Palm webOS games get Unreal

At the annual Game Developers Conference this week, Palm and Epic Games are demonstrating Unreal Engine 3 on Palm webOS. Unreal Engine 3 powers Epic's popular Unreal Tournament 3 and Gears of War along with many other titles from leading game developers. Licensees of Unreal Engine 3 will soon be able to build games for Palm webOS. 

Earlier this week, Palm announced the public availability of the beta release of the Plug-in Development Kit [PDK] for developers seeking to expand their options for creating apps for Palm webOS phones. Together, the PDK and the Unreal Engine 3 will make it even easier for developers to bring visually rich games to Palm webOS phones. 

Developers can download Unreal Engine 3 for free here. More information about Palm's PDK can be found here.

Jon Zilber

Comments

[Alijahgreen]

yeah buddy I can't wait

[Dell Epps]

Palm has a shot to steal the iPad's thunder by creating a webOS-powered tablet/slate. The iPhone OS is NOT what Apple should have gone with in the iPad. I laughed at people posting saying they were giving up a MACBOOK for one of these - #FAIL.

Anyway, webOS is a very, very good mobile OS platform. With the help of the new PDK, Flash, and a working camera app, Palm should make a nice sized tablet, 9-11" screen maybe with front and back cams. The frontal cam would be for video chats. With the hug popularity of Skype and oovoo and 4G on Sprint (unlimited, faster 4G data w/o a fine-printed limit!), video chatting on the go with these devices, in combination with the other great features of the OS, would be the PERFECT pitch to customers. Should also include 720p/1080p video playback and output,

Also, the larger screen and tools like Flash and the new PDK will allow for some grrrreat apps to be created for the device. I'm not too excited about all these e-readers either, so i'm not all for the inclusion of a bookstore or anything. If that is a need, then Amazon or Barnes & Noble should reach out further and create some robust apps for all the popular platforms, in addition to their own devices.

Palm is sinking once again, and they have yet another shot at rising from the dead. With the gov't considering offering free nationwide WiFi, and Verizon already giving free WiFi at hotspots to some FiOS customers, mobile computing, browsing and connectivity is upon us // Wave of the future in personal computing. Tie that with the faster 4G speeds on Sprint (3G-integrated devices should released to all carriers around the same time, thats a MUST // Sprint first, a month later everyone else). Hardware should also be made by HTC, because they undoubtedly build some Beauties of devices.

What else:
- Wireless-N
- Bluetooth 3.0 (plz fix file transfer)
- AMOLED screen
- USB 3.0
- Tegra 2 powered
- a large, custom battery the size of the device, in the back; removable
- should be a hybrid device like Lenovo U1 hybrid, or offered in the two versions [hybrid & a slate only // for hybrid, webOS/webOS, or webOS/Windows 7 options]

You can win some people with other devices over to the webOS platform with such a device. In turn, that could persuade them to purchase a webOS powered device whenever they want to get a new one. The platform is GREAT, and others just need to experience its power and grace.

[Al]

Is their a video up so that we can see it?

[Leo Bastos]

Dell Epps, I could not agree with you more (well, not too sure on an AMOLED screen, since outdoor performance is quite poor), as well as USB 3/BT 3/ 4G -let's keep it realistic and, therefore, with a release date that's within this decade. :p

Otherwise, Palm's webOS is very well positioned for a table product.

Not only do I hope someone at Palm is listening (it's too late now), they'd better be working on something real good now™.

[Sorli]

Oh...I'm excited...

[John Retzer]

I came to this site with the idea of a Palm WebOS tablet to take out Apple and save one of my favorite companies (Palm) and found someone had already suggested it. So I second the motion. As a longtime Palm user, I would buy a WEBOS tablet immediately, esp. if it runs -- even if in a small window -- some of my old Palm Apps.

The Palm Tablet. Now.

[Francisco De Jesús]

Epic Games and Unreal Engine 3 trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_y_xDFgo9c

[Peebo]

I just picked up a Palm Pre after searching for an iPod alternative and I am pleased with it because it has open-sauce. So far it does what I want out of a smartphone to do and then some. The only downside is the battery life but from what I heard from friends who have it the more it's charged the more conditioned the battery becomes. Yeah its battery life is getting better. Now I'm a fan of unreal and that sounds exciting.

[seastar886]

Wake up Palm!!! Think different!!! Release a kindle version of Palm pre. Add all the features that iPad/iphone does not have. Help Amazon to sell ebook, audio, video, or whatever can be sold over the air. There is room for Palm to grow.

[Vaisork]

sorry palm i test with five diferent phones an all of them crack, so after all i decide to stop using it and i change to a N97 it is a shame cause your calling number its a mess no budy can give you answers and there where to many diferent problems, if you whant a resume of all the problems i can give it them to you!!! sorry its a great OS but you really need to improve the isues, and give more atention to consumers like me in mexico!!!

[promotional key ring]

Palm webOS is the go-to platform for great games on two of the three leading carrier networks," said Katie Mitic.

[jajQo]

this game are awesome! can't wait

[Wayne]

On top of the pre-announced 4G HTC phones, Google's Nexus One is pre-announcing they are coming to Sprint.
http://digitaldaily.allthingsd.com/20100317/googles-nexus-one-headed-to-sprint/?mod=ATD_rss

It would be nice to hear some pre-announcement rumors from Palm about any new devices.....

IEEE spectrum had a good article on Jon Rubinstein from Sept 2008

http://spectrum.ieee.org/consumer-electronics/portable-devices/from-podfather-to-palms-pilot/0

It's an overall great article you should highlight.

[Chris Ayers]

I absolutely love my Pre. Love it! Love WebOS. Love the form factor but:

1) People, unlike me, want an Iphone size screen. The form factor has to be larger.
2) Palm must provide not better hardware but the best hardware
3) There must be removable storage.
4) Fastest processor available with Rambus fast memory
5) music player has to be improved
6) Better advertising

AD: Is your phone a wimp? Can your phone multitask?

Come on Jon, you are so close. Don't give up and don't mess it up. This has the potential to be the best smartphone but time is running. There is no room for any mistakes.

[Rich]

I've been a Treo user since the old 300. Two weeks ago I moved from the Treo 755p to the Palm Pre Plus. It's a great phone.

[Mandar]

The only reason I own a Palm is because of the size factor. The Pixi is the smallest lightest touch screen phone out there that runs on a decent carrier.

By all means add features, but don't change the size and the weight...in fact make it even smaller and realize that you have customers for the small form factor as well. Portability and reliability trumps other features in my book.

My dream - credit card sized phone.

[Andy]

I really hope Palm can recover as I loved my Treo but send my Pre back. It hasn't sold well at all here in the UK according to various sites and everyone seems to be getting the HTC Desire or iPhone.