Now updated: Palm webOS, Featured Apps, and Hot Apps contest

The latest Palm webOS update (Version 1.4.5) is available for Sprint customers in the US, and is also available to webOS customers in Europe and Canada. Version 1.4.5 includes enhancements to support the public release of the webOS Plug-in Development Kit (PDK), and brings PDK gaming support for Palm Pixi. Pixi and Pixi Plus owners can now enjoy games built with the webOS PDK, including “Need for Speed Undercover” and “Assassin's Creed - Altaïr's Chronicles." See the detailed Sprint release notes here (and find those games in the App Catalog). 

We've also kicked off another Hot Apps promotion to give app developers a little extra incentive to bring their apps to the Palm webOS platform using the Palm webOS PDK. This time around, developers are vying for a share of $1 million in cash and HP products. The competition runs through September 30, 2010 (details here). 

And if you'd just like a few suggestions for some cool new apps you can download right now, update (or download) the free Featured Apps app, which has fresh recommendations for you (including new picks for Home Owners, Educational, Fitness, Shopping, and Commuter apps). 

Paul A., Palm PR

Comments

[gmfer]

Good news for Sprint users... I hope to have the update any tinme soon for Telcel in MX (want to by apps

[Melissa]

I have a suggestion. Get Verizon to push the update through so we can enjoy the games as well and help the app developers!

[Mpfef]

Any idea when AT&T and Verizon customers will get to enjoy the 1.4.5 update?

[Dani B.]

What about those of us on Verizon and AT&T? When will we see 1.4.5?

[NIcole]

Skype and Shazam, please!!

[Jim Latimer]

I second Dani's comment...Verizon????

[Valentin]

Am I right that Games like NFS are not available in the App Catalog in Germany? Featured Apps app misses as well.

[Jay]

An updated on Verizon availability would be great.

[John Dressel]

My question is; why would Palm choose to issue 1.4.5 instead of 1.4.5.1. to a U.S. market with the PDK Save bug still intact a month after it was discovered and fixed I am with Verizon and use to waiting for the latest update to WebOS coming long after every other carrier gets it, but I have a problem with a company that knows about a problem and continues to send out crap to it’s users after the problem has been identified and a fix found. I am not a gamer and this issue will probably not affect me but this does move my trust factor down a notch for the company that developed the most intuitive and progressive mobile operating system on the market.

[James]

Any idea when we can enjoy these new updates and features on a new phone!!!??? Everyone I know is used to a new phone every year to year and a half! Some of us have Pre's and love the software, but we are itching for a new phone. Come one, you guys at Palm, HP, whatever, need to give us something!!! A light a the end of the tunnel would suffice!!

[J.R. Raith]

But what about us poor Verizon folk? :(

[Clarence]

Question:Why won't Palm modify it's OS, so it's universal for other phones and devices? I have Tungsten T5, for seven year now. I need a multi-purpose phone. But, I want a Palm featured phone with the Droid physical size. How many people are asking for the smae thing? why doesn't Palm modify the Tungsten T5 to phone function? Talk about market share!

[shannart]

I have written an article about some of the top palm apps (in my opinion) Please take a look at it here:
http://www.brighthub.com/mobile/manufacturers/articles/82616.aspx

Any comments and suggestions would be helpful. Also, if anyone from Palm would like to link to it. That would be great. Thanks
Regards

[Alex]

I'd like the update for Verizon, Palm. I bought the phone thinking you guys would be more responsive than Apple at updates and necessitied. Whatever.

[Nate]

I chatted with a Palm Rep the other day. It doesn't sound like they've even started on Verizon version of this software. It could still be months out. Personally, I'm sick of these games. Palm needs to release an update across the board, and not play favorites with carriers.

[Palm, Inc.]

Hi Nate & Alex,

Carriers have different certification processes and schedules; some approve software releases for deployment quicker than others. We'd like to make Palm webOS releases available to all Palm customers as quickly as possible. However, your carrier has final say on if and when any particular update will be available for your phone.

Justin Ried

[Puanani]

When will Palm provide Palm Desktop for the Palm Pre? Many of us older Palm users do not want private data out there in a cloud or on the web somewhere.
Palm Desktop 6.2.2 was the greatest sync program. It sync'd everything, calendar, photos, contacts, tasks, memos, sms, apps, ringtones, etc.
Our Treos are on on it's last leg but will not buy another Palm until the Palm Desktop is included as an option with these new webOS.

[Palm, Inc.]

Hi Puanani,

Palm Desktop is no longer being developed. There are multiple third-party desktop sync solutions available for both Mac and PC users that can be used with current Palm phones, including the Palm Pre and Palm Pixi. You can learn more on palm.com: http://www.palm.com/us/products/software/sync.html

Justin Ried

[Jason Hambrick]

Hi Justin

I just returned from an extensive search about the release date of 'webos 1.4.5' for Verison. It seems that nobody has that particular bit of information. Verison says that when the upgrade is released to them it will be available to their customers. A post on the palm support community from a Palm® techie 'HardBeatZ' says that no release date is known. Another Palm® blog, however, stated that it would be available on Aug, 10th. Would you ,or anyone else, care to stand up and tell us what's really going on here. The upgrade is just sitting there. All we need is acces.
'we live by a schedule, we die by a schedule'

[stu]

-BUSINESS USERS NEED:
1 Word Editing ability
2 Excel Editing ability
3 Documents ti go Updated
4 Flash Player to play videos
5 The Treo650 is altogether better except for getting on the web
6 We are GOING BACKWARDS PEOPLE
7 BATTERY power that last past 11am-Treo let me talk solid allllll day
StuartTLong@gmail.com

[Eduardo Uriarte]

Why does palm has to ask for permission for releasing an update? You do not ask users about the amount we would like to pay for your devices. For many years I've been perspiring loyalty to palm; this webOS is so exciting but only in my mind because 'apps are not available in my region'... And now, is because my region (not my device serial number or model) that I cannot update the OS! Palm used to make it the right way.

[Palm, Inc.]

Hi Jason,

Please see my post above (addressed to Nate & Alex). We're working closely with our carrier partners, but they determine if and when to roll out Palm webOS updates to their customers.

Wish I could say more, but we don't have anything to announce at this moment. Stay tuned.

Justin Ried

[Jeffrey Young]

I have talked to ATT and they blame palm. Its the same with Flash, Palm says its Adobe's fault and Adobe Blames palm, and we are all stuck in the middle without 1.4.5 and without flash. What really sucks is a majority of apps comming out now are for 1.4.5 so if we don't get the update we can't buy newer apps.

[Ken]

I asked Verizon and was told that Palm is holding up the release of update 1.45 not them which is the true answer

[Da_buckster]

I second Jeffrey's post. I called AT&T and they called Palm support with me on the phone. Palm support would not give a date. If it was up to the carrier, why were we calling Palm?