PalmSource Day 1: Palm OS 5 Golden Master Coming Late Spring

During his first keynote address at the annual PalmSource conference, David Nagel has just announced that a beta of Palm OS 5 will be released this week. He went on to promise that the Golden Master version would be given to the Palm OS licensees by "late spring".

This is much earlier than expected. Previously, the beta was expected by late spring and the final version wasn't expected to be available until early fall.

Mr. Nagel is the head of PalmSource, the recently created subsidiary of Palm Inc. that is in charge of developing the Palm OS.

No licencees have stepped forward yet and announced dates when they wil have handhelds running this operating system but Mr. Nagel only made the announcement 20 or 30 minutes ago.

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Great news!!!!

dsm363 @ 2/5/2002 6:22:51 PM #
I really hope this marks a new era for Palm and the other companies. While I don't have a great need for extensive multimedia capabilities, it sure would be nice. Thanks for all of the reporting Ed!

RE: Great news!!!!
Hed @ 2/5/2002 6:31:34 PM #
Yes Thank you Ed. I eagerly await further news about OS 5.

RE: Great news!!!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 6:54:25 PM #
Thanks for the timely reporting. Its great to know this stuff "as it happens" for those of us who cannot be there in person.

Is there a transcript of the keynote somewhere on the web?

RE: Great news!!!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 6:55:27 PM #
Oh and have you seen PalmOS 5 running on any non-dragonball hardware? What applications are they using to demo the software? Anything about bluetooth??

RE: Great news!!!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 7:18:07 PM #
OS 5 will not run on any Dragonball devices at all. It is for ARM processors only.

RE: Great news!!!!
popko @ 2/5/2002 8:14:34 PM #
Post X:
Oh and have you seen PalmOS 5 running on any non-dragonball hardware? What applications are they using to demo the software? Anything about bluetooth??

Post Y:
OS 5 will not run on any Dragonball devices at all. It is for ARM processors only.

Humm ... I think X just wanted to know if Ed saw some OS5 action.

RE: Great news!!!!
mtg101 @ 2/5/2002 11:41:13 PM #
We've seen current apps (eg - Bejewled, SF Cave, Scrabble etc) running on OS5 development boards. The boards are all desktop PC motherboard size with a screen attached, often by wires. We also saw a demo of playing of WAV files, and a couple of movies.

They showed Bluetooth working. Very dull. Made a call, used a headset... yawn. Nothing you can't do with any of the 3rd party Bluetooth sleds/springboards.


Cheers
Russell


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russ@russb.fsnet.co.uk

RE: Great news!!!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/6/2002 4:14:57 AM #
"They showed Bluetooth working. Very dull. Made a call, used a headset... yawn. Nothing you can't do with any of the 3rd party Bluetooth sleds/springboards."

No ****, what were you expecting? A bluetooth foot massage?!

RE: Great news!!!!
mtg101 @ 2/6/2002 12:40:23 PM #
I guess there's not much more you can show than that. Then again, at last year's PalmSource they showed Bluetooth working with Biplane Ace being played between 2 Palms.

I'd have been more impressed if they were selling the SDIO Bluetooth card in the Palm Store here, like they said they would be in pre-conference speaches.

Cheers
Russell

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russ@russb.fsnet.co.uk

Great Work ED!!!!!!!!!!!

I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 6:29:57 PM #
Just one quick question, any idea on whether the m515/m130 will be os4 or 5. Have they given any hints. Also, why would they release m515/m130 with os4 when os5 is this close. Many people will wait on the sidelines just to get the new os machines.

Your work and QUICK reports back to us are greatly appreciated. I can't say enough about the service you provide. Keep up the good work.

RE: Great Work ED!!!!!!!!!!!
Kaitou @ 2/5/2002 6:40:46 PM #
They will be OS 4 machines, don't exepct OS 5's till late this year. And IMO they are releasing them so they have more of the market covered with the 130, and to fix some complaints with the 515

RE: Great Work ED!!!!!!!!!!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 6:58:53 PM #
You are correct, the m515 and m130 will both be OS 4.1 machines. The m130 will likely clock in at $299 with color which is a market price point not previously attacked by Palm. The m515 serves as a quick fix for the m505 by adding memory, fixing a USB sync problem, and brightening a dim display.

The true OS 5 units are not yet announced nor will they be I imagine until almost available this fall. Palm does not want the debacle they suffered last year when they announced the m50x series early and watched as Palm Vx sales disappeared. For now I imagine the push will be m130 / m515 and little else.

RE: Great Work ED!!!!!!!!!!!
mtg101 @ 2/5/2002 8:15:50 PM #
Palm hardware guy just spoke, no details of the m130 or m515. They did announce that this coming fall they intend to have a GSM/GPRS connected device running PalmOS 5 on ARM 7 chip.

Sony showed their new form factor for devices. Kinda a shell feel like the new Motorlolla phones. When open, the screen is on the top part, a QWERTY keyboard on the lower part. Then the screen can turn 180 degrees, and close again so just the screen is showing on the outside. Reminded me of the Danger HipTop device. However, the device as never turned on - so we're guessing it's just a product concept at the moment.

No pics... but I'm sure they'll be appearing on here soon.


Cheers
Russell


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russ@russb.fsnet.co.uk
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Diga ao Falante pelos Mortos
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Hurrray !!!! Copland 2.0

I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 7:13:36 PM #
O well .... wanna waish him the best, and don't screw up this time :)

Another PalmSource blog

bcombee @ 2/5/2002 7:20:20 PM #
I'm going to be updating my site palmoswerks, http://www.palmoswerks.com, all week as I learn new things in the sessions. The conference is fully 802.11b enabled, so I'm able to post news as soon as its mentioned.

CodeWarrior for Palm OS technical lead
RE: Another PalmSource blog
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 8:27:43 PM #
Thanks for the excellent summary so far!
Can you give any more info on the UI themes: Which elements are going to be customizable - look of menus & controls, font, icons, background? Any screenshots?

No Screenshot !?

I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 9:13:44 PM #
I can't believe he finished the whole keynote without even demonstrating of some OS 5 features... ~~ and not even one screenshot ~~ ...

RE: No Screenshot !?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 11:13:33 PM #
oh well, the link is being a jerk, so just go to news.com and click on the "Intel revs up handhelds at PalmSource " link in the right hand corner...looks like a fast processor...


RE: No Screenshot !?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 11:16:21 PM #
RE: No Screenshot !?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 11:25:39 PM #
The reason they aren't showing screen shots is the GUI hasn't changed AT ALL, NOT ONE BIT from OS 4.1... wow, I was expecting OS 5.0 to be a break from the OS 1.0 view of the world, but I guess it isn't to be.

RE: No Screenshot !?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/6/2002 3:27:17 AM #
That is fantastic news. It's exactly what most people want. The ease of use of the palm os with a modern, multitasking.



welcome to reality
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/6/2002 4:53:28 AM #
...That is fantastic news. It's exactly what most people want. The ease of use of the Palm os with a modern, multitasking...

We, the user, had this already with the Apple Newton 2100 years ago in hand - and much, much more.
The Newton could play videos with sound without flicker or interruption.
Besides a ton of other usefull and efficient features (clever assistant) unknown nowadays.
The Newton was / is running of course on a extremely efficient strong ARM processor / multitasking of course - so far for the big hype of Palms transition to the Arm processor

Sorry that it takes Palm so long to follow / stumble / copy the right Apple path.

A dedicated layman may make it in the far future up to the former master - hopefully - but not sure.

I keep my fingers honestly crossed for Palm and remain sober - I cannot share the global enthusiasm and hype about so little in hand so late.

Boris


RE: No Screenshot !?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/6/2002 9:46:27 AM #
But Palm isn't the size of a Newton nor the horrendous price... that my friend is the difference.

Newton mourning
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/6/2002 10:04:55 AM #
Considering the time the Newton was build his price was steep but still reasonable - the technology was 5 years ago not as advanced as today. The whole machine was another state of quality as the PDA's today. The glass used in the Newton was a high polished optical one – hard to scratch in years. Only this glass costs nowadays probably more than a m100. The Newton incorporated the state of the art of his time – but even further.
If the Newton would have been further developed the Newton would surely fit in a Palm formfactor today.

With nowadays technology much more could be achieved as the sad stupid bricks we have in hand now - given a true dedication of a creative company. (With less vice presidents)

If the Newton would be on the market today, I doubt if Palm would still be around.

Anyhow the intelligence of the Newton OS and interface is not matched by far by any PDA build today.

And that’s what many so badly miss on so many fronts in the PDA buz as well as in our day to day life – a grain of salt of the passed away Newton intelligence

... and that my friend is the true difference.



Shut UP about the Newton!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/6/2002 10:35:11 AM #
Do you still think fondly of your Amiga, too?

Jeez!



Newton gone
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/6/2002 11:10:37 AM #
... Shut UP about the Newton!

Done - your wish comes true - I shut up about the Newton but this does not relive you poor boy from unvirtual reality - and thats, as I can see a solid intelectual desert

RE: No Screenshot !?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/6/2002 11:22:20 AM #
as a matter of fact, many people are stil using newton daily, with the unmatchable HWR and that awesome big screen, it is and always will be a great tool.

WHAT??!!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/6/2002 11:25:01 AM #
First a Newton slam, then an AMIGA slam? You'd better know your history, you sassy little whippersnappers. The Amiga is to desktop PC's as the Newton is to PDAs: a bit expensive, 3 or 4 GENERATIONS ahead of its time, made with exceptional quality paired with great hardware and software engineering, and utterly disrespected and forgotten by uninformed DORKS!!!

In other words, mainstream desktop PC software and hardware have only exceeded the Amiga in the past few years, even then, that would be the Macintosh. Amiga was the first to get many desktop computer luxuries right. Like more than 256 on-screen colors, or 3D, or good video editing on the cheap.

Similarly, the Newton had networking, internet access (remember, this was BEFORE the web was affordable), storage, REAL handwriting recognition, nice (monochrome) screens, speed, and multimedia all bound up in a nifty interface YEARS AND YEARS ago for the lowest price it could be done for. If Apple hadn't given up, or if they started licening NewtonOS, there would BE NO POCKET PC. PERIOD. The Newton has NOT been equalled, although PalmOS 5 puts Palm in the same ballpark at least in terms of usability, while PocketPC 2002 has the bells and whistles. Symbian seems to stake out an eerie middle ground, and looks interesting, but I can't afford one :(

PalmOS 6 will be something to look out for, and I'm sure MS will not stop with PocketPC2002, Symbian is still chugging along, and that Danger hiptop looks sweet. Still, when you boil it down, the Newton is still the king of the hill this year.



RE: No Screenshot !?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/6/2002 11:51:03 AM #
Or to put it brutally and crystall clear - in order not to be misunderstood:

Palm OS5 will still be a mayour downgrade in terms of usability compared to Newton OS.

Thats reality - like it or not.

Boris


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