Apple's
doing it. RIM's
doing it. Google's
doing it. Heck, even Microsoft
might be doing it. As the peer pressure mounts, Palm has finally decided to cave and introduce its very own applications market place, which is simply being christened Software Store. Oddly, it looks as if Palm farmed out the production of said store to one PocketGear, but we're assured that the app will hum along just fine on over 25 Windows Mobile / Palm OS-based Palm devices. Available for download as we speak, it offers up over 5,000 apps and games, 1,000 of which are completely free. Hmm, we wonder if Palm's keeping a
Nova-compatible version in its back pocket?
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Update: Palm pinged us to say that this is actually the very same software store that has been around, it's just a sweet looking veneer to make accessing it easier.
posted Dec 16th 2008 9:01AM
I don't get it. I have been able to download software OTA using "MyPalm Software" and Handango Mobile for years now. How is this app store any better or different than what was previously available?
I agree. This is nothing new. Just an "app" that links you to the old Palm software store website.
More centralized for better compatibility and usability across multiple system types?
They haven't really done anything special here, just licensed and rebranded an already existing source.
http://discussion.treocentral.com/showthread.php?t=174777
Palm, WinMo, and Blackberry software has been available from many sources all over the place. I'm guessing these companies want to cut in on the profit.
Very, very, very old news.
But anything to make it look like everyone's copying Apple, eh Engadget?
No KIFF, this is new news, I just got the announcement from PocketGear this morning.
And to anybody that says the idea of an app store is a bad thing, it's not. Palm needed a centralized place to keep its applications. I never knew about this website till this morning and I'm on my third Palm, a Treo 800. I find myself using my iPod for everything other than my phone, simply because of all the great apps.
That being said, this "App store" is MISERABLE. As somebody said above, all it does is take you to a website. It's not even a standalone app, it sits inside a web browser. When I got the screenshot of the store in my email (similar to the image above) I was a little excited because it looked like the perfect layout, but when I installed it and all it did was bring me to a webpage, I was seriously disappointed. The webpage even looks terrible on my phone; the icons and nav images at the top are all pixelated.
The funny part is, the free section has exactly three items in it and one of the items is the app store itself. Nicely done. I think I'll go back to my iPod Touch for everything that doesn't involve a phone.
I am still waiting for you revolutionary device, Palm.
And waiting, and waiting,..
At least we "know" it ain't this!
http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/16/mystery-t-swivel-handset-identified-as-compal-tabasco/
the layout is much nicer looking if you are using opera mini and are using opera front end to make opera the default program to open a web page
oh yeah and there are over 750 free things on there; not 3
The only thing Apple discovered is if you OWN the app store as well as making your own device you can keep every bit of cash for yourself.
Most Apple fans would think that is an example of how great Apple is, but then the weak minded always like throwing cash at their master.
If it makes you feel any better, the App Store is a format based on centralized repository concept utilitzed by most popular Linux distributions.
Anyone keeping count? I think Palm OS has by far the most amount of third-party programs (free and otherwise) from amongst all the mobile operating systems. Got a ton of great programs for my centro, a lot of them for free.
64% of those are tip calculators.
I have well over 100 programs on my 755p, and NONE of them are tip calculators. In fact, when sitting in a group of friends with iPhones, I'm typically the one they go to when they want some random answer or information the quickest. The Palm market has definitely gotten slower in recent years, and the software/hardware development has been almost non-existent, but my outdated 755p STILL does things that none of the current, more modern competition can do (I know that goes the other way, in some cases). Considering how there's been basically zero development of the platform for many years now, that's saying something. I honestly hope they step up their game with this pending announcement, but I wouldn't bet the farm on it. In fact, I've considered moving to a Nokia internet tablet. Not only for the impressive hardware, but because there's a Palm emulator available for them and I would get to keep a lot of the programs that I love.
@ strider_mt2k
Dude, have you been to the Apple App Store? Endless tip calculators, shopping list, 'flashlights', and slews of other useless one trick ponies that clutter the site.
@ JT.
I have to completely agree with you. I am one of the few probably who paid the ETF to break my iPhone contract and go back to a Palm Centro on Verizon.
Having owned or currently own, Blackberry, iPhone and Palm there is nothing easier to use and faster than Palm. It may not be as pretty as the other phones (Although, I find my Centro to be a rather good looking device!). In fact, I find the thinner and wider the phones the more uncomfortable they are to hold to your ear for long periods. I know that's what BT is for, but I'd rather not walk around town looking like a cyborg. Palm's call quality is above all of the others hands down. I don't know if I've ever had a dropped call. Unlike the iPhone which dropped calls like it was still the early 90's. The web experience isn't pretty either, but it gets the info you want 2-3 times faster than what the iPhone can render. I think it is stupid that the iPhone refreshes the page everytime you use the "Back" button. Or the fact that you have to wait for the entire page to load before you can navigate away.
I'm hoping Palm hits a home run with their next gen device. Personally, I'd buy an updated Centro running Garnet OS.
I totally agree. I initially bought the Centro because I can't own an iPhone (Verizon). The more I use it, however, the more I'm totally in love with it. I sure hope they come out with an 800p or maybe a new OS.
If this is a Windows Mobile app, then I made a Facebook app and a Google Reader app too:
http://www.supware.net/Shortcuts/
Charging 50% is completely ridiculous. I would never sell my software on a store that took 50% of my profit.
Seems like everyone but me is doing it.
Danger did app distribution for the Sidekick in the exact same way Apple is doing it, and they did it many years prior to the iPhone's launch.
This "app store" announcement is an unneeded mis-step by Palm in this period of fragile optimism.
The email announcement clearly says that the "Software Store has GONE mobile" [emphasis mine], indicating that it previously was not mobile, but the Update says this is the "very same software store that has been around."
Further, while their butts are technically covered because the included instructions to "install the free mobile software store" doesn't say that it isn't just an internet shortcut, the intentional implication was that it was it's own application.
Lastly, what a horrible web store it is! Five apps per page means it will take 1,000 clicks + download time just to navigate the 5,000 advertised titles. Good thing the total viewable from my Sprint Centro numbers less than 500.
Creating postive spin on this announcement is embarrasing. The best that could be said is that it shows that the idea is at least on their minds and that they were still working on Nova and their new devices instead of expending effort on this.