Palm Calling All Windows Mobile Developers!

With the launch of our first Windows Mobile product back in early 2006, it's now common knowledge that Palm has two OS platforms (Palm and WinMo). Multiple operating systems allow us to provide choice to our customers, which is important because we have such a diverse customer base. We like them both and don't play favorites, despite some people asking us to share with them which one we like best:

http://mobileofficeblog.dataviz.com/2007/04/palm_os_vs_windows_mobile.html 

http://www.mobilitysite.com/2007/04/palm_os_versus_windows_mobile_palm_decid.php

In order for any OS strategy to be successful it requires a strong developer program. Keeping this in mind, we've worked side-by-side with Microsoft to help expand our presence within the community as well as educate developers on the Treo. We will be attending Microsoft's Mobile and Embedded Developers Conference (MEDC) next week in Las Vegas, where we'll not only be showing off our Windows Mobile Treos (700w/wx and 750), but also working to bring more developers into the Palm family. Lucky for us we already have a great start because a lot of the Palm OS community develop on both platforms. We want to encourage more/new developers to set their sights on the Treo, so we've spiced things up a bit. On Monday we'll be launching the Treo Windows Mobile Challenge for the developer that can come up with the hottest new Treo application.

With any challange comes prizes right? How about $10,000 and a XBOX 360? Full details can be found here: https://pdn.palm.com/regac/pdn/page?Page_Name=medc2007.

Check it out and we'll see you at the conference next week - Booth # 207!

Mike Rank - Director of Developer Relations

Comments

[DanHam]

How about some Windows Mobile 6 phones? If only Verizon wasn't the last company on the planet to release them. :P

[nakliyat]

thank you very very nıce thankyou very very much...

[Garman]

I understand and appreciate the call for developers to participate in developing applications.

"In order for any OS strategy to be successful it requires a strong developer program."

However, I simply find it ironic that you are calling developers to a challenge when the development of your own Palm OS, if mirrored by any other developer would find them out of business. I read the following quote and couldn't find myself able to argue it.

"the fact that a relatively small company such as GX-5 can design elements of the user interface that are light years ahead of what Palm is doing is not only unbelievable but quite embarrassing."

Is this not a valid criticism? Am I off? Given the overwhelming success Palm has had in the PDA market how could a company that failed at it initially suddenly develop a device with an interface and software some would call revolutionary. Indeed, Palm start off as a software company and prevailed in spite of superior hardware in other devices.

In fact, independent developers have seemed more quick to respond in a shorter development cycle with less resources. Mocean, GX5, and Access for example.

My question is how is a developer going to approach development with the prospect of developing for 3 platforms Windows, Palm, and the new OS due in December or should the Linux OS be grouped in with Palm?

[David Beers]

Not to keep Palm from answering on their own behalf, but I do think the criticism by nakliyat isn't entirely fair. First of all, while I'd like to see some changes to Palm's user interface, I really don't think this is anywhere near the priority of creating a modern successor to the Palm OS. I'm very glad they foresaw that this would be something they couldn't necessarily depend on a separate company for (especially after PalmSource was acquired) and that they've kept their eye on that ball, even if it took away resources that might have been deployed to improve the Garnet OS look and feel. Where I think Palm users are hurting the most with Garnet is stability and reliability--both areas where a Linux kernel and drivers should help a lot.

Secondly, as a 3rd party developer myself I appreciate that Palm is committed to a platform that companies like G-5 *can* customize to suit the tastes of different users. Speaking as a user, I'm personally not a big fan of the G-5 UI and am happy it isn't being thrust upon me, but I love the fact that it's available.

Finally, when it comes to development cycle what you have to realize is that unlike 3rd party developers like myself, everything that Palm develops has to be requested by or sold to the carriers, who have their own agendas and time tables (typically glacially slow). The US carriers are the worst, imposing endless requirements on device and OS vendors that rarely have much to do with improving the user experience. Even vendors with resources orders of magnitude greater than Palm's (Motorola comes to mind) have struggled to innovate while meeting the demands of Verizon, Cingular and Sprint. Here's an enlightening article from Friday's WSJ describing how it takes Motorola 2-4 years to take a new mobile phone product from design through carrier certification to the market: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117763905320884365.html?mod=djemITP

If I were Palm, I'd be looking at ways to support *cross-platform* development on WinMo and the new Palm OS. Why not create a customized Java environment as RIM and Danger have done to support the huge community of Java developers? (Acquiring SuperWaba would be a great start on this.) Or develop a "widget" platform for web developers that works on both Palm OS and WinMo? Palm.Net and Palm Web Clipping Applications were years ahead of their time when you guys first released them, but could be modernized to attract attention from Web 2.0 developers. You've got the patents: put them to work for you now that the market is ready for this technology.

Obviously, we've all got our pet peeves about the Palm OS (I've certainly got mine) but given what we now see has been Palm's focus on creating a whole new operating system, and given the extraordinary constraints that Palm's carrier customers impose on them, I don't really think they've been doing badly at all. I expect evidence of the innovation that has been quietly under way for some years at Palm to be surfacing pretty soon and look forward to it (both as a user and developer) with anticipation.

David Beers
http://www.pikesoft.com/blog

[evden eve nakliye]

thank you very nice topic very good thanks :)

[Garman]

Thank you for your response, David. You help to enlighten an angry Palmbarian. Your comments and participation on this blog as a developer are very useful.

Speaking of user interface. I am Garman the Palmbarian. The authors are listed outside of their "box" bordered by the dotted lines on the bottom.

I think what you say answers this somewhat but it doesn't answer for me why Palm OS 6 was debuted 3 years ago and we are still at 5. What you say covers PDA cell phones but not the general Palm OS phone or not.

Why constrain a phone to tiny keypads when, if I am not mistaken, the key interface for it is an ear and a mouth. Not fingers. Not to even mention the advances in voice dialing.

I love texting but simple free program like thumbboardDA turns your Palm TX info a slider practically.

http://www.palmorganized.com/?p=70

Bluetooth piece for ear & mouth
Widescreen for the eyes & hands.

[David Beers]

Sorry Garman... I noticed my mistake right after posting.

With regard to Palm OS 6 I can tell you that the problem there is also one of the problems that Palm has with Garnet: it's a totally proprietary system, so Palm has to write their own drivers for every major component (WiFi/BT/WAN radios, screens, ports, SD slots, etc.) That consumes a lot of time and engineering effort on something that their larger competitors don't have to worry about. One advantage of the Linux kernel is that so many vendors ship their components with Linux drivers. Palm can focus on the great user experience and not have to worry about how long it takes to get WiFi working for every radio supplier they use.

As for your thought about the ideal user interface being "Bluetooth piece for ear & mouth, Widescreen for the eyes & hands," I know a lot of people would love this. My feeling is that just getting a device with a tablet form factor that works well with most Bluetooth handsets would be a triumph. I still need the tactile response of a phone keypad and the little BT ear pieces are constantly getting lost, stolen or eaten by my dogs (hey, they're crunchy and they smell like ears: irresistable!)

[Garman]

Thank you for your thoughtful reply. You have a nice blog and your comments make a nice contribution to this official Palm blog.

[mp3]

Thanks...

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