The Official Palm Blog

Palm Pre: Coming to a living room near you

 

You might have caught the premiere of a new Palm Pre ad on Facebook earlier this month. This week, the new Palm Pre campaign hits the airwaves. The ad -- created by the Modernista! agency -- will air nationally over the next several weeks on everything from the Today show to "The Daily Show" to the Wimbledon finals. (You might also see online elements of the campaign on sites like Hulu, DailyCandy and YouTube.)

Jon Zilber

How can we help you?

Looking for information about the Pre? Here are some suggestions to help you get the best and speediest responses.

• Have a question about -- or a problem with -- your Pre? The answer may already be on our support forums. If it isn’t, our moderators can often help you find a resolution. (There are specific forums for hardware, software, and webOS, as well as specific topics like Palm Synergy.)
   
• Got an idea for a feature you’d like to see? We’re all ears -- drop us a note in our virtual suggestion box.
   
• Looking to develop applications for the Pre? The Palm Developer Network is the place to go with questions about the Mojo SDK or other under-the-webOS-hood topics.
   
• Curious about Pre? Catch a guided tour and get even more details here.
   
• Wondering what other people are thinking about? Start a discussion board on Palm’s Facebook page. (You’ll also find links to many independent Palm community sites on the blog roll on your right.)
   
• Here are some suggestions from Sprint: Need help with questions about your device or rate plan? Visit www.sprint.com/support for support with questions about your account, technical questions or information about Sprint's rate plans and services. You can also find tutorials, user guides and videos specific to the Pre at www.sprint.com/learn. Sprint also offers an online community of wireless users at www.buzzaboutwireless.com who can provide support for questions about Palm Pre.
   
• Just want to tell us how much you love us? Awwww ….

(And of course, if you’re already a Pre owner, the Help app is as close as your Launcher.)

Jon Zilber

New apps for new Palm Pre

Today, several webOS developers are formally unveiling new apps and functionality for Palm Pre¹. If you’re one of the first customers for Palm Pre, you’ve probably already discovered some of these in the beta version of the App Catalog -- over 150,000 apps were downloaded on the first day that Pre was available.

The webOS developers announcing apps and developer services today include:

• uLocate: the WHERE application for Pre provides local content based on your current location, including weather, news, restaurant reviews, gas stations, movie show times, and the ability to connect with other users.
   
• Zumobi: the company’s Today Show and Sporting News Baseball apps for Pre offer on-the-go news and sports updates.
   
• LikeMe: This application combines your location with your LikeMe profile to offer personalized recommendations on nearby places.
   
• FlightView: The FlightView app provides users up-to-the-minute flight information.
   
• Mark/Space: The Mac version of "The Missing Sync for Palm Pre” Beta 1 synchronizes contacts, calendars, music, ringtones, photos and more between a Mac and Pre.
   
• Chapura: PocketMirror Standard lets Pre users synchronize data with non-EAS desktop versions of Microsoft Outlook.
   
• Citysearch: With Mobile by Citysearch, Pre users can browse, search and share local business information and post real-time reviews.
   
• Handmark: Express Stocks helps Palm Pre customers keep up with their stock portfolio and market news.
   
• Pandora: The popular internet radio application provides a personalized free mobile music channel to Pre customers.
   
• Fandango: Not only can Pre users view movie trailers and order tickets using this app, but Fandango will automatically schedule your upcoming movies on your calendar thanks to Palm Synergy.
   
• Beeweeb: beeweeb is offering development services for the Palm webOS platform and the new Palm Pre phone.
   
• Agile Commerce: Agile Commerce is working with developers to create applications for the Palm webOS platform and the Palm Pre phone.

Hundreds of independent developers are participating in Palm’s early access program for the Mojo SDK (the software development kit for creating webOS apps), with thousands more developers ready to dive in as we ramp up. And with MotionApps’s emulator called “Classic,” Pre already runs programs from the vast library of apps already developed for Palm OS.

Jon Zilber

 

(1) Use of this device requires providing a valid e-mail address, mobile phone number, and related information for account setup and activation. Unlimited usage data plan strongly recommended; additional data charges may apply. Within wireless coverage area only. Number of applications and actual performance will vary depending on applications used and actions performed.

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:

• turn Pre from concept to reality
• complement Pre with breakthrough accessories like the Touchstone inductive charger
• develop the webOS that powers Pre
• ensure that the Pre user interface was intuitive and engaging
• effectively convey the Pre story on palm.com
• convey the Pre message to everyone through break-the-mold advertising
• 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!

-- The Palm team

Matías Duarte: That Design Hippie

Me, You and Palm: Profiles of Palm People
	Role: I've been called the "Guru of New-ness," or "That Design Hippie," when my friends want to give me grief about my aesthetic sensibilities. My actual title is Vice President of Human Interface and User Experience. Less exciting, but technically more accurate.   At Palm since: I wish I'd been around when Palm first brought the world the PDA and the smartphone, but I'm happy to have bragging rights for being here at the start of the third Palm Revolution: webOS.
I read a lot of science fiction growing up, and I was excited by the optimistic vision of the future and the advances that came with it. I think human interface design is the best way I can help make that vision a reality. I'm still bummed about the lack of flying cars though.   You might not suspect it, but your phone has the potential to be the most powerful tool you’ll ever know. It should always be there to help you, not make more work for you.   Palm has always been at the forefront of mobile computing, making the digital world integral throughout all aspects of your life. I'm thrilled to be a part of making history and crafting the future.

  

If you watched the video of the Palm Pre press conference at CES, you might recognize me. Getting to introduce the design of webOS to the world was quite a thrill for me, and was very satisfying after so much hard work. I will say, however, that I never expected that my name would be forever associated with the mating habits of voles.

When I started in this field, the Palm V was the unquestioned leader in mobile devices. To this day I believe it represents one of the best consumer electronic products ever created. I always aspired to match Palm in simplicity, usability and design -- so now that I’m here, I feel like a kid who's just been handed the keys to Daddy's convertible.

Join Matias on a Facebook discussion board all this week and ask him if he had any knowledge of the mating habits of voles prior to CES. (And just what IS a vole, anyway?). You can also read about him in a recent article in Forbes.

New Palm Pre ad to be showcased at IAVA benefit

In addition to its upcoming online premiere on Facebook, a new TV commercial for Palm Pre will also be showcased at a special Pre launch event in Hollywood on June 3. The VIP event, emceed by Jason Alexander and featuring a special performance by one of the world’s best-known comedians, benefits the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America).

The ad features an imaginative interpretation of several unique Pre features, such as Synergy and multitasking. Directed by acclaimed commercial and feature film director Tarsem, the cast includes over 1,000 martial arts performers orchestrated by Sun Yupeng, who previously choreographed the opening ceremonies for the Beijing Olympics.

Behind-the-scenes footage from the production of the ad can be seen on Palm’s Facebook page. An online screening of the full ad (along with a short behind-the-scenes documentary) is slated to coincide with the Hollywood screening Wednesday evening.

Jon Zilber