PalmOS lives on, Aceeca releasing two devices this year
By Nilay Patel 
posted January 15th 2010 10:19PM
posted January 15th 2010 10:19PM
Sure, all the cool kids might have moved on to webOS these days, but the venerable PalmOS hasn't totally kicked it yet -- a company called Aceeca is actually releasing two Garnet-based devices later this year. If you don't remember the entire sordid saga, the source code for PalmOS actually ended up with Access, which now licenses it out to other companies -- including Palm, as it happens. Confusing? Yes. So is the idea of forking over $199 for the consumer-targeted Aceeca PDA32 Garnet, which packs an unnamed ARM CPU, a QVGA screen, and an SD expansion slot into a case that's "taller than a Palm TX and about twice as thick." Oh, and you'll have to pay extra for "wireless options." Sounds like a winner -- we'd actually advise you to go with the PDA32 CE, which runs Windows CE 5.0 and probably looks a lot like a Samsung Blackjack if you squint just right and drink enough rubbing alcohol. Corporate customers get some dated hardware of their own from Aceeca: the MEZ1500 Garnet, which will run a steep $499 and keeps the QVGA screen but adds a bigger battery, a faster processor, and an expansion bus for various optional barcode scanner, RFID readers, and so forth. You'll have to pay extra for WiFi and Bluetooth on this one too, and you can also get a WinCE 5.0 version, which is apparently some kind of hilarious vaporware no one's been waiting for. Sadly we don't have any pictures of this gear, but we're dying to check it all out -- can you say "iPhone killer?"
No, I read the whole Engadget on the PC and memorize it all and then write it on the Memo app on the Palm and read it there.
I wish it wold be multitask and better java ? :D
Man, just when I thought Palm was back on the rise.......
@blenderman345
Nobody said Palm is doing any of these Garnet devices. I think they've properly distanced themselves from the old days of Garnet and PalmOS, it's WebOS all the way for them now. Oh, and I too still have my T|X. Can't bring myself to part with it. Maybe someone will make a PalmOS emulator so I can run it on my Android phone?
I think it's better to use webOS than an old PalmOS with last stable release in 2007
They should go after the embedded/controller market using the old classic B&W Palm hardware (how much would it cost to produce an old Palm Pilot these days, probably not much.) With the touch screen interface you could revamp a lot of things out there that desperately need a decent UI (programmable thermostats and irrigation controls immediately come to mind.)
T1 T2 iLife Treo
wow..good times and good devices (iffy on the lifedrive)
We are certainly looking very closely at the embedded market - if you have some ideas drop me an email.
Thanks
Alex
CEO Aceeca
@atopschij
Alex,
There are great mature development tools for the Palm OS. The expertise to develop apps is still out there. What the development community needs is a few open reference platforms which integrates the interfaces to the real world objects (eg. switches, sensors, etc.) Put some dev resources towards creating an open SDK or source library that implements the rudiments of controlling or sensing things and then turn it loose on the community. I think you'll see people going nuts over the applying these to everyday problems (but the price-point does need to be reasonable. You're not going to be embedding these things and selling many $100 home thermostats, no matter how pretty and usable the interfaces.)
There are so many horrible UI's built around fixed graphic LCDs and LED indicators that would benefit from having a bit-mapped display and touchscreen (home heating thermostats, appliance timers, washing machine controls (although these aren't THAT bad), and sprinkler timers come to mind.)
@TIMMAH
I am not sure what happened to my previous reply (I probably hit the wrong button) - anyway, I think you make some real good points. I have had considerable involvement in the embedded market over the last 20 years and would really like to see us get something low cost out into the market that developers could base their designs on. What sort of specs and cost do you think it would need to be.
Feel free to email me direct at atopschij@aceeca.com or continue the discussion here if you prefer.
Thanks
Alex.
You know, it's funny. I have an ipod touch, a 3 palms, and my phone runs winmo.
I don't use anything but palms for taking notes. You need a stylus, plain and simple. I wouldn't even consider the Iphone/ipod touch for this task. The palm is a purpose built device for this reason. The ipod touch is for games+movies(which is what I use it for).