Palm loses webOS notifications architect to Apple
By Vlad Savov 
posted June 9th 2010 5:17AM
posted June 9th 2010 5:17AM
[Thanks, Tal]
posted June 9th 2010 5:17AM
A look back on popular stories from today in a specific year.
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
Exciting.
iPhone could really need a notification system like on WebOS and Android.
@Fragmented If you actually used Android's notification system, you'd see that it's *vastly* superior to WebOs's. I have both the Pre and Hero/EVO, and there isn't even a comparison between them.
How ridiculous is it that 3 notifications eat up almost a half of Pre's screen? And if I don't want to check my email yet but want a reminder to do so - I have to keep it there and waste space.
@Fragmented
Says the idiot with the name "fragmented".
@ma4dk One of my biggest bug bears about the iPhone (and one of the reasons I will be sticking with Android for now) is the archaic notifications system. Will be glad if they get rid for a more streamlined approach
@ma4dk what it needs is to use all that useless space on the lock screen.... COME ON iOS4.1......
@ma4dk
now this is interesting.
A good chance to deal with the last main bugbear of ios
@ma4dk
NOOOO! WHY IS THE WEBOS TEAM FALLING APART?! ;_;
Why are they all leaving? :(
Please don't kill one of the best Mobile design UI's ever D:
@Vladislav
When you say he "joins Matias Duarte" you make it sound like he was hired by Apple as well when in fact Matias Duarte has gone to Google.
@ma4dk
Good move Apple, good move.
The iPhones current "notification system" is horrendous.
@ma4dk
PLEASE .. let this one roll out before iOS5 ... i can't handle a whole year of these current notifications.
@ma4dk
I doubt this hire has a lot to do with push notifications. I mean, push notifications were Apple's answer to multi-tasking, but now they have multi-tasking. But whatever.
I think it's more likely that Apple hired the guy because he's a good software architect, then for push notifications. It's not like an Android type notification bar is something that would require special expertise to implement.
@ma4dk
When the iPhone first came out, the notifications weren't a problem...in fact, they were just fine. Now that Android has perfected notifications in phones like the EVO http://www.epinions.com/content_513931382404
its obvious Apple had to change something.
@KinGKasH Engadget previously predicted this as the major revision for iOS 5. I think a 4.1 is way too optimistic, and Apple has a tendency to hold major revisions that take longer than 6 months until their annual refresh. I'd bet $ on iOS 5 before 4.1, just MHO though.
@gracefulspammer
You guys think that Apple would hire a guy just to make a notifications bar, something any third tier programmer could implement in one afternoon? Seriously?
@Archon810 he's only saying android is ugly. Which it is. It notification system is arguably better than the pre's. But in defense of webOS, those 3 notifications will only take up 'half' the screen if you expand them. 2nd it's nice to be able to control apps from the notification area even when your in a different app. Something you can't do with android.
@ma4dk
This is great! Let's be honest, if the notifications were not obstructive, iOS would be one of the best (if not THE best) smartphone OS on the market.
What else do we need now? Bluetooth file transfer is all I can think of. :)
@Dries
Free turn by turn, swappable batteries, app store freedom, free tethering, free wifi hot spotting, real customization, widgets etc etc etc. In other words, iOS is getting better, but in the overall scheme of things it's lagging far far behind.
@gigity That′s lot of et ceteras! LOL.. Anyway, if customization is so important to you, you have other choices..
@Archon810 It's obviously a matter of opinion here, but to be fair there are 4 notifications on this screen not three. But really the point is one tap of the screen and all notifications minimize to the bottom where you can still theres an open appointment, text, music etc without taking up any space. I still prefer WebOs notifications over Android but they need a device with a larger screen for the reason you pointed out.
@Archon810
those webos notifications shrink down after some time has passed or you swipe them off the screen into small icons that aren't stacked on top of each other.
@Archon810 Oh come on now brother, according to your last paragraph you don't even own a new webos device. You're only judging it by the picture. Next time try not to be so obvious on the fail.
@malus Why should "real" customization be the domain of another smartphone OS? Why can't Apple just "get it done?" Will it kill battery life? Will it horribly confuse the average iPhone user? What's the big deal?
@Peter Church the iPhone does NOT have multitasking. It has "go-to-last-4-apps" functionality -it doesn't even keep those apps running LIVE in the background...neither does Android. webOS is the only system that has true multitasking because it WILL still load an app and keep it actually running.
After using webOS, you would see that the iPhone's attempt at multitasking is just not real.
@Archon810 Unlike you Archon810, I actually have an Android device and a Pre. The notifications on the Pre are *vastly* better then Androids. Like others have already stated, they can easily be minimized to small icons in the bottom bar.
That being said, this news concerns me. I'm about to jump ship to the EVO simply because the future of Android isn't in question at all, and as a Pre owner (and lover of WebOS) I have no idea whats next for WebOS, if anything. We don't even know if it will ever be on another phone.
@Golgo
I didn't even know the iPhone had a notification system. I do however love to play that game, "Find the red dot", if it has a number over 100, you win!
@ma4dk Just flash the iphone 4 with webos and it would be a GOD phone. It would sell out for a year on pre-orders cos I'd by so many after a ruined the first few jizzing on it. Obviously replace that horrid button with a gesture area...
@theattack
I agree, webos has a great notification system... Waaay better then android to me.. Once they get waaay better hardware and get rid of alot of the bugs they should be ok.. Ill get another web os phone...
@ma4dk that mock up does look sharp. i just switched from palm pre to evo & I don't like the notifications nearly as much.
palm did great work (still doing it). i hope they figure out the hardware side of things. i might go back even if they don't. it's just a wonderful mobile OS.
@t2af you can best believe that apple will take their precious time to include this feature. Expect it in ios5.
@youngzayiles I probably will also. I kind of wanted the EVO but not willing to pay the price, & maybe too much phone. I hope the next Pre will live up to WebOS standards, it has a long way to go. I Invested too much time $ and effort to give up on it after 1 year. It is disheartening some of the really important people behind WebOS are leaving though.
@Archon810 You don't have to keep it there.... with a swipe, you can remove the icon from that area. You should try it.. even a Neanderthal can do it.
@licotto What about Symbian?
@licotto
WebOSthe only mobile platform with real multi-tasking? You must be young lol. How about Blackberry OS, Windows Mobile, Palm OS, Symbian, Maemo/MeeGo etc...?
Just sayin'
@ma4dk
You realise that he was originally an employ of APPLE's, right?
@Archon810 just swipe it away... clearly you don't use your Pre much or more likely, you dont have one at all.
@Archon810
On WebOS, you can dismiss a notification by simply swiping it to the right and it won't bother you again!
@vidoardes
I love the status bar notifications I get with my jailbroken phone, so simple and easy to find and see, like the one this guy has
http://iphonehelp.in/content/uploads/2008/11/status-notifier.jpg
@ma4dk Only thing I seriously like my Android phone right now over my iPhone 3Gs is notification (Though iPhone is still my main phone).
But seriously Apple if you need help in designing notifications and widgets I'm willing to help, maybe I should send my design to Steve.
@licotto Are you an idot?!
yes!
@WillSmith
Yeah, that mockup picture actually looks quite pleasing to the eye, coupled with the design of the iPhone4.
@WillSmith
Took the words right out of my mouth.
@Fragmented Btw, I doubt you've used Android since Android 1.1 on the G1.
Would be about time they make a notification system not based on annoying popups. Maybe we will see it in 2011!
Good, hopefully we can see better notification system on iOS. The one it has right now is like a dumbphone feature.
@pika2000
Well considering for the longest time, the iPhone WAS a glorified dumbphone, It's not hard to understand why some aspects still haven't changed much, despite newer, faster hardware.
@r34p3r
Yeah, you're right, Apple didn't revolutionize the smartphone market -at all-. *rolls eyes*
@UnspoknVendetta
No they didn't, they just made touchscreen phones mainstream and a massive hit.
We already had phones with camera, touchscreens, bluetooth, wifi, and stuff. Just they weren't pretty and well known
@Drybones5 And they were relatively hard to use. UI makes a massive difference, as does a great browser.
@Drybones5 "No they didn't, they just made touchscreen phones mainstream and a massive hit."
That is revolutionizing.