Palm's web-based Ares SDK goes gold

Four solid months after going into open beta, Palm's entirely web-based SDK for webOS -- the so-called Ares SDK -- has reached version 1.0, bringing "lots and lots" of new features along for the ride. Biggies include UI-less components that add functionality to your application, in-line help, undo and copy / paste functionality (for the SDK, that is), and a plug-and-play multitouch-enabled Google Maps widget that you can drop into your own screens. Even if you don't own a Pre and have no intention of commercializing a webOS app, it sounds like a blast to screw around with -- and considering how important the third-party ecosystem is for Palm right now, we'd say that's a good thing. Interested parties can get set up with the gold build right now.

[nickcraze Posted Apr 19th 2010 6:43PM]

Palm Lives!!!!

[rowehc Posted Apr 19th 2010 6:47PM]

@nickcraze hopefully for a long time

[Azlo Posted Apr 19th 2010 6:53PM]

@nickcraze

I love Ares. I've made simple apps like a geo tracker and a totally customized stopwatch in my free time between classes! I really hope webOS lives. No other OS is as open.

[who said what Posted Apr 19th 2010 7:03PM]

@Azlo

One of the most developer-friendly SDKs and IDE I've ever tried out.

[AppleDrank Posted Apr 19th 2010 7:04PM]

@nickcraze

Yea, c'mon Palm admit that you make crap hardware... just get HTC to make something for you...

take that EMO 4G and slap WebOS on it and call it a day...

[nickcraze Posted Apr 19th 2010 7:28PM]

@AppleDrank
Definitely the hardware has it's fault, even thought i think the pre has it target market but they should have brought new and more power hardware a long time ago. WebOS is definitely the Best Mobile OS out there.

[hero785 Posted Apr 19th 2010 7:30PM]

@nickcraze
I too think it's a giant step for them and let's hope that developers can capitalize on this. They have to keep getting those goodies out and improve all around reliability and they will survive to fight another day. Plus 3 for competition!!!

[tehpinner Posted Apr 19th 2010 7:33PM]

@AppleDrank
Indeed, their webos platform is fantastic but so far my experience with my pre has been one of mixed feelings with regards to the hardware. If my pre felt like an iPhone or motorola droid (and didn't have the hardware issues it seems to have) I would one happy pre owner.

[inertone Posted Apr 19th 2010 7:45PM]

@tehpinner noe there is no reason for palm to stay in the dark with the masses!

[MrDiSante Posted Apr 19th 2010 8:03PM]

@who said what
Visual Studio. Game, set and match.

[tekdemon Posted Apr 19th 2010 8:06PM]

@nickcraze This thing is about 15 months too late...I wanted to develop for the Pre so badly but they utterly botched the original SDK launch insanely badly and I no longer have time to develop anything. Dammit Palm, why do you have to do this?

[Wesscoast Posted Apr 19th 2010 8:10PM]

@nickcraze

Cuz they got a website? ;)

[IcerC Posted Apr 19th 2010 8:13PM]

@nickcraze
Here palm for you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2JgMIXS-Pc

Love,
iain

[mhunterjr Posted Apr 19th 2010 8:30PM]

@IcerC that was pretty awsome...

[mhunterjr Posted Apr 19th 2010 8:33PM]

@IcerC that was pretty awsome...

[MowDownJoe Posted Apr 19th 2010 9:08PM]

@AppleDrank "EMO" 4G? Does it slit its own circuits with a razorblade or something?

[DrDr Posted Apr 19th 2010 9:33PM]

@AppleDrank

The EMO 4G is going to be the next Kin device.

[AppleDrank Posted Apr 19th 2010 6:44PM]

You mean I dont have to pay $100/year to develop Apps for another company on my own time?

you lie!

[pavlindrom Posted Apr 19th 2010 7:25PM]

@AppleDrank
I really dig your avatar. Are you GrapeDrank in a new skin?

[barkerja Posted Apr 19th 2010 7:33PM]

@AppleDrank Actually, you do. The annual fee of $99 is just currently being 'waived'.

[Samsara Posted Apr 19th 2010 7:57PM]

@barkerja Actually, that $99 is just to get into the formal App Catalog. You could develop an app in Ares, sell it via your website with Paypal, and let people download it through Palm's informal channels. All legal and free and non-hackey.

[BeeksElectric Posted Apr 20th 2010 12:25AM]

@Samsara Also, Palm is letting open-source devs publish apps without the $99 a year fee, so if you're willing to open your app to the community, you get a free pass on that. Also, they're currently waiving the fee for everyone, so I'd hop on webOSDev and get an account now if you even have an inkling of ever developing a webOS app.

[imikedaman Posted Apr 20th 2010 4:08AM]

@Samsara You can develop a web app for the iPhone, sell it via your website with PayPal, and let people download it through Apple's web app website. All legal and free and non-hacky.
http://www.apple.com/webapps/

It uses HTML5 and Javascript via WebKit (sound familiar yet?), and all iPhones come prepackaged with a bookmark to that website. And yet it's still a complete wasteland because the whole concept is a joke to begin with.

[TinWard Posted Apr 20th 2010 10:57AM]

@imikedaman +1

Although this IDE looks awesome (similar to Interface Builder in fact), you're building webapps that use Javascript to run and they run on a Javascript engine 3x slower than the one with the 3GS.

[TheBear Posted Apr 19th 2010 6:45PM]

I've tried out the previous versions, it holds a lot of promise, and there's something zen about building palm pre apps on a palm pre.

[ashleythehottiest Posted Apr 19th 2010 6:45PM]

Well i hope they stay around for a long time we need more competition

[onlyshawn Posted Apr 19th 2010 10:51PM]

@ashleythehottiest I think that what you mean is that there should be *good* competition. Valid competition. WebOS *might* be this, though its failure of adoption seems to say to me that "this ain't it," path-dependence notwithstanding.

[SolidSnake Posted Apr 19th 2010 6:46PM]

Live Palm, live!

[RottingOrange Posted Apr 19th 2010 9:19PM]

@SolidSnake

He's [not] dead, Jim!

[GenericMessage Posted Apr 19th 2010 6:46PM]

They should make a version of this for Android.


It would be perfect to let baby developers start out on something that isn't covered in code and formulas. A very non-scary way to program!

[Alexpeegs Posted Apr 19th 2010 6:47PM]

Palm dies!!!!

[Azlo Posted Apr 19th 2010 6:58PM]

@Alexpeegs

I'm just curious as to where the hostility stems from. Did Palm or webOS hurt you in some way? Did a Palm Pilot touch you when you were child?

[SolidSnake Posted Apr 19th 2010 7:02PM]

@Azlo
He's just upset because it didn't MULTI-touch him.

[nickcraze Posted Apr 19th 2010 7:29PM]

@SolidSnake

You had me rolling...

[SolidSnake Posted Apr 19th 2010 8:00PM]

@nickcraze
That's my job...

[inertone Posted Apr 19th 2010 8:42PM]

@SolidSnake and @ Azlo

literally had me cracking up
some humpty dumpty shizz

[youngluck Posted Apr 19th 2010 6:48PM]

God Dammit HTC! Buy this sexy beast of an OS and ship it on non-fecal hardware already! I would totally develop for this, if I thought a shot in hell of reaching capable hardware.

[Marbles Posted Apr 19th 2010 6:51PM]

Doesn't this violate Apple's patent on doing things with things?

[rhesusplus Posted Apr 19th 2010 7:28PM]

@Marbles
Thanks for the laugh!

[Wesscoast Posted Apr 19th 2010 8:17PM]

@Marbles

Yeah, but you can't exactly sue a company with ZERO market cap and no money. Which pretty much describes Palm's distinct lack of lawsuits lo these many years.

But thanks for playin' genius.

[SoManyPhones Posted Apr 19th 2010 8:50PM]

@Wesscoast you also can't sue a company who has a patent on the smartphone .. Google it

written on my palm pre

[JeremyBenthem Posted Apr 19th 2010 6:51PM]

Man this sucks, I'm not a web developer (Ares is mainly for basic apps using web languages) and I can't figure out how to get PDK up and running. What Palm needs to do is a make an easy package for app developers like Apple and Microsoft do, even Android is easier these days, but obviously going up against the biggest names in the tech industry is no easy feat, keep at it Palm

[Azlo Posted Apr 19th 2010 6:56PM]

@JeremyBenthem

You might be a little confused. All you need is web languages to develop for webOS. Everything is written in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It's all based on Linux to boot.

Apple and Microsoft have a much more complicated setup, IMHO.

[PhoenixFox Posted Apr 19th 2010 7:14PM]

@JeremyBenthem

The PDK is the one with deeper level access, I think...

[JeremyBenthem Posted Apr 19th 2010 8:54PM]

@Azlo
that's the problem, many programmer are regular app devs, C, C++, Java, etc. Like I said I'm not a web developer so I don't know those things, the alternative is to use PDK which allows C++ but it's complicated to setup. Apple and Microsoft give a single setup file that installs everything you need and it's easy to get up in running, Palms relies on components from other projects like VirtualBox and Eclipse so setup can take a while

[Ali Scissons Posted Apr 19th 2010 11:00PM]

@JeremyBenthem

The PDK is based on a lot of Linux/open-source tech, which any decent C/C++ developer should know at least marginally. If you're developing OpenGL/SDL apps, chances are you know how to use these things.

[Surrealchemist Posted Apr 20th 2010 12:54AM]

@JeremyBenthem If you can't figure out how to run 3 installers then how are ou going to figure out how to write an application no matter how complicated? The SDK depends on virtualbox. Eclipse is optional. If you wanted you could use any old text editor.

[JeremyBenthem Posted Apr 20th 2010 1:54AM]

@Surrealchemist
I don't know about you, but all I know is that I can do just fine writing apps for iPhone and Windows Phone, and even android I've got it up and running, I just don't know the SDK, as far as the PDK goes, I wasn't able to get to a hello world

[JiminyGlick Posted Apr 20th 2010 8:27AM]

@JeremyBenthem

Right on. Palm needs to grease the wheels as much as possible. If I'm going to develop apps for something on my own time, I don't want to waste any of it troubleshooting the setup of the environment.

[monster1095 Posted Apr 19th 2010 6:53PM]

This is exactly what Palm needs right now:some hype to hopefully get them some sales.