Palm gets real on the Zeppelin, adds mystery device named Skywriter

The hot word on the street is that Palm has all but confirmed the existence of two new phone models by ramping up a "launch developer" program for new applications. The devices, dubbed Zeppelin (a name we've heard quite a bit of) and Skywriter (which is new to us) could be slated for a Q3 release, as Palm is asking devs to turn in their applications by May 30th. Rumor has it that at least one of the units is a "Centro-like" Windows Mobile phone -- if that date is close to correct, it could very well be the "Wanda" that we saw back in January. The Zeppelin, on the other hand, is likely the WiFi equipped Treo 800w we've been hearing about for what seems like a million years. A mockup of a device (above) was included in the email, though we're pretty sure not even Palm could create a phone that ugly.

[pirco @ May 7th 2008 11:14AM]

same old crap, new package

[Vic20 @ May 7th 2008 12:04PM]

Hopefully the Zeppelin's not made in China -- if it is we'll have to get the Led out.

[Thi mam(kris120890) @ May 7th 2008 11:15AM]

that thing is ugly

[Dan Z @ May 7th 2008 11:18AM]

Yeah....it looks like this Zeppelin is going to crash and burn

See what I did there?

[Ryan Trevisol @ May 7th 2008 11:20AM]

Much like your attempt at humor.

[riggs @ May 7th 2008 11:39AM]

YOU GOT TREVISOL'D

[Ric Kaysen @ May 7th 2008 11:23AM]

I'm thinking that's not the finalized look of the phone, just a simplified graphic to frame the keypad layout. I mean, it's just a flat, gray border without any dimensional depth at all.

[Rowdehaj @ May 7th 2008 11:37AM]

Well it would be novel to have a phone thin enough so as to be two-dimensional ... but I think you'd have some serious cutting issues to deal with.

Though it could be useful to be able to decapitate someone with my mobile... :D

[Rob @ May 7th 2008 11:37AM]

"Welcome to the past."
Wow, this is as retro as it gets.

[Richard Lai @ May 7th 2008 1:00PM]

If you had visited the link, you would have seen that it says "a mock-up of the devices has been included".

[Gene @ May 7th 2008 11:38AM]

Honestly, what the fuck is that thing? Where does Palm keep getting money to stay in business? Surely there's no one out there who would be stupid enough to lend them money.

[trumpton @ May 7th 2008 11:39AM]

Gotta love people judging the phone on the roughest of prototypes, even when it's blindingly obvious that the finished product is going to look nothing like the thing Engadget's just posted up.

Way to go h8rs!

[Gene @ May 7th 2008 11:44AM]

Just out of curiosity, which Palm are you using?

[jay @ May 7th 2008 1:41PM]

after how the centros look, I am not sure

[trumpton @ May 7th 2008 3:27PM]

To gene: I'm using a Centro seeing as you asked, and it's a great phone, thanks.

[omoks @ May 7th 2008 11:49AM]

Ughh...my eyes. The ugliness....stopppp!!!!

[Brian @ May 7th 2008 11:54AM]

"...though we're pretty sure not even Palm could create a phone that ugly"

LOL.

This is a mockup... so this is supposed to give us an idea of the size of the unit, not the appearance, correct?

Perhaps they should give us an idea of the DEPTH of the unit... which is the only feature Palm should invest engineering in, until it's thinner than a double whopper.

[Marketing Ploy @ May 7th 2008 7:06PM]

Why do launch developers need to see a poor mockup?

[John @ May 7th 2008 12:05PM]

Gee Palm,
another square screened thumbboarded phone! What will you think of next?

you guys suck.

[Khaytsus @ May 7th 2008 12:34PM]

Personally, I am seriously missing my thumboard from my Treo 680, I can't type anywhere as accurately or fast on my new AT&T Tilt. Plus I loathe sliding the keyboard out, waiting for the screen to rotate, tapping the stupid screen to get back to the input box I was about to type into... Oh well.

[Greg @ May 7th 2008 12:09PM]

i dont care if palm put the phone in my hands for free, and paid for my cell service for a year, as soon as the Android Platform is out for Sprint i'm switching. Palm hasn't innovated anything in decades besides putting a little color on top of outdated OS.

[Kurian @ May 7th 2008 12:14PM]

Aaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrgghhhhhhhhh..ak...akkk..kakk.. My eyes.

[EMaster @ May 7th 2008 12:54PM]

That thing looks like an engineer at Lego Designed it. Yeeeeech. For god`s sake just let palm die! I can`t watch this anymore. Someone needs to take old yeller for a walk behind the barn.

[phanbouy @ May 7th 2008 12:57PM]

Wanna whole lotta love?

[john @ May 7th 2008 1:40PM]

If it's still running the old OS, and not the linux based one, I predict that this (wait for it):

will go over like a Lead Zepplin.

(yes, yes, I know, I'm not hte first to make a Lead or Zepplin joke, but I at least made the _actual_ original reference that gave the band its name)

[KESHA @ May 7th 2008 1:43PM]

WHAT R THEY GOIN 2 THINK OF NEXT?!!!

[Jamie @ May 7th 2008 3:56PM]

To Palm:

You need coolin'. Baby, I'm not foolin'.
I'm gonna send ya back to schoolin'.
Way down inside, honey you need...

To sell off your IP and get out of the game. Just stop it. You're not fooling anyone anymore. Every time I see another article about how you continue to put your 10-year-old OS in another unimaginative box, I remember how much I hate my Treo 700p and how excited I am for my contract to expire so I can get ANYTHING ELSE.

[Matt @ May 7th 2008 4:02PM]

I thought this was going to suck like everyone else, but a certain mobile-centric website posted a decent review:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBGIQ7ZuuiU

Disclaimer: This is a pre-release version!

[Richard Cartwright @ May 7th 2008 5:46PM]

Youtube is in the review biz now....Ric?

[AlphaTeam @ May 7th 2008 4:17PM]

Looks nice. Too bad it's running WM.

[Richard Cartwright @ May 7th 2008 5:51PM]

Shoutout to you and Ric who apparently can read the entire article and catch the mock up part of the story. Just goes to show how geek does NOT always equal smart (or at least observant)

[Andrew @ May 7th 2008 9:30PM]

Wow it's a real Mensa convention up in here. Yeah that's totally a photograph of the actual device.

[webon @ May 8th 2008 2:51AM]

the final product cant be that far off from this muck up, but this muck up is far far off from being good, it in fact is shit

[Adam Zey @ May 8th 2008 5:39AM]

Maybe I've been out of touch with the PDA market, but... Palm producing a Windows PDA? I mean, I know they spun off their OS division, but producing a Windows PDA? What's up with that...

[Khaytsus @ May 8th 2008 9:47AM]

It's not a PDA, it's a Treo/Centro/Whatever.

[Mobile Phone Diva @ May 8th 2008 11:25AM]

You missed the Treo 700 and 750? They've done this before. It how they stayed in business apparently. :(

[Pedro Garcia @ May 9th 2008 1:11PM]

Alright this does not begin to show what the device really looks like, it is simply a kind of front view so you can se an estimated size, they have simply blocked most of the device except for the screen and the buttons with a flat image. If you want to have fun you could photoshop your own picture onto it, and make your own handset in a sense. They have simply blocked the "look" of the phone. But I do agree with everyone here 10 year old OS and uninspiring Handset design Palm has just become that other generic smartphone that everyone looks at as a last resort, doesn't really build excitement anymore. Although you'll have to hand it to them, they've lasted this long with basically the same handset. It's similar to selling a base car in monochrome and then the next year adding power windows and the next adding a colors etc. it'll only last so long no matter how good the car is. Good Luck Palm you'll need it once Android gets released in a consumer ready product.