Preview of Palm OS 5

Posted By: Ryan Tuesday, February 5, 2002 10:39:00 AM

With PalmSource just getting underway in San Jose, Palm has posted a Palm OS 5 backgrounder at PalmOS.com. PalmInfocenter News Editor Ed Hardy is attending PalmSource and will bring us detailed updates further into the day and all this week.

Palm OS 5 is expected to ship to licensees in the early summer and features a host of improvements, most notably the transition to faster ARM processors and enhanced security, multimedia and wireless support.

Also officially announced today, is the new name of the Palm OS subsidiary. Lead by David Nagel, the group will go by the same name as the annual developers conference, PalmSource.

Key Improvements in Palm OS 5
Even with the enhancements to Palm OS 5, the operating system continues to have a small footprint. "The memory footprint, even the new ARM version, is very efficient," said Gina Clark, vice president of marketing for PalmSource. "It continues to fit inside 4 megabytes (of memory), as it does today. So no change is required by the licensees (of the Palm OS)." The benefits of the efficiency of the operating system translate to the same long battery life and modest hardware requirements that the Palm OS is known for.

  • Enhanced security -- To keep sensitive data private, Palm OS 5 offers strong 128-bit systemwide data-encryption services based on the de facto standard RC4 encryption algorithm from RSA Security. In addition, end-to-end security is provided through Secure Socket Layer (SSL) services for email, web browsing and online transactions.
  • Multimedia -- The ability to record sound and play CD-quality digital audio brings higher fidelity sound to mobile devices. Support for high-density screens (up to 320 x 320 pixels) doubles screen resolution, and new selectable color themes will let users customize devices.
  • Wireless -- In addition to current support for WAN and Bluetooth, Palm OS 5 supports 802.11b for connections to wireless Local Area Networks.
"Only the limits of our imagination will hold us back. Mobile computing will become ubiquitous by putting people in control of their information, communication, and lives," said Nagel. "We're laying the foundation for that future today with a new operating system, a new name, and a strategy to drive flexible innovation while maintaining the acclaimed ease of use of the Palm OS. We also remain committed to our current base of developers and users who will continue to enjoy enhancements and future innovative products from our licensees."

Nagel's keynote today will cover the following:

  • The preview of the Palm OS 5 beta, the next-generation Palm OS, and demonstrations of pre-release ARM-compliant hardware from Intel, Motorola and Texas Instruments. The final version of Palm OS 5 is scheduled to be delivered to licensees in early summer.
  • Demonstrations of innovative new Palm OS based software programs, incorporating technologies such as speech recognition, biometrics, multimedia, collaboration, wireless networking and Bluetooth.
  • Demonstrations of enterprise solutions and products will show why 83 percent of the respondents in a Jupiter research study said their companies plan to support Palm Powered™ devices for mobile applications.
  • Demonstrations of new Palm Powered devices from market leaders Handspring, Palm, Inc., and Sony will show why Palm OS continues to lead the worldwide handheld platform market.
Thanks to André for the heads up.

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I love Palm, but....

I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 10:58:33 AM #
I don't think that I can wait for next year to see what I want in a hand held. Is it too much to ask for a Color Handera that supports multitasking, and multimedia?

I just hope that I don't get too frustrated with my VIIx before all the new stuff starts shipping. Otherwise I will be right over to a pocket PC. And I really don't want to do that...

RE: I love Palm, but....
Equaliser @ 2/5/2002 11:03:46 AM #
No you really don't ! Have a look at the www.palmos.com website and look for the "PalmOS v Pocket PC" comparison and you'll not move to M$ ever ! I really don't like companies like M$, stifling competition and making it up as they go along, stick with Palm, who knows one day we might never need Gates and his empire ! (Wishful thinking)

RE: I love Palm, but....
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 11:55:50 AM #
> I really don't like companies like M$, stifling competition and making it up as they go along, stick with Palm,

***

You aren't serious... right?

Palm has been stifling as this is the first significant upgrade in over 4 years !!!

Stop being a Palm Weenie and think for yourself.

RE: I love Palm, but....
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 12:04:20 PM #
Stop being MS$ Weenie and think for yourself and the conclusion should be obvious!

RE: I love Palm, but....
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 1:15:42 PM #
> Stop being MS$ Weenie and think for yourself and the conclusion should be obvious!

***

Idiot. I'm using a Linux PDA. Think for yourself and stop ASSuming people are MS$ Weenies as you are a Palm$ Weenie.

TANX.

RE: I love Palm, but....
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 1:37:40 PM #
You both are weenies. There is a PDA that is right for everyone. For some it's PalmOS. Others use PocketPC or Linux. Just be happy with whatever model you choose.
-Scott

RE: I love Palm, but....
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 3:35:20 PM #
ahahahahaahhahahahahah what a great suggestion...go to Plams site and look at their propaganda to choose Palm over Pocket PC...ahahahhhahahahhahahahaha

RE: I love Palm, but....
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 3:37:33 PM #
If you are using Linux, why are you hanging around Palm Infocenter?

Troll???

RE: I love Palm, but....
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 4:13:07 PM #
If you are using Linux, why are you hanging around Palm Infocenter?

-------------

Why? Because my other PDA is a Palm Vx ;-)


RE: I love Palm, but....
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 7:56:16 PM #
Linux on a 330? Where do you get that?

RE: I love Palm, but....
davespda @ 2/5/2002 8:58:22 PM #
Can't we all just get along?

Yeah, where did you get Linux on a 330???

Dave
www.davespda.com

RE: I love Palm, but....
Equaliser @ 2/6/2002 5:28:38 AM #
Look guys I meant go and look at the PalmOS site and make your own mind up about the differences between PalmOS and PocketPC, it raises some interesting points. Also if you post anonymously then you are a troll simple ! Must also say I like the way Palm are finally going, its taken a long time for them to realise M$ is waiting for the Palm deserters.

RE: I love Palm, but....
Bartman007 @ 2/6/2002 5:15:27 PM #
Ummm-

Where did he say that he had a 330?

So it's 320x320?

I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 11:01:41 AM #
Well, then the war is over? Will sony's 320x320 be the lead? What about virtual graffitti areas?

RE: So it's 320x320?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 11:19:25 AM #
They said support UP TO 320x320!

Handera's screen is 240x320, which is obviously between 160x160 and 320x320.

If you want to make a point about scalability, if you subtract the area taken up by the virtual grafitti area, you still end up with screen dimensions of 240x240.

RE: So it's 320x320?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 12:01:53 PM #
"Palm OS 5 incorporates a set of high-density APIs that double the screen resolution of a Palm Powered device — from 160 x 160 pixels to multiples of 160x160 pixels. (These high-density APIs are compatible with software written for a 160 x 160 screen.)"
http://www.palmos.com/platform/os5/osdatasheet_5.html

It says "multiples", and that probably means whole numbers, so I think the Handera screen loses.

RE: So it's 320x320?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 12:08:50 PM #
Where is everyone getting the idea that it's only going to support 320 x 320 resolution. The documentation on the palmOS site states support for multiples of 160.

240 X 320 (160*1.5 X 160*2)

480 X 640 (160*3 X 160*4)

So it looks reasonable that Palm OS5 could support a virtual graffiti area.

RE: So it's 320x320?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 12:20:51 PM #
Square, inflexible screen APIs. No thanks. I guess I'm on my last Palm then. Very disappointing. We'll probably be getting 480x640 Pocket PCs soon, and Palm is still stuck in the dark ages on screen resolutions. Even after HandEra went and showed how to do it, and got 3rd party developers to support it.

RE: So it's 320x320?
Scott @ 2/5/2002 12:23:03 PM #
I wouldn't call 240 pixels (1.5 x 160) a multiple of 160. By that definition, 283 pixels is also a multiple of 160 pixels, since it's 160 x 1.76875. Doesn't the multiple have to be a whole number?

Scott

RE: So it's 320x320?
bookrats @ 2/5/2002 12:54:37 PM #
Multiples of "160x160", not multiples of 160.

I'm just surprised that they limited themselves to no denser than 320x320

----

Jeff Meyer

RE: So it's 320x320?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 2:12:17 PM #
Sounds like multiples of 160x160 if and only if that mutiple is 2. What a stupid statement from Palm. If Palm can only think as far ahead as a square, 320x320 for Palm OS 5, they are done in the computer industry.

RE: So it's 320x320?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 3:36:10 PM #
I don't see your point all?! We almost all have 160x160 screens and can live with it. So 320x320 won't be enough? BTW, there is handhelds with a resolution greater than 320x320. It's called "tablet PC" and it's not very successfull (except in some specific tasks) for a simple reason: you neeed a backpack to carry it, not a shirt pocket...

You want virtual desktops? Isn't the "multiples 160x160" allow this?

RE: So it's 320x320?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 3:39:29 PM #
Have you seen 320x320 resolution of Clie? It is so much better than 320x240 of Handera or PocketPC that there is no comparison! Of course, it's not simply resolution but also dpi that matters. 320x320 on a square screen will produce higher dpi than 240x320 on a rectangular screen.

Look before you speak!

RE: So it's 320x320?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 3:46:00 PM #
> Have you seen 320x320 resolution of Clie? It is so
> much better than 320x240 of Handera or PocketPC that
> there is no comparison!

Oh please! I know you love your Clie, but I would rather have a much larger, rectangular screen than Sony's crap. It is certainly not "so much better" than 320x240 of Handera or PocketPC.

> 320x320 on a square screen will produce higher dpi
> than 240x320 on a rectangular screen.

Especially since Sony makes their screens smaller than on any Palm except the m1xx devices. Will they do 320x320 on a Treo for an encore?

> Look before you speak!

I have and square screens stink, and non-fexible software APIs that support only a couple of useful resolutions are even worse.



RE: So it's 320x320?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 3:59:43 PM #
I wouldn't assume that Palm is copying Sony with the higher resolution stuff and handera with the virtual grafitti area. I saw the spec for OS 5 two years ago, all that stuff was in there way back then (long before the high res Clie or the HandEra came out).

Palm's problem with keeping up with Sony and HandEra is that it didn't want to duplicate any effort in the OS team. OS5 has been tying Palm's hands behind its back for well over three years, they have had to support the development of two operating systems at once with a relatively small budget and workforce. Once the switchover has been made to OS5, they will be able to focus all of their attention on one code base. Also with the new management structure and the talent that has come from Be, I can bet you will see MUCH more innovation out of the Palm Source team.

RE: So it's 320x320?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 6:30:52 PM #
Two points:

320x320 = 4 X the resolution of 160x160, not double.

I use my clie 610 w/keyboard and word processor for real writing when away from my desk. I found the higher resolution and readability to be a critical requirement.

IMO - "look first" was a valid test for me. Please don't call the Sony "crap", etc. - those comments only displays narrow-mindedness and technical bigotry, and provide no useful information. Technology choices are typically based upon analysis of features and usability, and the opinions of users with real experience with these devices are valuable aids.



RE: So it's 320x320?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 11:01:23 PM #
> Please don't call the Sony "crap", etc. - those comments only display
> narrow-mindedness and technical bigotry, and provide no useful information.

Sorry, so to use your words: Have you seen the larger screens with 240x320 on the HandEra 330 and Pocket PC devices? It is so much better than the small 320x320 screen on the Clies that there is no comparison. They are only going to get better as the Pocket PC devices go to 480x640 soon.

Oh, and have you seen the software APIs to handle varying screen resolutions under pretty much every other OS. They are so much better than Sony's pixel doubling software APIs that there is no comparison either. Yes, that obviously shows less narrow-mindedness and less technical bigotry, and provides more useful information. At least I made comparisons (large/small and square/rectangle), unlike "so much better ... there is no comparison". You can love your Clie, but you don't need to sleep with it.

RE: So it's 320x320?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/6/2002 10:14:02 AM #
Actually it's the other way around.

If you look at Clie and then look at pocketpc, you think you went from 1028x768 to 800x600 PC resolution.

Let's be clear here.

RE: So it's 320x320?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/6/2002 10:56:52 AM #
More like you went from a 15 inch monitor to a 17 inch one.

RE: So it's 320x320?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/6/2002 11:13:22 AM #
True, but would you prefer 17 inch with 800x600 resolution or 15 in with 1028x768?

I think the answer should be obvious unless you need magnifying glasses.

RE: So it's 320x320?
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/7/2002 12:04:42 PM #
> 320x320 = 4 X the resolution of 160x160, not double.

The area is four times 160 x160 but the resolution is twice. It's not like PC's where you can adjust the dispayed resolution. Resolution is given by the pixel size, not his surface and even less the surface of the screen.

True to say we will see four times more.

RE: So it's 320x320?
I.M. Anonymous @ 6/11/2002 2:37:45 PM #
1024x768
RE: So it's 320x320?
Changlinn @ 7/9/2002 12:10:06 AM #
All I can say is the palms and sonys are generally colour this is a big difference to the handera, I don't mind the look of the handera if it was colour I would own one. I don't like the sony's due to me not owning or wanting to own the proprietry memory stick.
I own compact flash the most flexable of the media, I want something I can change with my camera etc, and something that can store more than 5 mp3s...
If someone knows of a colour palmos based pda email morgan@morganstorey.com

COLOR THEMES FOR OS 5!

I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 11:02:10 AM #
I hope we get to see screen shots! I like this part:

Multimedia -- The ability to record sound and play CD-quality digital audio brings higher fidelity sound to mobile devices. Support for high-density screens (up to 320 x 320 pixels) doubles screen resolution, and new selectable color themes will let users customize devices.

I assume this means that all ARM devices will be 320x320 color with a hard grafitti area (which I support mind you, I think soft grafitti areas are confusing to the end user) and the OS will be SKINABLE!

Dave

RE: COLOR THEMES FOR OS 5!
markpmc @ 2/5/2002 11:16:27 AM #
I like the "idea" of a soft grafitti. I make far too many grafitti mistakes on my 710c. A soft grafitti area would give me the change to swap to the virtual keyboard w/o a loss of screen space.

just my thoughts,

Mark

RE: COLOR THEMES FOR OS 5!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 11:20:43 AM #
get a silkyboard!

RE: COLOR THEMES FOR OS 5!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 11:34:33 AM #
At work we have an iPaq (we develop software for both platforms) and I find the virtual Graffiti area too confusing, even with the virtual keyboard...

I personally own a m505, and I wouldn´t trade it but for another PalmOS handheld ;-)

RE: COLOR THEMES FOR OS 5!
I.M. @ 2/5/2002 11:42:17 AM #
Would you trade it for a Sony T615?

RE: COLOR THEMES FOR OS 5!
Islander @ 2/5/2002 12:18:31 PM #
Sony IS Palm OS.


RE: COLOR THEMES FOR OS 5!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/5/2002 1:08:50 PM #
Themes already exist for pre-OS5 color devices by using Backdrop GC (http://www.twilightedge.com) and Chrome (http://www.twinkletwinkle.com). Unfortunately, Backdrop GC still doesn't run on Sony Clie's.
Neither of these apps will probably run on OS 5 since hacks and system patches aren't allowed.

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