What’s new in webOS 1.2?

We’re glad you asked, because we’ve got lots of new features and enhancements to tell you about in this new webOS update. (And we’re also glad you gave us lots of feedback, which helped to prioritize some of the features in this update.) 

For starters, we’ve beefed up Palm Synergy to include LinkedIn contact syncing. Info from LinkedIn profiles (like job titles) will now appear in your Palm Pre contacts. The new update also facilitates links across more different flavors of IM contacts. Business-oriented webOS 1.2 customers will also appreciate support for heterogeneous EAS policies (for workplaces with a mix of end-users in which some accounts support EAS policies and others don’t). 

And we heard your feedback on a number of topics loud and clear: 

• We know you love email -- and you’ll really love the ability to filter the emails in the current folder just by typing a search term. 
• You asked for the ability to download files in the browser -- and now you’ve got it. 
• Music fans will be glad to hear that the Amazon MP3 Store can now download songs from either WiFi or WAN. 
• You can now tap a phone number in a calendar note to dial it (so you can get to the joy of music-on-hold for your conference calls even faster!). 
• Pause a podcast and, by default, you’ll pick up where you left off when you unpause. 
• Web pages and emails are now cut-and-paste-able. 

You can expect an automatic over-the-air update to webOS 1.2 over the next few days, and you can find more info on the update in the release notes on the Palm website. Oh -- and if you’d like to leave us feedback or feature requests for our next update, we’re all ears: Post your comments at www.palm.com/feedback. 

Jon Zilber

Comments

[Ralph]

We said it before and I'll say it again...status messages. Anybody that uses gmail, gchat and AIM especially since my college days will tell you half the fun is not just being able to send messages but seeing the quirky status and away messages that people put up....except on my Pre I have no idea what people have up because I only get the first ten words. I think this should be tremendously easy to implement so LETS DO IT. I can tell you I once bought a Blackberry just for the Google Talk application so it is a big deal because both their AIM and Google Talk applications are way ahead of the Palm. It was the number 3 thing I was dissatisfied with the phone (behind battery life and lack of video compatibilities) with the Pre.

[Garin]

I agree with Dee, a comcorder would be great. Also being able to zoom in/out with the camera would be nice.

[chasberry@msn.com]

When is the app store going to be out of the beta mode? So we can what type of apps are being developed.

[Valentina]

Is there anyway to do a two-way sync with the Palm Pre? I just left the Palm 800w and I was able to actively sync my contacts and calendar back-and-forth....now I can only do a one time transfer? The Missing Sync is horrible and why did I pay $40 for something that did still didn't fix the problem? I've always had Palm phones and the PRE is making me regret any future phones. I even waited a month, hoping the kinks would be fixed since it was a new phone, but it's having way more problems than I expected.

[Bob Weiss]

My email disappears from my InBox! Please fix this bug soon. (It is reported in other forums also.) I have the 1.2 update and use POP mail through Gmail. When my emails arrive, some disappear before I can read them. The ones I read, disappear soon after I close them. I have the preferences set to keep them for a month.

[Steve]

How much of this is relevant to the Pre only? I have a Centro and want to know if it is obsolete. I'd love for the Centro to improve as a result of the development spurred by the Pre.

[Robin]

I really thought this update would provide video and give you the ability to change your alert tones. When is this going to happen??????

[1000aire]

Please move the email function buttons. I continually send unfinished emails and erase emails by accidentally hitting the button on the bottom right corner of the screen.

I suggest moving all those buttons to the top of the email screen or giving users the choice to move them.

It is unprofessional and annoying to send half written emails.

Please fix this.

[MsOla]

I know this might be minor but I would like it if birthdays (from contacts) shows up on my calendar. I loved that feature from the centro. Please add this feature back.

[daniel]

when can you guyz put on AIM into the applications ... and since when you put APPS that cost money.... the phone is 650 i think we deserve good things for free for awhile than charge... I dont see a big difference between this update and the last one we had
other than that the pre is a great phone...

[Bill]

How about SpellCheck...not a very SmartPhone!!!

[Kaity]

TEXT MESSAGE FORWARDING!!! PLEASE!!

[Don Arrendale]

I hope Palm is taking careful consideration into what will be integrated into their WebOS 1.3 update. I speak for the majority when I say we are in desperate need for the BIG enhancements that are offered by just about EVERY device manufacturer out there. Some of these extremely important enhancements include the addition of other IM networks (Yahoo, ICQ, MSN, etc.), bluetooth file/picture/contact transfer capabilities, customizable notification settings, video control AS WELL AS zoom control for the camera, and the ability to organize photo names, albums, and details right from the phone - instead of relying on a computer to be connected. Why these capabilities were never integrated prior to the release of the 1st generation Pre, we will never know. Even if we don't compare it to the iphone, ALL "lower-end" mobile devices support EVERYTHING that I just mentioned. PLEASE PALM!!! Get working on these enhancements for your loyal customers!!

On the flip-side, the operating system that Palm has used is legendary. Never before have we experienced such a smooth, crash-proof OS on a mobile device. The graphics, multiple card browsing, response, and touchscreen is amazing! If Palm can integrate what I have mentioned above, they will undoubtedly take the market on mobile PDA's, for there will be no other comparison out there.

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=26500195]

I would love text forwarding, and I'm not sure if this is possible, but I haven't figured it out yet... Sending a text to multiple recipients.

Changing text alert is a must! My boyfriend and I each have a Pre, and neither of us know which person is getting a text just based on alert sound. Besides, one of the major selling points of any good phone is the ability to customize.

I'd love a shortcut to access messaging from the main page of the phone, rather than having to open the launcher or phonebook in order to begin texting. That was my most prized feature on my Samsung Sync.

For the most part, though, I adore my new Pre. I look forward to see what the future updates bring! :-)

[Bob]

I hope Palm plans to fix the bug in Pre email where anyone using Google Apps for email (my university does this) finds their email disappearing from the Pre Inbox. Please help.

[Glennisbest]

I would like to see facebook, MSN Messenger, Yahoo, and Skype Messaging support in messaging.

Ok maybe that's asking a bit much, but at the very least, facebook chat should be added, and would make my wife very happy.

Also what gives on the Amazon MP3 situation in the UK? We can't access it from the phone. No facebook app, no music store?

[Paul]

How about dealing with the REAL problems, like phone reception! I can't even get through a day with my phone sitting idle on my desk without having it charging (due to poor reception). Other sprint phones get great reception, so it's not Sprint, it's the Pre.

I had such high hopes for Palm, as I loved the Treo line, but if I can't use my phone as a phone, I might as well get a cheap cell phone and buy an ipod.

YoPauly.com

[Sam from freeware blackberry]

Yeah I agree mostly on the above comments. I just love my Palm Pre for business purpose, though I kind of pissed off with its battery life and if for personal use I prefer my Blackberry phone. I am not that comfortable with this new one. Thanks anyway for the info.

[Ian Lancaster]

Here's a wish list of improvements I would like to see

1. Much improved battery life
2. Video
3. More and better Apps, and a greater capacity to store them.
4. Not so closely tied to Google, as in the calendar.

Ian

[william]

I am keen on the improvements.But i was looking to see more. Like a facebook app with full discuss features, yahoo messenger, video recording.