TealOS Brings a webOS Experience to Palm OS

TealOSProlific Palm OS developers TealPoint, has just released TealOS, which brings a webOS like experience to current Palm OS devices. Calling it a multi-functional application launcher, TealOS simulates the card-based interface of WebOS on the new Palm Pre. TealOS comes complete with support for thumbnail image cards, a translucent applications screen, customizable background images, and even a popup wave launcher. You can checkout more screenshots and a video demo of it running on a Centro after the break.

TealOS v1.03 is available now with a free trial period. The program costs $14.95 to purchase the full version. TealPoint says it should be compatible with most Palm OS 5 based Palm devices and supports high-res plus devices such as the Palm TX.

TealOS Screenshots

TealOS screenshot TealOS TealOS Palm OS

"TealOS breathes new life into my Centro," said Vince Lee, President of TealPoint Software. "Using it, I get the look and feel of WebOS without buying a new phone or losing all my favorite apps."

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Ryan typed as I was!

mikecane @ 2/21/2009 11:18:04 AM # Q
I just got done recommending this to Gekko in a frikkin Comment and pop back to Home and see you've done it as a complete post!

Well, that ought to get Gekko's attention now.

Hey Gekko:
http://www.palminfocenter.com/comments/9698/#150085

Drat! He already found it:
http://www.palminfocenter.com/comments/7085/#150084

Go for it Gekko!

I'm not doing it for my LifeDrive. Don't want to spoil my Pre virginity.

RE: Ryan typed as I was!
Gekko @ 2/21/2009 11:24:04 AM # Q

it might be better on your LD due to larger screen size, pizza boy.

RE: Ryan typed as I was!
hkklife @ 2/21/2009 11:51:32 AM # Q
Doubtful. It'lll probably run horribly on the LD due to the rotten memory architecture of the LD, though Mike's CF mod should help matters tremendously.

I honestly may stick this on my TX though I doubt it'll end up being much more useful than the stillborn Saguaro concept from a couple years ago...though TealPoint does havea solid history of supporting their products.

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->?

RE: Ryan typed as I was!
mikecane @ 2/21/2009 12:55:02 PM # Q
>>>though Mike's CF mod should help matters tremendously.

You are mistaken. Even with CF, the LD is a laggy piece of crap. I can wait up to ten seconds at times to switch from Calendar to, say, Memos or SmartDOC. It torments my short-term memory.

It'd probably work better on your TX.

RE: Ryan typed as I was!
Gekko @ 2/21/2009 2:13:01 PM # Q

planned obsolescence. good excuse to upgrade to the Pre. i think you've milked every last drop of your two second hand legacy devices you can feel good about spending a few bucks on a new, state of the art device. amortized over the last 13 years of Palm's existence, your investment in devices should not feel excessive and thus - is justified.



RE: Ryan typed as I was!
mikecane @ 2/21/2009 5:21:52 PM # Q
Your Stalker Files are woefully in error:

1) Palm III: Bought by myself, not off ebay, new; dropped, screen smashed(!!)
2) Sony CLIE S320: a gift
3) Tungsten WTF - the 320x320 one: long-term loaner that died
4) LifeDrive: HD died on owner, bought off ebay

You can also add:

5) Everex FreeStyle Palm-sized PC: off ebay, because. What garbage!!
6) Toshiba GENIO: off ebay. So lovely, then the screen died!!

And the GENIO keyboard, plus a portable BT keyboard, plus the Palm keyboard for the Tungsten.

7) Nokia 770 Anti-Internet Tablet: a disease transmitted for free by Nokia

I think that's it.

Now, what do your files say about my feet?

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tried it on my centro

Gekko @ 2/21/2009 11:22:05 AM # Q

well i tried it and played with it and it's amazing that TealPoint could do what they did but on the tiny 2.2" 320x320 screen and with the limitations of FrankenGarnet and hardware it was not that exciting in practice.

the Pre's big allure for me is the internet browser, Wifi, GPS, advanced BT, fast processor, huge memory, and huge screen. all of which can't be added with a software hack.

RE: tried it on my centro
abosco @ 2/21/2009 11:30:03 AM # Q
the Pre's big allure for me is the internet browser, Wifi, GPS, advanced BT, fast processor, huge memory, and huge screen. all of which can't be added with a software hack.

... iPhone?

-Bosco
m105 -> NX70v -> NX80v -> iPhone -> iPhone 3G

RE: tried it on my centro
Gekko @ 2/21/2009 11:30:51 AM # Q

it felt like driving Bosco's Civic after a new mod from Pep Boys -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEiOlHkPxeM

Japanese Ferrari

RE: tried it on my centro
mikecane @ 2/21/2009 1:02:27 PM # Q
>>>the Pre's big allure for me is the internet browser, Wifi, GPS, advanced BT, fast processor, huge memory, and huge screen. all of which can't be added with a software hack.

Since when is the Pre on your buying list?! You did nothing but wail wail wail about the lack of Garnet compatibility!

RE: tried it on my centro
Gekko @ 2/21/2009 1:43:02 PM # Q
wtf? garnet compatibility? I don't give a f about that. never said I did. you must be confusing me with someone else, pizza boy.
RE: tried it on my centro
mikecane @ 2/21/2009 2:03:06 PM # Q
I don't recall *any* enthusiasm from you for the Pre. It's been all "My widdle Centro, I wub it!!!"

Well, that and pimping Sprint's Everything Plan.

RE: tried it on my centro
Gekko @ 2/21/2009 2:08:58 PM # Q

is your memory really that bad? has the microwave plastic really leeched in and done that much damage? recall i said i was getting a Pre and was excoriating them to get it out quickly? recall i was happy it/i was on Sprint?


RE: tried it on my centro
Gekko @ 2/21/2009 3:33:02 PM # Q

"last night i had a weird dream that i had webOS running on my centro. it had the cards and the wave launcher and everything. and then i woke up in a cold sweat."

RE: tried it on my centro
mikecane @ 2/23/2009 2:38:34 PM # Q
Answer the phone, Gekko, this call is for you:

http://prepoint.wordpress.com/2009/02/23/the-palm-pre-in-2013/

Reply to this comment

Experience on Treo 680

Ryan @ 2/21/2009 12:09:22 PM # Q
I just gave this a good run through on my Treo 680.

It runs pretty well, but a little slow here and there. It will add a couple seconds wait before it launches an app while it does a loading animation. An overclocking utility may help for this.

There are a lot of nag screens in the demo version.

The wave launcher is very cool and useful. Basically the same as webOS.

Apps don't continue to run, the app appears to just take a screenshot before you exit.

It's basically a glorified launcher environment.

I wonder if Palm is going to take issue with this for whatever reason. Better download now before its C&D'd.

All said, it's very impressive, and I'm sure it will see some improvement over time. Great job TealPoint.

RE: Experience on Treo 680
mikecane @ 2/21/2009 12:59:28 PM # Q
Given the way Palm pulled the Foleo rug out from under TealPoint, I think it'd be in their best interests overall just to ignore it.

1) They don't want to alienate a big developer.

2) If they want to legitimize it, they can do a $1 deal with TealPoint for a look-and-feel license.

I mean, really, how long will the Centro be around and what additions could be made to this program that'd threaten either the Pre or webOS?

RE: Experience on Treo 680
SeldomVisitor @ 2/21/2009 1:20:45 PM # Q
> ...It's basically a glorified launcher environment...

The Pre?

RE: Experience on Treo 680
Gekko @ 2/21/2009 2:10:32 PM # Q

it's the hardware, dummy.

RE: Experience on Treo 680
hotpaw4 @ 2/21/2009 9:19:13 PM # Q
> The Pre?

... run the HTML5 Javascript environment.

What happens when you try to run an HTML5 heavy web page on a Centro?

The rest is just window dressing.

RE: Experience on Treo 680
LiveFaith @ 2/21/2009 9:54:42 PM # Q
** > ...It's basically a glorified launcher environment...

The Pre? **

No. He's talking @ the TOS app. The "review" on the 680 is spot on. I to did the same and found the same experience. Overclocked to 455mhz and it ran a bit more crisp. Yes, it's a glorified launcher, but it does give a neat hands-on for what WebOS may feel like. Pretty cool to try.

One thing this reveals on the wave is the fact that only 5 apps are there. The gesture to bring it up and select is very natural, but why not allow it to scroll to the right and left off-screen for a larger # of predefined apps? I currently have about 10-11 apps mapped to my 4 Treo hard buttons using the function key as well as SingleButtonLauncher. 90% of my apps are right there and a keystroke or 2 away. WebOS could scroll off right or left and have 15 or more apps at ease. This would satisfy us geeks.

Pat Horne

RE: Experience on Treo 680
LiveFaith @ 2/21/2009 10:06:55 PM # Q
BTW. Looks HORRIBLE with Palm's archaic 2pixel white border on Treos, but not Centros. Does any app get rid of this stupid thing on a NVFS Treo?

Pat Horne
RE: Experience on Treo 680
SeldomVisitor @ 2/22/2009 4:06:57 AM # Q
> ...No. He's talking @ the TOS app....

True.

But I wasn't.

Giggle.

RE: Experience on Treo 680
freakout @ 2/22/2009 4:32:53 AM # Q
why not allow it to scroll to the right and left off-screen for a larger # of predefined apps?

That's a top idea. I'm thinking webOS's first hack?

RE: Experience on Treo 680
bhartman34 @ 2/22/2009 1:54:47 PM # Q
The gesture to bring it up and select is very natural, but why not allow it to scroll to the right and left off-screen for a larger # of predefined apps?

I think that would defeat the purpose of being a quick launcher. You don't want a huge stash of apps in the wave launcher, because that would bog the process of working from the launcher down.

I have to play around with it more, but so far I'm really liking TealOS as a launcher. It's the first launcher I've seen so far that could really hold a candle to ZLauncher. It will definitely help me hold out until my AT&T contract is up so I can go to Sprint for the Pre.

Having said that, this shouldn't cannibalize any Pre sales, from what I can tell. First, the card view in TealOS is impressive, but it's not as good as what the Pre does. The cards aren't live. And as has already been noted, this doesn't suddenly give you access to a good browser, GPS, Wifi, accelerometer, etc.

For anyone who is only impressed with the WebOS launcher, this might be enough, But I can't imagine that group would be that large.

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About a month to implement it on an ancient OS, huh?

SeldomVisitor @ 2/21/2009 1:23:37 PM # Q
Gosh.

Sure gonna take The Competition a long time to mimic what they want to mimic, huh?

RE: About a month to implement it on an ancient OS, huh?
Gekko @ 2/21/2009 2:09:58 PM # Q

imitation is the best form of flattery.


RE: About a month to implement it on an ancient OS, huh?
SeldomVisitor @ 2/21/2009 2:17:24 PM # Q
Are you quoting Apple?

RE: About a month to implement it on an ancient OS, huh?
freakout @ 2/21/2009 2:39:16 PM # Q
^^ Apple... they're the company that copied the Treo's threaded messaging, mute switch and phone interface, right? Not to mention the Palm OS launcher.

Go back far enough and everyone's imitating someone.

Sure gonna take The Competition a long time to mimic what they want to mimic, huh?

Sigh. This is a skin. A great-looking, amazing skin. But it doesn't "mimic" any of the actual underlying webOS architecture. (But you know that already. What's your agenda, SV?)

RE: About a month to implement it on an ancient OS, huh?
SeldomVisitor @ 2/21/2009 2:44:05 PM # Q
You don't understand the Pre target market, huh?

RE: About a month to implement it on an ancient OS, huh?
freakout @ 2/21/2009 2:58:29 PM # Q
And you do? LOL.

Palm's core market is the same it went for with the original Pilot: people who want a cool gadget that helps simplify the management of their lives - business or personal. In other words, pretty much everyone. They've brought PIM into the 21st century with Synergy and made it a killer app again. This skin does not bring any of that to Palm OS.

What's the point of your question? Was there one?

RE: About a month to implement it on an ancient OS, huh?
mikecane @ 2/21/2009 5:24:56 PM # Q
If all of you would Stop Feeding The Troll, he'd just starve to death. There can't be much nutritive content in the juices he constantly stews in.

Just do-> /ignore

RE: About a month to implement it on an ancient OS, huh?
SeldomVisitor @ 2/23/2009 3:21:53 AM # Q
[link posted by someone else here]

http://www.prethinking.com/home/2009/2/22/do-the-guys-behind-tealos-have-a-palm-pre.html

Yup, one month.

At the Apple App Store Approval Desk there are 479 implementations awaiting approval...giggle.

RE: About a month to implement it on an ancient OS, huh?
bhartman34 @ 2/23/2009 6:56:10 AM # Q
SV:

In case you missed the end of the article you linked to:

Moving forward, once the Pre is available, we don't anticipate anyone choosing to keep TealOS as a long term as a substitute for an actual WebOS device. Instead, it's much more likely to just whet someone's appetite for the real thing. After all, a good interface is a good interface, and even in its rough TealOS-emulated form, the WebOS interface really shines.

As others have said, there's a lot in WebOS that can't be duplicated on a POS 5 device. Sure, it'll take about a month (if that) to imitate TealOS on an iPhone/iPod Touch, but the underlying architecture of WebOS is what makes the Pre attractive. Slapping a skin on an iPhone won't suddenly give the iPhone the web-centric appeal that the Pre is going for. And it certainly won't give the iPhone the Pre's hardware specs. (And let's not even get into copy and paste...)

The Pre is obviously not perfect. The lack of an SD card slot and relatively cramped onboard memory is a major drawback. Having said that, it appears to be a real contender against the iPhone, outpacing it on several specs.

RE: About a month to implement it on an ancient OS, huh?
SeldomVisitor @ 2/23/2009 7:04:52 AM # Q
WHAT "underlying architecture"!!!?

You mean the =application= that surfs the web and gathers information from N sites (N quite small - like 3 - right now) to display later?

It'll take a couple days for THAT to be mimicked (no, NOT duplicated - mimicked in a form that's "good enough"...just like the UI).

You mean multitasking?

Who cares!? (and that is a literal based-from-fact-on-what-endusers-actually-do question)

You mean using certain gestures to zoom and compress the view?

Gosh.

The user interface is THE thing about the Pre; it has now been duplicated on the lowest-of-the-low. Add a few MUCH-easier-to-develop-than-that-UI applications and everything that is "cool" about the Pre is mimicked.

Don't NEED no stinkin' MySQL behind the scenes.

Don't NEED no stinkin' multifinger anything.

I think Palm is considering their options RIGHT NOW about how to quash this. Because if it ws THAT easy to mimick the UI so thoroughly it'll be THAT easy to mimick the actual "underlying functionality".

We'll see - I'm impressed with the speed of this particular TealOS development (shocked, actually). I won't at ALL be surprised at the Windows Mobile version (there's yer multitasking!) nor at how fast some other developer comes out with a data-mining app for it.



RE: About a month to implement it on an ancient OS, huh?
bhartman34 @ 2/23/2009 8:59:39 AM # Q
You mean the =application= that surfs the web and gathers information from N sites (N quite small - like 3 - right now) to display later?

That's not all that the app does. It also assembles the information and updates what needs to be updated. In addition to that, it synthesizes the information so that your GPS capability is linked in to your calendar and e-mail, etc.

Yes, only a few sources can be synched with the Pre right now, but that won't last very long. The synthesizing of different site information is a good enough idea that it's all but certain to be widely implemented. Who wouldn't want their contacts to be updated automatically with the most current information from all such sites, giving them a complete view of their contact information in one place?

You mean multitasking?

Who cares!? (and that is a literal based-from-fact-on-what-endusers-actually-do question)

You're kidding, right? Multitasking is a big deal, because it allows people to use mobile devices the same way they use their desktops and laptops. Or don't you think people want to be able to do something as basic (basic in a laptop or desktop, that is) as playing music while composing an e-mail or texting?

You mean using certain gestures to zoom and compress the view?

Well, no. That is a strictly UI issue, and I can agree that it's not that big a deal, other than maybe for Web browsing.

Don't NEED no stinkin' MySQL behind the scenes.

Need? Maybe not. But MySQL behind the scenes means that a lot of developers will be able to hit the ground running. MySQL has a fairly significant following.

I think Palm is considering their options RIGHT NOW about how to quash this. Because if it ws THAT easy to mimick the UI so thoroughly it'll be THAT easy to mimick the actual "underlying functionality".

Even if TealOS did accurately create the UI of WebOS (which it doesn't completely succeed in doing), there would be no reason for Palm to want to quash it. The Pre has a lot more than the UI going for it - especially for the people who will install TealOS. Palm hasn't updated its OS in 5 years. Do you really think people will keep a 5-year old operating system, with all its limitations (which we've gone over on this forum ad nauseum) just because there's an app that puts a shiny new face on it? Are you serious?

I'm not even so sure there'd be a market for this kind of thing on the iPhone/iPod Touch. What would the point be? I'm not sure it provides a significant advantage over the iPhone's standard launcher. You might make a better argument for it on a WinMob device (since they can multitask, and the WinMob UI does seem to lag behind), but not on the iPhone.

RE: About a month to implement it on an ancient OS, huh?
freakout @ 2/23/2009 11:33:22 AM # Q
The user interface is THE thing about the Pre;

There's a Facebook group that was made in response to people like you, SV:

http://tinyurl.com/ao6nm7

RE: About a month to implement it on an ancient OS, huh?
sbono13 @ 2/23/2009 11:44:50 AM # Q
"At the Apple App Store Approval Desk there are 479 implementations awaiting approval...giggle."

And none of them will get approved. Apple doesn't allow third party launchers.

RE: About a month to implement it on an ancient OS, huh?
twrock @ 2/23/2009 9:09:15 PM # Q
Apple doesn't allow third party launchers.

Using SV's definition, I recall it took something like two days for someone to "implement" the iPhone OS on Palm. And Apple promptly sent them a C&D letter, so clearly Apple was threatened by people copying their "OS" so easily. And based on the length of time it took in each case, we can conclude that the iPhone OS is way less complex than Palm's webOS. Hey, even I "implemented" the iPhone OS, and I have no coding skills at all: http://www.1src.com/freeware/fileinfo.php?id=1891

So I'm still not sure if SV actually believes his own BS or if he's just having fun trolling.


"twrock is infamous around these parts"
(from my profile over at Brighthand due to my negative 62 rep points rating)

RE: About a month to implement it on an ancient OS, huh?
AdamaDBrown @ 2/24/2009 10:52:40 AM # Q
There's a distinction between copying the feel of an OS and developing that feel independently, with all the testing, trial and error, etcetera that implies.

Now that said, I do think it's safe to say that the webOS interface and infrastructure seem simple enough that it probably did not take Palm all that long to build it. Which combined with other factors (like the Garnet license they acquired) suggest that they were working on something else, and ended up having to scrap their original plan in favor of building something simpler.

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