Pre and webOS: Meet Europe, O’Reilly, and Flash

Brace yourself: We've got the biggest blast of updates about Pre and webOS since they were unveiled in January. It's the dawn of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the largest exhibition for the mobile industry, and we've got lots of news to share.

For starters, we're showing off the European UMTS version of the Pre for the first time at MWC. Palm's Lynn Fox pinged us to say that “I don't know which is more over-the-top -- the Gaudi architecture in this town, the menus at the tapas bars, or the excitement that the European market is showing for the Pre.”

And here are a few more updates that should interest you regardless of what country you plan to use your Pre in:

• O'Reilly Media will be publishing a book about developing for Palm's new mobile platform. Written by Palm VP and Software CTO Mitch Allen and his development team, the book -- titled “Palm webOS: Developing Applications in JavaScript Using the Palm Mojo Framework” -- is the first official resource for programming webOS. The first chapter of the book is available on the Palm Developer Network site. You'll also be able to sign up to get new chapters as they're written through O'Reilly's “Rough Cuts” service, and the complete book will be published upon release of the Mojo SDK.
   
• Mitch Allen will also present a free webcast for developers on February 25 at 10 a.m. PT offering a rare preview of the webOS operating system and development environment, followed by a Q&A session.
   
• Palm is joining the Open Screen Project, to help deliver the benefits of Adobe’s Flash Player to the webOS experience. This will offer a richer and more complete Internet experience on webOS-based devices, such as the Pre.
   
• There's also a brand new video on Palm.com that gives you a peek at a typical day with your Pre.

Stay tuned for more updates from Barcelona -- here on the blog or follow palm_inc on Twitter.

Jon Zilber

Comments

[Eric]

Having flash on Palm is great news!!! Also, will you have the ability to play flash content from the web browser or stored on your device? Will you be able to use the Pre's keyboard to play flash games, either way this is amazing!!!

[Jaron]

I'm still waiting for the post "Pre and webOS: Meet Consumers"! The O'Reilly chapter on webOS was a good read. I look forward to seeing the rest of it as well as the Mojo framework. I can't wait to see how this concept holds up in the real world with 3rd-party applications!

[Andreas]

Hey it's great to see flash coming to the palm. but what about Java ? I think the Palm together with JavaFX Mobile would be a fantastic team. Also all Java ME apps that are already out there could also work with the Pre. Please make it work.

Regards

Andreas

[steve]

its so good I want it now, but I can't
when is this coming out!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

[Vj]

Hey

will we enjoy the classic features in the pre as we do on the treo lines, such as unlimited call log, copy, paste, forward, search(where you can search the entire phone-contacts,calendar,memos). Is migration going to be easy moving from palm desktop to Web OS desktop(Or whatever it will be called)

[Alex H. at Edelman for Palm]

VJ -- great questions. All are still TBD, so please stay tuned for more information.

[Alex H. at Edelman for Palm]

Andreas -- thanks for the suggestions. For the latest information on developing for the webOS, subscribe to the RSS feed at the following link. There is also new information on a new Palm book with O'Reilly, "Palm webOS: Developing Applications in JavaScript Using the Palm Mojo Framework." Check it out.

http://developer.palm.com/

[Chingon]

"Once again, Palm had a presence at GMSA Mobile World Congress 2009, but disappointingly, Palm didn't make any major announcements at the show, namely a GSM version of the smartphone."

WHY?!?!?!?!?!?!?! What Happened???

"Also, although many people were hoping for Palm to announce the name of its official European GSM carrier partner today (strongly rumoured to be Vodafone) no such news has yet emerged. Having said this, the fact that Palm is demoing the Pre with a Vodafone SIM card has naturally further fueled speculation that this is indeed Palm’s preferred European partner."

Will Vodafone be the carrier in Europe?

[Gary Hicks]

I think the Pre looks great and I'm very interested, but the name "Pre" makes me wonder when it will actually be ready for prime time.

I currently own a Treo 755p and have invested a lot of $$$ on Palm OS software. Will the new Web OS be able to run Palm OS programs? I sure hope so.

[Dan]

Is anyone working on a sync with GroupWise?

[Zeenat S., Edelman for Palm]

Chingon--we know you are anxious! As we have mentioned before, a world-ready (UMTS) version of the Pre will be available in other regions worldwide--and we will share details as we get closer to availability. Stay tuned!

[Christian]

Thanks Palm for putting together something to get our blood pressures up! I'm very excited about it (and cautiously optimistic that we are going to see a GSM Pre here in the U.S. - maybe 2010?).

Is there any talk right now about technology to allow a CDMA device to make phone calls simultaneously with internet use?

[Jan J]

Please get this right and get it out to us soon! I love what I have seen so far and will be at Sprint's doors in 30 mins if you were to released it today...

[Alex H. at Edelman for Palm]

Gary -- We are working with our core partners to ensure that the popular applications are rebuilt to take full advantage of everything webOS has to offer. And given the ease of developing in the webOS environment, it's possible that a third-party developer will deliver an emulation solution. As always, thanks for reading.

[Alex H. at Edelman for Palm]

Dan -- for the latest developer information, please visit the below link, where you will find an RSS feed, as well. Thaks for reading.

http://developer.palm.com/

[Gueri G]

What I have seen looks simply a step or more above what anyone else has to offer. I have put off getting a Bberry and Icrap just for the Pre. I cannot wait to get rid of my phone and get my hands on this. Like many of the other Palm fans out there, I'm very anxious. Please get it done soon and get it right. No other phone comes close to what I have seen. I just wished the package wasn't so rounded at the corners.

[Katherine Short]

Oh PUHLEEEZE tell me someone is working on a synch with Groupwise? That would change my life! Am v. excited about the Pre, was wowed by the Iphone but when I did my homework it will not satisfy this palm user! No search function, not a business tool. Really a glorified music box. That being said, how much music memory will the Pre have? Lastly if it is Vodafone that the Pre is going with....will that make it unavailable in Switzerland until either Orange or Swisscom take it up....what, another year with my 3yr old Treo?
Cheers
Katherine

[Miroslav Draxl]

Mirek -- Hi I am realy looking forward for the new Palm. My old Tungsten T should be replaced by a new Pre. Will the new Pre be able to work with MS Office (f.e. Word, Exce, PowerPoint)? My old Tungsten does it very well.
Thank for answering.

[Mark]

I think I'll stick with my TX until it breaks. Now I know everyone will think I'm nuts but I liked it better when Palm was trying to make good PDA's that would tie into a seperate phone well. I've got several resons for this:

Smart phones tend to have stupid battery life. If I forget to charge my phone or my TX for a night or two, it doesn't matter. Neither one uses much power while on stand by. Also, when I'm using one or the other, it's using it's own battery.

I some times have to deal with computer security policies that don't make little sense. I really have been in situations where I could carry one but not the other. But in a rare bit of common sense, usually, if I were using a smart phone I would have been out of luck.

My TX doesn't care if I'm using T-Mobile, WiFi or some company in Dubai. Not planning any trips but I've been there and all along the pacific rim. International rates for US companies STINK! No point in shelling out for a smart phone only to ditch it while traveling.

The size of my TX is about right for a PDA. Most phones tend to have smaller screens so the user doesn't feel like he is talking into a brick. That's fine when I'm making calls, but too small and I feel like I'm trying to build a ship in a bottle when I'm using the pda half of the beast.

Finally my phone and my PDA can share important data so if one fails at least I've got a fail soft: If my phone dies I can borrow a phone and still make calls without running back to my computer and if my PDA crashes I usually beam things I Must Not Forget to my phone.

When my TX wears out, I may take another look at smart phones. But I stopped by Palm's site in the off chance that they might actually drop news along the lines of a new phone free pda. I would like some thing along the lines of an updated TX. But failing that, I'll probably wind up with a linux based pda. Hey, linux is all I use on my computers so why not.

[Marcus]

When is the release date? I here so many different dates that arent accurate that it angers me. I just want to know when I should be expecting it to come in!

[Jon Zilber]

Marcus -- we can't stop the rumors from floating, but if you stick with what you find here (and from palm_inc on Twitter or postings from Palm on www.facebook.com/palm, you'll have the most reliable info. Or sign up to get a notification e-mail at http://www.palm.com/us/products/phones/pre/notify.html.

[Alex H. at Edelman for Palm]

Miroslav -- Yes, webOS provides EAS support. Users can get up-to-date email, contacts, calendars and tasks via Microsoft Direct Push Technology

[Alex H. at Edelman for Palm]

Katherine -- the ease of development of webOS means a number of developers will be working on a number of apps for the Pre. For answers to the rest of your questions, please stay tuned.

[TEEJ]

Looking forward to the release. I've been a loyal Palm user since the M100. Now how Treo 755. I have a girly question. As I am a woman, I have beautiful nails that work perfectly as a stylus...not Iphone friendly. Will the new Pre require fingertip touch or will my nails suffice. I know that it seems minute but it is important to me.

[Jon Zilber]

TEEJ -- not a small question at all! Palm's design philosophy is to focus on fingers, not buttons or touchscreens. Check out the videos at http://tinyurl.com/bpwopd and you'll see the Pre being demonstrated by different people with different fingers (and fingernails).