Palm live from D7
1:09PM And that's that! We're out from D7... see you at E3!
1:09PM Roger: This is really exciting, and fun. It's a cool product. If I were RIM or Apple, I wouldn't worry about it. In America you're not going to pay so much of a premium to get a smartphone that you can justify not getting one.
1:07PM Roger: This could be interpreted as really good news.
Walt: You could call Tim Cook and tell him that.
Roger: I don't know him.
Walt: He'd probably take your call.
Roger: You think so?
1:06PM "Are you worried about antitrust lawsuits?"
Jon: We want to make customers happy.
Seriously, we may join Woz in a nap here any second.
1:05PM And it's official. This Palm conversation has lulled Woz to sleep. We kid you not.
1:04PM "Will advance Active Sync features by present in the Pre?"
Jon: We have a variety of those features. We'll have remote wipe, address lookup.
1:03PM Walt: Will Verizon have this?
Jon: We love Sprint, and they're our launch partner. It's flattering that AT&T and Verizon want it. I can't comment on unannounced relationships. But Bell Mobility is getting it in Canada.
1:03PM Walt: And how about Verizon?
Ouch...
1:02PM And now... questions from the audience!
"When do you expect the GSM version?"
Jon: Later this year.
1:02PM Roger: There is a very steep production run.
Walt: And will there be an express line for iPhone customers?
Roger: Yeah, outside the rings of Saturn.
Wow Roger. Well played.
1:01PM Kara: Okay, so one more question. How many of these will be available?
Walt: Dan Hesse is saying there will be shortages. Are people really going to be waiting in line, will there be shortages? By the way, Best Buy will have an instant rebate on this phone, but sources are saying there might not be many... is that true?
Jon: We are in full production. We're shipping lots of devices. I suspect because of the demand that there will be shortages.
1:00PM Roger: We have to take this one step at a time. You have to prioritize. The store and SDK, we have to get these things right. We don't want to push it out so it's close to right.
Walt: So when will the SDK be openly available?
Jon: Over the next few months we'll be releasing the open SDK. Yes it's based on web standards, but the SDK is ours.
12:59PM Jon: We wanted to take baby steps. We gave it to 25 devs. Now it's hundreds. And there are 1000's waiting in the queue.
Walt: But why? If this is so easy to develop for? Why take baby steps?
12:58PM Kara: What about developers? How do you get them to focus away from the iPhone.
Jon: I don't think we need to get them to focus off the iPhone. We created webOS with developers in mind. That's part of our culture. We wanted to make this incredibly easy to develop for. Web standards...
Walt: Two questions. You haven't distributed that to developers yet, and this is days from launch. Why?
12:57PM Kara: What other devices will you create?
Jon: Well we're very focused on smartphones.
Kara: Tablet?
Jon: Our focus right now is smartphones.
12:56PM Walt: Is this device the main focus, or is it the webOS? Will there be other devices?
Jon: Clearly it's the webOS platform. We want this to last us for 10 years. Pre is the first of these devices... we have a roadmap that goes out years. We built OTA updates into webOS, so we can push an update out to devices. We can add something, fix bugs... we don't have to wait for a long period.
12:55PM Roger: I find it shocking that you would take issue with the fact that we're aiming this at women.
Kara: Well the mirror remark...
Roger: Show of hands in here, was anyone offended by me talking about a mirror?
Yow. It's getting wild in here.
12:54PM Roger: That market is underserved. There has only been a single print ad for BlackBerrys aimed at women.
12:53PM Kara: I'm looking forward to the blow-dryer and lipstick function...
She seems a little mad.
Kara: Are you aiming at the ladies?
12:52PM Walt: Is there an app developer that could put a virtual keyboard on this?
Jon: There's nothing stopping that as far as I know.
12:51PM Walt: Does the keyboard give you an advantage:
Jon: I think there's people who want a real keyboard.
The audience clapped at that. Interesting.
12:51PM Roger: Yesterday Nokia told you that they had Flash... they have Flash Lite. People will look at these products and self select.
12:50PM Foot firmly in mouth there. This guy is the Joe Biden of tech. We love it!
12:50PM Oh my god.
Roger: It has a mirror on the back... there's never been a phone like this for women before.
12:49PM Roger: I believe that for Apple, for RIM... the opportunity is to persuade people to move from feature phones. The iPhone is a terrific product. BlackBerrys are terrific.
Kara: So who are your customers?
Roger: People who buy the Pre!
12:48PM Walt: Who are your competitors?
Jon: Well clearly Apple and RIM. You have to build world class hardware, but what's going to separate this is the software.
12:47PM Demo time is over, back for some more conversation. Nothing breathtaking there, but the syncing is great.
12:46PM Roger: The whole thing is a browser.
12:46PM Roger: The idea is, when it doubt, just type.
12:45PM Kara: Apple may get upset about this, but it's damn cool.
12:45PM Twitter search built-in to the phone, just as we'd seen.
12:44PM Paul: If you buy tickets it will add the time to your calendar entry.
And now they're showing off universal search... yes, this seems familiar.
12:43PM Paul: The other item I wanted to show is this plus right here, and if I tap that, it adds the movie time to my calendar.
That's pretty nice!
12:42PM Previewing movies in Fandango. Let's see this integration boys...
12:41PM Now downloading an app. OTA install direct to the device. They're showing off Fandango.
12:40PM Pandora, New York Times, WHERE, CitySearch...
Walt: When will you be able to get traction on this...
Roger: 4:20 in the afternoon.
Damn!
12:40PM He's showing off the App Catalog. Sweet!
12:39PM Jon: So you want to use iTunes, just keep using it. We have Amazon. The other thing I wanted to talk about, we've talked about applications today, I told you we've written everything in web languages...
12:38PM Walt: And I assume this would work with Windows?
Jon: Same thing.
Paul: So I synced over music, now I have that on the Pre. Music, Roger's band. Photos from my library.
12:37PM Walt: You're very cloud based with this product. You would have had to write your own client... in fact Palm did. You're just using the client that the almost-monopoly has.
12:36PM Walt: Won't Apple be mad about this?
Kara: Do you think they'll try to stop this?
12:35PM Paul: It shows up in iTunes just like a regular device.
This is pretty cool. And handy.
12:34PM Paul: So I have it hooked up via USB. Media Sync. We give you the ability to sync your non-DRM music and videos to your Pre... via iTunes.
Bam!
12:34PM Just basic UI stuff now. Nothing too special.
12:33PM Now they're showing off the Amazon MP3 store.
12:32PM Jon: And it does this automatically.
Walt: Using alien technology? Ha.
12:31PM Paul: When we announced webOS, we talked about Synergy a lot. It's the ability to better manage all the information that's in the cloud.
Now he's running through the basics on Synergy. We won't bore you guys with that.
12:30PM Walt: Okay, let's look at the demo.
Demo time -- Paul Cousineau is demo'ing.
12:30PM Jon: I worked with Steve (Jobs) for years. I learned about the user experience, and great hardware. And I learned what great marketing is. Both engineering and marketing are important. The difference is, of course, that we're tiny. We're tremendously focused. There's a few things we're doing, and we want to make sure we do them really really well.
12:28PM Jon: It is so rare to start with a blank sheet of paper. That's such a unique opportunity.
Walt: We're gonna get to the demo in a minute, because everyone wants to see it. You're going to show us things that haven't been shown before. But I have one question. What lessons did you take from Apple... what have you done like the way you did it before, and what have you done differently?
12:27PM Kara: You came from Apple, what were you thinking?
Jon: Well I didn't come right from Apple. I was taking a break.
Now Jon is telling his Pre launch story. The beach... the drinks...
12:26PM Roger: What Ed did... imagine being a CEO and saying, our situation is significantly dire, we have to throw out everything. Ed said, 'wait, we stopped innovating, we need to get back in the game.'
12:25PM Roger: There was a lot of white space in the market that we could step into.
Walt: Why Palm? You could start another company...
Jon: Palm had tremendous assets. Great DNA.
12:23PM Roger: I spend three or four days a week just on Palm. This is the thing that will define us.
12:22PM Jon: It's a new company today. A lot of this is about webOS.
Walt: So you were quoted a while back as saying 'When all the initial iPhone buyers contracts run out, they'll all buy Pres'. I was confused by that. Will it be at six in the morning that day? In the afternoon?
Roger: It'll be at precisely 4:20.
Ha!
12:20PM Jon: Well it's been two years. Roger put a major investment in the company, and I've been there two years. We've completely revamped the company.
12:20PM Walt: So, Palm. The Treo, Palm Pilot. These are breakthrough devices. Then something happened. Can you tell me what's been going on?
12:19PM And Jon and Roger are out!
12:19PM Finally Roger actually says what the Pre does. Jon: "That was great..." Roger: "And it eats iPhones for breakfast!"
12:18PM And we're off! Cute little video here with Roger McNamee... he's talking all kinds of crazy smack about how amazing the Pre is for a commercial. Director is yelling things like "Roger!" Now arguing with Job Rubinstein. Roger: "This product has the best alien technology."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
dcoaster @ May 28th 2009 3:17PM
Is there a live video feed anywhere?
blakecr @ May 28th 2009 3:40PM
Im a mac, but please stop drumming up conspiracies and the like because they are using a mac. It may be because their marketing department used keynote to create the presentation. Many marketing departments use macs. Even Microsofts ad agencies use macs.
sweet greggo @ May 28th 2009 4:00PM
Why do they keep asking phone manufacturers if they are going to start making tablet computers? Are they trying to dig up information for Apple? wtf? If Apple makes a tablet if affects RIM and Palm exactly 0%. Move freakin on, already.
Ryan @ May 28th 2009 4:57PM
@blakecr
He asked if there was a video feed, and you're talking about drumming up Apple conspiracies?
WTF man?
Amrosorma @ May 28th 2009 3:18PM
Palm coming to AT&T and Verizon makes me really happy; these guys really deserve as much success as possible considering the terrific job they've done.
Ghen @ May 28th 2009 3:49PM
finally a real phone that is accepted by all (important) carriers.
Hackettman @ May 28th 2009 3:17PM
And theyre using a mac...... Fascists.....
Dhruv Garg @ May 28th 2009 3:19PM
so you are implying that Windows started the great depression
James @ May 28th 2009 3:22PM
Fascists?
Palm is at the bottom of the Barrel... and there is where these ******* (expletive deleted) will stay when everyone realizes that the Pre is Feces...
AHAHAHA!!
Palm is weal.. they just want to use the Apple logo to convey success of iPhone proportions...
FACK YOU PALM!!!
Paul a. Chapel @ May 28th 2009 3:24PM
/Apple Hater
"Oh, God, I love the Pre, it's so nice that Apple finally has some competition. Wait, is that PALM spokesperson using a Mac? But only stupid trendy people use Macs..."
*Nuclear Explosion*
Hackettman @ May 28th 2009 3:46PM
I know Paul is immune to kidding joking and all sorts of tomfoolery...... His sense of humor extends only to mac commercials and I believe there is evidence that he is in love with Justin Long......
But I was just kidding..... I use a mac....... And doing so doesnt make me want to fallatiate Steve (rim) Jobs....... So back off you mac fascist......
superhobo @ May 28th 2009 3:47PM
People....
It's only so Mactards know they don't have to go through the intense torture of actually learning to use better software to get their music on the new phone.
I bet he'll take off the surgical gloves and shower in disinfectant for 3 hours and then stay quarantined for 3 months.
Jonathan @ May 28th 2009 5:11PM
@Paul
Maybe he just likes gestures. You know, the things Apple has yet to implement on a handheld device? Apple users (like me) will flock to the Pre because it has compelling hardware REAL mobile devices have, like removable battery, physical keyboard, and multitasking. Synergy is icing on the cake of opportunities Apple set itself up to be trumped on.
And before anyone defends the soft keyboard, realize that if touch keyboards gave up nothing to real keyboards, Macs wouldn't have real keyboards anymore! The truth is touch keyboards are harder to type on; its not a feature, its a detriment.
Paul a. Chapel @ May 28th 2009 3:18PM
Boy, you guys are going to get flamed for showing a picture with a Mac. This will not end well.
AVG @ May 28th 2009 3:20PM
Seriously... they may as well have had a Confederate flag flying on the wall up there. This comment thread has been officially derailed before it even began.
Templarian @ May 28th 2009 3:30PM
They did it on purpose. They get paid for the page views not the articles. They would post a huge apple in the corner of the site if they though it would get them more views.
Until then these little flam wars are subtitle enough to get page views without making everyone leave to the other tech blogs.
Ghen @ May 28th 2009 3:51PM
Actually the bloggers themselves (like the one that chose what picture to post) gets paid by the article.
I think its much less conspiracy theory in that's just the first picture they took of the stage. no biggie.
Carl @ May 28th 2009 3:18PM
they using a mac? interesting. Guess it doesn't really matter to them. Since it supports iTunes and all.
or they're just doing it to piss on apples cornflakes. either way.
dcoaster @ May 28th 2009 3:20PM
Perhaps there is some secret connection between Apple and Palm... iTunes announcement anyone?
q @ May 28th 2009 9:51PM
The itunes announcement was assume I also hear it will synch with iphotos. I'm just wondering if it will also synch the itunes playlist.
PS3guy @ May 28th 2009 3:20PM
Nice Macbook
DCheat @ May 28th 2009 11:40PM
(In Chris Crocker Voice)
LEAVE PALM ALONE!!
Rudy @ May 28th 2009 3:27PM
palm needs to stop talking so much shit because if they fail to dethrone the iphone they are gonna look like assholes. they're jinxing themselves.
Look_Around_You @ May 28th 2009 3:40PM
Apple needs to stop talking so much shit because if they fail to dethrone Windows they are gonna look like assholes. they're jinxing themselves.
So does it work in this direction too?
neodorian @ May 28th 2009 4:21PM
They aren't looking to "dethrone" anything. That is all in the various fanboys' and bloggers' heads. They are trying to address a part of the market not being served by Apple or RIM or Microsoft. Just because iPhone is the current must-have device a-la the RAZR years ago doesn't mean there aren't others who want a device with different features. The QWERTY, multitask, and lack of ATT already bump it up pretty high in my book despite the current dearth of fart apps.
Aigarius @ May 28th 2009 3:29PM
Please, please, please make all these liveblog stories have a normal top-down version even if you don't want that to be the default. Any sane person would want to open the article and just read it top-to-bottom! And any reasonably good browser puts you at the same place in the page when you refresh the page.
Pondering to few anti-geeks that still insist on using last centuries IE versions AND cann't learn to scroll is insulting the intelligence of your readers. And it is insulting all out top-down reading heritage.
NickNick @ May 28th 2009 3:35PM
*starts slow clap*
decypher44 @ May 28th 2009 3:42PM
I agree with you.
However, Engadget held a vote with its readers about the layout of live event blogs. UNFORTUNATELY, most people wanted the newest at the top. I nknow, I know. Dumb.
superhobo @ May 28th 2009 3:44PM
*stares*
ಠ_ಠ
Aigarius @ May 28th 2009 4:24PM
I demand a recount!
Desinformado @ May 28th 2009 3:35PM
Ufff: It is a Apple confabulation, first, Rubinstein, then the Multi-touch, then the iTunes, then Steve Jobs is out for a medical leave, then Palm loves all about Apple, then Engadget thashed the iPhone... What if Steve Jobs is working at Palm while in his medical leave....? Dull?
Kameron @ May 28th 2009 3:41PM
Someone looks to be affixed on Neko Case.
jwgayle @ May 28th 2009 3:42PM
What an ugly stage setup -- I can hardly stand to look at it. A precursor to the ugly that's coming in the Pre. Please turn down the ugly.
Look_Around_You @ May 28th 2009 3:44PM
Really? Did you really think that was clever before you pressed Add Comment?
Oooh I'm gonna calls it uglys! High five!
superhobo @ May 28th 2009 3:53PM
Remove that ugly black laptop: 99% ugly removed.
Look_Around_You @ May 28th 2009 3:43PM
Wait. So the Pre CAN sync with iTunes?
Ooooooh Boy, something tells me the iKids heads are gonna melt over that one.
nxp3 @ May 28th 2009 3:43PM
Oh my god...next iphone mentioning please have a blue screen of death on a PC why don't you. This will not go well with the Pre fanboys.
decypher44 @ May 28th 2009 3:43PM
And the use of the Mac was to show how easily you can sync with iTunes...even on a Mac!
Seanross @ May 28th 2009 3:43PM
I need this phone.... yesterday.
Quake97 @ May 28th 2009 3:45PM
Damn, that dude's hand in the pictures... needs a manicure badly! :)
DBrim @ May 28th 2009 3:44PM
That hand makes me want to vomit.
Darren @ May 28th 2009 3:47PM
A hand model is definitely needed.
pina @ May 28th 2009 4:30PM
Seriously... lotion.
Idlemind @ May 28th 2009 5:25PM
To save energy, he walked there on his hands... feet were already worn to bloody nubs.
Seanross @ May 28th 2009 7:13PM
That's a Real Mans Hand, he does real work!
Fortunately, I don't, My hands look nothing of the sort. lol
Nelagster @ May 28th 2009 3:46PM
why don't they do a live blog from top to bottom and not bottom to top? it's confusing to read it backwards...
Mike @ May 28th 2009 5:42PM
+1...
Its bloody annoying to read, its not even like its bottom to top... its bottom to top in blocks, meaning you have to read up and down up and down.. its like sex.. only not as fun....
Gautam Desai @ May 28th 2009 3:47PM
Why does Kara seem to care so much about what Apple may think... and ditto on the hand!
ash @ May 28th 2009 3:47PM
With that hair and craziness, can Roger really joke around about 4:20? Is that the joke? That he's high as a kite?
Art @ May 28th 2009 3:48PM
nice macbook