Comments on: Foundations Laid For OpenGL GPU Support In webOS 1.3.5

Did you actually read the title and content of the article? Nobody said it was ready. Saying that clear evidence of it's coming reality means nothing, is like saying that making it to Colorado from NY means nothing because you are not yet to California.

The point is the Palm IS bringing it and has laid a foundation for it. That's how things normally get accomplished.
Pat Horne

Had Palm never spun off PalmSource we wouldn't even be having this silly discussion right now!
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... just realized my PIC id is #84 - almost 10 years on this site :)

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Aaron Ardiri
PalmOS Certified Developer

1. A prosumer-style "Treo" w/ WebOS. No slider, just a tall, thin device. Give it the keyboard of the Treo 800w or at least the Treo Pro, at least the Pre's screen (3.5"+ would be even better) and a generous battery (borrowed from, say, the Treo Pro). Add to that video capture, a fast CPU, solid built quality, and availability in GSM & CDMA flavors, and Palm might have a chance at the higher end of the market. Thin is still in, but bigger screens and resolutions are here to stay!

2. A WebOS tablet. All of those gestures that seem inane on the silly little gesture area mated to a 2 or 3-inch screen become a LOT easier and more intuitive. Something like, oh, 7" to 9" with the industry netbook-standard 1024x600 would be a nice start. So far Android seems DOA on anything other than smartphones. THIS is Palm's opportunity to strike! I've been saying that WebOS seems to be a natural fit with its card metaphor on a larger tablet-style device ever since CES last year.

3. Address the main shortcomings of WebOS in future builds: the dreadful performance, the dreadful battery life, no removable storage support, no video recording, no native voice memo app, weak-ass PIMs, no local sync (even as an option), no voice dialing over BT, weak email client etc etc. Also start fresh with WebOS 2.0 and ditch the gesture area & button/nub. That is precious real estate that would be better suited towards giving Palm's device larger screens and/or keyboards. All necessary multitouch gestures can be done onscreen. This is not 1996 with Palm OS 1.0 and we do not need a dedicated "area" for anything any more.

Also, bring back d-pad support and/or some kind of onscreen zoom & navigation support as a fallback should Apple get litigious and play hardball (ala Xerox with Graffiti 1's strokes). I don't miss multitouch ONE BIT on my Droid and to date keep those gestures disabled on all of my note/netbooks that support it. The only one I find remotely intuitive is pinch zoom.
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Palm's comments from the last earnings call were seen & duly noted by me. Also, you're right in that Android might have many warts and usability shortcomings, but it's free and is being updated on a breakneck pace.

I am sticking to my guns with my firm belief believe that Ruby & co. have no long-term plan other than a mantra of "sell, sell, sell"....or are just now scrambling to develop one with the realization that there are no deep-pocketed suitors interested in Palm at the moment. Honest-to-goodnesss, I think Palm management and Elevation Partners both figured that they were gonna be able to unload Palm for beaucoup $ at some point in the post-CES frenzy and subsequent run-up of Palm stock price.

Let's rewind the clock for a minute: WebOS was present at CES '09, the Pre present at CES, and the Pixi was rumored/leaked to us at CES. The GSM Pre was spotted in Barcelona at MWC a month or so later. Then we have the recent words from Ruby that Palm are sticking to the Pre & Pixi, so that squashes any hope for a WebOS tablet, a Fooleo 2.0, a WebOS Treo etc. So, we can basically surmise that Palm's effective lineup for 2009 AND 2010 was "done" over a year ago. Palm had nothing on their long-term agenda aside from carrier maneuverings & software-related items. We may see the Pre & Pixi formfactors getting as long in the tooth as the Treo 600 and T|E did.

Sure, they can make under the hood changes such as more storage or wi-fi to the Pixi...but neither WebOS device has set the world of industrial design on fire the way the Palm V did. That makes me personally quite worried by Palm's reliance on two underwhelming devices.
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I can't find any link-back to anyone quotable at Amazon or in their press release elsewhere to support the statement verifying they are looking a books above $0 besides Kafka's implication he had it direct. If you find one, please drop me line.
Not "Pre-verted"- Android Assimilation?