Angry ex-webOS team members have blamed poor code decisions by software-naive execs for the platform's demise, as well as power struggles amid the OS' adoption by HP. Jon Rubinstein - at the time CEO of Palm - opted for WebKit as the underlying engine on which webOS apps would run, something Paul Mercer, former senior director of software at Palm, tells the NYTimes was a huge mistake. "We just weren’t able to execute such an ambitious and breakthrough design" the ex-software chief argued, suggesting that WebKit simply wasn't up to running applications at the same speed as users experienced on, say, the iPhone.
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‘Palm Pre’ Stories
Sluggish code and HP power plays blamed for webOS’ failure
PalmPad Tablet on the Horizon from HP, New WebOS Inside, Hardware Like iPad
Everyone's favorite news source FoxNews.com has obtained a spec sheet for a forthcoming PalmTablet today from "a trusted source." They've revealed that HP will introduce three models of a PalmPad at CES at the beginning of 2011, each of them with only minor hardware differences inside. Each of these tablets will run WebOS 2.5.1 and will represent a sort of spin-off of the magical mystical never-saw-daylight HP Slate. Also included in this upcoming series will be a fourth tablet (that won't be seen at CES) but will be "custom made for university students to prove how versatile the machines can be."
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HP’s webOS 2.0 On-Screen Keyboard Gets Shown Off in Video
When webOS launched, there was some grumbling that the device, when it came to the Palm Pre (and subsequently released, Palm Pre Plus), focused too much on the portrait-slider hardware keyboard. The absence of an official on-screen keyboard left some people wanting more. And while there were "options" available for those who wanted to travel down some particular roads, Palm seems to want to keep focusing on the hardware keyboards. That should surprise no one, considering Palm's device legacy. But, it looks like webOS 2.0, which launched with the release of the Palm Pre 2, features a software keyboard, even if it is far from perfect.
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Rod Whitby of webOS Internals Details Roadmap for Preware 2.0
Today WebOS Internals' Rod Whitby sent a few words out in a speech at webOS Developer Day in NYC about webOS Homebrew development. All the way back to a million years ago, 2009, when the Palm Pre was released, to now, and looking ahead. Preware 2.0 Plans include the following: Instant On. Need I say more? Everyone loves that. Currently loading Preware requires a scan and parse of all needed files - in the future, loading packages from db8 will make the whole process more dynamic and quick. Then, the db8 feature will more more easily sync an app to the cloud, allowing it to update in the background.
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The Daily Slash: October 25th 2010
We're getting dangerously close to that ever-so-spooky howliday, and the gadgets just aren't reflecting it at all! I suppose that's how it goes though, it's only one day, no use in making a pumpkin themed telephone for that. In honor of the most smashing of days coming up though, I did carve a pumpkin for you. It's also in celebration of me finally downloading what I now realize is the greatest tiny game ever made. See if you can tell what it is. I carved it for you. And then, of course, we've got a fantastic FREE LG OPTIMUS T in a Halloween contest too!
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France Launching Palm Pre 2, WebOS 2.0
France is running around crazy with their new telephones today, all jumping into the air, swinging around signposts, falling down into train station holes. Why? Because today is the day they get their Palm Pre 2, launched on the SFR network. The pricing is between € 99.90 on contract and on up to € 399.90 off-contract. This lovely little device is rocking the P102UEU, which means it's a wild animal.
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Palm Pre 2 Shows up on French Carrier SFR’s Website, Reveals 1GHz Processor
The questions swirling around the upcoming unveiling of the Palm Pre 2, or Mansion (or something else entirely) haven't been about whether or not the device exists, but what the features would be. What would be the defining characteristic of the next webOS-based device, that would make the customers fall in line for its release? Well, according to French carrier SFR, it looks like the Palm Pre 2 is certainly coming, and it could indeed be packing a punch.
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Palm P102UEU “Pre 2″ clears FCC with Euro 3G/UMTS
Palm's new webOS smartphone looks to be another step closer to launch, with the European 3G/UMTS version crossing the FCC as the Palm P102UEU. Tipped to be Europe's Palm Pre 2, the test results apparently suggest a slider with very similar aesthetics to the existing Pre (since the two share the same part number for the Touchstone-compatible battery cover) and a 1GHz processor.
The news follows a sighting of the Palm P102UNA and Palm P102EWW in a European test database last month, which were believed to be North American versions of the same device for GSM and CDMA networks respectively. The FCC filing adds another tidbit about the battery, which at 1,150mAh is the same capacity as the existing Pre power pack.
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HP’s Hurd ousting as idiotic as Apple firing Jobs says Larry Ellison; Pre designer quits
HP can't get a break lately, with Friday's news that CEO Mark Hurd had been asked to resign amid allegations of sexual harassment not only prompting a significant ditch in their share price but scorn from at least one high-profile name in the industry. Oracle CEO Larry Ellison spared no feelings in his comments to the NYT, describing the HP board as having made "the worst personnel decision since the idiots on the Apple board fired Steve Jobs many years ago." Meanwhile, HP has lost another significant name from the Palm team, with Peter Skillman - VP of design at Palm, and responsible for the Pre's design - leaving the company.
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Sprint admit to accidentally tripling HTC EVO 4G sales figures
Looks like someone at Sprint needs to re-oil their abacus, as the carrier has admitted to "accidentally" over-estimating their launch day sales figures for the HTC EVO 4G. Sprint originally claimed to have sold "three times the number of Samsung Instinct and Palm Pre devices sold over their first three days on the market combined"; now, they're saying EVO 4G sales were "in line with the number of Samsung Instinct and Palm Pre devices sold over their first three days on the market combined."
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Palm Pixi Plus (AT&T) Review
The Palm Pixi Plus isn’t exactly new, but its launch on AT&T this coming Sunday will mark the debut of the GSM version in the US market. Priced at a featurephone-rivalling $49.99 (with a new agreement, naturally), the obvious question is whether you’re getting more for your money by opting for the webOS handset. Check out our review after the cut.
Palm App Catalog glitch locks out webOS users
Palm's App Catalog appears to have suffered a meltdown of sorts, with users of Palm Pre, Pixi, Pre Plus and Pixi Plus handsets reporting that after having downloaded a new title - whether paid or free - no aftermarket software will run properly. The issue remains even after fully erasing and restarting the phone; in fact, the apps are still installed even after that process is completed. However core functionality - calls, messaging and data - are all unaffected.
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