Palm's App Catalog isn't exactly bursting with titles yet, but that isn't stopping the company from rejecting apps -- and the dubious honor of First App Rejected goes to NaNplayer, a music player app. Apparently NaNPlayer made use of an undocumented webOS API call, so it makes sense that Palm wouldn't approve it, but there's a somewhat less-sensible flipside: it was using the same API the built-in music player uses to index files so it could make playlists. That's pretty basic functionality, so we're hoping this all gets resolved with a future webOS update -- and in the meantime, NaNplayer will be released to the burgeoning Pre homebrew community when it's complete.
posted Sep 10th 2009 11:06AM
Maybe "it's a great game machine" too?
Sure, but what kind of game is being played here?
-and who ultimately stands to win?
@saad not sure on your sarcasm, but http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/12/palm-pre-runs-doom-smartphone-loving-space-marines-rejoyce/
He's referring to the Job's quote about the iPod touch and lack of camera. Though I don't see the relevance.
Well, I got the reference, but he didn't give any reason for the comment
I would imagine he's saying "it doesn't need NaNplayer because it's a great game machine durrrr" or something to that effect, but go a level of abstraction deeper and he's really saying, "I'm a Jobs-hating troll durrrrrr."
Don't get me wrong, I'm not a fan of the Apple business plan myself. Closed-system boutique electronics and very expensive plastic fruit stickers are not my thing. I'm not a fan of total irrelevancy. :-p
The has not been released to the Homebrew Gallery. Once it is complete, it will be released that way if there is no other option. However, since the vast majority of Pre users "don't homebrew", they are out of luck.
Why does your app look so familiar to the actual media player? Its almost as if you started with that as a base.
Paul, it really doesn't. We've been following the development of NaNplayer for a while now and it was most definitely built from scratch (less the API, of course).
http://www.precentral.net/scratch-homebrew-music-player-receives-big-time-update
Well Blubble I was so stoked when I saw the video of your app (talking about it) that when I read this today I felt like I had to pinch myself and make sure I didn't jump ship to AT&T and the iPhone. For what is worth bro...AWESOME JOB! I look forward to seeing it on the homebrew.
I really don't care, as we have the homebrew app catalog. It's extremely easy for anyone with a pre to instlal homebrew, everyone should be doing it.
Yeah except homebrew isn't paid. Blubble already stated he isn't going to devote as much time to it if it's not going to be in the App Catalog and I don't blame him. He would be devoting a huge amount of time based on the possibility of getting donations. That and yeah there are a lot of people that homebrew but there are a ton that have no clue what it even is.
This app looks so budget and dated, like something my Nan would've used back in the day.
Thats why its called NaNPlayer, stupid! /attempt at joke!
Puggs, it's nice that you're an early adopter of HTML 6 technology (that's why I uprated you), but c'mon. Most browsers are only JUST now supporting the tags, for the sake of Pete. I don't know of ANY that support this tag, and the key to good web design is ensuring good viewability for EVERYONE.
You know, Palm has their rules and gave them the exact reason.
To be honest, the dev sounded some what of a baby because they didnt' follow the SDK rule.
Welcome to closed source stores. But Palm isn't blocking side loading of apps of course, so I wish them luck as the player is pretty nice.
I completely agree +1
How many apps are in the Palm catalog now?
50 in the official catalog. I think the homebrew has 200 or more right now.
Oh, that's not so bad. I was thinking about getting a Pre since I've already got Sprint. How many apps are actually useful?
Absolutely not. The app is completely original and uses no code or graphics from the stock app. The skin shown in the videos just happens to have a similar background. The app will be released with multiple skins.
I understand Palm's reasoning and they are perfectly within their rights to reject the app. However, I find it short-sighted on their part. The only use of an undocumented API is to do a read-only query of songs on the phone. They have allowed other devs to use undocumented APIs and they have the ability to test and examine any app before putting it up in the catalog. The app was submitted through a special "presubmission" program only open to developers that Palm approved for their Early Access Program. However, they never got as far as actually trying the app. Their rep simply heard undocumented API and rejected it.
I would hope this very simple and harmless API will become public soon. If and when it does, I will resubmit. In the meantime, check the Homebrew Gallery for release. Once that is done, I will be looking inito writing a version of NaNplayer for Android.
yeah!!! make it for android screw app stores that screen apps. they only person who should decide whither or not a app should be on there phone is the consumer.
Nice work anyway man. Hopefully they don't screw many more of us. Still waiting to hear back on my app...which should have been ludicrously simple to approve...
@jay: The only problem is most consumers have absolutely zero idea what they're doing. So if they put a potentially harmful app or poorly made app on their device and something goes wrong - that means more support and more work on the device manufacturer's end. I don't blame them one bit for regulating it.
@ack154 except the level of 'skill' it takes to install homebrew apps into WebOS exceeds your average moron. The person who can end up getting it on there (yes i know the hardest part is upupdowndownleftrightleftright...) knows what they are getting into. Plus, palm did a good enough job to block it, it's our fault if we screw up the phones...and there is always WebOS Doctor
@jay: You do know that the android store also has rejected apps, right? They did it because the apps were not acceptable to T-Mobile. Of course, you can download apps from other places than the Android Store and it is supported, but I'm afraid that the main store is regulated like other ones. :-/
Are WebOS applications still limited to HTML5/Javascript, or is this a native application?
we appreciate your work blubble
"I understand Palm's reasoning and they are perfectly within their rights to reject the app."
Highest ranked, was the comment that was excerpted from.
Now, just remember, on App Store rejection articles, what happens when someone dares to suggest that Apple are perfectly within their rights to reject apps.
Lowest ranked - guaranteed. Nasty comments about how you'd have to be communist / anti-American / kool-aid drinking / complete fanboy to believe that Apple are within their rights to reject apps - guaranteed.
It is a shame that we cannot have discussions about Apple products without extreme prejudice and bile clogging up the page. It is a real tragedy, though, that Engadget encourages the trolls by providing them with a tool to fade comments they don't like (especially the ones saying that Apple has a right to reject apps - they like to make those comments fade away, but not the identical ones supporting Palm's rights, apparently, it is okay when Palm does it, just not when Apple does it).
And the shenanigans begin!
Hmm, when I saw that image for NaNplayer I thought it was a flash error.
LOL!
Oh, here's an idea for a new article:
Application rejected because it uses unsupported API's; nobody suprised and world moves on
Also, author of *this* article, how do you know if this was indeed the -first- application rejected?
You act like nobody should care, but you obviously aren't developing for this platform and don't care. The rest of us that are developing DO care. Unsupported API or not, rejection reasons ARE important. It's defined an awful lot of Apple's image from the developer's perspective and prevented a lot of us from developing for that platform.
Palm *did* give a reason for the rejection of the application, and it *was* a valid reason.
I never said they didn't give a reason, or a valid one at not. My point was simply that you acted as though it didn't matter (who cares, move on) and I was simply stating that MANY of us care. It gives us better insight into how Palm is going to play. I'm not even saying I disagree with it.
Wish there was an app to remove this useless app catalog for my pre.
I'm going to build my own clone in ASP.Net and call it System.DBNullplayer.
Somebody finally gets it. That's not the only meaning behind the name though.
Anyone who gets that player needs to CAST it away.
Seems rather ironic (if not hypocritical) that a company that continues to hack in iTunes syncing support would reject an app for using an undocumented API.
So the different apps store is really no different at all. Some developers can use unsupported API's and others can't, or was it because it duplicated a function already present in indexing the playlists? Seems like the same old story with a new location.
I'm ignorant about the programming aspect of the apps submitted to the catalog, but what other approved app uses undocumented API? Is said app made by individual programmer or by a business, i.e. pandora and the likes?
PALM HAS STEPPED ONTO THE SLIPPERY SLOPE!
We should call them Apple, and boycott them as well.
You sir are the reason houses need childproofing.
Palm is no where NEAR the ambiguity that Apple is using in there App approval process. If anything, they are being the exact opposite.
Puggs, it's nice that you're an early adopter of HTML 6 technology (that's why I uprated you), but c'mon. Most browsers are only JUST now supporting the tags, for the sake of Pete. I don't know of ANY that support this tag, and the key to good web design is ensuring good viewability for EVERYONE.
Oh Palm you Nazi's you suck you control all your crap and never give us anything, the phone is mine and I want everything, derka derka!
Developer: "Dear palm, will you accept this app I have yet to complete that is using undocumented and incomplete apis that I only know about because I copied it from your code?"
Palm: "Not yet."
Is not a rejection.
Let me see, Palm rejected this, yet the same time, Palm justified itself in piggybacking iTunes. Whatever,
Palm, your days are numbered. The world won't wait for you unless you quickly ship those GSM based WebOS phones.
NaN player?
Will it play my Matlab results then?