Palm Developer Network Announced

Posted By: Ryan Wednesday, September 13, 2006 10:00:02 AM

Reaffirming its commitment and ongoing support to the developer community worldwide, Palm today unveiled the Palm Developer Network (PDN). PDN is designed for mobile hardware and software developers targeting Palm products and is the first formal developer program to include both Palm OS and Microsoft Windows Mobile Pocket PC developers.

The new program provides focused technical, business and marketing support, and replaces Palm's prior, successful developer program, PluggedIn. New services include a support library to answer developer questions, and a "Designed For Palm Products” compatibility test and logo program to help validate that the mobile solutions are compatible with Palm devices. Additional developer services are available for members of Palm's Select Developer Program – an invite-only group of top developers who consistently deliver highly valued consumer or business applications to customers worldwide.

Palm PDN "Third-party mobile solutions are a critical element of the Palm Experience,” said Mike Rank, director of developer relations for Palm, Inc. "Palm is committed to helping our developers grow their businesses and be successful in the competitive marketplace. PDN makes it easier for Palm developers to ramp sales, increase profitability and strengthen brand value.”

Through the Palm Developer Network, developers can build a wide range of applications for Palm devices to meet the needs of consumers, mobile professionals and enterprise mobile-solution users, including:

multimedia;
location-based services;
Sales Force Automation (SFA);
Field Force Automation (FFA);
financial applications;
healthcare;
security;
games;
productivity tools;
travel; and
industry-specific solutions.

Key New Services for Developers

Palm Select Developer Program
The Select Developer Program is a new program for Palm's top developer partners who are responsible for driving significant business with Palm. This program offers select developers additional premium technical, marketing and sales services. Select program participation is by Palm invitation only; partner solutions must have successfully completed "Designed For Palm Products” compatibility testing for Select Developer consideration.

Comprehensive Knowledge Base
Palm developers will have access to a new technical knowledge base that simply, quickly and comprehensively searches the entire Palm developer support documentation library to answer their technical questions.

"Designed For Palm Products” Program
This new service executes a suite of compatibility tests appropriate for a mobile solution on Palm devices configured for typical customer usage. Solutions that successfully complete compatibility testing are awarded the "Designed For Palm Products” logo, enabling developers to extend brand value through the Palm brand. As a result, customers have greater confidence in their purchase, knowing that these developer solutions deliver on Palm's high standards of excellence. Also, successful completion makes the developer solution eligible for premium product promotion and sale through various Palm stores, such as Software Connection and Addit. A nominal fee covers testing by an independent third-party mobile testing firm, Quality Partners.

Palm Solution Directory
Once a solution has successfully completed compatibility testing, it's eligible for a promotion through the new PDN Solution Directory. Palm customers worldwide will be able to search the Solution Directory for third-party applications. The PDN Solution Directory will be launched in late 2006.

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PalmSource U R Fired!

LiveFaith @ 9/13/2006 7:18:10 PM #

What does this say for the state of Palm & Palmsource, when the hardware company starts it's own developer community? It appears that ALPOs is not going to be in Palm's dinner bowl.

Pat Horne

RE: PalmSource U R Fired!

just_little_me @ 9/13/2006 9:56:23 PM #

Umm hello... they've had their own dev program for years now - it was called PluggedIn. This is just a re-org and a re-name for the new owner of that department.

JLM.

Time to burn some Astroturf

The_Voice_of_Reason @ 9/14/2006 12:53:31 AM #

Umm hello... they've had their own dev program for years now - it was called PluggedIn. This is just a re-org and a re-name for the new owner of that department.

Dearest just_little_me,
Why don't you tell everyone who pays your salary.

Palm's PluggedIn program was (and still is) a farce. Palm treats developers like lepers

nothing to do with PalmSource

cervezas @ 9/14/2006 2:18:04 AM #

This doesn't say anything either way about Palm's interest in ALP. As JLM suggests, it looks like more of the same under a different name.

David Beers
Pikesoft Mobile Computing
www.pikesoft.com/blog

Palm Inc vs Access showdown. A game of chess.

VampireLestat @ 9/15/2006 4:16:34 AM #

ALP is dead, for the simple reason that is Linux/MAX with a Palm OS emulator and not Palm OS on a Linux kernal.

If Palm Inc is going to abandon Palm OS, it will do it by licensing WM, not ALP.

Palm Inc. appears to be dirty because they kind of forced PalmSource to abandon OS 6 a and make ALP. Now, just my opinion, I suspect they will leave PalmSource out to die.

Then again, Access had no business threatening Palm Inc by engaging in an insane bidding war against Palm Inc for PalmSource; in what I consider to be a hostile takeover of Palm OS, the once foundation of Palm Inc. Access better have other licensees or else they might soon be regreting the takeover. hmm... maybe that is why Access focused on LinuxMAX as the core and not Palm OS, maybe with the hope of finding different licensees.

Both of these companies are playing or corporate chess and I am having hard time determining who is winning the game.

RE: Palm Inc vs Access showdown. A game of chess.

VampireLestat @ 9/15/2006 4:27:37 AM #

Even though PluggedIn already existed, this new developer program smells like a new initiative to phase out PalmSource/Access and go on with the business of making an in house Palm OS.

OR!

OOOORRRRRR......

brace yourself...

I would not be surprised at all if Palm Inc simply announces that negotiations with Access failed, that they cannot get OS 5 rights, and they feel they must make a total shift to WM. Now there is a shocker for you.

Access probably might tell Palm Inc to F-off in respect to its attempts to get OS 5. Why? Out of spite. If Palm is going to destroy PalmSource by not licensing ALP, then Access has no interest in helping Palm Inc undermind them.

RE: Palm Inc vs Access showdown. A game of chess.

SeldomVisitor @ 9/15/2006 6:34:30 AM #

It will be interesting to see, over the next week+, what's happening with PALM - earnings conference and shareholders meeting shortly thereafter...oooooh...wonder if something is up?

Datapoint? Vague at best - no 13Gs yet - how strange!

RE: Palm Inc vs Access showdown. A game of chess.

Gekko @ 9/15/2006 7:12:29 AM #

Vampire - You socialists in canada and europe may not like it, but it's called free market capitalism.

RE: Palm Inc vs Access showdown. A game of chess.

margerum @ 9/15/2006 12:33:51 PM #

>ALP is dead, for the simple reason that is Linux/MAX with a Palm >OS emulator and not Palm OS on a Linux kernal.

I dont know if ALP is dead but it sure seems like the palmOS API has been EOL'd

Hey palmOne... have fun competing against the $199 motorola Q!

RE: Palm Inc vs Access showdown. A game of chess.

VampireLestat @ 9/15/2006 2:01:02 PM #

Motorola Q, hmm...

I hear alot of talk about that device. I have been so loyal to Palm devices that I sometimes don't even pay attention to the competition. (other than PPC).

I am going to look into this Moto Q, see what all the hype is.

RE: Palm Inc vs Access showdown. A game of chess.

AdamaDBrown @ 9/15/2006 2:08:33 PM #

VL, Palm doesn't need to negotiate for rights to OS 5--they have a guaranteed license until 2009 or 2010, from their last negotiation with PalmSource. The deal that was broken was co-development rights to the Palm OS property, and the next OS.

Also, if you're looking at the Moto Q, you might also consider checking out the T-Mobile Dash or the Cingular 3125. No wireless broadband, but they do have nicer designs.

RE: Palm Inc vs Access showdown. A game of chess.

Foo Fighter @ 9/15/2006 2:39:07 PM #

>> "Also, if you're looking at the Moto Q, you might also consider checking out the T-Mobile Dash or the Cingular 3125. No wireless broadband, but they do have nicer designs."

My contract with Cingular expires in December, and starting today I am now eligible for a subsidized phone upgrade. Ironic considering I technically don't own a Cingular phone and never received once since subscribing. That's another story.

My quandry is the ideal smartphone (for my tastes) doesn't exist. I desire something akin to the hideously ugly i-Mate JAQ; a Pocket PC phone with a standard-sized display (or better still..VGA) and QWERTY keyboard, but in a thinner sleeker form factor. A PPC version of the Q, if you will.

The current smartphone selection available, including the 3125, doesn't appeal to me. I have my choice of lackluster devices that range from the lame and ugly brick-like 8125...the crackberries...the HP blackberry clone that runs on WinMob 2003..or any peasant fare dumb phone. Nothing in that list screams "OMFG!!! BUY ME!!!"

The only devices floating around that strike my fancy are the Asus P525 and the mysterious TechFaith Wireless Samsung i600 clone. But neither support 3G, and in the case of the latter..no EDGE support either. And of course none are available through Cingular.

I may wait and see which new smartphone models Cingular adopts. For me the most interesting smartphone is the HTC Excalibur. But I don't think I could stand downgrading to its 2.4" screen coming from a Nokia E61 with its spacious 2.8" widescreen display. PPC phones are more to my liking anyway (if I had to go that route), and Cingular will soon be rolling out its version of the HTC TyTn. But I have read a great deal of production issues plague the TyTn.

Needless to say, there don't seem to be too many solid options avialable to me. WiFi is a must, that I know.

-------------------------------
PocketFactory, www.pocketfactory.com
Elitist Snob, www.elitistsnob.com

RE: Palm Inc vs Access showdown. A game of chess.

cervezas @ 9/15/2006 3:41:25 PM #

Cingular just announced the Nokia E62. $149. Just like the E61 only no Wi-Fi and only an EDGE radio (no 3G).

http://www.e-series.org/archives/112

It seems that the US network operators have pretty much decided that for the time being they're not going to let any new phones on their networks if they have Wi-Fi capabilities. (Another reason the phone vendors are going with Transflash? Knock out the Wi-Fi SDIO cards?) Have to wonder if Cingular had big regrets about the 8125 (users not anteing up for an unlimited Cingular data plan). There may come a day in this country when I have to break out my 5 year-old Handspring Visor with the Sprint phone and Wi-Fi modules to get voice and broadband in the same device.

David Beers
Pikesoft Mobile Computing
www.pikesoft.com/blog

Moto Q and others.

VampireLestat @ 9/15/2006 7:49:44 PM #

I just like to pretend I would consider cell phones / pdas from other companies.
History shows that I pretty much always buy Palm and HP/Dell PPC devices. That is unlikely to change. But who knows.