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Twitter has been plugged into a Handspring Visor for some reason
A 'working' Twitter client exists for the PDA from 1999.
Chinese TV giant TCL brings Palm Inc. back to life
Prepare to be transported back to 2005. Chinese electronics maker TCL (which sells smartphones around the world as Alcatel OneTouch) announced earlier today that it's reviving the venerated Palm brand in the form of a new US subsidiary. That's right, folks: It might not be long until you've got a shiny new Palm smartphone in your pocket. To be clear, though, this new/old venture retains basically none of the original's DNA. Palm's giant vault of patents? It's been hacked apart and sold off in bits and pieces to big-time bidders. And webOS, the platform a naïve company banked its smartphone future on? It was open-sourced and eventually acquired by LG, who's now throwing it on smart TVs and maybe a smartwatch if we're lucky.
StyleTap brings its Palm OS emulator to Android, only asks for $50
Chrome? Who cares, give us Blazer! For those of you who just can't let go of your legacy Palm OS apps, StyleTap has been delivering emulation software to salve your woes since about 2005. But, if you've been riding the Android train, you've been left out in the cold by the Canadian company. That all changes today with the release of StyleTap for Google's mobile OS. The emulator supports any apps written for Palm OS 5.2 and earlier, as well as programs that use native ARM code. Of course, none of this comes for free. StyleTap wants 50 of your American dollars for the privilege of firing up Giraffe on your Galaxy Nexus. Check out the PR after the break for a few more details and hit up the source link if you just can't wait to get your Grafiti on.
USRobotics PalmPilot Personal review
It's 1996. You might have a cellphone, but it doesn't do much more than make phone calls. You might have a laptop, but it's likely too heavy to carry with you everywhere you go. Or you might only have a phone that's plugged into a wall and a PC that's confined to a desk. That's the environment that gave rise to the Personal Digital Assistant (or PDA), a new type of product that first arrived in the late 1980s but really came into its own in the mid-90s. 1996 also saw the release of the first PDAs developed by USRobotics subsidiary Palm Inc., the Pilot 1000 and 5000, which had more in common with today's smartphones than many of their contemporary devices. They had a touchscreen with only a few physical buttons at the bottom. They had apps you could download. They could sync data with your computer. And they were small and light enough to carry with you at all times. They just didn't make phone calls. A year later, Palm released the slightly upgraded PalmPilot Personal and PalmPilot Professional (with 512KB and 1MB of RAM, respectively), and the ensuing years would see a regular stream of new devices -- not to mention an acquisition by 3Com, and a new spate of Palm OS products from Handspring, a company founded by the folks behind the original Pilot. But it's those first few devices that come to mind when someone mentions "Palm PDA," and with good reason -- they set a mold that wasn't deviated from much until Palm made the jump into smartphones.
Palm Pre 2 gets official webOS 2.1 update, Classic emulator hacked to work on it
Hey, Pre 2 owners: want the webOS 2.1 action that Germans have been enjoying on their Pre Pluses for a couple weeks now? Of course you do -- and HP's got your back. The new update's been posted with support for the Touchstone's Exhibition mode, Voice Dial, and a plethora of updates to existing apps throughout the system (interestingly, the unlocked Pre 2 seems to have the Rogers model's update information, but we're pretty sure it makes no difference). On a related note, remember Classic? The old-school Palm OS emulator for webOS was so neat back during the Pre's introduction that Palm worked closely with the developer to get it supported and available -- but when webOS 2.0 happened, Palm dropped the emulator like a hot potato by removing critical stuff from the platform's updated libraries. Well, with some sweat, blood, and a whole lot of elbow grease, it appears that PreCentral forum members have somehow managed to get Classic working on webOS 2.1 once again -- and you can, too, with a ten-step procedure. It feels like Palm OS is becoming more of a vintage novelty than a mission-critical platform by the day, but hey, we can understand the sentimental value.
Hong Kong gadget flea market: a blast from the past
If you've seen our Hong Kong feature from awhile back, then you would've already heard about my favorite gadget hangout Sham Shui Po. By chance, my post-flight stroll in said district yesterday coincided with Apliu Street's Chinese New Year flea market, which featured many vintage items like jade figurines, paintings, jewelry, video tapes, vinyl records, etc. Naturally, what really caught my attention were the old gadgets that were literally piled up along the street, and from just HK$30 (US$3.85), you could easily pick up an old classic such as a Sony Clié, an HP iPaq, a WonderSwan Color, an original GameBoy, a MiniDisc player, or even a proper old school laptop or camera. Hell, some guy even had a couple of Nintendo Micro VS Systems (Donkey Kong Hockey and Boxing)! The catch? Well, there was obviously no warranty for these old timers, plus the broken screens or the lack of compatible batteries for some meant that most were more suitable as collectibles. Regardless, we took a $6 gamble with a Sony Clié PEG-NR70 Palm PDA with docking station and boom! It works! Well, except for the battery that only lasts for an hour, but I'll figure something out. %Gallery-115754%
MotionApps' Classic emulator for webOS doesn't -- and can't -- work with 2.0
If you've still got some critical Palm OS apps after all these years... well, maybe it's time to try to find a way to move on. But in the meantime, you might be a little distraught to learn that MotionApps' Classic emulator is completely borked in webOS 2.0. Turns out there's a rather unrecoverable reason for that: Palm has apparently elected to remove the Classic ROM from webOS 2.0's binaries, which MotionApps claims is a violation of the agreement the two companies had in place. As a last-ditch effort to get things rolling again, MotionApps has turned over Classic's source to Palm, but it's not looking good; in light of that, they've stopped selling the app effective immediately, though they're saying they'll continue to support customer on webOS 1.x (which, for the moment, is still pretty much everybody). After this, looks like the only way to get your Palm OS on will be to hit up Access for some Garnet action -- so the question is, just how hardcore of a legacy user are you?
Microsoft licenses dozens of patents from Access and Acacia, including some Palm inventions
Complete details on the deal are still a bit light, but it's just been revealed today that Microsoft has licensed a total of 74 patents from Acacia Research Corp. and Access Co. Ltd, some of which come from PalmSource, the software company spun off from Palm Inc. in 2003. While Microsoft itself isn't saying much on the matter beyond the usual formalities, Acacia CEO Paul Ryan says that the patents licensed by Microsoft are "foundational" in the smartphone market and, as The Wall Street Journal reports, they apparently include some of the very same patents that Acacia has sued other companies over, including Apple, RIM, Samsung and Motorola -- those specific patents concern things like email synchronization and "providing phone capabilities from personal computer devices." Guess that's one potential patent lawsuit you can mark off your list.
Aceeca's PalmOS-based PDA32 gets reviewed, albeit in prototype form
Ah, the dream does live on. If we're being straight with you, we didn't exactly have the highest hopes for Aceeca's PDA32 to ever make it out of the dreamworld in which it was created, but apparently it's well on its well to commercialization. For reasons unknown, of course. The good folks over at TamsBlog managed to get ahold of a prototype device, powered by one of yesteryear's greatest operating systems and encased in a comically large shell. It's important to note that this isn't a finalized retail unit, but it's still fairly fascinating that an object like the one you're looking at above is actually about to ship in the year 2010 A.D. The overview is about what you'd expect, noting that the screen is above average, the enclosure itself is downright "fat," and the whole thing seems far more sensible in the enterprise realm than the consumer one. Sadly, there's no real talk of software performance, but we suspect that'll come when the final product ships out. Hit the source link for a fascinating look at a device you'll never buy.
Graffiti for Android scribbles Palm OS memories all over Google's platform
Gather around the campfire, children, as we tell you a story from or youth. You see, back in our day, we carried around PDAs driven by Palm's operating system (no, not that one). Primitive and bulky by modern standards, sure, but if there's one aspect we remember most fondly -- or at least most vividly -- it'd be Graffiti, the shorthand writing system for your stylus-based text entry. And guess what? You can now bring that same frustration enjoyment to Google Android. Available now via Market, the free, OS-wide keyboard alternative comes care of Access, who gained the rights to Graffiti following the Palm / Xerox settlement from way back in 2006. The future is the past as remembered by the present, or something like that -- download away.
Aceeca's PDA32 keeps the PalmOS dream alive
We'd heard earlier this year that Aceeca would be sticking with PalmOS for at least a few more devices, and it looks like those hopes have now finally become a reality in the form of the company's PDA32 device. In addition to a leading-edge, one-inch-thick design, this one packs a 320 x 480 display, along with a 400MHz Samsung S3C2440 processor, 64MB of RAM, 128MB of flash storage, an SD card slot for expansion, and optional Bluetooth and WiFi (in case you don't need such things). Still no official word on a release date, but a preliminary spec sheet that's turned up lists April 10th, and a price of just $199 -- belt holster not included.
Palm isn't hot on Pre overclocking, indicates warranties are at risk
You know the hacked Pre firmware releases that have been coming out lately, first for 1.3.5.1 and then recently for 1.4? We tested out that later one and found the results to be good, and indeed one of the creators, caj2008, sent us plenty of data from early testers showing minimal heat gains and battery losses. Still, Palm isn't exactly thanking these guys for their hard work, going so far as to issue a warning: While we appreciate the effort the webOS community has put forth to try and help us along that path, the use of this application is neither endorsed nor recommended by Palm and will likely result in a voided warranty. Frankly you can't be surprised that Palm isn't thrilled about users cranking up the clock multiplier on their phones, nor can you think less of the company for indicating that those doing so might face some warranty issues going forward. And, as we've said before, despite all data that these mods are safe users should exhibit caution before dialing up the megahertz. After all, you wouldn't put a manual controller on your turbo'd car, double the PSI, and then try to get your blown headgasket warrantied... right?
StyleTap finally brings Palm OS to your iPhone
Well it's been a long time coming, but now you can finally run your favorite Palm OS apps on your (jailbroken) iPhone. The good folks at StyleTap have taken that exciting demo we saw way back in May of 2008 and turned it into a Cydia-downloadable reality. As we said, you'll need to violate Apple's rules (and break Steve's heart) to get the emulator on your device, but once you do you'll be able to run Palm OS applications (compatible up to version 5.2), with support for native ARM apps, Audio recording and playback, virtual memory cards, and TCP/IP connectivity, amongst other features. If you've been hanging on to a Treo or other discontinued Palm product due to your sick dependency on a single program (or set of programs), here's your chance to break free. You'll also be breaking free of $49.99, which is what the folks at StyleTap are requesting for this pleasure, and keep in mind that if you upgrade using one of Apple's official number bumps, you're out of luck with your jailbroken software. Still, we find the existence of this to be totally badical, so hit the read link and bone up on your next purchase.
Entelligence: Aiming high or another Mylo?
Entelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide. We heard a rumor last week that Sony was working on new handhelds to compete with devices like the iPad. It sounds like a great idea: a PSP with integrated telephony and e-book functionality could perhaps give everyone in the market a run for their money. But I'm a little skeptical -- Sony's Clié line once defined state-of-the-art PDA, but the company ceded the market to Palm long before the PDA was eventually reborn as the smartphone. If Sony's seriously thinking about getting back to the handheld space, here's some lessons it might learn from its efforts back in the PDA day. 1. Innovation is great but only when you really innovate. Sony led the market in innovation when it entered the PDA space. It offered the first Palm OS devices with removable storage, the first devices that could play back audio and video, and the first high-resolution color devices. All of these clearly drove the market forward. Then the innovations became less innovative and more "gadgetry." There were 3D interfaces for the launcher that were confusing and awkward. Some devices had Bluetooth support but not others. Devices like the NZ-90 (pictured above) added so many features into the mix that it was big, bloated, and nearly useless.* In short, the innovations became less compelling and eventually stood in the way of. I'm worried that Sony's meshing the type of functionality rumored to be its new device without any thought how it all has to work together.
PalmOS lives on, Aceeca releasing two devices this year
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?"
Palm Treo 650 boots into Android, lives a fulfilling life (video)
It may be half a decade old, but don't lie -- you still whip your Treo 650 out from time to time, toss on some jean shorts and pretend that the size of your stub is synonymous with the big times. If we just rung your bell, you owe it to yourself to have a peek at the video past the break. There are no step-by-step instructions to accompany it (they're out there, trust us), but man, you can just see the life seeping back into it as the code scrolls down and Android grows seconds closer to booting. It's glorious, really. [Thanks, Andrew]
Jailbroken iPhone gets Expose-like view, you retail users just keep on scrollin' (video)
How many apps do you have on your iPhone? Yeah, we figured it was a lot. Being able to re-arrange items now is mighty helpful, but not so helpful as this little hack from Steve Troughton-Smith that adds Exposé-like functionality to the mix. Just press the Home button and up pops a view of all the application pages; tap one and you're taken straight there, as shown in the video after the break. Nice and simple -- and at this point not available even to jailbroken handsets. We're sure that'll change soon, but it's anybody's guess if or when Apple will add something like this to the official OS. Yet another reason to go ahead and roll your own.
Video: Palm Pre jumps the border, now shipping on Bell
Right on schedule, the Palm Pre has started shipping to Bell Mobility customers. The Bell exclusive marks the first international launch of Palm's little savior and to celebrate, we've got commercials -- a pair of knee-slappers featuring real live Canadians. And you thought that the mirror on the back of the Pre was only for the ladies.
Snow Leopard takes a bite out of support for legacy Palm OS devices
Still rocking that Palm Zire with your new Intel-based Mac? Then you might just want to reconsider that upgrade to Snow Leopard, as Apple has apparently decided to ditch its support for legacy Palm OS devices in the latest incarnation of iSync. That, as you may be aware, had previously acted as a conduit for Palm's aging but still available Palm Desktop software, and let folks easily sync up their contacts and other data from their Centro, Treo, Zire, Tungsten, or even a venerable old PalmPilot. Of course, that doesn't quite rise to the same level of controversy as the whole Pre / iTunes situation, especially considering that Palm itself has mostly moved on from said devices, and there are still some third-party sync solutions available for folks that want to keep the Palm OS dream alive.
AT&T lays down the law, says Treo 680 users must update firmware
Once upon a time, Palm released a big firmware update for AT&T's branded version of the venerable Palm OS-powered Treo 680 (we know we just tossed a mind-boggling array of obsolete words and phrases at you, so feel free to take a couple minutes to catch your breath -- we'll wait). Okay, now fast forward to mid-2009. Treo 680s are still in the field -- and apparently, some of those haven't been updated to that 2007 vintage firmware. For some reason, AT&T has just now started really turning up the heat on these holdouts, apparently sending out text messages saying they're required to apply the update by the 15th of next month to continue using their phones on the network. We don't know if AT&T plans on doing an IMEI lockout or what here, but at any rate, it's a pretty big slap in the face of the "open network" concept these guys have been espousing for the past couple years. Then again, the update's seriously got a lot of good stuff in it, so it's totally unclear why anyone with a 680 wouldn't just bite the bullet and submit to AT&T's will this time around. [Via Palm Infocenter]
