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No Open WebOS support for existing WebOS devices, no soup for you
Another day, another major blow to the webOS community. The Open webOS project announced today in its blog that the fledgling OS won't support any of the existing hardware -- like HP's Pre 3 and TouchPad. While not completely surprising, this is disappointing for those who were hoping to wring a little more life out of their current webOS devices. Open webOS is targeting SoCs that support the Linux 3.3+ kernel and components with open source drivers. The blog post blames the existing hardware's "many proprietary components, including graphics, networking and lack of drivers for a modern kernel". Despite having access to these proprietary drivers, it appears HP isn't willing to make them available to the Open webOS project -- proof that sometimes you can have your cake, but not eat it too.
Upgrading old Pres, Pre Pluses to webOS 2.1 slightly easier, fraught with less danger thanks to new scripts
Let's be honest, Palm user: in all likelihood, your days with your Pre or Pre Plus are numbered. At this point, you've got the Pre 2 available, the Pre 3 and Veer in the pipeline, and countless awesome assaults from other platforms in constant danger of stealing you away. Might as well have a little fun, right? Maybe try your hand at an unauthorized upgrade to webOS 2.1, for example? WebOS Internals has thrown together some scripts that make updating a variety of Pre and Pre Plus versions from Sprint, Verizon, AT&T, Telcel, and Bell -- devices that HP recently decided wouldn't get webOS 2.0 -- relatively painless, though they're quick to note that any number of absolutely awful things could still happen to your device or your Palm Profile. It's not for the faint of heart... but then again, carrying around a Pre these days shows a level of platform defiance that isn't for the faint of heart, either, so you're no stranger to bravery. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
webOS 2.1 for the Pre Plus now available to download for O2 Germany users
In spite of HP's strong assurances to the contrary, the Palm Pre Plus is actually going to give users the option to ride into webOS 2.x territory. As we speculated yesterday, O2 Germany Pre Plus owners can now download a new firmware package for their slider handsets, which will work its magic and update them to version 2.1 of HP's magnificent software. The company has been actively discouraging users and programmers from pairing the older hardware with the latest software, so we can't promise it'll be a bump-free ride for all upgraders, but having the option is all people have been asking for and now it's there -- and by "there" we mean the source link below. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Palm Pre Plus to get webOS 2 after all?
We won't lie: we did feel a little put out when our pal Jon Rubinstein told us that webOS 2.0 wouldn't be coming to the Palm Pre Plus -- something about the older hardware not having the necessary "oomph" to handle the new OS. But perhaps all hope is not lost! According to a rep from O2 Germany (as espied on the company's support forums) HP will make with the new operating system at some point in the near future -- just not as an over-the-air update. When the time comes (indeed, if the time comes) you'll need to download it from HP's website not your computer and install it via USB. And maybe that will be the point when we discover the joys of running a new OS on an underpowered handset for ourselves! Update: Okay, maybe not. Mitchell wrote in to let us know that HP pulled the webOS 2.0 SDKs and are "actively encouraging" devs to stick with 1.4.5 for the Pre Plus. So, yeah, bummer.
Original Pre, Pre Plus, Pixi and Pixi Plus won't get updated to webOS 2.0
We had a chance to sit down with Jon Rubinstein after HP's webOS event today, and he confirmed some unfortunate news for us: older Palm devices like the original Pre, the Pre Plus, the Pixi, and the Pixi Plus won't receive that previously promised update to webOS 2.0. Jon was pretty candid with us, saying that Palm had "missed a product cycle" in the midst of its financial troubles and subsequent acquisition by HP last year, and that the older products simply don't have the horsepower to properly run webOS 2.0 and beyond. That said, it's clear that he wants to do right by customers -- he told us that HP would do "something special" for owners of older hardware when the Pre 3, the Veer, and the TouchPad hit the market. We'll see what that entails -- and whether or not anyone actually sticks it out on webOS 1.4.5 until the new gear ships sometime this summer. P.S.- We have lots more from our talk with Jon coming up -- including some actually good news -- so keep an eye on this space.
Palm Voice Test portal foreshadows Verizon's LTE voice plans, quasi-affirms new pricing
See that image above? It's not a forthcoming Palm LTE phone for Verizon Wireless, but it could be a sneak peek into Big Red's plans for the future. If you'll recall, VZW's CTO Tony Malone hinted last week at CES that integrated LTE voice + data wouldn't come until 2012 or 2013 at the earliest, and for now, all LTE devices would be relying on 3G for voice and 4G for data. Heck, not even all of the first-wave LTE devices will support simultaneous 4G data + 3G voice. Of course, we all know that LTE voice is coming eventually, and a new test portal at Verizon's official website may be a clue as to how things will be arranged once it's live. We're guessing that an admin simply populated this page with information and images from the standard Pre Plus page -- there's no way an LTE-enabled Pre is planning to slink into VZW's lineup -- but it's pretty obvious that at least someone within the company is thinking about a world where voice calls are completed over LTE. Potentially more interesting is the "4G plan pricing on this phone" line -- during Verizon's second LTE presser at CES, none of the executives on stage would talk dollars and cents, but this makes it fairly clear that there will definitely be separate plans for 4G phones, most likely ones with higher prices. Feel free to hit the source link if you'd like to poke around, but we wouldn't expect it to remain online for much longer. One more look is after the break. Update: As we predicted, the page has been pulled. Good thing the important bits are right here for you and yours.
Just got a Palm phone? The best apps, accessories, and tips
So you nabbed a webOS device over the holidays? Maybe you got yourself a Pixi or Pre Plus, or if you were really lucky, someone dropped a Pre 2 in your stocking. We know that Palm isn't exactly ruling the roost when it comes to smartphones, but that doesn't mean that your new device isn't plenty powerful given the right apps and proper tweaks. In fact, webOS can stand toe-to-toe with the iOS and Android devices of the world, even if the selection of apps and hardware leaves something to be desired. So how do you turn your holiday cheer into a year-round workhorse? Read on after the break for the must-have apps, accessories, and more!
webOS 2.0 coming to 'all' Palm devices in the coming months
We're hoping he wasn't speaking out of turn here, but for what it's worth, Palm developer advocate Josh Marinacci has said on stage at webOS Developer Days today in New York that webOS 2.0 will be coming to "all" Palm devices in "the coming months." Now, we're going to go ahead and assume he's not talking about your Treo 650, your Palm III, or your LifeDrive, but we're taking that to mean that Pre, Pixi, Pre Plus, and Pixi Plus owners on all carriers around the globe can expect official upgrades for their phones -- and hey, considering how mild of an upgrade the Pre 2 is (and the fact you can't get it on some of the older devices' launch carriers), that's fantastic news. Follow the break for Marinacci's full presentation from the event.
webOS 1.4.5 for Palm Pre Plus on Verizon and AT&T finally arrives
Palm first started telling us webOS 1.4.5 was coming "soon" back in May, but after an interminable wait it looks like Pre Pluses on Verizon and AT&T are starting to get an OTA update. The release notes page on Palm's site is currently down, but we're looking for better PDK support, some GPS fixes, and improved gaming action. We'll let you know as soon as we find out anything definite -- but for now, let us know how it's going on comments. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Right on time: Verizon phasing out Pre Plus, Storm2, Curve 8530, others?
Judging from some documents we've received, Big Red is looking to clear out a lot of inventory right about now -- presumably to make room for some upcoming models, some of which we've already heard about through the grapevine. Specifically, the Pre Plus along with the BlackBerry Storm2 and Curve 8530 are apparently marked "Phase Out"; in the case of the Pre Plus, we know Verizon's site has had it marked out of stock for a little while now, while rumors of a Storm3 and Curve 9330 have been floating around for some time. Also on the chopping block are a couple netbooks, a USB modem, and the MiFi, a device we've heard would be replaced with the ZTE-sourced, dual-mode Fivespot in the near future. All makes sense, doesn't it? Follow the break for a second shot. [Thanks, Wildkat]
Sprint Pre Plus hack detailed in step-by-step guide
WebOS device hacking has reach some considerable heights recently with a mod to bring WiFi to a Sprint Palm Pixi, but it looks like even that's now been topped by this hack that finally brings the Pre Plus to Sprint. As you can probably guess, that involves a Sprint Palm Pre, a Pre Plus (from either AT&T or Verizon), a slew of software tweaking, and plenty of tricky hardware modding to get the Sprint Pre coms board into the Pre Plus. Will it actually work? We can't say we've gone so far as to try the mod ourselves, but PreCentral forum member livinofframen says his modded phone behaves perfectly, right down to the stock Sprint applications. Hit up the link below for the complete details to try it yourself -- at your own risk, of course. [Thanks, Ken M.]
Pre Plus out of stock online at Verizon and AT&T -- so what does it mean?
We can all agree that some fresh product is desperately overdue out of Sunnyvale, so the eternal optimists in us want to believe that the departure of the Pre Plus from Verizon's and AT&T's warehouses right now means that we can expect new goodies soon. Of course, it's entirely possible that the two carriers just happened to run out of phones at the same time and that fresh batches are on their way, so it's too early to say these phones are out for the count; then again, when you consider that Sprint somehow still sells the Centro, anything's possible. For what it's worth, both carriers' stores are still stocking the phones, so if you absolutely must have a Pre Plus right now, you're in luck -- you're just going to have to put on something besides your underwear and leave the house to get it. Sorry!
New Facebook Beta for webOS (v1.2.30) adds landscape viewing, inline comments
A few iterations beyond the last time we checked in, the Palm webOS Facebook app is now up to beta version 1.2.30. New features this time around include landscape viewing, improved photo tagging, and the ability to clear all notifications by selecting view all, then using a back gesture to exit the menu. Other changes that are more immediately noticeable are the news feed dropdown menu option (before & after picture after the break) which should be quite useful for those following our tips on managing your Facebook friends, plus the ability to see comments directly in the news feed, instead of just a number indicating how many there are. Check Preware or hit link below to download the latest version, if you're stuck on 1.2.5, just use the update feature on your phone and it should find the latest version.%Gallery-98385%
Verizon's FiOS DVR Manager for webOS is out, getting good reviews
You might recall that Verizon recently touted expanded device compatibility for its DVR Manager app, a boon for anyone looking to nab the latest episode of Income Property while hundreds of miles away from the homestead (we know, it happens all the time) -- but what Big Red didn't really highlight in its press release was that webOS was one of the platforms now being supported. As with the app's counterparts on other mobile operating systems, the Palm-flavored build lets customers "set parental controls, set bookmarks, browse and search TV programming, view the DVR status to see how much space is left for recording, browse and search VOD listings, and see their lists of scheduled and recorded programs" -- and so far, it's getting well over four stars on a five-star scale since going live in the App Catalog, a good sign for usability. We don't mean to get too hopelessly optimistic, but heck, who knows -- this might even be a good sign for Verizon's continued interest in Palm's (or make that HP's) platform in the long term.
iPhone 4 vs. the smartphone elite: EVO 4G, N8, Pre Plus, and HD2
We know how the iPhone 4 sizes up against the aging 3GS -- but how does it fare against its fiercest competitors from all the major platforms? We wish we had some production Windows Phone 7 kit to check out here, but in the meantime, take a look at the results against the gruesome foursome of the EVO 4G, N8, Pre Plus, and HD2. You might be surprised by some of the results -- and sorry, RIM, you don't get to play until you bring some fresh, media-heavy hardware to the table. Nothing personal!
Palm Pre Plus and Pixi Plus now live on O2 UK
If you bundle the original Pre in with the Pre Plus -- and you pretty much can, considering how closely related they are -- this is quickly becoming one of the most protracted, phased mobile product launches in memory. Yes, that's right: as promised, O2 UK has now launched both the Pre Plus alongside its scrappier little sibling, the Pixi Plus, and you can get either one for as little as zero quid depending on how you play your cards. The Pixi Plus goes in your pocket for free on any plan, while the Pre Plus stays free as long as you spend at least £40 ($58) a month and scales up to £99 ($143) on the cheaper plans. We've got to believe there's some awesome new (like, legitimately new) hardware in Palm's pipe at this point -- but a free webOS device is always a tough offer to pass up, right?
SIM unlock now available for AT&T Palm Pre Plus
The method ain't new -- it's the same jictechnology developers offering the same code over at NextGenServer -- but it will yield different results when used on the latest and greatest webOS device. Yep, that Palm Pre unlock that enabled international GSM Pre units to work on AT&T, Telus and T-Mobile is now officially certified for use on AT&T's own Palm Pre Plus. That means your shiny new smartphone can now hop onto T-Mobile and Telus networks with a functioning SIM card from either carrier, but unlike other unlocks, this one will cost you $35.79. Or, you know, you could pick up Verizon's Pre Plus, nab a free mobile hotspot along the way, and pocket an old Nokia candybar for those overseas jaunts -- your call, broseph.
O2 UK will get Palm Pre Plus and Pixi Plus on May 28, skin you alive with pricing
You didn't think Germany was gonna have all the Palm fun, did you? The UK is keeping pace with its longtime nemesis by matching the May 28 launch date for the Pre and Pixi Plus on O2, and has even supplied us with a handy reference sheet containing all price plans available for the handsets. You'll find it after the break, but sadly it'll only be of interest to true WebOS enthusiasts. There's nothing south of £25 ($36) per month available, and if you want a reasonable call allowance, you'll have to get on into the £30 and above bracket. All contracts do at least come with unlimited texts and data, but overall the cost seems too steep to entice us, what with all the Desires and Bolds floating around at better price points. [Thanks, Chris W.]
Palm Pre Plus launched on AT&T
The boardroom drama behind the HP acquisition wasn't the only Palm news today -- the company also launched the AT&T Palm Pre Plus. No surprises here -- it's going to $149, decidedly more than Verizon's $29 with free Mobile Hotspot service -- but hey, at least it's out there, and you get a free Touchstone in the deal, so that's nice. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Pre Plus comes to AT&T on May 16, $149.99 with free Touchstone
AT&T has finally sent out the rundown on when (and for how much) its customers will be able to saddle themselves with a Pre Plus and matching two-year contract, and the wait isn't a long one: it launches this coming Sunday, May 16, just as we'd expected. It'll run $149.99 on contract after rebate -- the same that Sprint is charging for the Pre, and $100 more than Verizon is charging for its own Pre Plus -- but buyers will be getting a free Touchstone charging dock along with their purchase "for a limited time" when the phone is picked up in a corporate-owned store. There's no word on the Pixi Plus yet, but hey, at least this gets Palm back on the network after an extended vacation. No word on a free mobile hotspot add-on, but hope springs eternal, we suppose.
