 Just days after webOS 1.1 was tipped to be arriving within a month (and rumored for July 22), Palm let loose their first 'major' update to the webOS platform today, with the 87MB mandatory OTA download bringing some great new features to the Pre. New security features that enterprise users will enjoy are:
- IT initiated Remote wipe
- PIN/password of minimum length w/ complexity (numeric or alphanumeric)
- Device wipe with X number of failed PIN attempts
- Auto-lock after X minutes of activity
- Improved digital certificates
 Also included are tweaks to the built-in calendar, camera, clock, contacts, e-mail, and more. The full changelog can be found here.
Football fans will appreciate the new application, Sprint NFL Mobile Live, which allows you to watch or listen to live NFL games on your phone.
And in an bold move, Palm has re-enabled media sync with iTunes 8.2.1., just days after the latest update from Apple broke compatibility with the Pre. But will Apple be quick to shut out the Pre again?
Precentral also is keeping a note of other 'undocumented features' that went under the radar, including:
- Notification sound changed to softer, though richer sound
- Animated drop down and context menus
- Photo app improvements: More distinct bar between photos and albums, preview thumbs also slide in from the right, faster photo rendering
- Memo app now has a menu option to e-mail a memo.
- New font for the Browser (Palm's system font)
- Javascript interpreter performance upgrades - overall performance increases, possibly system-wide
- Better Gmail handling
- New icon for AIM
- More autocomplete / autocorrect entries in the dictionary.
- Center button now turns on the screen with slider open, not just a keyboard key or the power button.
Less welcomed updates include disabling the key combo in the browser to open in a new card, as well as some mixed reports of problems with universal search in Google Maps.
Even with all the new features, we think a couple more apps would have been nice...but those will definitely come in good time, especially with the public Mojo SDK now out. Are there any other useful features that you found, and looking ahead, what would you like to see addressed in the next update?
 With the Mojo SDK finally released publicly, many have had a chance to reflect on the programs available so far in the App Catalog, and whether the Pre is fitting with their personal and professional lives. MobiHealthNews wrote recently on 'The sorry state of Palm Pre medical apps', citing a need for some new webOS apps in the field; "On the medical app front, competition is sparse for the Pre," they complain.
However, some relief is found in that Classic allows health practitioners to upgrade their old Palm devices and not lose too much functionality. However, even with the latest update (which will add HotSync capability), emulating Palm OS medical apps perhaps isn't an ideal solution, especially when dealing with life-and-death situations.
So what can doctors do to ease their transition to the Palm Pre? The Palmdoc Chronicles is doing a good job keeping track of compatible Palm OS medical apps via Classic (a compatibility list by MotionApps should also be a good supplement), as well as upcoming webOS apps. Here are a few Palm OS apps already working on the Pre (more are being tested):
- Epocrates
- Skyscape and Unbound
- Medcalc
- Statcoder apps
- ABGPro
- Eponyms
- Shots 2008
- Haemoncrules
Meanwhile, one developer is well into completing a webOS version of OncoPDA, which could be the first of many medical apps on the Pre. In the meantime, it looks as if Classic is the way to go for doctors making the move to webOS. Do you have any other advice or plan to develop an app that could be useful to medical practictioners?
 Mobile enthusiasts and webOS developers from Canada have something to look forward to in the near future, as recent rumors point to a Palm Pre launch in late July / early August on Bell Mobility. The rumors began with a leaked document that showed the Canadian CDMA provider starting employee training for the Pre and webOS via a 'What is Pre' course. Bell is ramping up the training in Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal, although exact locations are unknown.
Rumored dates for the launch have a narrow range, between July 29 and August 1. The previous date was rumored to be in early September, speculated from an upcoming contest where you can win a Pre on Bell. This will make Bell the first carrier to carry the Pre outside of the US. O2 in the UK will be following suit, and the second international carrier to get Palm's new handset.
IntoMobile
 While many developers have been enjoying the public release of the Palm Mojo SDK, and developers such as Spaz developer Ed Finkler give praise, others are not quite as impressed with webOS. iPhone developer Craig A. Hunter described in a blog post that his excitement for getting his hands on the SDK quickly fell through the roof when he found out access to the hardware, particularly OpenGL and accelerometer response, was extremely limited, at least for "serious games".
Sadly, my suspicions were confirmed -- there is no way for developers to tap into OpenGL ES using the webOS SDK, despite the fact that the hardware supports it. Strike two -- while the webOS SDK allows access to raw accelerometer data, it's limited to a 4 Hz sampling rate (that's four samples per second)...most games need at least 20 Hz for smooth inputs.
He goes on to state that accelerometer support in webOS is suitable for basic movement and interface rotation, but that's about it. Motion-based apps, such as gMeter (vehicle performance) and greenMeter (eco driving) require even stricter accelerometer reponse, from 50-100 Hz to be practical.
While this could change, this will likely limit big game studios from investing in webOS, except for casual/mobile games. Palm and Sprint have already stated in a webcast that 3D gaming "will not be featured in webOS 1.0", so this certainly doesn't come at a surprise.
Another iPhone developer, Stephen Stroughton Smith, defends webOS, stating that these stumbling blocks are a "mere by-product of the immaturity of the platform". The Pre simply doesn't have an OpenGL ES graphics driver. It's merely a software limitation, which will be improved upon with updates. The accelerometer issue could also be "an oversight" by Palm, that also can be remedied.
Also, Palm has already hinted that they are a much more open company than Apple with the hacking community. For example, Playstation, MAME, and NES emulators ported from Linux could help tide gamers over until the platform opens up. Moreover, Flash 10 Beta, expected in October, could help give gaming a boost for the Pre.
How do you feel about developing with the Mojo SDK so far, and if you've developed for the iPhone, have you felt limited by the capabilities of webOS and the Pre?
 UPDATE: It appears Palm is taking gaming seriously on the Pre. A recent call for a Graphics Frameworks Engineer at Palm is one of many job postings directly relating to webOS hardware and software. An excerpt is below:
"Palm is establishing a new software team to focus on building the best tools and technologies to allow game developers to design and develop innovative gaming applications for Palm's WebOS platform."
The new hire is required to implement, integrate, debug, and optimize graphics and gaming frameworks, as well as investigate and prototype new technologies and APIs. 5+ years of experience in 3D graphics, hardware piplines, and programmable shaders are a requirement.
So as Palm's new gaming team becomes established, we should expect good things in the way of 3D gaming and game developer support in webOS.
Over the past week, numerous carriers worldwide have moved forward, or are rumored to be getting Palm's new webOS device. This is good news for international participants in PreDevCamp next month who have yet to get their hands on a device to work with. Below is a summary of the latest, from both domestic and abroad:
Verizon users can now get on the Palm Pre train, although in a pinch. An astute programmer on the Precentral forums going by Cleanser has hacked the device to get voice and texting working on the big V, although data is still not in the cards (no pun intended).
“Only problem is that I can’t get data to work. Apparently WebOS is checking to see if the device is provisioned or not before allowing a data session to take place. So my next step would be to somehow bypass this provisioning check.”
The tricky part is apparently getting Verizon to take the MEID (Mobile Equipment Identifier), despite Verizon’s claim of being an Open Network. So if you're a Verizon user on a voice-only plan and are willing to find and root a Pre, this could be for you. Although if you're patient, Verizon and AT&T are expected to get the Pre after Sprint anyway.
Bell Canada was one of the first carriers after Sprint to confirm they will carry the Pre. A recent contest led to speculation as to when Bell will get the handset, as well as hinting at a MSRP of $650 CAD (~$580 USD). The drawing dates for the Pre phones are August 31 and Sept. 7th, so we could see the handset North of the Border by summer's end.
O2 and Movistar are confirmed to be getting the Pre exclusively in the UK, as well as Spain, Ireland, and Germany in time for Christmas. With any luck, this could also line up with a launch of the Palm Eos on AT&T in the US. Matthew Key, CEO of Telefonica Europe, states:
“With the addition of the hotly anticipated Palm Pre to our already extensive portfolio, our customers will be the first outside of North America to experience one of the most successful mobile devices of the year.”
Hi, a Dutch carrier in the Netherlands, were also rumored to be getting the Pre. Although the rumor has since been dispelled, the company is "very interested in the Pre". And since they have strong connections with Telefonica, keep an eye on them in the future. The rumor began when the Pre was spotted on a support site for the carrier. If it comes to pass, a September launch is possible.
To round of the news, India and Singapore are also anticipating the Pre's arrival. This is part of the diverse list of countries that Palm have targeted for adoption of the Pre and webOS.
 For those using webOS to run their Palm OS apps, but desire HotSync capability for installation, backups, and more, fear not: MotionApps is closing in on completing an update that will add the much-requested HotSync functionality to their Classic emulator. From their blog:
"We have HotSync working on our development devices and it is successfully syncing with standard Palm Desktop software that is shipping with Centro and other Palm OS devices. New version of Classic will be able to perform HotSync operations over Bluetooth or WiFi connections...as far as we can tell everything works without any limitations."
This is good news for loyal Palm fans, and brings Classic that much closer to seamless backwards compatibility with the huge library of Palm OS apps, utilities and games already out there. Despite their progress, MotionApps still does not have an ETA on the update.
The previous update added basic sound and increased stability, and MotionApps recently introduced a new portal as a database for Palm OS app compatibility.
For over a month since the Pre was released, users have been enjoying syncing with iTunes "just as it would an iPod or iPhone", with few exceptions. The subsequent iTunes 8.2 remained Pre-compatible, however with the latest 8.2.1 update, it seems Apple has wised up to the Pre's webOS infiltration of iTunes posing as one of their iPod devices. In cryptic style, they stated that the update "provides a number of important bug fixes and addresses an issue with verification of Apple devices". Palm confirmed the news late yesterday, after their support forums got word of the broken syncing.
However, Pre users are a hardy bunch, and a number of solutions are already on the table. Palm spokesperson Lynn Fox stated eariler that users can transfer the music via USB, stick with a previous version of iTunes that remains compatible, or consider other third-party applications. Users have also suggested using doubleTwist or The Missing Sync software as alternatives. Have you been using iTunes with your Pre, and if so are you doing anything to keep the functionality intact?
Computerworld
It's official: The Palm Mojo Software Development Kit was released publicly today, for all those interested in developing for webOS and the Palm Pre. So there's no need to rely on the leaked beta version any longer to satisfy your webOS development needs. Palm is declaring the early access program a success, so the previous end of summer estimate for the public SDK was moved up.
A new developer portal, Palm webOSdev, has been instituted by Palm at https://developer.palm.com/. Now any developer with a valid e-mail adress can access the SDK and all related support! Palm Developer Community Manager, Chuq Von Rospach writes:
I’m very pleased to announce that effective today we are wrapping up the webOS early access program. We are doing this because today we opened up the program to everyone and released our new public developer portal at https://developer.palm.com. This is the culmination of a lot of hard work by a lot of people here at Palm, and I want to be the first to thank them for making this happen. This is one more step in delivering webOS to all developers and providing the tools they need to build great applications for Palm phones.
Also, beginning this Fall you will be able to submit your apps to the App Catalog. So with that said...it's time to start your apps!
Thanks to camiller for the heads up!
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