First All Touchscreen webOS Handset Spotted

webos slate rumor touchscreen After a period of relative inactivity in the world of WebOS hardware rumors, Precentral has emerged with a huge scoop of the first WebOS smartphone without a physical keyboard. The typical grainy, low-res blurrycam is unfortunately in full effect, but a handful of details can still be gleaned from the leaked image.

The device resembles any of the other hundreds of slate-style black slabs on the market, albeit with no visible hard or capacitive buttons. There does appear to be a sensor for either a front-facing camera or a light/proximity sensor. If the gesture area has been retained, it has been relegated to a very small strip below the screen. Otherwise, this will presumably be the initial HP smartphone of a new crop of "gesture area-free" Enyo-ified device along the lines of the upcoming TouchPad tablet running WebOS 3.0.

In fact, there is no branding or "Palm" traits whatsoever adorning the visible exterior elements of the device, so it could just as easily be an unnamed Android or Windows Phone 7 handset. Since rumors have been swirling for quite some time about the existence of a large-screen, keyboard-free WebOS handset, it is quite likely that this is indeed a genuine device. In fact, back in October of 2010 we were discussing the possibility of a large-screen WebOS device under the codename "Mansion", though the smart money would be that is be the previously rumored "Mantaray"; essentially a "Stingray" (confirmed to be the Pre 3) without a physical keyboard and a similar 800x480 resolution screen. If true, this would be the first time similar Palm-related smartphones were offered in keyboard and keyboard-free flavors since the ancient Handspring Treo 180 and 180g in 2002.

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Only a year late, but whatever.

Fake Jeff Hawkins @ 4/6/2011 9:30:19 PM # Q
iPhone 3GS
iPhone 4
iPhone 5 (soon)
Over 100 Android phones of various shapes and sizes running Android 1.6, 2.0, 2,1, 2,2, 2.3 and (soon) 3.0
Windows Phone 7
Blackberry with qnx (eventually)

HP had better absolutely NAIL this, or else the competition will be pounding that final NAIL into the webOS coffin.

If HP can't get a ton of developers onboard with webOS over the next 6 months, webOS will be remembered the same way we remember BeOS and Cobalt - rather than how we remember Amiga OS and OS/2. Unless they have figured out the ballet of effortless cloud syncing between webOS apps on the desktop, laptop and smartphone then it's pointless continuing this charade any further. I'd rather run TealOS on my old Centro.

I'm using StyleTap Platform on my jailbroken iPhone 4 and finding myself using my laptop less and less, since the phone is so much easier to carry around all the time. Makes me doubt tthe "need" for tablets. Especially once people wise up and see how much smarter it is to buy a netbook (with one of the new AMD Zacate chips) instead of a tablet.


FJH

RE: Only a year late, but whatever.
bhartman34 @ 4/7/2011 7:00:36 AM # Q
It's good to see HP hasn't given up entirely on smartphones, but this one in particular doesn't seem to me to be that great an effort. They took away the hardware keyboard (which is one of the things I actually like about the Pre and Pixi lines) and didn't change the screen size (from what I can tell).
RE: Only a year late, but whatever.
HyperScheduler @ 4/7/2011 10:42:02 AM # Q
If you are using StyleTap on a jailbroken iPhone 4, does that mean that you are using StyleTap's PalmOS emulator? If so, how is that working out for you? Can you (do you) HotSync?
RE: Only a year late, but whatever.
hkklife @ 4/7/2011 11:57:50 AM # Q
IMHO, virtual keyboards on devices with screens less than 4" are pretty much pointless. When used in portrait mode, there is not enough screen real estate for my fat thumbs. When used in landscape mode and the keyboard is onscreen, there is very little space left to see your document/email/form/web page and endless scrolling is required (usually resulting in errors or errant screen presses). Of course, this is always more of a problem with Android than it is on iOS. Unless HP bumped up this thing's screen to at least a 3.7" or 3.8" screen, it'll likely be miserable to use, owing to a small screen size AND relatively low resolution for onscreen typing. In all likelihood it's just a carryover part from the Pre 3.

I think the upcoming crop of large-screen 4.3" handsets (Droid X 2, Droid Bionic, EVO 3D) with qHD displays (960x540) will be quite usable for virtual keyboards. That said, I still think Samsung's Epic 4G is the perfect combination of device size + screen size with a physical keyboard. The HTC G2 is also worthy of mention as well. In fact, I'd much rather see HP doing a Droid 2/HTC G2-style landscape keyboard slider with a big screen!


Seeing as how iOS and 99% of Android devices mated to full touchscreen devices (manufacturers + carriers love 'em b/c they are cheaper to support & manufacture), I think HP should keep tweaking their physical keyboards for most of the line.

Just stick to 4 basic phone formfactors along with 2-3 tablet screen sizes:

#1 Small, non-slider, cheap portrait QWERTY device with all ports integrated into the device body (ie slightly bigger than a Veer and with a bigger screen than a Pixi) 2.8" to 3.1" screen.

#2 Midrange, business-oriented portait slider ala Pre 3/BB Torch. 3.6" screen

#3 Large-screen all-touchscreen flagship device (4.1"+ screen, please)

#4 Droid-style large-screen device with a slide-out landscale sliding keyboard 3.8" to 4" screen is ideal.
Pilot 1000->Pilot 5000->PalmPilot Pro->IIIe->Vx->m505->T|T->T|T2->T|C->T|T3->T|T5->Zodiac 2->TX->Verizon Treo 700P->Verizon Treo 755p->Verizon Moto Droid + Verizon Palm Centro-> Verizon Moto Droid X + Palm TX

RE: Only a year late, but whatever.
Fake Jeff Hawkins @ 4/7/2011 7:14:18 PM # Q
Just stick to 4 basic phone formfactors along with 2-3 tablet screen sizes:

#1 Small, non-slider, cheap portrait QWERTY device with all ports integrated into the device body (ie slightly bigger than a Veer and with a bigger screen than a Pixi) 2.8" to 3.1" screen.

#2 Midrange, business-oriented portait slider ala Pre 3/BB Torch. 3.6" screen

#3 Large-screen all-touchscreen flagship device (4.1"+ screen, please)

#4 Droid-style large-screen device with a slide-out landscale sliding keyboard 3.8" to 4" screen is ideal.


Well said. How hard is it to call up HTC and spec a 4.3 inch phone and add webOS to it? Instead we get stunning HP original designs like the Queer Veer.

Expect a huge cloud-based gamble from HP starting in May. Will the software be ready or will we see another Foleo-style disaster?

FJH

RE: Only a year late, but whatever.
Fake Jeff Hawkins @ 4/7/2011 7:32:24 PM # Q
If you are using StyleTap on a jailbroken iPhone 4, does that mean that you are using StyleTap's PalmOS emulator? If so, how is that working out for you? Can you (do you) HotSync?


There are a few old skool PalmOS apps that I like that I keep on the iPhone, but I also keep them on my Centro and my other PalmOS devices. I don't need to HotSync them.

The list of PalmOS apps that don't have MUCH BETTER native iOS equivalents is tiny and getting smaller every day. At this stage it would be easy to use my iPhone as a connected PDA (I would never use it as a voice phone - iPhone voice quality sounds like crap) and get a small dumbphone for voice. Instead I carry an i500 or Centro for voice + PalmOS apps. Unlocked GSM Centro = a damn good PalmOS PDA.

FJH

RE: Only a year late, but whatever.
LiveFaith @ 4/7/2011 7:50:13 PM # Q
If HP delivers a large screen slab like we've been begging for for almost a decade now, then I might listen. They laid a dinosaur sized egg on 2/9, and I made the decision to finally leave. But if this comes with WebOS, then what a phone it could be
Pat Horne
RE: Only a year late, but whatever.
Fake Jeff Hawkins @ 4/7/2011 9:03:34 PM # Q
By the way as far as I'm concerned - as was the case with PalmOS vis a vis Windows Mobile - user interface and apps are what make my jailbroken iPhone 4 so much better than any Android device I have seen so far. The iPhone also is a pocketable size, has a great screen and appears to be well built.

If Matias Duarte had a hand in the (tragic) Android Honeycomb UI, he needs to go back to school. Immediately. Android UI is an absolute mess that only a geek could love. After installing Infinidock and Infiniboard, the iPhone UI works better than ever for me. The only thing better would be a tabbed launcher like LauncherX (best launcher UI evarrrrrrrrrrr!)

iOS app:

SoundHound
MyWi
Paperless
Week Calendar
Poynt
FlightBoard
Siri
Evernote
NanoStudio
OneNote
WeatherEye
Delivery Status
mPD
Angry Birds
Pinball HD
Shazam
AutoStitch
HeyTell
VelaClock
Bump
Real Racing
TuneIn Radio
Urbanspoon
Pandora
Canabalt
Trainyard
FlightTrack Pro
HiCalc Free
Netflix
Dragon Dictation (when it works!)

Apps make the difference for iOS.

FJH

RE: Only a year late, but whatever.
Fake Jeff Hawkins @ 4/7/2011 9:06:27 PM # Q
"If HP delivers a large screen slab like we've been begging for for almost a decade now, then I might listen. They laid a dinosaur sized egg on 2/9, and I made the decision to finally leave. But if this comes with WebOS, then what a phone it could be"


You sound like an abused wife. Seriously.

FJH

RE: Only a year late, but whatever.
abosco @ 4/14/2011 7:21:31 PM # M Q
Guys, it's dead. Just let it go.
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Almost 2 MONTHS between PIC's last 2 articles. How sad.

Fake Jeff Hawkins @ 4/6/2011 9:37:31 PM # Q
Flashback to April 2001 and compare what was happening then to the ghost town we now have here. Any suggestions on how to save the site? Will it just continue to wither away until traffic drops to ZERO?

FJH


RE: Almost 2 MONTHS between PIC's last 2 articles. How sad.
bhartman34 @ 4/7/2011 6:54:04 AM # Q
I'm actually encouraged that there's any new content here at all. I figured this was a dead site walking, for sure.
RE: Almost 2 MONTHS between PIC's last 2 articles. How sad.
zuhmir @ 4/7/2011 12:59:25 PM # Q
This site is called Palm Info Center.
It stood tall when Palm changed our lives with their Palm Pilot... since then, Palm devices were extinct, PalmOne created only Treo, yet this site remained a "Palm". Today there is no more "Palm" not even a company by that name. Even the Palm site name was changed to www.hpwebos.com
the "webOS Connect London Developer Gathering" was the first time the name "palm" did not appear or mentioned.
If this site is to keep on living, I suggest something in the "palm reading" area or maybe a prosthetic palms site....
I wish Palm hasn't died and I wish this site never will.
RE: Almost 2 MONTHS between PIC's last 2 articles. How sad.
hkklife @ 4/7/2011 1:47:21 PM # M Q
Not to worry, plenty of new content is on the way right now! We don't give up that easily!

As always, guest editorials and articles/reviews contributed by users are welcome.

RE: Almost 2 MONTHS between PIC's last 2 articles. How sad.
Fake Jeff Hawkins @ 4/7/2011 6:14:29 PM # Q
As always, guest editorials and articles/reviews contributed by users are welcome.


But it's so much easier having others do all the work! ;-)

I'd like to review a couple of devices that never were released but I'd rather not burn any bridges just yet...

FJH

RE: Almost 2 MONTHS between PIC's last 2 articles. How sad.
Fake Jeff Hawkins @ 4/7/2011 7:02:13 PM # Q
hkklife, here are just a few ideas for articles:

- Interview CES Dewar (Datebk6)
- All time top 100 PalmOS apps
- Review StyleTap Platform for iOS
- webOS versus iOS cage match
- webOS versus Android cage match
- webOS hacking community
- Interview Rob Haitani
- Post pictures, specs and code name of every PalmOS device every made
- Survival plan for people who plan to stick with PalmOS forever
- How to migrate from PalmOS to iOS (including replicating the best PalmOS apps)
- How to migrate from PalmOS to Android (including replicating the best PalmOS apps)
- Cobalt: the unlold story
- Where are they now: update on the whereabouts of the former PalmOS movers and shakers like Yankowski, Hawkins, Benhamou, Haitani
- Foleo: the untold story
http://blog.palm.com/palm/2007/09/a-message-to-pa.html
- Review DateBk6
- Review HandyShopper
- Interview Aaron Ardiri
- Review TealLock
- HandEra: the untold story
- Review Pimlical
- Review unreleased hardware (Foleo, color HandEra, Cobalt phone, Samsung i550, TouchPad ;-), ALP-OS phone, etc.)
- Review Treo Butler
- Tapwave: the untold story
- Interview TealPoint
- Top 100 PalmOS games

etc.

FJH

RE: Almost 2 MONTHS between PIC's last 2 articles. How sad.
HyperScheduler @ 4/21/2011 8:56:54 AM # Q
These are absolutely *magnificent* suggestions. These topics are the reasons that I am even here.


Best,

HyperScheduler

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Android running on Palm Pre

zinzan @ 4/21/2011 4:45:23 AM # Q
http://dailymobile.se/2011/04/21/android-running-on-palm-pre/
"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"
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