre, to find out all of its hidden strengths and annoyances, but enough time to form an opinion.
Interface. It's a great device. Setup is easy, and it integrates well with standard services like Facebook, chat and web-based email. A smart approach the Palm (PALM) team took is how the Pre circles around contacts rather than applications. A person is associated with their Facebook page, their email and phone number, and you can have a continuing conversation with them using whatever mode is most convenient at the moment. So you might use email when you are in a WiFi zone (the phone has WiFi and Bluetooth built in), switching to SMS or voice if you choose. You don't have to think about what form of communication to use,just the person you want to contact. The Pre has some battery issues, especially with AOL instant messenger running, but those are being addressed according to the Palm folks.
Operating system. What I liked most about the Pre was the much hyped WebOS, which lets you launch and shuffle so many applications like cards. It worked well, and while a little sluggish, didn't bog me down. WebOS is by far the coolest thing about the Pre, and the reason for taking a hard look at it. If you find your interaction with the BlackBerry too boring, or the iPhone just too commonplace these days, the Pre is a good alternative. It has all the touch screen gestures -- sweeping, tapping, etc. -- if you like that sort of thing. The screen itself is bright, and video looked spectacular, even though the screen is a bit smaller than Apple's (AAPL, Fortune 500) iPhone.
What it also has is a keyboard. That's right, with actual keys you can push.
I like that, a lot. I like my BlackBerry because it has a keyboard. The Pre keyboard is much smaller than on the Bold. The keys themselves are a bit squishy and sticky. Some described them to me as "plasticky," but the stickiness sort of guides your fingers home and makes texting or composing an email easier. I use two hands on the Pre keyboard, but I do on my BlackBerry as well, so that's a non-issue for me.
Design. As a piece of hardware the design of the Pre is good, but not drop-dead gorgeous. Think Lexus, not Ferarri --nice but you don't hurt your neck looking at it as it speeds by. In San Francisco I made a point of taking the Pre out and displaying it strategically at as many places as I could -- bars, lunch counters, my desktop. No-one batted an eye until I told them what it was. Maybe it is gadget-jaded Silicon Valley, but that was disappointing to me. You want the newest, shiniest gadget on the block to elicit at least an appreciative "Oooh," but I got nothing. Babe magnet, the Pre is not.
On our subway system here in San Francisco the other day, I settled myself and my bicycle in a crowded car and took the Pre out yet again. Finally, an iPhone user started eying it. I handed it over, proclaiming the gadget Palm's best hope for salvation. Mr. iPhone peeped at it a bit, slid the keyboard open, and then handed it back. He then asked me about my bicycle. I changed the subject back to the Pre. "Would you trade in your iPhone for it?" I asked. He looked at my bicycle, and responded. "I would trade my bike for yours, but I wouldn't trade my iPhone for your Pre." I am not sure what that means for Pre sales, but maybe Palm should consider the bike business.
So will I trade in my BlackBerry? Not yet. If I can get a Pre running on AT&T's (T, Fortune 500) network I would be much more tempted. As of now, Sprint (S, Fortune 500) is the only option, and given the poor experience I had with Sprint years ago, it's not much of an option for me. In six months, however, that could change as Sprint's exclusive rights to Pre expire. Does Palm have that much time? I would say yes. The Pre is good enough to attract enough buyers to give struggling Palm the breathing room it needs to last out the year. If you like a keyboard, or just want something different than an iPhone, you are part of the customer base that will keep Palm alive.
Is the Pre the second coming of the iPhone? I will let Mr. Fortt answer that.
Fortt: What the iPhone guy has to say
The Palm Pre is the second-best smartphone I've used. Its black plastic physical casing is attractive and feels well crafted. Its screen is bright and sharp. Its keyboard, though too cramped for comfortable one-handed typing, feels good and works well when attacked with two thumbs. And the software -- the true test of any modern phone -- is smooth and intuitive enough to challenge Apple's iPhone.
Before I share details of my take on the Palm Pre, a little context: I was an avid Palm Treo user (and Sprint customer) for four years. It was a tough decision to leave the Treo, because we'd become friends. I knew its keyboard and its quirks. But after months of frustration with Sprint's coverage and customer service, I got an iPhone three months ago.
After spending a few hours with the Pre, I wasn't tempted to give up my iPhone. While the Pre is a very good device that matches the iPhone in many ways and even surpasses it in a few, the iPhone is still a better handset in the ways that matter to me -- and in ways that I think will matter to a lot of potential buyers. Here's how the two phones stacked up against each other:
Design. iPhone has the advantage. When it's closed, the Pre looks like a smooth stone, fits easily into a pocket, and does so without extraneous buttons -- there's an on/off switch on top and a navigation button in front, and that's it. Open it and there's a small keyboard. Compared to the iPhone, the Pre feels lighter, more plastic and less luxurious. But it also feels durable enough that you might throw it into a pocket or purse without worrying about it getting scratched up. The Pre's camera is better than the iPhone's too, through many expect Apple to address that with new hardware and a software upgrade.
The Pre gets points for having a removable battery (which the iPhone lacks), and for its keyboard (a must for some heavy e-mailers). It falls short, though, in usability. The Pre is a little too slim and small to use comfortably with one hand, and the keyboard is so small and squat that one-handed typing is a painful affair. And the battery, while accessible, doesn't last long -- with WiFi on it seemed to drain more quickly than the iPhone.
Interface. It's a tie. Palm deserves huge credit for giving the iPhone a run for its money in the usability department. It's pretty easy to find what you're looking for on the Pre, whether it's e-mail, instant messaging, the web browser or the camera. The touch screen navigation is smooth, including a method of managing tasks that's like working through a deck of cards - flick to the side to show a new window, flick up to discard it.
There are a couple of areas where the Pre outshines the iPhone. Its ability to run multiple programs at once -- a talent the iPhone lacks -- is probably the most hyped, but there are others. The way the Pre's address book pulls down contacts from online sources like Google (GOOG, Fortune 500) and Facebook is nifty, though it can cause duplicate entries for the same person; it similarly pulls info from online calendars. And its universal search function is a nice one-stop way to find information both on the device and the web.
But there are other aspects of the Pre's interface that aren't so great. The screen is too small to easily navigate through calendar information. And the screen size also becomes a problem on the web, where text is often too small to read without first zooming in.
Applications. Here the iPhone has the advantage. Apple has a store with tens of thousands of applications that iPhone and iPod users can download. Palm doesn't. The availability of so many applications makes the iPhone a more useful tool. Whether you're looking for a game, a database, or a Twitter client, you'll have a better chance of getting a great one that works on the iPhone rather than the Pre.
It's a bit early to criticize Palm too much for this, since the Pre is brand new. But the disparity in applications isn't likely to even out anytime soon.
Why? Third-party software developers want to make back the money it costs to create their product, and to do that they need volume. When they're deciding whether to make an app for the Pre versus. the iPhone, the BlackBerry or Android, they'll want to see which is most likely to pay off. The iPhone and BlackBerry have sold millions of units already, so they're in the lead. Android, which is backed by Google, hasn't done nearly as well -- but word is that more than a dozen Android phones will be out by the end of the year, expanding the potential market.
One ambitious mobile developer I spoke with last week said that even if developing for the Pre is easy, he's focusing on the iPhone and Android for the foreseeable future -- the Pre just isn't worth it yet.
That means even if you're one of the folks who likes the Pre's features a bit better than the iPhone's, you might have to do without some of the cooler mobile apps for a while. If that's OK with you, the Pre is a very good choice.
[Originally posted at money.cnn.com]
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Palm Pre Review by Engadgets
Well, that happened earlier than we anticipated, but whatever. Starting with David Pogue’s early leaked review, the other reviews began pouring in, starting with Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal and followed soon after by Engadget and Gizmodo and everybody else that had a Pre. We’re not quite sure what happened, but we’ll roll with it anyway. The general consensus is that the webOS software is fantastic and as good as if not better than the iPhone, the multi-tasking cards metaphor is fantastically functional and the notifications bar is a beautiful way to manage your notifications, and the hardware is good, but not necessarily great.
Please find the review here
Please find the review here
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Dueling opinions: five reasons why the Pre will succeed, or was that fail?
Pre week is here, so that means its time for all the tech pundits to strap on their thinking caps can come up with provocative things to write about the Palm Pre. There are two camps that these writers can jump into that will be sure to rile the masses: the Pre will succeed and prove a worthy challenge to Apple and RIM, or the Pre will fail and Palm will see its last days. Over at ZDNet they’re expecting a homerun, and PC World doesn’t anticipate much success for Palm.
We’ll try our best to play the reasonable devil’s advocate along the way, and we’ll start with the bad: PC World. To boil it down, their five points are as follow...
5. Despite successes of the past, Palm of today is not the same Palm that brought us the Palm Pilot or even the Treo. PC World says, “Palm is effectively, a start-up.” Things can go wrong, despite all the fresh blood. Of course, the fresh blood is what has brought us a device as revolutionary as the Pre (and it was fresh blood that brought us the Palm Pilot and the Treo), so despite the missteps that fresh blood can bring, it was needed.
4. Users today won’t think much of multi-tasking on their phones. While everybody but the iPhone supports multi-tasking, without having been able to truly leverage its full capabilities people just won’t be able to fully comprehend what to do with it. This assumes that users are not smart enough to fully leverage the capabilities of webOS, and with how dead simple Palm has made it, it’s hard do believe that would be the case.
3. On a similar note to #5, the new blood in Palm does not have the same experience with developers that Old Palm or even Apple today has. Without a strong developer base there won’t be enough applications to justify getting the Pre over something like an iPhone of Blackberry.
2. In a stretch, the slide-out keyboard was a bad call. Apparently people don’t want a compact device with the best of both the iPhone and BlackBerry/Treo hardware worlds. Whodathunk?
1. The biggest and most relevant point of all: Palm just doesn’t have the cash to compete. The assumption is that even if Palm makes all the Pre phones they possibly can, but still can’t meet demand (that’s bad?) and can’t capture market share to gain third-party developers.
So, that’s PC World’s take. Ready for ZDNet’s positive spin?
5. Palm has experience building the ecosystem of software. Much more so than any other mobile platform, Palm has worked with third-party developers until the cows came home. Only problem is, we’re working with a whole new platform right now and the SDK hasn’t even been made public.
4. The Pre is not the iPhone, and carriers like that. We all know that AT&T has (at least for now) the exclusive in the states on the iPhone, and everybody else is looking for a phone to compete. Moreso than any phone in the last two years, the Pre has been hailed by the media as that phone, and Sprint is pleased as punch to be the exclusive launch partner. So excited is the mobile industry by the Pre that even Verizon (despite the BlackBerry Storm) and AT&T (despite the iPhone) both want the Pre and other webOS devices on their networks.
3. webOS development is easy as pie, and developers like pie. With the SDK application development environment centered around HTML, JavaScript, and CSS, developing for the Pre will not only be easy, but it will be easy for the tens of thousands of experience web developers already out there. Unlike the iPhone (Objective C) and Android (Java), very little specialized experience will be needed to develop a lean and powerful application. There are, of course, two problems. The first is that there’s only so much you can do with HTML, JavaScript, and CSS. Developers are going to want deeper native access so they can code more powerful applications. Second is the limited deployment of the Mojo SDK. Eventually it will go public, but for now only approved developers are getting it, which means there will be fewer applications in the App Catalog.
2. Standing in stark contrast to PC World’s #2, ZDNet thinks that the combination slide-out QWERTY keypad and the full touchscreen is 100% win. The full screen is great for reading and web browsing, whereas the physical keyboard is great for entering text with ease. While the sliding design is a compromise between the two, all compromises come with parts that people are bound to not like: it makes the device thicker and generally results in a smaller screen and keyboard (or a relatively large device, like the G1).
1. Multi-tasking. Sure, all of the Pre’s competitors (iPhone excluded) support multi-tasking out of the box, but none have found so elegant a solution to managing multiple applications. The cards metaphor utilized so effectively by webOS combined with the unobtrusive notifications are so reminiscent of desktop applications that users will feel right at home.
There you have it, five points against and five points for the Palm Pre. Give it a few months and we’ll have an idea of which side was right. But you know who we’re pulling for.
[Originally posted at precentral.net]
We’ll try our best to play the reasonable devil’s advocate along the way, and we’ll start with the bad: PC World. To boil it down, their five points are as follow...
5. Despite successes of the past, Palm of today is not the same Palm that brought us the Palm Pilot or even the Treo. PC World says, “Palm is effectively, a start-up.” Things can go wrong, despite all the fresh blood. Of course, the fresh blood is what has brought us a device as revolutionary as the Pre (and it was fresh blood that brought us the Palm Pilot and the Treo), so despite the missteps that fresh blood can bring, it was needed.
4. Users today won’t think much of multi-tasking on their phones. While everybody but the iPhone supports multi-tasking, without having been able to truly leverage its full capabilities people just won’t be able to fully comprehend what to do with it. This assumes that users are not smart enough to fully leverage the capabilities of webOS, and with how dead simple Palm has made it, it’s hard do believe that would be the case.
3. On a similar note to #5, the new blood in Palm does not have the same experience with developers that Old Palm or even Apple today has. Without a strong developer base there won’t be enough applications to justify getting the Pre over something like an iPhone of Blackberry.
2. In a stretch, the slide-out keyboard was a bad call. Apparently people don’t want a compact device with the best of both the iPhone and BlackBerry/Treo hardware worlds. Whodathunk?
1. The biggest and most relevant point of all: Palm just doesn’t have the cash to compete. The assumption is that even if Palm makes all the Pre phones they possibly can, but still can’t meet demand (that’s bad?) and can’t capture market share to gain third-party developers.
So, that’s PC World’s take. Ready for ZDNet’s positive spin?
5. Palm has experience building the ecosystem of software. Much more so than any other mobile platform, Palm has worked with third-party developers until the cows came home. Only problem is, we’re working with a whole new platform right now and the SDK hasn’t even been made public.
4. The Pre is not the iPhone, and carriers like that. We all know that AT&T has (at least for now) the exclusive in the states on the iPhone, and everybody else is looking for a phone to compete. Moreso than any phone in the last two years, the Pre has been hailed by the media as that phone, and Sprint is pleased as punch to be the exclusive launch partner. So excited is the mobile industry by the Pre that even Verizon (despite the BlackBerry Storm) and AT&T (despite the iPhone) both want the Pre and other webOS devices on their networks.
3. webOS development is easy as pie, and developers like pie. With the SDK application development environment centered around HTML, JavaScript, and CSS, developing for the Pre will not only be easy, but it will be easy for the tens of thousands of experience web developers already out there. Unlike the iPhone (Objective C) and Android (Java), very little specialized experience will be needed to develop a lean and powerful application. There are, of course, two problems. The first is that there’s only so much you can do with HTML, JavaScript, and CSS. Developers are going to want deeper native access so they can code more powerful applications. Second is the limited deployment of the Mojo SDK. Eventually it will go public, but for now only approved developers are getting it, which means there will be fewer applications in the App Catalog.
2. Standing in stark contrast to PC World’s #2, ZDNet thinks that the combination slide-out QWERTY keypad and the full touchscreen is 100% win. The full screen is great for reading and web browsing, whereas the physical keyboard is great for entering text with ease. While the sliding design is a compromise between the two, all compromises come with parts that people are bound to not like: it makes the device thicker and generally results in a smaller screen and keyboard (or a relatively large device, like the G1).
1. Multi-tasking. Sure, all of the Pre’s competitors (iPhone excluded) support multi-tasking out of the box, but none have found so elegant a solution to managing multiple applications. The cards metaphor utilized so effectively by webOS combined with the unobtrusive notifications are so reminiscent of desktop applications that users will feel right at home.
There you have it, five points against and five points for the Palm Pre. Give it a few months and we’ll have an idea of which side was right. But you know who we’re pulling for.
[Originally posted at precentral.net]
Palm Pre firmware 1.0.2, Sudoku, alarm clock
Thanks to Darth Pooh on our forums for the awesome tip: the Palm Pre’s firmware has been updated from version 1.0.1 to 1.0.2. Number changes like that indicate that it’s a maintenance release of some sort to improve stability, speed, and whatnot on the device, and as Pooh noted, the Pre is running notably faster than it did back at CES, though there is still some lag.
But wait, there’s more! Darth Pooh got the chance to check out a new Sudoku application, noting that it was “somewhat playable,” but not up to par with what we’d expect from companies like professional game developer Astraware. He also caught sight of ‘another Twitter program,’ so rest assured all ye Tweeters, your options will be many.
Buyrihn, also in our forums, got some of his own hands on time with the Pre. When he got it, the manager had something like 10-15 applications running at the time and claimed that they caused little lag. Pooh meanwhile has discovered that, as one would expect, running processor intensive applications like Pandora or playing music will cause a slowdown in application launches, but once they're up they run just fine.
Oh, and buyrihn also caught a picture of something that we know many of you have been clamoring for: a third-party an alarm clock application (pictured in blurry cam vision up top). The app supports multiple and repeating alarms and can display both an analog or HTC-style digital clock. Like Palm said, they decided to leave alarm clocks up to third parties and the third parties delivered.
Correction: We have confirmed that the Clock application is actually the work of Palm, not a third party. Sorry for any confusion there.
[Originally posted at precentral.net]
But wait, there’s more! Darth Pooh got the chance to check out a new Sudoku application, noting that it was “somewhat playable,” but not up to par with what we’d expect from companies like professional game developer Astraware. He also caught sight of ‘another Twitter program,’ so rest assured all ye Tweeters, your options will be many.
Buyrihn, also in our forums, got some of his own hands on time with the Pre. When he got it, the manager had something like 10-15 applications running at the time and claimed that they caused little lag. Pooh meanwhile has discovered that, as one would expect, running processor intensive applications like Pandora or playing music will cause a slowdown in application launches, but once they're up they run just fine.
Oh, and buyrihn also caught a picture of something that we know many of you have been clamoring for: a third-party an alarm clock application (pictured in blurry cam vision up top). The app supports multiple and repeating alarms and can display both an analog or HTC-style digital clock. Like Palm said, they decided to leave alarm clocks up to third parties and the third parties delivered.
Correction: We have confirmed that the Clock application is actually the work of Palm, not a third party. Sorry for any confusion there.
[Originally posted at precentral.net]
Touchstone is For Sale Now?
The Pre isn't even for sale yet, but it seems that the Touchstone can be bought right now at some Sprint stores.
artap99, an everythingpre forum member, is on the waiting list for the Pre at his local Sprint store. He got a call from the store today letting him know that everything will be on a first come, first serve basis. Plus, they are already selling the Pre accessories.
So naturally artap99 drove over to his Sprint store to check things out, and he was able to buy a Touchstone and the back cover for $49.99. The price is supposed to be $70 for both items, but artap99 was told by more than one sales person that the price was $49.99, so that's what he ended up paying.
If you're planning on buying a Pre, why not call up your local Sprint store and see if they're already carrying the Pre accessories? It sure wouldn't hurt to pick up a Touchstone ahead of time and be ready for your new baby when you bring it home.
[Originally posted at precentral.net]
artap99, an everythingpre forum member, is on the waiting list for the Pre at his local Sprint store. He got a call from the store today letting him know that everything will be on a first come, first serve basis. Plus, they are already selling the Pre accessories.
So naturally artap99 drove over to his Sprint store to check things out, and he was able to buy a Touchstone and the back cover for $49.99. The price is supposed to be $70 for both items, but artap99 was told by more than one sales person that the price was $49.99, so that's what he ended up paying.
If you're planning on buying a Pre, why not call up your local Sprint store and see if they're already carrying the Pre accessories? It sure wouldn't hurt to pick up a Touchstone ahead of time and be ready for your new baby when you bring it home.
[Originally posted at precentral.net]
Best Buy Palm Pre Inventory Leaked
We told you about Best Buy's June Buyer's Guide having a large Palm Pre ad in it. Plus, we let you know that the Pre is already on display in a Best Buy in Puerto Rico.
Well, looks like some Best Buy inventory sheets for the Palm Pre were leaked and popped up in the everythingpre forums. So you might want to check out those inventory sheets and see if you spot your nearest Best Buy, or at least one within driving distance.
Seems that the largest amount of Pres on order is 42 Pres for Alamo Ranch, Texas. HooWee, those of you living in that area will surely want to check out that Best Buy location! Also: *gulp*, I'm sure you see that $849.99 full price is still in effect.
[Originally posted at precentral.net]
Well, looks like some Best Buy inventory sheets for the Palm Pre were leaked and popped up in the everythingpre forums. So you might want to check out those inventory sheets and see if you spot your nearest Best Buy, or at least one within driving distance.
Seems that the largest amount of Pres on order is 42 Pres for Alamo Ranch, Texas. HooWee, those of you living in that area will surely want to check out that Best Buy location! Also: *gulp*, I'm sure you see that $849.99 full price is still in effect.
[Originally posted at precentral.net]
Runway and Instant Items Apps coming to Pre
Mentioned last month in an article in Redmond Developer News was an application for the Palm Pre that we hadn’t seen before: Runway. Greg Stevenson, the developer of Runway, hadn’t planned on releasing any details of the application (or even acknowledging its existence) until the Pre was out, but the article threw a slight kind in his plans. So, he’s launched a new website to explain what Runway, and its companion application Instant Items, will do.
Runway is described on the website as a time and project management application. The article mentioned that Runway will be able to bring more online calendars to the Pre, but as Stevenson says on his website, “if Runway is just another time management application, then the Pre is just another mobile device.” And we all know that it’s more than just a phone and web browser.
Also coming from Stevenson is Instant Items, a phone-operation streamlining application. Apart from being able to access your contacts to dial numbers, it can also add items to your calendar and to-do lists. The website claims that it can do this “all in an extremely quick manner using a fraction of the keystrokes of traditional methods.”
Interesting, eh? Even working within the boundaries of the currently limited Mojo SDK, developers are coming up with some interesting application concepts.
[Originally posted at precentral.net]
Runway is described on the website as a time and project management application. The article mentioned that Runway will be able to bring more online calendars to the Pre, but as Stevenson says on his website, “if Runway is just another time management application, then the Pre is just another mobile device.” And we all know that it’s more than just a phone and web browser.
Also coming from Stevenson is Instant Items, a phone-operation streamlining application. Apart from being able to access your contacts to dial numbers, it can also add items to your calendar and to-do lists. The website claims that it can do this “all in an extremely quick manner using a fraction of the keystrokes of traditional methods.”
Interesting, eh? Even working within the boundaries of the currently limited Mojo SDK, developers are coming up with some interesting application concepts.
[Originally posted at precentral.net]
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