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HP's Pre 3 gets an emissions test at the FCC, likely destined for AT&T
The FCC has seen a decent share of WebOS devices this year, having first tested the Veer in February, and most recently HP's Touchpad (which we reported earlier today). Now, it appears the regulator is examining the forthcoming Pre 3, and while none of the documents specifically name the device, based on the size and proportion of the label, we think it'll pair nicely with a certain 3.6-inch display. We've also noted the diagram mentions a battery compartment, suggesting it's not the Veer, which is rumored to have a sealed battery. Whatever the device may be, it's packing WebOS 2.3 -- and judging from the 1900 / 850MHz 3G bands, it seems destined for AT&T, Rogers, Bell, or Telus in North America. Follow the break for a peek at the FCC label.
HP planning Veer launch party for May 2nd, AT&T brings cake for webOS 3.0 devs
We still don't have a solid release date for HP's tiny Veer -- we've been told it's "coming around the corner" and will be here "soon" -- but if we were the guessing type, we'd say that the pint-sized webOS 2.2 smartphone will hit the market on or about the 2nd of May. That's because a PreCentral reader stumbled across what looks like an official invitation to an "HP Veer Launch Party Event" in Los Angeles on that very date, and it's typically fairly difficult to launch a handset without a handset to launch, if you know what we mean. Still, this looks like a business-to-business event, so we wouldn't circle your calendar quite yet -- but if you've already got that red marker out, you might want to put a X over May 12th instead. That's the day that AT&T is hosting a webOS 3.0 developer webcast -- which might be worth attending in and of itself -- but is particularly noteworthy given that HP hasn't announced carriers for the Veer or SIM-slot packing HP TouchPad just yet. [Thanks, Brian L.]
webOS 2.1 SDK now available to all comers, teases 'big push' for Veer launch
Though webOS 2.1 has already gone out to Pre 2s (and a handful of Pre Pluses) around the globe, developers not included in HP's NDA-protected Early Access Program have been shut out of the latest version of the SDK -- until now. That's right: any old riffraff coming in off the street now have access to the webOS 2.1 SDK download, featuring Exhibition enhancements, "hybrid" app support for packages that span HTML, JavaScript, and C / C++, and JavaScript-based webOS service development capability. In its blog post announcing the move, HP makes specific mention of the Pixi, saying that those apps will "just work" on the Veer -- in other words, if you'd been avoiding developing for the smaller screen resolution before, you've got newfound impetus to start now since the company is planning a "big push" around the Veer's release that's "coming just around the corner." Of course, it's the TouchPad that's got everyone really fired up in Palm land right now... but you've got to start somewhere.
O2 Germany says HP Veer is coming in May
The tweet above just about says it all for this one -- well, in German, anyway. According to O2 Germany, the HP Veer will be launching on the carrier sometime in May, which presumably means it will also be available elsewhere in Europe around the same time, and likely in the US as well -- we've previously only heard "this spring" for a launch date. Unfortunately, there's still no word on any US carriers for the Pixi successor, though surely someone will be able to pick it up. It is rather light, after all. [Thanks, Mario]
Josh stops by Jimmy Fallon with the Xoom, Pre 3, Veer, and TouchPad (video)
Want to get your hands on the HP Pre 3, Veer, and the TouchPad? Sadly you can't at this point, but you can see them doing their respective things in the video below. Our editor-in-chief Joshua Topolsky made another visit to Jimmy Fallon last night with a all of HP's upcoming toys, as well as the Motorola Atrix and the Xoom tablet too. It's all embedded below, so make with the clicking.
HP Veer shows its cute little face in FCC
It's not exactly full disclosure -- you won't get to see a user's manual, for instance, or those gritty FCC lab external photos that we always love -- but a new device passed by Palm through the feds' systems in the past 24 hours is pretty clearly the Veer judging by the mentions of a sliding mechanism, the lack of CDMA, and the fact that we know the Veer is the next webOS phone to hit the market. Now, here's where it gets a little interesting: this filing was definitely made by Palm, not HP, which leads you to wonder just how far into the process the company got on its next-gen handsets before HP decided to effectively kill off the Palm brand altogether. In case you're wondering, the filing refers to an internal model number is P160UNA, indicating a model P160 in the North American UMTS configuration (for the record, the North American unlocked Pre 2 is the P102UNA). If you ever see a P160EWW in the system, that'd likely mean that a CDMA Veer were in the works -- but seriously, we wouldn't get our hopes up.
The Engadget Interview: Jon Rubinstein and Steven McArthur talk webOS on PCs, 'Music Synergy,' competition, and more
We had a chance to sit down with HP's Jon Rubinstein and SVP of applications and services Steven McArthur just after the company's device-filled event yesterday, and the conversation was rather revealing. Besides being extremely upfront about some tough issues (timing, legacy support), both execs were more than willing to tackle questions about HP's current deficiencies in the consumer electronics space. We've put together a rough transcript of the chat below, and it touches on a lot of issues currently facing HP and its user base -- namely, developer support, future versions of webOS, where the company is headed with devices, and what the overarching strategy will be in the coming weeks and months. We highly suggest you take a look... after the break.
HP Veer, first hands-on! (updated with video!)
How does the HP Veer look up close? Cute as a button, and small -- these pictures don't do it justice at all. We just got our hands on the pint-sized webOS 2.2 smartphone, and snapped a stack of pictures for your viewing pleasure. You won't be able to flip these around like playing cards, but they will give you a handle on what to expect from the miniature Pre 2 in the weeks or months to come, so click on through that gallery below. We'll have video in a moment, too! Update: We went back for seconds and came away stuffed impressed by the power of the tiny machine -- its form factor may bring back painful memories of the Kin One, but the Veer feels like a multitasking beast. Before our eyes, an HP rep swiped rapid-fire through enough apps to plan and communicate a Yelp restaurant date in under a minute flat, and there wasn't so much as an instant's delay when switching between each. We're big fans of the form factor, small screen aside, the sliding hinge is solid with a delightful snap, and the cute little keyboard attached to that slider is fairly usable despite its size, with rubbery little keys that reminded us of those on the Palm Centro. What's not to like? Update 2: Video after the break! Update 3: While we were unable to determine with certainty what carrier the Veer demo units were using, an IMEI was clearly displayed in the device info screen, leading us to conclude these were GSM phones (likely on AT&T). %Gallery-116132% %Gallery-116146% Myriam Joire contributed to this report.
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.
HP Touchstone Touch-to-share lets devices swap URLs, 'Exhibition' mode added for phones
So, HP is extending "Touchstone" to mean more than "that heavy, slanted magnet thing that my Pre always slips off of." For starters, the TouchPad has a Touchstone charging dock -- it's not magnetic, but at least you don't have to worry about plugging the thing in, and it's particularly suited to working with a keyboard. But that's not the real magic. HP has enabled its three new webOS devices (The TouchPad, Veer, and Pre 3) to communicate over Touchstone using "Touch-to-share" tech. You simply place your phone on top of the TouchPad, as illustrated, and whatever you're viewing on the phone pops up in the tablet's browser. We're not sure how this works bi-directionally, but HP mentions both scenarios, so hopefully it shouldn't be that difficult to configure the URL to come from the tablet and land on the phone. The two devices have to be on the same webOS account, however, so don't get any crazy ideas about sharing URLs with friends. Naturally, there should be a lot more "Continuous Client"-style uses for this tech in the future, but we'd say URL pushing is a good start. Finally, the old-fashioned Touchstone is going to work with the Veer and Pre 3, which will now be sent into an "Exhibition" mode when docked. The mode allows the phone to display photos or upcoming appointments, depending on the user's particular level of sentimentality. For more on all of HP's webOS announcements today, click here!
HP's TouchPad shipping with webOS 3.0, Veer and Pre 3 with webOS 2.2
Palm HP didn't bother mentioning the webOS versions during its 'Think Beyond' event today, but based on a little fine print on the outfit's official Touchstone portal, we've learned that the TouchPad will ship with webOS 3.0 (a heretofore unheard of build), while the Veer and Pre 3 will get going with webOS 2.2. That said, the incredible Tap-to-Share functionality that'll enable these slates and phones to converse with one another will also support "webOS 2.2 or higher" on the phones, suggesting that an update could be in the waiting. We'll keep you updated as we hear more, but for now, peek a video of the whole family getting cozy after the break. For more on all of HP's webOS announcements today, click here!
HP Veer: smallest smartphone in the webOS stable, 2.6-inch display, coming this spring
You wanted a small smartphone? Well, you've got it in HP's Veer, the very first webOS-based device to bear the HP name alone without Palm's alongside packing Qualcomm's Snapdragon 7230 processor at 800MHz. Other headline specs include a 2.6-inch 320 x 400 display, 5 megapixel EDoF camera, HSPA+ support, 8GB of storage, an accelerometer, proximity and light sensors (as usual), Touchstone compatibility, and mobile hotspot support. It's genuinely cute -- but keyboard usability will be a big question that we'll need to have answered when the phone is released this spring. No word on carriers yet, and pricing is set to be decided upon "at a later date." Update: Added the full press release and a demonstration video after the break, and our hands-on with the device can be found here! For more on all of HP's webOS announcements today, click here! %Gallery-116081% %Gallery-116100%
WebOS-based Veer, Pre 3 and TouchPad leaked on HP's site, likely on sale today
Now that HP's full slate of webOS reveals has been made, it looks as if the web admins are testing the waters. On HP's Home & Home Office shopping page, there's a drop-down under "Deals & Offers" that quite clearly reveals the outfit's planned triumvirate: the HP Veer (a name HP filed a trademark for back in December), Pre 3 and TouchPad. Those are slated to bring webOS in "S, M and L" flavors, though it's unclear whether the Veer or Pre 3 will be the smallest. HP has managed to yank the teaser from its US portal, though it still looks live internationally. There's no guarantee that any of this will ship momentarily but seriously, why list something like this if all three weren't going to be on sale by sundown? Here's hoping!
Hewlett Packard files trademarks for Gyst, Myte, and Veer: new Palm models?
Palm has never shied away from odd, short names for its devices -- take the Zire, for instance -- so when you hear that Palm's new owner has filed for trademarks on "Gyst," "Myte," and "Veer" in the category that covers smartphones, it doesn't take a very big leap of logic to believe that they're intended for future Palm models. HP's filings were all made on the 10th of this month, so they're very fresh; of course, companies of all types regularly file trademarks that they don't use either to throw off the Engadgets of the world or just in case they end up needing it down the road, so we wouldn't take these to mean there'll definitely be Veers on your carrier's shelf in 2011. Our vote? We think Myte's a great name for a tiny phone and we've heard rumors that they'll be releasing a small model -- possibly a Pixi successor -- in the next few months, so that lines up rather nicely.