2009 October » TamsPalm - the Palm OS / web OS Blog

Palm releases webOS 1.2.1

Oct 032009

Palm’s webOS 1.2 update was huge and added dozens of functions to the Pre. Unfortunately, most big updates also introduce a few new small bugs – which seems to have happened with webOS 1.2.

Fortunately, Palm has been diligently at work to release an update. webOS 1.2.1 seems to be a maintenance update, not adding anything revolutionary – the full change log reads as following:

Version information
* Version: webOS 1.2.1
* Release date: 2 October 2009

New applications
NONE

Feature changes to existing applications
Email
* Resolved an issue where after installing the 1.2.0 webOS update some customers running Exchange 2007 could no longer synchronize with their Exchange account for Email, Calendar, Contacts, and Tasks.

System
* Resolves an issue preventing media sync from working with latest version of iTunes (9.0.1).
* Media sync now synchronizes photo albums, maintaining the album structure in the Photos app.
* Media sync now allows for synchronizing photos without requiring the full-resolution originals. This provides faster display of high-quality full-screen images and enables users to store more photos on the phone.

Web
* Resolved an issue where if a user tried to play streaming music or video, the media stream might drop out or have a long delay before starting.

Security
This release implements several security fixes, including the following:
* Addresses a security issue encountered by webkit developers. This issue did not impact end users.

The webOS 1.2 compatiblity list

Software News 2 Responses »

Oct 022009

Palm’s webOS currently lacks third-party applications, for which a compatibility list could be generated. Instead, added functionality comes in the shape of unofficial patches – which obviously are even more vulnerable to “OS updates”.

Fortunately, webOS developer dBsooner has taken on the gigantic task of maintaining such a compatibility list – it currently looks like this:

* AppLauncher
o Add/Remove Pages (Updated 9/29)
* Calendar
o Default to Month View (Updated 9/29)
o Default to Week View (Updated 9/29)
* Camera
o Shutter Sound On/Off Button (Updated 10/01 by egaudet)
o Volume Keys to Capture (Updated 9/30 by dBsooner)
* Clock
o Hidden Clock (Updated 9/27)
* Contacts
o Add a message tone selector (Updated 9/30 by egaudet)
* Email
o Confirm Delete (Updated 9/27 by egaudet)
o Enable Landscape (Updated 9/30)
* Frameworks
o Smiley Face Sym Box (Updated 9/30 by egaudet)
o Virtual Keyboard (Updated 9/29 by egaudet)
* Luna
o Add Date to Top Bar – No Year (Updated 10/01 by egaudet)
o Battery Percent and Icon (Updated 9/30 by StoneRyno)
o ++Disable Charging Alert Sound (Updated 9/27 by egaudet)
o ++Enable Dev Mode Icon (Updated 9/27 by egaudet)
o Keytoss Keyword Search (Updated 10/01 by egaudet)
o ++More Icons Per Row 4×4 (Updated 9/28 by PuffTheMagic)
o ++More Icons Per Row 5×4 (Updated 10/01 by StoneRyno)
* Messaging
o Character Counter (Updated 9/29 by HattCzech)
o Clean Timestamp (Updated 10/1 by StoneRyno)
o Contact Multitone (Updated 9/30)
o Enable Landscape (Updated 9/27 by egaudet)
o Timestamp Messages BuiltIn Method (Updated 10/1 by StoneRyno)
* Nascar
o ~~++Hide Nascar App (Updated 9/27 by egaudet)
* Phone
o Enable Dialpad Haptic Feedback/Disable Sound (Updated 10/1 by dBsooner)
o Enable Call Duration in Call Log (Updated 10/1 by dBsooner)
o Disable Alerts During Call, Enable After (Updated 9/30)
o Radio Power Adjust (Updated 9/30)
o States Matched to Incoming Calls (Updated 9/30)
* Phone Prefs
o Roam Control (Updated 9/27 by egaudet)
* Screenlock
o Enable LED Notifications (Updated 9/30 by dBsooner & Jack87)
o Longer Standby Times (Updated 9/30 by egaudet)
* Sounds & Alerts
o Add Message Sound Selections (Updated 9/30)

++ denotes those patches that need to be moved to a different category.
~~ denotes patch needs extra unneeded “replacement” removed.

Hit the link below for the latest version:
http://forums.precentral.net/web-os-development/…

Palm Pixi could drop October 20th

Palm News No Responses »

Oct 022009

Sprint has announced Palm’s Pixi (formerly known as Eos) some time ago – the Boy Genius Report now claims the following:

We just got word that Palm’s second webOS device, the Pixi, is set to launch on October 20th. This includes Sprint corporate stores as well as Best Buy locations presumably.

This intel is from new source but it sounds right …

…

As of now, not much further is known – stay tuned…

Palm Pre: no carrier branding on German versionr

Palm News 1 Response »

Oct 022009

Palm seems to have an excellent relationship with its European carrier Telefonica. While carriers usually insist on printing their logos somewhere on the device, the German division of O2 will refrain from this.

Their PR agency has just confirmed the following:

Dear Sir,

I can now confirm that the device will be unbranded!

Miriam Stöckert
O2 PR

While this does not tell us anything about SIM locks or other nasties, it is a first good sign – Palm does not seem to be so dependent on its carrier partners as we all thought it was…

Palm’s App Catalog submission woes

Funny Stuff, Palm News 1 Response »

Oct 012009

Apple has engaged Phil Schiller to keep media outrage over rejected applications in check. At Palm’s, a more “Palmesque” method is chosen: the developer simply never hears again from the boys in Orange.

A developer called jwz has posted about his journey – it begins as follows:

A few days after the Palm Pre was released, I wrote a couple of programs for it: a restaurant Tip Calculator, and a port of Dali Clock. These were, as far as I’m aware, the 2nd and 3rd third-party applications for Palm WebOS that were ever available. I got on this boat early.

So why are they still not available in Palm’s App Catalog? That’s a very good question. This is my story about attempting to simply distribute this free software that I have written, and how Palm has so far completely prevented me from doing so.

…

While the story does not contain bloopers like the infamous “I am the CEO”-claim from a customer care rep, definitely hit the link below if you feel like a good bit of Palmary madness:
http://jwz.livejournal.com/1096401.html

Verizon might get updated Palm Pre

Palm News No Responses »

Oct 012009

Online news services have one issue: they need backlinks in order to survive. This leads to some weird stories being launched to bait links – the story of Verizon not getting the Pre was one of these.

LA Examiner reports the following:

…

… We can confidently tell you that Verizon will be carrying the Palm Pre the first quarter of 2010.

There is a twist to this as well. Verizon may be carrying an updated version of the Pre: one that has more memory (or a micro-sd slot), has a slightly bigger screen, and one that fixes the screen bleed problem.

…

As of now, this is all we know – stay tuned for further info as we get it!