Boygeniusreport has posted some screenshots of Palm's webOS SDK in action. In them, they demonstrate that apps can be previewed in the web browser and that the SDK runs as a local server (most likely to process the specialized Javascript API calls to hook into webOS services).
For starters, everything is tested and previewed in the web browser (our shots are of the Mac version, so Safari), which bodes well for Palm’s “anyone who knows how to program in Javascrizzy can write an application”, line. We’re told that even in Safari, apps work just like they would on the actual device, and much like the iPhone Simulator, just in the web browser. This means scrolling and rubberband-man bouncing. Very cool and very sneaky. The SDK operates as a local server that serves up the web pages (applications), and you can hook into it from your local browser.
Check out the article and the screenshots here.
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According to Softpedia, the Palm Pre is capable of taking photos in rapid succession, without the usual painfully long delay between shots found on most camera phones.
The handset allows for the pictures to be taken either using the onscreen shutter, or the QWERTY’s spacebar key. In addition to that, it can snap photos fast enough to capture stills so as to be able to create stop motion animation of the subject. This would be an impressive feature of the webOS, although it hasn't been talked about until now.
This capability may be due primarily to the Pre's speeedy Texas Instruments OMAP3430 processor, although that remains to be seen.
Precommunity has uncovered an HD walkthrough of the Pre that shows "previously unseen features" of webOS.
A new YouTube video was uncovered by internet sleuths yesterday that has Peter Skillman, Palm’s VP of Design walking through some previously unseen features of the Pre.
They also expand on the "new" features in the article. Check it out here.
FierceWireless has posted yet another hands-on demo of the Pre.
They have also posted an article in which an analyst at Citi predicts Palm will sell 1.5M units in the first year:
The analyst, Jim Suva, said while Palm is still expected to face large losses over the next few years, Citi had an optimistic view of unit sales. Citi went on to note that it was taking conservative views on what the Pre's average selling price and margins would be, and that Palm needed to provide more details on its pricing strategy for the smartphone.
Engadget has a piece entitled "What Apple could learn from Palm's webOS", which compares the iPhone OS and Palm's webOS in areas such as push notification, developer freedom and transparency, multitasking, contacts integration (Synergy), instant messaging, and more. They then expand on the best features of the G1 and Blackberry/Windows mobile. Here's a snippit:
but we can't help but think that Palm took a long hard look at where Apple was at with its ultra-successful mobile OS and what they could improve upon, and we would like to assume that Apple is looking very carefully at webOS right now (and hopefully the Pre's physical keyboard, but we're dreamers) and comparing it with its current iPhone OS.
Definitely worth a read.
On the Palm Developer Network blog, blogger Andrew Shebanow (Palm representative) has posted an open invitation for developers to post suggestions on application distribution on webOS, and, more broadly, on webOS itself.
This is your chance to let Palm know what you would and would not like to see on the webOS platform, in particular in areas related to:
- Application installation and updating
- Ecommerce (purchase, trials, coupons, etc.)
- Security (code signing, testing, anti-phishing, malware, etc)
- Browsing and searching for applications
Head on over there and post your suggestions! In the future, let's hope Palm will browse the forums for valuable feedback from developers.
Palminfocenter has posted an interesting interview with Pandora about developing the Pandora software for webOS. He expands on the advantages and disadvantages of developing phone apps using web languages:
I think that there is a bit of a trade-off there, in fact I think when they first told us about their approach I was sceptical that you would be able as a developer to get a really great user experience with fluid presentation just using HTML/Javascript/CSS and so on in the Mojo framework... but I think for a certain class of application – when you think about an email application, or the contacts application, or something like Google Maps or Pandora – I think all of these classes of applications are really going to be fantastic to build and deliver on webOS. Anything like a medical encyclopaedia – anything sort of data and presentation-oriented I think will be very very easy to develop and have fantastic user experience characteristics. Even for multimedia applications like Pandora.
He also gushes on the greatness of the Pre hardware. A nice little inside look from one of the only companies so far to have developed with the mojo toolkit.
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