With webOS 2.0 due out before the end of the year, we thought it’d be fun to take a look back at how far webOS has come since version 1.0. So we’re going to do that, and we’re going to go back to the beginning to start. Actually, we’re going to go back to the first update, webOS version 1.0.2, which landed on June 5, 2009, otherwise known as the day before the much-anticipated release of the Palm Pre.

It was a different time, both literally and figuratively – one only need look at the modern smartphone landscape to see how drastically things have changed since June 2009. For perspective, the top-tier phones of the day: the iPhone 3GS, the HTC Hero (only in Europe), the BlackBerry Bold/Tour, and the Palm Pre. My, how things have changed. After the break, we chronicle just how webOS has changed over the past 16 months.

read more

READ THE FULL ARTICLE >>

Thanks to the early seepage of webOS 1.4.0 to some GSM Pre owners we can show you what some of the improved aspects of the update look like. A lot of the changes are under the hood, but Shadow-360 of the UK has posted in our forums several screenshots of the newer and recording-er Video app, as well as new options in the reset screen and a much-improved call log that gives you more options and info on your missed calls and sorts calls by caller. Additionally, Media Sync has disappeared from the plugged-into-USB options (no surprise, and no loss since iTunes sync hasn’t worked for months anyway) has been turned off by default, but can be turned on in Settings. As we already heard, Blink Notifications come enabled out of the virtual box this time. Check out some more screenshots after the break!

Update: Also after a break, a video recorded on the original 1.4 Pre in Vietnam by Tomi666. Check out how well it renders the splash. Shadow-360 is also continuing to post more screenshots in this thread.

read more

READ THE FULL ARTICLE >>

Here’s some of the latest discussion in the forums: 

• If you think that being inundated with the goings on of people you probably don’t care about in Google’s new Buzz service on the desktop is fun, you’ll be delighted to know that the deluge will soon be making its way to webOS. Confirmation also comes in the form of Google’s own Supported Phones table. If you can’t wait, you can trick Buzz into working in the browser anyway.

• Video Recording is a feature coming our way in this month’s (which apparently didn’t come on the 15th) webOS 1.4 update, and forum member showmrock wants to know: are you excited?
  

• Speaking of that webOS 1.4 update, we’ll also be getting full on Flash 10.1. Impulsebuyer is curious: what websites are you looking forward to browsing with the new plug-in.

• Forum members are discussing which 3D games they’d like to see come the way of webOS next. Grand Theft Auto, anyone?
  

We look forward to seeing you in the forums!  (Not a member?  Remember: registration is free, and the benefits are numerous indeed)

READ THE FULL ARTICLE >>

It became clear now that in addition to releasing versions of the Pre and Pixi through Verizon, Palm will also be outing version 1.4 of its still young operating system. What this will bring to the users is the much-wanted video recording and editing capabilities that were up to this point, missing.
Hey, any gamers out [...]

READ THE FULL ARTICLE >>

Ready for an update? webOS 1.4 is coming in February, and its bringing along a lot of goodies. First you can expect to have Flash 10.1 built-in, though the beta should be available soon from the App Catalog. Second, there’s video recording. Third, there’s the standard upgrade deal of better battery life, faster performance, and all that jazz. But Flash and video recording? That’s big.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE >>

Soon you will be able to record, edit, and share videos straight off your webOS phone. That’s right, even editing. Navigate the through the timeline, select the thumbnails you want to trim, and voila, shorter video. From there you can upload it straight to Facebook, YouTube, email or MMS. And these uploads happen in the background. The video recorder update will be available to all webOS users in February.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE >>

Dear Santa,

I know you’re a busy guy and I really should have sent you this letter much earlier, but I know that if anybody could pull off the “Christmas miracle,” it’s you. I’ve tried my best to be a good blogger this year. I know sometimes I’ve aggravated my readers, but I said what I said because I thought it needed to be said. That’s being a good boy, right?

Anyway, I hope that you get this list before you take off from your North Pole base of operations. Below is a list of what I’d really really really like to see on Christmas morning. If it’s not there, I understand, but if it is I promise to be extra good next year. I’m not trying to be greedy, I just want you to know that there’s a lot of stuff that would make me happy. Snow, though one of those things, does not count in the gift tally.

read more

READ THE FULL ARTICLE >>

Agile Mobile recently unveiled a preview of an app they’re working on: Agile Messenger for Palm Pre. While the fact that messaging apps are on the way for the Pre is no surprise, the feature list that Agile claims for their app is surprising. We’re talking push-to-talk walkie talkie functionality, voice messages, and video messaging. And Agile Messenger is to support Google Talk, AIM, MSN, Yahoo, and ICQ chat.

There are three options that we can think of to explain this delicious oddness:

• Agile is making stuff up or confused about the current capabilities of webOS. Not likely.
• Agile has invested big time in their own programming to build the framework for audio and video recording and messaging. Also not likely.
• Agile has been working closely with Palm and the new features in Agile Messenger will be enabled by a coming updated to webOS and the Mojo SDK. More likely than the above.

We have no idea when Agile Messenger for Palm Pre will land, as all Agile is saying is “soon.” Currently Agile Mobile has released messaging applications iPhone, S60, J2ME, and Windows Mobile. Looking at these other apps, we can now throw some cooling water on the fiery embers of anticipation: Agile lists the exact same feature set with the exact same wording for all versions of its software.

Will Palm bring video recording and a microphone-enabled SDK to support Agile messenger’s promise capabilities? Yes, eventually, but we wouldn’t be too optimistic that it’s going to be “soon.” Though we would love to be proven wrong. Nudge nudge, wink wink.

Thanks to Azthel for the tip!

READ THE FULL ARTICLE >>

[YouTube Link]

We all knew it was just a matter of time before video recording came to the Pre. The camera and other hardware are easily strong enough to support it.  It’s just the software that needs to be upgraded.

Over last few weeks there’s been some interesting unofficial developments in this area.  Way back on August 6th, the user cpcrook first reported getting video recording working from commandline.  Since then, the WebOS-Internals wiki page on video recording has grown and video recording is looking like a realistic possibility in the future.

A same video from the Pre’s camera from zonyl can be found here and it looks pretty darn good; 30fps at 320×480px with pretty good clarity and color.  In addition, an open source video camera service and test application have been posted, with using reporting varying levels of success.

There are a few caveats, of course.  Video is limited to 320×480, doesn’t have sound, and comes out by default badly formatted.  And by badly formatted, I mean most video players won’t be able read the file. If you are brave enough to test out this stuff, one player that does seem to be able to show the videos is SMPlayer.

Considering the Pre’s hardware can reportedly handle up to 720×480@30fps, hopefully we’ll one day see a high quality official software solution from Palm. Until then, long live homebrew!

READ THE FULL ARTICLE >>