Our colleagues at CrackBerry.com have posted the above video from the Meet the BlackBerry Playbook developer sessions in NYC, and linked to another video from BGR posted a new video showing what purports to be a hands-on with the upcoming BlackBerry Playbook tablet from RIM. CrackBerry points out a few highlights of the "new" interface:

• The entire bezel is used for navigating. Swipe the sides to get around system-wide. The top is available for specific actions within applications
• There are "views" much like BlackBerry 6 for navigating that can be swiped through
• Swipe to move between views and apps, flick up to exit an app
• Looks like you can open the keyboard by swiping up from the bottom left on the bezel

We put "new" in quotes because, obviously, we’ve seen most or all of these features before, as integral or homebrew elements in webOS. Navigation swipes, gesture areas, live apps even in minimized (card) mode, the list goes on and on. The PlayBook’s interface is startlingly, or perhaps frighteningly, similar to webOS, and while we are pleased to see how good it looks on a tablet (hurry up with that PalmPad!), we’re not so happy to see it on an actual, working, competing device from a rather well-funded and strong competitor like RIM. (The comment near the end of the video that developers whose apps are accepted for the PlayBook’s marketplace will get a free PlayBook serves to emphasize the power of RIM’s resources.)

We don’t know whether HP intends to take any legal action against RIM for this "faithful reproduction" of webOS, or whether it might even have the necessary patents to do so. For that matter, RIM is known for its own aggressive patent cases (both offense and defense). Even if HP thought it could and should bring an infringement case, it might decide against to avoid getting countersued by RIM, or because it might then seem like it had to compete in the courts rather than the marketplace.

We’re with you, webOS faithful: it’s painful to watch the competition, especially when it looks so much like our own favorite OS. We, like you, are more than ready to be blown away by whatever Palm/HP is going to announce whenever it is going to do so. Meanwhile, let’s try to imagine that the BGR video was actually a sneak peak of a webOS tablet…but that it’s going to be even cooler.

Source: CrackBerry.com; BGR

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In case you needed any more walking-through of webOS 2.0, HP and Palm are stepping up to the plate with a new set of videos that step you through some of the new features. The trio of videos cover in a very simple and straightforward fashion how Just Type, the updated App Catalog, and contact Favorites all work. It’s the kind of simplicity that we lauded in the earlier internet promo video and what we’d love to see more of in future tutorials, videos, and (most importantly) mainstream advertising. Check out the videos after the break.

Source: YouTube (1, 2, 3); Thanks to akitayo in the forums for the heads up!

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Perhaps the highest form of flattery is emulation. So too, it is ironic that although disappointingly few people take webOS seriously in the tech world today, somebody thought enough of it to borrow Palm’s innovations and mimic gestures and the card metaphor on Android.

A new free task manager for Android called ‘Itching Thumb’ blatantly mimics the webOS card system. As seen in a video demonstration, you can now switch between open apps on Android with live thumbnail previews, nearly identical to the cards system Palm invented.

Using Itching Thumb, you can also launch apps by using custom made gestures, such as a G for Gmail. This take on app launching is quite a bit different than what we get on webOS, but we can’t help but wonder if the heavy reliance on gestures in webOS inspired some additional gesturing from the Itching Thumb developers. Of course, it’s worth noting that the gesture-letter-to-launch-app has been around in various incarnations for a while, like all the way back in the halcyon days of Palm OS.

It is also worth pointing out that after the initial iPhone, there were countless iterations of apps and themes on all platforms that attempted to mimic its minimalistic and simple but effective interface, which itself borrowed some ideas from the old Palm OS days. Apple never took the bait of the user interface patent lawsuit after this initial wave, though since they’ve fallen prey to the patent litigation bug.

While this free Android task manager takes a card from the webOS playbook, HP and Palm have bigger things to worry about than whether some minor developer is appropriating what is likely to become a common user interface concept (see MeeGo and the BlackBerry Playbook). Perhaps this is something that the webOS community will just have to shake our heads at, and point to as evidence of the brilliance of webOS, hmm?

Source: AppBrain; via: Android Central Forums

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It’s not an official commercial by any means, but it is a official promo video for the Palm Pre 2, and we like it. With some more people to it to make it more personable and relatable, this could make a decent commercial. Just by virtue of its fast cutting and up-tempo music Palm has made it clear that this sucker is fast. There’s no need for specs here, “fastest” is much easier for customers to understand (when was the last time you heard an iPhone ad touting the clock speed of the A4 processor?).

In just 34 seconds the video manages to round up everything there is to love about HP webOS 2.0: Just Type “to begin just about anything,” multitasking with stacks, Synergy calendars and contacts, notifications, apps (featuring Angry Birds, naturally), and video recording and uploading. Like we said, it’s comprehensive but very clearly gets to the point of reintroducing the public to everything that webOS can do, now "Faster, smarter, and tons of fun." Video after the break.

Source: YouTube; Via: jsgraphicart in the comments

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As you all know by now, Hewlett Packard (HP) is the new happy owner of Palm and the great webOS. Many rumors on the web give us indication that HP plans to use webOS not only on smartphones, but other devices as well.

On this latest commercial from Hewlett Packard we cannot see any webOS magic [...]

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The goodly folks at Palm are showing us what a company with a sense of humor about itself looks like. On the Palm blog today, Jon Zilber pays tribute to the latest video from that masked PAAAAAAAAAAALM guy, who is suddenly much more enthusiastic about the company and demonstrating his technique for getting others to purchase webOS smartphones:

Zilber then goes on to challenge other Palm fans to show off their own creative methods for spreading webOS love:

So if you’ve been helping to tell the webOS story, we’d like to see how you do it. Do you show people just how effortless it is? Showcase a favorite app? Tell them about some of the cool things (like Stacks and Just Type) coming in webOS 2.0? Explain the power of the homebrew community? Or do you (and yes, I do mean you) just naturally wow people with your sparkling personality and your snappy attire?

Palm will be looking out for YouTube videos tagged with #MaskAppeal (and subtly suggests a length limit of 30 seconds), and will "highlight a few [...] favorites." No mention of prizes, but hey, getting Palm’s attention as a creative webOS supporter has led to at least one job recently, so you never know what might result!

Source: Palm Blog

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Amid the many videos and other content we brought to you along with our webOS 2.0 review, there was at least one thing we whiffed on, as @PalmFlashCards gently reminded us: the all new App Catalog. Above, we humbly present a video showing the new interface and saner app search, sort, and discovery options. We also take a look at the all new Software Manager where you can get your updates, report problems, and review apps directly.

Thanks for the reminder, James!

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Just how much faster is webOS 2.0 on the 1GHz Palm Pre 2 compared to the Palm Pre Plus? We won’t say it’s twice as fast, but it’s close. That’s not the whole story, however, as many of you homebrewers out there are already running your Palm Pre and Pre Plus phones at 1GHz with overclocking.

Is stock webOS 2.0 on the Pre 2 any faster than an overclocked Palm Pre Plus? The answer is ….sometimes. Check out the video above to see what we mean.

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Among many other things, webOS 2.0 finally brings support for Bluetooth Keyboards to the table. In the video above we break down the steps necessary to pair webOS 2.0 with an Apple Bluetooth Keyboard. We also walk you through what works (and what doesn’t work) once you get paired up. Come on, typists, you know you can’t resist.

Also see our full webOS 2.0 Review!

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Looking for skinny on webOS 2.0 and don’t have the time to read our massive webOS 2.0 Review? Look no further – we break down the major features in webOS 2.0 – from Stacks to Just Type to the new Launcher to, yes, Flash. It’s all here.

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