Palm webOS 1.1 now available, fixes iTunes 8.2.1 syncing
By Ross Miller 
posted Jul 23rd 2009 7:10PM
posted Jul 23rd 2009 7:10PM
Time to update your Pre, Palm's just released webOS 1.1.0. Quite a bit of changes here, but most importantly, the patch notes say that it "resolves an issue preventing media sync from working with latest version of iTunes (8.2.1)" -- that issue, of course, being a blockade put in place by Apple just one week ago. Oh yeah, it's on. In addition, we've got emoticons and Exchange support now, and its 31st app, NFL Mobile Live for watching games and audio from the device. There's also talk of a new gesture, swiping left to right to move forward through web pages, but really it's no different that scrolling the browser up in landscape mode. Everything else is pretty boring by comparison -- looks like that leaked update list was dead on. So when should we expect to see iTunes 8.2.2, eh Apple?
Here are a few things we've noticed after playing with the update for a little bit:
Anything else you guys are seeing? Tell us in comments! Also, PreCentral has an extensive list of undocumented features.
Here are a few things we've noticed after playing with the update for a little bit:
- Scrolling through long lists (like contacts) seems improved. We're seeing a lot less loading, and only the occasional hiccup.
- Push email now seems to actively delete (and represent the count properly) in the background.
- Folder orders for IMAP Gmail accounts are now correct. Previous versions of the software had them totally out of whack.
- The email alert sound is different -- softer.
- App load times seem a bit snappier. In fact, the whole device feels a little snappier.
- Maybe we're crazy, but there seems to be a new animation for the drop-down menus.
Anything else you guys are seeing? Tell us in comments! Also, PreCentral has an extensive list of undocumented features.
This is gonna get interesting.....
lol,
Apple: 1 Palm: 1
the game goes to extra time...
God I try so damn hard not to hate Paul A. Chapel, but you're making this so damn hard!!
@Paul A. Chapel
Palm can easily co-ordinate efforts with San Francisco-based Songbird team and fix the last few issues/features on their app before it can compete with iTunes. Don't forget that it took Apple 10 years to bring iTunes where it is today, usually that's what it takes to mature complex software. So your comment just shows the ignorance on software development and its costs.
@Paul
Even though itunes DOES suck, it's still widely used. Which makes more sense? Spending money developing a new piece of software that users will have to install...or saving money and making the phone compatible with a piece of software that most users probably already have. Option 2 for me. I'd really hate to have to install an additional piece of software considering I've already got the Zune software (which I prefer) and itunes (for my iphone) on my pc.
Palm's got balls. This so funny and awesome.
Makes me want a Pre even more now.
Well that's a smack in the face to Apple.
Palm is just doing what any good company would do. They choose to use itunes because it is popular among non tech nerds like us.What is the point of spending millions to develop a music store; when they can use apple as a middle man. Apple doesn't lose music sales, they do however lose iphone sales. I wouldn't be surprised if more companies start doing this in the future. If apple objects then they can be ripe for an antitrust suit. I give props to Palm.
@ Paul
"I wouldn't want to buy a phone that syncs with iTunes using a hacky solution, but still this is good for Apple, so I guess I can't complain too much"
Dude, you aren't old enough to buy 2 phones, let alone discuss it here. You love Apple good, some of us have multiple phones and would like to simplify our lifes. After u get out of high school you'll see.
stop lying, you were never going to buy a pre and are stuck to your iphone so bad your left arm is stronger.
Paul, paul, what a stupid remark. Like I really care to even entertain the thought of meeting you in the real world. Why is it just about everyone wants to take things out of the internets. After all, isn't it all serious business here?
Everyone's annoyance with you has more to do with your arrogant and confused diatribes on every single engadget pre/iPhone commentary. Stop rambling on incessantly like you're trying to make some sort of illusory point that hasn't already been pointed out either by someone else or in TFA. It's annoying as hell merely to see your long monologues.
And seriously, what the hell is with entering another few carriage returns after you post? It's annoying.
@ Paul A Chapel
It's people like you that reaffirm why abortion should never be made illegal.
Well Paul, your Apple love is clouding your reasoning.
LMAO "your apple hate is clouding your reasoning"
I guess that's why I have an iPhone isn't it? I guess that's why I'm paradoxically also a Palm Pre fan? You know, because you can't have the industry's gold standard phone and still champion for the long-time-player-turned-underdog, right? /sarcasm No, that part is true, so get a clue before you start cramming words, preconceived notions and stereotypes into people's heads.
iTunes is popular, right? Palm wants to make syncing music a painless procedure for *normal* people who haven't heard of Songbird or WinAMP or [insert favorite media player here]. Seems like a pretty logical thing for one of the chief designers/engineer of the original iPod's success to want iTunes syncing as a part of WebOS to leverage Apple's success. Better yet, since they have a ton of the old iPod engineering staff that made this stuff work, they probably are going to be pretty good at this back and forth for a long while, all while making Apple look rather stupid for playing whack-a-mole. There, end of story.
What I want to know is if this was a test that Palm just failed. Maybe Apple did one update to see if Palm would fight back...now that they see it's going to be a back and forth, clearly Apple doesn't approve of Palm's leeching [or having to tell iTunes users that a new update is out every week.]
So the question is...will Apple sue?
Now, don't get me wrong, I get that Apple infringes on some of Palm's patents, but that has little to do with the fact that Palm is actually leeching onto Apple's software. The legal system isn't always just, it often bends in the way of the heaviest bank account. Can Apple force Palm to stop and walk away unharmed in court? Do they even want to?
Clearly, something bigger is going to happen then fighting back and forth every week...
I'd suggest that Paul seek professional help to solve his problems, but then I remember that anyone can pull the trigger without professional intervention.
Drop dead Paul. Please!
I've been watching the past few days' worth of pre/iphone/palm/apple articles here...it's amazing Paul, you own the comments. You have everyone's attention. Not sayin it's good or bad, just observing...I've been a long time engadget reader and never have I seen someone completely own every discussion of said posts. You are the star of the palm/apple show, I'm not sure how you did it. There are plenty of apple haters/lovers and none have become so popular or commanded the attention of so many people before. Impressive, if annoying.
Well the thing is that Palm is a much smaller company than Apple, so they could do this without as much criticism than if Apple tried to use Exchange
I am taking bets, Palm or Apple! Winner gets free internet cookies!
@Paul
Most everyone is biased. I, as a gamer, am biased towards my DS, Xbox 360 and iPod Touch games. Other poster's Apple Hate may cloud there judgment. But your apple love may cloud your judgment as well.
Just sayin'
Wow, you anti-apple fanboys make normal fanboys looks sane by comparison.
What Palm is doing is pretty sleezy even if it is legal (which it might not be).
As Paul tried to point out before all the knee jerk reactionary down commenting, there is a perfectly open way to sync with iTunes managed media content, the xml file Apple uses, and that other software also can use. If Palm spent time making their own syncing software, they wouldn't look like such a half-baked company.
Frankly its really dissapointing to me, I loved my palm message pad back in the day and I really wanted a competitor to the iPhone to keep Apple on their toes. It wasn't going to be Android, that much was clear, so Palm was the best shot. But cheap tricks like this make me skeptical of their ability to do seriour inovation, not to mention the lackluster SDK and the shoddy hardware quality.
I am not sure if Palm is being childish, more so they are trying to bring in customers that are scared from switching from the iPhone or whatever iPod + Messaging Phone they have. A smart business decision, maybe. We will just have to see how Apple reacts I guess.
It would be funny if Microsoft took Apple's example and made an update for Windows that prevented iTunes from running.
@Paul:
Please shut the Fuck up,
Signed, everyone...
Plus me.
Paul said "They come here to have their nice little Apple barbecue and then I show up and piss on the flames with a little reality."
Actually No, Paul. You were gone for a few days I believe, and the Apple hate around here went down during that time. You don't piss on any flames and you definitely don't live in a world reality. Your little land of make believe just got worse thanks to the dude who informed you that you own the comments. After all of your comments I've read I've noticed trends, and you clearly are on here as an attention seeker.
Dear Paul,
Please kindly shut the fuck up.
Sincerely,
The internet
Jesus Paul, Apple should hire you as a consultant or something with all the crap you're spewing. It's just insane.
@ barky: "It would be funny if Microsoft took Apple's example and made an update for Windows that prevented iTunes from running."
Barky, you don't have a clue. Apple isn't stopping Palm from writing a program that allows the pre to sync on a Mac. There are allready companies that do this. In fact Apple provides an easily readable xml file that shows the ENTIRE iTunes library including playlists for apps to be built which can sync to other devices!
Palm isn't the hero here, they are sleazy and lazy. Its pretty unprofessional to offer your customers a feature that is a hack. They should be spending their tiem and money to build their own App. Instead we have to listen to know-nothings like you harp about how Apple is big and mean for not doing Palms job for them? Seriously? I don't know if Steve Jobs ran over your puppy or something, but you should try and stop drinking the Apple-hatorade man.
Hey Paul,
Keep being 2 legit 2 quit.
I can't believe y'all can't see this for what it actually is... ex-Apple employees goosing their past employer in the ribs. That's all this is, nothing else. Palm doesn't care if you sync with iTunes, WMP, winamp, doubletwist.. whatever. They just want to thumb their nose at Apple.
personally, i've stopped reading Paul's comments and just automatically vote them down. Win win for me.
I have to agree that the apple/MS/Palm flamewars died down a lot while Paul was gone. I think we almost got to the point of being like the gizmodo commenters where the flamewars are few and far between.
For the guy who said Paul owns the comments: I can tell you right now how, he never shuts up. Even when people stopped responding to him he started talking back and forth to himself. In fact, he's really not too much different than Jubei, although his arguments are slightly more rational(not saying a lot).
There are a few of the more hardcore Apple fans here that I respect(UnixEngineer and Skeetz(spelling?) Come to mind) but Paul isn't one of them.
Let's throw in government regulation and see what turns up! Who knows what kind of wacky regulations will come of this and who is going to be shelling out be bucks!
Is there a 'I hate Paul A Chapel' group on Facebook yet?
@ Paul A. Chapel
I think I saw you in this video, pretty sure you are the 1:38 mark.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0Gzq-QEt0s
Aw, shucks. Apple is going far too soft on these guys. OK, let those Palmboys enjoy themselves for a week or so, then BOOM!, break 'em again. Just to keep 'em with the Sword of Damocles dangling over their little Pre heads, not knowing when Apple is going to chop down. Off with their heads, maybe tomorrow, maybe the next day. Mwahahahaha.
Apple probably never intentionally broke the Palm sync ability. It probably just happened as a matter of course. If Apple didn't actually want Palm to sync with iTunes, they'd probably just tell Palm to create their own software and be done with it.
I think some bloggers just made up the Apple/Palm hate theory to stir up trouble. Hardly anyone really cares whether the Pre syncs with iTunes are not.
I'm pleased with this update. Thank you Palm. Now just bring on better copy and paste and text message forwarding and I'm good. :)
@iPhonerulez
...Please tell me I just missed your sarcasm. Apple blatantly stated in stated in their update information that it "fixes" the Pre's ability to sync with iTunes.
I don't see why anyone gives a flying f*ck if the Pre syncs with iTunes. The Pre is not meant to be as much a music player as it is a phone/PDA. The iPhone is actually a much different beast, despite the similarities. Here's my breakdown:
iPhone priorities in order:
1.) Music (media) player
2.) Toy (Mine plays games and can make fart sounds in 8 different languages).
3.) Phone (SMS, voicemail, (not) MMS, etc.)
4.) PDA/productivity (last cause you can only do 1 thing at a time, Apple's commercials position it as a game platform first, etc.)
Pre priorities in order:
1.)PDA/productivity (multitasking, says 'Palm' on it.)
2.)Phone
3.)Music (media) player
4.)Toy (although this may rise with the SDK release)
Go Palm!
Let the cat and mouse games BEGIN!
Oh, tt's been broughten since the device was launched. Apple threw the first blow with 8.2.1. Palm just countered.
whats config 1.7 do
compared to 1.6
I'm pretty pissed about this development. I have nothing against the Pre, of course, but I hate having to download another 80MB update from Apple just to disable its synching from itunes. I feel like I'm standing in the crossfire of a corporate cat-fight.
Oh, this is awesome.
PALM 2.0
This is so much more entertaining that the Treo-headlined days.
I just passed 22 months on my sprint. Can any of you owners tell me if this has loud ringers? My HTC Mogul was quite dissapointing in this regard.
Just to draw everyone's attention to your new Pre. =]
Yeah the palm speaker phone is pretty loud and clear. I like to use my own MP3's for ring tones though. You wont be disappointed when you use the phone.
@Andrew, wouldn't you want to? It's a nice phone. Also, on a second note: maybe he wants to hear it in the car while playing music, or wants to use it as an alarm clock, or wants to be able to use it to play music at his desk at work, or wants to make sure that he hears it when he forgets it on his bedside table and is having a bowl of cereal in the dining room... but getting that call saying that the meeting for the building you designed just got pushed up by 20 minutes might not be all that important. ;)
Trust me, this phone can get PLENTY loud.
@David about Pre's ringers
The stock ones are about average, but you can use mp3's as ringers. With the right software you can make them as loud as you want. (Or find loud ones online)