While Palm's Pre is many things to many people it still can't game. Oh sure, it'll play Magic Fortune Ball like a champ but when it comes to intensive 3D action the Pre is as helpless as a would-be terrorist trying to ignite his underwear. See, webOS and the Mojo SDK currently can't exploit the GPU the way other smartphone platforms can. Rewind a few weeks, however, and we're reminded of a video showing EA's Need for Speed Undercover running impossibly smooth on a Pre. At the time, the video and claims of the device
running Flash were shot down as fake largely due to the accompanying screen caps of the purportedly new App Catalog. Well guess what? Those screen caps were vindicated today with the
webOS 1.3.5 update that just so happened to launch a new App Catalog matching the leaked images,
exactly. That lends credence to the video then doesn't it, while hinting at future apps and games with full OpenGL graphics support. Is that the
big reveal at CES alongside enhanced
Pre+ and
Pixi+ handsets headed to Big Red? We'll find out shortly enough -- until then check the gameplay after the break.
[Thanks, Brian K.]
posted December 29th 2009 4:31AM
Hopefully adding GPU acceleration would subtract from the HORRIBLE lag when opening applications. I never thought I would say this, but even without 3G service in my area... I sincerely miss my iPhone 3GS. Even when it was hacked and had Backgrounder enabled, it beat the Pre.
@BuryTheCastle I have several homebrew apps installed and I just don't see the type of lag you are describing.
@slipdisc: Lag tends to show up if you throw a card away then try to launch a new app right away. If you keep launching apps and keep them running there's almost no lag. It must be due to the clean up process when the app closes.
I don't find it to be too much of an issue. People are just drama queens.
@slipdisc
I'm merely talking about the initiation sequence (the moment you tap the application to the time it actually starts.) You're telling me you don't notice that at all? I've tried and nearly owned every single new smartphone that's been recently released, in addition to consulting with other Pre owners. The Pre has it bad in this particular area.
@Ruben
When you're used to more responsive headsets, it does become a noticeable issue once you downgrade. For me, the 3GS worked. And no, I'm not a fanboi.
@BuryTheCastle: You are being a little melodramatic when you say its horrible lag. There is lag, yes, but its not horrible, and its not all the time too. It generally rears its head when you are closing off applications to launch new ones. A vast majority of the time, applications load up and are usable in about 3 seconds (assuming they have no server based loading required, which would affect any phone), if not less sometimes. That number increases if I were to throw away cards then launch new applications right after. You can see that there is an intensive process running when you do this because when you throw away a card and open the launcher, the Launcher text in the top left will not appear right away.
And what are you still doing with a Pre? Just get rid of it if its so horrible to you. Go get an iPhone and one of those in-home cells, or get a Hero on Sprint and stop bitching.
@Ruben
Wow, you're taking this a bit close to heart. And how bout you send me the funds to acquire a different phone if seeing my comments offend you so aggressively?
Allow me to clarify: To me, the lag is worse than what I have encountered with previous units. I've had to replace my Pre twice, so I can guarantee it wasn't just cause the first one was buggy.
The lag shows not only when opening and closing applications, but in general use about 30% of the time. I would accept this because it's not meant to be perfect, but coupled with additional issues like no VPN support and a buggy Youtube and music app (there are plenty more issues but I'll stop here), it makes for a overall unpleasant experience.
I'm certainly not here to bitch and moan, I'm merely pointing out an area where Palm could certainly improve performance by opening GPU support, something that I hope happens very soon.
@BuryTheCastle You must realise that you've said something positive about an Apple product on the Engadget comment section and that means a severe down-ranking. That's how it works around here.
It doesn't matter if your iphone was much better than the Pre at anything. The Pre was the device people pinned their hopes on to be a serious competitor to the iphone so now that it runs one game (or at least a video of a game) years after the iphone has been running games, it's much better than the iphone.
People can't afford the iphone and can't get it on the network they want so they hate it. People who own them (me included) love them but it's just fantasy. We're being tricked by the fruit company into thinking we're having a good experience.
We must all open our eyes to the Engadget commenting truth - only the XBox 360, the Pre (or Droid or Nexus One) and Windows 7 are viable products for ownership.
We will soon see the end of Kenobi... and soon see the end of the... ohh wait... wrong thread. I thought this was the 3D Pre thread.
@Steve P Jobs i saw 3 livers going in this direction
watch out fruit man, the pre is catching up in 6 month what took you three years
@Rinum009
What? Run really poor quality ports of games already squealed on another device that had better quality the first time around?
Remind me to file that under 'got to get me one of those' won't you
@MVMNT *sequelled, idiot...
Called this weeks ago. This will be the second year in a row that Palm will own CES.
@glamajamma Now it just needs to translate into sales. They need to get the thing out on more networks, worldwide! Unlike many of its competitors, Palm is on the clock as long as they keep haemorrhaging money.
@MVMNT tisk tisk tisk, go back under your bridge, igarbage troll
just a quick question, can the iphone make calls yet? i heard they've got an app for that, but they haven't updated it since the iphone's first launch. as far as im concerned, palm nailed it the first time with both the pre and pixi sooooooooooooooo...
As I have stated before... there seems to be these trolls that cant wait for a Pre post to talk about how bad their imaginary Pre is and how much they miss their iPhone... such losers...
@mrkalel
if you are right about this, then Engadget is a really sad place.
But i dont think you're correct - not everyone is a fanboy or paid by apple to praise the iPhone. All i'm saying is that this whole thing is not a big conspiracy to make the iPhone king of all phones. Why cant you guys accept that some people really enjoy a phone that has matured and is a decent all around gadget.
Come on Palm bring the big guns to CES!
To be honest this is about as interesting as the Palm Pre launch. Not very.
In the 1.3.5 update, there's "opengles.ipk" and "opengles-omap3.ipk", the groundwork for GPU support, so full GPU support is probably not too far off.
@CL I was wondering if maybe this had something to do with Flash? Cause it was promised before the end of the year. Only a few days left, and I ain't doin no flashing yet.
@statelypenguin: Flash entirely revolves around Adobe delivering Flash 10 beta for public consumption. Palm has little to any control over the delivery of Flash at this point since its not even finished by its maker yet.
@Quu
Lol
Yay for the Palm Pre.... :/
@Rinum009
The iPhone was the first smartphone to make it easy for Joe Six Pack to check his email and stay connected using apps on the phone and his computer in conjunction with the phone. Though the iPhone is missing many basic functionalities, it is easy to use, which is why has it succeeded. The Palm Pre hasn't done nearly as well, and the iPhone created a large portion of the groundwork upon which Palm is building.
@pbp8ntballer 'igarbage troll'... What? You go round calling people trolls now?
Was I once lamenting the iphone in specific or the fact no one should get their hopes up from this video alone? It will still be falling way behind irrespective. I dont even own an iphone myself. It's cold hard fact.
It's all a bit Pre-mature wouldnt you say?
@MVMNT Booo
Wow...look at the pre fanboyism in this thread. You guys are all talking smack but you forgot one thing, The pre is obsolete. Droid, iPhone, BB, and WM run the game.
You guys are acting like you won the championship when you are still in last place. You guys will finally buy a decent phone once palm fully goes under.
@(Unverified)
Except that the Pre has the internals as both the Droid and the iPhone. And I've not seen any mind-blowing 3D games on Android Market so I'm not quite so sure you have any idea what you're talking about...
@(Unverified) Something tells me you don't like the Pre...
But honestly, I like more than one app running, thank you very much.
@(Unverified) Kind of like iPhone people rejoicing when they were able to mms? Palm has went from a horribly boring and behind the times company to having a legit smartphone in less than a year. I'm sure they would have loved to have been able to sit on the phone another six months so to work out all the bugs, but they just didn't have the time. So all that considered, I think they're doing pretty well.
Personally, I'm now nearly fully satisfied with this phone. I've had my spells where I hated it more than anything, but they usually come out with a fix shortly. I get some video/audio recording, a few more sweet apps, and I might be a fully happy customer. Because I love webOS.
@statelypenguin
No one really cares about the Pre though. I mean, this is a pretty big deal, yet there's like 30 comments on this thread, about 10 of them from Pre owners.
Palm had their chance in 2009.
The Pre was good for those wanting to tell their mates they had a phone better than the iphone. Now the novelty has worn off for those people, who now find themselves stuck in 2 year contracts with a phone that's ageing rapidly.
@Jonathan K
Yeah, you should try that with a jailbroken 3GS; far superior experience than the Pre ;)
@pukerocket: As long as the owners of their phones like their phones, then that should be sufficient. Why is it that people need justification that their phone is something they enjoy from the outside world?
I like the Pre. Its a fun little compact phone. If Palm goes under, then ill buy another phone. Its such a simple procedure.
As it is, they are releasing updates to their handset at 1 every 2 - 3 months, which means they have money to pay their developers. They will also be releasing to another major carrier, which means that carrier wants their phone. Hell, if this video is true, then even EA sees a need to code a program for the Pre. They seem to be in good shape. If the above ceases to be, ill buy a new phone. What we don't need is douches telling us that our phone is not good or that no one cares about it. Let the owners decide that, unless you have some sort of hidden agenda, in which case you really need to get a life.
@Rinum009
The Pre is a piece of junk. Steve Jobs bowels could produce a better product than a Palm Pre. It'll take three years for Palm to catch up to the current iPhone 3GS. That lousy company can't even produce their own music sync program for customers.
Sorry, just have to let you know the comment below was too hilarious...
...as helpless as a would-be terrorist trying to ignite his underwear.
ROFL!
Thanks!
Holy Crap. Engadget just totally stole my idea. Check it...I posted this in a comment about WebOS 1.3.5 last night: http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/28/sprint-now-pushing-webos-1-3-5-to-the-pre/comments/24281727/
Darn. Should have gotten the Pre rather than the Milestone but like everyone else in the UK, I've completely forgotten that there's a Pre available here. Too bad, they're offering free flights for the Pre at carphone warehouse, I would have gotten a decent vacation: http://www.cellphone-reviews.co.uk/2009/12/palm-pre-carphone-warehouse-free-flight.html
@poisonivy
Stop spamming your crappy website
I was one of those that picked up the Pre at release. Nice device in concept but ultimately its taken Palm 6 months to get it where it should have been at release and the damn thing still can't even use its own hardware.
Until they fix the SDK and get the GPU working the Pre will still lag behind other devices and Palm is quickly running out of time. They will not survive on 750k handsets a Q.
They should fix the sucky batere 1st
I LOVE MY PRE. SO GLAD I DITCHED MY IPHONE 3Gs FOR IT.
NO MORE DROPPED CALLS, MULTIPLE PER DAY
BLUETOOTH WORKS GREAT
DRAG N DROP
NO MORE ITUNES BS
OPEN COMMUNITY SUPPORT
REAL KEYBOARD THAT I CAN TYPE FASTER ON
A SIZE THAT DOES NOT FEEL LIKE A BIG PIECE OF MARBLE IN MY POCKET.
AND NOW NEED FOR SPEED. I LOVE IT.
@Thor e
Pity it doesn't have a way to turn off capslock.
@pachi72 ...actually that's 1000 apps in six months... phone came out June 5th. 1000 apps in six months is pretty darn good!!!