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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.
Pixi Plus spotted running WebOS 2.1, forthcoming device from HP, or clever hack? (video)
Engadget readers are invited to use their judgment on this one, because frankly, we're not sure what to make of this pre-production Pixi running WebOS 2.1. A Vietnamese member of the Pre Central forums known as "mr.xtop" recently posted snapshots of his recent purchase, and as the story goes, he noted something was amiss upon witnessing an OS that certainly didn't belong. We can definitively say the phone is pre-release, noting the tell-tale green dots on the keyboard, but whether this is a forthcoming device or shoehorn hack is currently unknown (though common sense tells us it's the latter, given the recent luck of Pre Plus owners). That said, we're pleasantly surprised by the responsive interface, considering HP's insistence that this diminutive smartphone is incapable of handling the new WebOS. Again, we were pretty skeptical until seeing the software in action, so be sure to check the video after the break -- mr.xtop is going to make a believer out of you.
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 Pixi Plus vs. HP Veer: what's changed?
If you like 'em cute, small, and (presumably) cheap, HP's announcement today of the Veer should make you pretty happy -- on the surface, it looks like a downsized Pre, but really, you can think of it as a proper Pixi / Pixi Plus successor. Let's take a look at what sets these two bad boys apart from one another.
Verizon's online store is now Palm-free; Pre 2 imminent?
The last Palm-branded holdout on Verizon's inventory -- the CDMA Pixi Plus -- is now gone from the company's online store, once again leaving the country's largest carrier without a webOS option to be had. Of course, the Pre 2 has been lined up for release on Verizon for some time, but in light of the lukewarm reception the phone's received so far, the coming webOS 2.0 upgrades for the older models, and the big news presumably coming out of HP's early February event, we'd say they're now dangerously close to releasing an obsolete device. For what it's worth, Palm's site insists that the new model's still "coming soon," but that had better happen on the double if they want to sell any of these things.
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.
Engadget's back to school guide: Mobile phones
Welcome to Engadget's Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we're here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. Today, we have mobile phones in our sights -- and you can head to the Back to School hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Back in our day, the only "mobile phone" at school was the one that broke off the dorm wall after our roommates got a little too rowdy, but nowadays, a capable, high-power handset is quickly becoming a must-have for students of all ages. Regardless of your budget, your parent's budget, or your little one's budget, we've got options that should help with studying, gaming, music, and maybe even the occasional call home.
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%
Hack brings WiFi to Sprint Palm Pixi courtesy of Verizon Pixi Plus radio board swap
We can't say it's the most practical of hacks, but it looks like Sprint Palm Pixi users eager to add some much-needed WiFi to their device do have at least one option. As demonstrated by PreCentral forum member gitit20, all you have to do is find a Verizon Pixi Plus somewhere, pull out its radio board, swap it with the one in your Sprint Pixi, and run the Sprint webOS Doctor application to get everything back in working order. As you can see above, the two radio boards are identical apart from the missing WiFi chip, and there's apparently no extra fiddling with serial numbers or anything required. Head on past the break for the whole thing on video.
Palm Pixi Plus now free on AT&T
Wow, that didn't take long! A couple days ago, you were paying $50 to take this thing home, but AT&T has moved perhaps quicker than any carrier in memory to adjust pricing on the Pixi Plus down to a more reasonable $0 -- on contract after rebates, of course. The only catch appears to be that you'll have to sign up for a data plan of at least $15, which corresponds to the carrier's recently-introduced DataPlus package that includes 200MB per month with overage of $15 per additional 200MB. That might seem low for your average power user on your average smartphone -- but this is a Pixi Plus we're talking about here. [Thanks, Allen]
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.
Palm Pixi Plus now available on AT&T
We knew it was coming, and here it is: you can now grab up a Palm Pixi Plus on AT&T. The tiny QWERTY webOS device will run you $49.99 with a new two year contract after rebates. Overall, it's pretty much the same beast as the classic Pixi, but check out our hands-on of the Plus, and our full review of the little dear if you need a refresher.
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?
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.]
Confirmed: AT&T's Pixi Plus launches June 6
We said it was coming on June 6, and we weren't lying -- the Pixi Plus, that is, rife with GSM compatibility for AT&T's airwaves. The Pre Plus is already available (with a free Touchstone thrown in, no less), but if you're looking for something a smidge smaller with a little less horsepower, you might be holding out for this one. For what it's worth, we're hearing that the Touchstone promotion won't apply to the new model -- largely because it'll sell for $100 less on contract, if we had to guess -- so be sure you come packing enough cash on the 6th if wireless charging is your secret, irrepressible passion. [Thanks, Jacob M.]
Verizon's Pixi Plus drops to free on contract
Say what you will about the Pixi Plus; it may not be the best smartphone in the world, and heck, it might not even be the best webOS device on the block. But you know what? When your net cash outlay is a big, fat zero, it's pretty tough to argue -- especially when you've got dumbphones running $20, $50, $100, or even more. On that note, Verizon dropped the Pixi Plus from $30 to $0 on contract after rebate this week, which makes a pretty compelling case for the thing -- if nothing else, you could just use it for its free mobile hotspot service and pay $50 less upfront than you do for a MiFi (granted, you'll be paying more month to month, but... you know, you've got an actual phone). Now, here's our question: with this kind of insane price pressure, what comes next after free?
AT&T scheduling Palm Pixi Plus, Vu Plus, and others for early June launch?
So we know the Pre Plus is hitting AT&T this coming Sunday -- but what about its little brother? We're hearing that AT&T has lined up the Pixi Plus for a June 6 launch for $49.99 on contract after rebate, $100 less than it'll be charging for the Pre Plus -- in other words, you'll be able to get a Verizon Pre Plus or an AT&T Pixi Plus for the same price, and the latter won't include free mobile hotspot service. Voodoo math aside, we've got a few more goodies in here for you: the aging LG Vu will apparently be replaced on June 6 with a Vu Plus model for $149.99 on contract with rebate, Samsung will re-up the rugged Rugby with the Rugby II for $129.99, and Pantech's Pursuit swings in for $49.99. It all makes for an exciting June, does it not? [Thanks, Kal]
Palm Pixi Plus hits Vodafone Spain on May 10, Pre Plus conspicuously missing
Wherever the Pre goes, the Pixi typically likes to follow, which makes it pretty interesting to see that Vodafone Spain will be launching Palm's new GSM flavor of the Pixi Plus on the 10th of this month without any sign of its Pre Plus sibling. That's a marked departure from the line Vodafone and O2 have both been taking in other markets, so it makes you wonder: does Vodafone think that the Pre Plus won't sell well here (it already offers the Pre), is there some firmware issue holding back the localized version, or is there some other mysterious conspiracy brewing altogether? At any rate, follow the break for Palm's press release.
