PrePlus
Latest
Palm Elan to be the next webOS smartphone, heading to AT&T?
Here's a little spicy rumor for you Palm fans on this tranquil Sunday: according to TopTongueBarry who claims to work for AT&T, his company has just finished certification tests with GSM flavors of the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus ahead of a possible April 26th launch -- a date not far from what we've heard earlier. However, the bigger news from Barry is that the big A will soon be testing a third mysterious webOS device by the name of Palm Elan, which may greet us mere mortals on May 10th (but possibly in Europe first). Another forum member Shadow-360 also dug up some cached pages that claimed to have accessories for the non-existent device, as pictured above. Of course, this could be just a crude joke for a keyboard-less Palm device that many of us seem to desire -- as reminded by the good folks at PreCentral, Elan is also the name of the company that sued Apple over multitouch patents last April. So, any thoughts on this leak? Are we all ready for a new webOS phone? [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Update: Turns out the Elan may just be the Pixi. Or it could be your wildest dreams about to come true.
How would you change Palm's Pre Plus and Pixi Plus?
We aren't trying to lump these two together or anything, but we figured we'd give those of you who opted for Palm's second set of webOS handsets an opportunity to pool your thoughts in order to make the smartphone landscape an even better place to survey. We personally didn't find too much new to laud on Verizon's Palm-branded twofer compared to the original Pre and Pixi, and those of you who were hoping for all new hardware from the company at CES were undoubtedly let down. Still, there's something to be said about a webOS product on America's "largest 3G network," and frankly, we're interested in hearing how you'd change things. Would you have overhauled things more drastically? Expanded the screen size? Bumped the resolution? Enlarged the keys? Go on and tell Jon exactly what you think in comments below -- who knows, the Pre Plus Plus might just carry your calling card.
iPhone games ported to webOS in 'a matter of days' on tap for GDC?
EA has already said that it was able to get 3D games up and running on webOS in a "matter of weeks" using the OS' PDK (or Plug-in Development Kit), but it looks like Palm might be ready to step things up even further at GDC next week. While any official word will have to wait until then, John Paczkowski of AllThingsD says that he's heard from sources close to the company that Palm will be now demonstrating how iPhone apps can be ported to webOS "in a matter of days," and with virtually no degradation in performance. Not much more to go on that at the moment, unfortunately, but you can be sure we'll be there at GDC to how this and anything else Palm might have in store pans out. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Facebook for webOS gets a much-needed, and much-appreciated, 1.1.0 update
After a disappointing initial effort, Palm has unleashed version 1.1.0 of its webOS Facebook app. Currently only available via the update function but not the standard App Catalog, users will find new and improved access to their inbox, all their friends' photo albums, profiles, direct photo uploading, friend search and a list view for upcoming events and birthdays. The first thing we noticed was the initial news feed now matches the notification preferences set on the standard webpage stopping the inevitable flood of Farmville updates we blocked so long ago. Features still missing include chat, video and the ability to respond to friend requests but with a distinctly faster and tighter experience, it's certainly surpassed the mobile webpage as the best way to access Facebook on the Pre. Can't reach the update button right now? Check our gallery for a few more images or this video demo from PreCentral embedded after the break. [Thanks, @Isaac] %Gallery-87251%
Palm webOS 1.4 update hits Verizon's Pre Plus and Pixi Plus
According to a little late night tweet from Palm -- and the update screen on our device -- the stacked new webOS 1.4 update is making its way out into the world for the company's Verizon-flavored devices. That's right, Plussers -- video recording (and editing) is just a small download away. So why are you still reading this?
Palm's official webOS 1.4 changelog leaked?
You know what's running out? February. That's a little alarming considering that Palm had promised that totally rockin' new cut of webOS, 1.4, before the month was out -- but while we wait for this thing to actually happen, at least we've now got an official (or official-looking) changelog of the build out of the good folks at PreCentral. Besides a host of bug fixes, 1.4 is said to have performance boosts within the phone and calendar apps, a handful of messaging enhancements, new email sorting options, custom alert sounds for reminders (finally!), and -- of course -- the addition of video recording and Flash support on the Pre. Interestingly, it won't have Flash out of the box -- you'll still need to download it from the Catalog, it seems. Head on over to PreCentral for the full log, and read really, really slowly just in case you've got a few more days to wait on this stuff.
Palm sales 'lower than expected,' revenues to miss targets
Ruh-roh. Palm just confirmed what we heard from analysts yesterday: sales aren't going so well. The company's updated its third quarter financial guidance to say that consumer adoption of its products is "taking longer than expected," leading to lowered order volumes from carriers and deferral of some orders to "future periods." That certainly puts that "Chinese New Year" Pre / Pixi work stoppage in a slightly different context, doesn't it? Looking at the new numbers, Palm says it expects non-GAAP Q3 revenue to be about $300m, or about the same it pulled in Q2 before the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus launched on Verizon. That's not a good sign, but we'll see if that kicks someone at Verizon or Palm into realizing they might need a new, less-stupid ad campaign focused on capabilities, not stereotypes.
Analysts turn sour on Palm stock, cite weak sales on Verizon
It's unclear how the data's being collected, but a handful of analysts have started backing away from Palm this week on some information that the phone's webOS debut on Verizon has proven something less than bombastic at the sales counter. Of course, it's no secret that Verizon has poured less money, time, and energy into its marketing of the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus than Sprint has with the original versions, but Palm and the market analysts following its progress may have been banking on the unspoken "if only this were on Verizon" factor to counteract that a bit. The biggest concern seems to be that Palm's on the cusp of being washed into irrelevancy by a massive Android push, with a couple stock downgrades and price target cuts making their way into the hearts and minds of the market makers. Again, it's not clear exactly where the Verizon sales figures are coming from -- and we'd be remiss in thinking that analysts always (or even usually) know what they're talking about -- but this could be an early sign that the tide is turning. Come on, Palm: more carriers, more hardware, more features.
Debunk: Palm not halting Pre / Pixi production, just on hold for Chinese New Year
Oh boy. Research firm OTR Global is making some waves today with a report claiming that Palm ordered all Pre and Pixi manufacturing to be halted, but apparently they didn't look at a calendar -- or, you know, call Palm. We just talked to Palm and here's the real deal: Pre and Pixi orders were halted for the Chinese New Year on the 14th, and production will go back online at the end of the month. That's the whole story -- Palm also told us that production for Verizon was ramped up early in the year to cover the downtime, so there shouldn't be any effect on availability. We'll be getting an official statement soon, we'll update as soon as we get it. Update: Here's the official word from Derick Mains, Palm's director of corporate communications: Palm regularly adjusts its product manufacturing levels to manage inventory. In anticipation of the Verizon Wireless launch and Chinese New Year, we increased production levels prior to February, and anticipate ramping production back up after the Chinese New Year ends. Move along, nothing else to see here.
WebOS homebrew MyTether app updated, brings WiFi hotspots to Verizon Palms w/o the extra subscription
Since the last time we mentioned it, the MyTether app for WebOS phones has gone up in price from a requested $10 donation to $14.95, but that's still considerably cheaper than Verizon's $40 per month Mobile Hotspot plan. We're still leery about what usage/overusage could mean for your contract & bill, but a new beta version has been posted that officially supports the Pre Plus and according to the developer "makes use of the API calls behind MHS" to let it work more smoothly. Even with the Pre's openness to hackery we had some issues getting the beta installer to operate on our Windows 7 machine but once it was installed it worked as promised, giving comparable speeds to a dedicated EV-DO card on the same network. Other new features include automatic tracking of data usage and the ability to manage connected devices directly on the app. Other than some compatibility issues with WebOS updates there hasn't seemed to be any blowback from Sprint or Palm on this app so far, we'll see if Verizon has any issues with its premium priced turf being encroached upon. %Gallery-84629%
Palm Pre Plus MMS and GPS issues crop up, webOS update can't come soon enough
It doesn't look like we've got any showstoppers here -- but just as with any major new smartphone release, Verizon's Pre Plus is starting to take some lumps after romping in the field for a week since its retail availability kicked off. Of the two biggies being cited so far, one is of particular concern: apps other than VZ Navigator don't seem to take advantage of GPS augmentation, meaning they're relying on a straight-up GPS signal alone to get a location lock -- something that often doesn't work on a phone (a reliable workaround seems to be to open VZ Navigator before you open the app you really need, but still, not an optimal situation). The second, less troublesome issue involves sending MMS messages over WiFi; basically, you can't. The phone forgets to fire up cellular data to send the message and tries to route it over the WiFi connection instead, which inevitably fails. What's odd about both of these is that they seem like regressions from the software already rolled out to Sprint (and other) Pres, and a surprising lack of rigor from a carrier known for putting its phones through the gauntlet prior to release. Let's hope we see an over-the-air update in short order, shall we?
Palm Pre Plus and Pixi Plus now on Verizon's site
Congrats, Palm, you're now officially on a second US carrier. Yep, the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus are now up for sale on Verizon's website -- you've read the review, are you taking the plunge? Update: Just noticed that the limited time, buy one get one offer that promised a free Palm Pixi Plus with your purchase of a Pre Plus isn't active -- it's only being offered along side the Pixi Plus. But let's give VZW a few hours to get their system up and running before burning down the village. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Palm crafting GSM versions of the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus?
Pardon us if we're playing the role of Captain Obvious here, but just a heads up: we've got some pretty solid evidence before our eyes that Palm has GSM versions of both Verizon's Pre Plus and Pixi Plus in the pipe. Said proof comes via the certification gurus at TUV Rheinland who've listed both a P101UNA and P121UNA in their systems from Palm; P101 and P121 are the numeric codes for the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus, respectively, and "UNA" indicates a GSM variant (versus the deliciously underhanded "EWW" for CDMA). Now, neither AT&T nor Palm have given a lick of indication what two models they'll be releasing later this year -- but this is certainly a convenient coincidence, isn't it?
Palm's Pre Plus and Pixi Plus slipping into Best Buy locales everywhere
Officially speaking, the Palm Pre Plus and Pixi Plus still have a weekend ahead of 'em before they can be sold, but if you know the right person in your local Best Buy, you could very well be playing with one hours before your contemporaries. An anonymous tipster beamed over the image you see above via our handy iPhone app, noting that both of Palm's first entries onto Verizon's network were in stock. Granted, neither are for sale per se, but what's stopping you from moseying on down and giving it a shot? Nothing, that's what. [Thanks, Anonymous]
Engadget Podcast 180 - 01.22.2010
Plug into the latest Engadget Podcast for the lowdown on all the hottest, dirtiest, nastiest Apple Tablet rumors! Too hot for text! If you don't get down with the Crowd from Cupertino you can also feast your ears on sultry Finnish imports, steamy webOS reviews, and yeah, even some wild and wooly Windows Mobile wishes! FREE for a limited time only. Featuring Chris "Zazzle" Ziegler. Void where prohibited.Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul MillerGuest: Chris ZieglerProducer: Trent WolbeSong: Electrodreams - Where It's AtHear the podcast01:50 - Nokia N900 review13:40 - Nokia Ovi Maps with free turn-by-turn navigation hands-on13:49 - Nokia offering free turn-by-turn navigation on smartphones globally (updated)19:32 - Palm Pre Plus (and Pixi Plus) review29:40 - Palm Pre Plus shows off multitasking upgrade with 50 simultaneous apps (video)31:10 - The Engadget Show - 005: Google's Erick Tseng, CES wrap-up, WiDi, AR.Drone, and more!31:15 - Next Android version will be called Froyo, says Erick Tseng31:37 - Windows Mobile 7 megarumor: LG Apollo and HTC Obsession running flagship '720p' specs, Zune Phone Experience32:40 - Microsoft's Twitter chatter suggests Danger is up to something -- Pink drawing near?34:10 - It's on: Apple holding January 27th event to show off its 'latest creation'36:00 - Apple rumor roundup: pipe dreams, Lala's role and Verizon's iPhone 4G38:00 - WSJ: Apple tablet to have books, games, music, TV, will make sandwiches40:00 - Apple Tablet rumor roundup: summer 2010 edition42:00 - Apple rumor roundup: future of media edition45:00 - WSJ: Apple and HarperCollins negotiating e-book deal for tablet47:40 - Next week's Apple event to be iLife / iPhone OS 4.0 / tablet trifecta?56:30 - Apple rumor roundup: iPhone patent 4.0 edition Subscribe to the podcast[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC).[RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.[RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator.[Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune MarketplaceDownload the podcastLISTEN (MP3)LISTEN (AAC)LISTEN (OGG)Contact the podcast1-888-ENGADGET or podcast (at) engadget (dot) com.Twitter: @joshuatopolsky @futurepaul @reckless @engadget
Verizon prices Palm Pre Plus and Pixi Plus -- offers a free Pixi Plus for limited time
In case you missed it in our review, Palm has gone and spilled its Verizon pricing info on its official blog. The Pre Plus is hitting shelves at a cent under $150, closely followed by the Pixi Plus at $99.99 -- both after $100 mail-in rebate and on two-year commitments. Available to buy from this coming Monday, the new handsets are also incentivized with a free Pixi Plus coming with every purchase -- a limited offer running until February 14. That's after yet another mail-in rebate, meaning you'll probably be shelling out a cool $450 to get your webOS fix on Verizon, but we can't argue with the final tally after all the paperwork has been done, filed, triple-checked, lost, recovered, and your money's finally reimbursed.
Palm Pre Plus shows off multitasking upgrade with 50 simultaneous apps (video)
Yea, you read that right -- fifty apps loaded side by side by freaking side on the Pre Plus, and the thing just kept on ticking. The chaps over at Pre Central decided to test out specifically how much of an improvement the doubling of RAM and storage in the new handset delivered, and they were not disappointed. Opening up the same apps on both phones, they found the original Sprint Pre (sporting a mere 256MB of RAM) ran out of puff at the 13 app mark, whereas the Pre Plus soldiered on until a nice round fifty was reached. Go past the break to see the video evidence for yourself -- long live multitasking!
Palm Pre Plus (and Pixi Plus) review
It's been about a year since Palm pulled itself back from the brink of imminent destruction with the announcement of webOS and the Palm Pre, and even less time since the products announced actually hit the market. In that time span, the company has issued another handset (the small, less powerful Pixi), released a number of over-the-air updates to its OS (nine in all), and created and disseminated a slew of developer tools, including iterative releases of its SDK and a new web-based development environment called Ares. Throughout the ups and downs of the past 12-or-so months Palm has been "back," the company has stuck with Sprint as its lone carrier partner in the US -- so while it's been innovating and tweaking on its platform and devices, the third-place partner has kept it from the larger audiences AT&T or Verizon might offer. Now -- almost a year to the day -- Palm has turned around and opened its devices up to the country's largest carrier, in addition to bumping the specs and features of both phones it offers (the Pre getting an additional 8GB of storage and double the RAM, the Pixi is now equipped with WiFi). All the while significantly improving its SDK (with the new native Plug-in Development Kit) and app distribution model. So can Palm finally really get this ship sailing, court the developers it badly needs, and deliver on the promises of webOS, or is it too little, too late? Read on to find out! %Gallery-83562%
Engadget Podcast 177: CES 2010 Day 3 - 01.08.2010
It took every bit of geeky fortitude we had left in our bodies to tear ourselves away from @LadyGaga's tweeterfeed for an hour and produce this podcast for you, but we did it. Feel appreciative?Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul MillerProducer: Trent WolbeSong: Bad RomanceHear the podcast01:40 - Live from Palm's CES 2010 press event03:25 - Palm swings open doors to App Catalog's innards03:35 - Palm gets serious about 3D gaming on webOS04:00 - Video recording coming to all webOS devices in February (updated: Flash, too!)04:10 - Palm Pre Plus and Pixi Plus first hands-on (video)!04:40 - Palm introduces Palm Pre Plus: 16GB, coming to Verizon on January 25th06:30 - Palm Pixi Plus: WiFi-equipped and heading to Verizon23:10 - Palm intros Mobile Hotspot app, guaranteed to make your router jealous25:47 - Live from Dell's CES 2010 press event26:42 - Alienware M11X netbook gets official, costs less than a grand26:55 - Alienware M11x hands-on27:20 - Dell teases the Streak?29:00 - Dell slate (secret) hands-on30:00 - Dell 5-inch slate press pics want you to study them30:30 - Dell Mini 3 lightning hands-on33:17 - Live from NVIDIA's CES press event33:35 - NVIDIA announces Tegra 2, tablets en route35:00 - Plastic Logic QUE proReader in-depth video hands-on38:20 - Live from Paul Otellini's Intel CES keynote39:50 - Intel launches AppUp Center app store for Atom-powered devices (updated with hands-on impressions)40:25 - Intel announces WiDi HD wireless display technology43:27 - LG GW990 hands-on video48:12 - Spring Design announces partnership with Borders, lowers price on Alex reader49:35 - Notion Ink Adam prototype hands-on: it looks nothing like the render, but it's still pretty wild52:32 - Boxee Box confirmed to have Tegra 2, Boxee Beta now open to all Subscribe to the podcast[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC).[RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.[RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator.[Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune MarketplaceDownload the podcastLISTEN (MP3)LISTEN (AAC)LISTEN (OGG)Contact the podcast1-888-ENGADGET or podcast (at) engadget (dot) com.Twitter: @joshuatopolsky @futurepaul @reckless @engadget
Engadget Mobile Podcast 030: Friday @ CES 2010 - 01.08.2010
Chris Ziegler. Sean Cooper. Together, again, at last - and this time, even in the same goshdarn room! Get the raw, uncensored take on new mobile communications technology developments from companies like Palm, LG, Samsung, and Sony! Almost live and direct from the showroom floor: It's the Engadget Mobile Podcast, CES Edition 2010, Volume 1.0. Live it, breathe it. Get inside that new-phone smell. Become your mobile dream. Hosts: Chris Ziegler, Sean CooperProducer: Trent WolbeMusic: Solvent - Devices and Strategies (Ghostly International)01:55 - HTC Smart hands-on10:43 - Motorola Backflip hands-on17:17 - Live from Palm's CES 2010 press event18:30 - Palm Pixi Plus: WiFi-equipped and heading to Verizon19:17 - Palm introduces Palm Pre Plus: 16GB, coming to Verizon on January 25th25:24 - Palm gets serious about 3D gaming on webOS27:57 - Palm swings open doors to App Catalog's innards30:37 - Rogers and HTC give up: Magic will see Android 2.1, but Dream gets a pass32:25 - Sony Ericsson's 'Robyn' pops into the limelight -- an X10 mini?37:50 - Samsung Bada S8200 and Galaxy2 may match Nexus One's specs40:10 - Parrot AR.Drone hands-on: a quadricopter for the rest of us41:30 - LG Rumor Touch launches for Sprint41:40 - LG Lotus Elite hops from a Las Vegas billboard right to Sprint retail44:00 - Sprint Overdrive 4G mobile hotspot unboxing and hands-onSubscribe to the podcast[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes[RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Mobile Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically[RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Mobile Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator[Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune MarketplaceDownload the podcastLISTEN (MP3)LISTEN (AAC)Contact the podcastpodcast (at) engadgetmobile (dot) com.
