• att,  pre,  sprint,  verizon,  web os

    I’ve Got The ‘End of Contract’ Itch. What Do I Do Now?

    April 3, 2011 /

    Ok, so it’s clear that two things are not going to happen in the next two months:

    • HP and Sprint release the Pre 2 or Pre 3 running webOS 2.1 or later
    • Apple and Verizon or AT&T will release the iPhone 5 running iOS 4.3 or later

    So what am I suppose to do with my 22 month old Sprint edition Palm Pre running a pre-release beta build of webOS 2.0.1?

    I think for the next six months I’m going to continue on Sprint (with at least four months going contract free), buying a replacement stock Palm Pre/Pixi battery, and going back to webOS 1.4.5.

    My Pre has suffered the test of time and has at least three cracks in it’s exterior casing, and one of the cracks has caused the microUSB door to fall out.  (For the record, I didn’t break it off.)  The battery is holding about 60% charge these days, so a new battery is going to be a must to make it until Q4, which is when the iPhone 5 could be arriving.  (Some bloggers seem to think that the iPhone 5 will go live this summer with iOS 4, and get a major software upgrade in September or October.  Others think Apple will continue to run with the iPhone 4, in black and white, until the ‘September-ish’ timeframe.)

    So that brings me back to webOS.  Don’t get me wrong: webOS is a great operating system.  I really do like it.  It’s just that it isn’t grabbing the attention of consumers like iOS and Android are doing.  The webOS pre-release beta build that I have on my phone is working, however, the code isn’t optimized to run on 2-year old hardware, and it is a bit ‘sluggish’.  (HP, to their credit, hasn’t released webOS 2.0.1 to the Pre/Pixi toting public.  The experience would be sub-optimal to anyone except the hardcore Palm fan – something I still consider myself.)

    So, fellow Palm Pre users still rockin’ it on Sprint, what are we going to do on June 6, 2011?  Time is almost up.

    Read More
  • hp,  pre,  sprint,  web os

    HP: Still No webOS 2 Update for Sprint Pre Customers

    March 13, 2011 /

    It has been almost four months since HP/Palm introduced the world to webOS 2, and there is still no love for Sprint Pre customers.

    Anyone who has purchased a Sprint Pre, either on launch day or afterword, was told by HP, then still Palm, that webOS 2 would be coming to all current webOS devices; the Pre 2 and earlier, which, we believed to also include the Pixi line of smartphones.

    After HP’s acquision of Palm was completed, things changed a bit, and HP told Sprint Pre customers that a webOS 2 update was not coming as an OTA update and that in the coming weeks “alternate plans” would be made.  No details have been shared yet.  No updates have been released yet.  No new webOS phones have been announced with availability on Sprint.

    Winning!

    To check your eligibility for a webOS 2 update or for details on HP’s “alternate plans” for you, check out the HP webOS info page.

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  • hp,  pre,  sprint,  web os

    HP to Early Pre Owners: Go Buy a New Pre 3 If You Want webOS 2

    February 15, 2011 /

    HP has decided to give early adopters of their Pre and Pixi smartphone lines (all models) the cold shoulder for a webOS 2.x upgrade.

    Before being acquired by HP, Palm promised that all current model webOS phones, the Pre 2 and earlier, would receive a webOS 2 upgrade.  After the acquisition, the story hadn’t changed until HP’s webOS event last week.

    On the HP Palm blog, the following was posted:

    “And we also heard some concerns and frustration about a few specific issues, such as a lack of detail around product availability timing and pricing, and especially about the absence of future over-the-air updates for older webOS phones.

    Rest assured that the HP team has been hearing these concerns. To make the experience you’ll have with the Veer, Pre 3, and TouchPad as powerful as possible, we’ve had to make some tough decisions that had an impact on our earlier webOS devices.

    Our original expectation was that we’d be able to support older phones as well as the new product line. But ultimately it became clear that we would need to choose between supporting the past with over-the-air updates and ensuring that our upcoming devices would live up to your hopes and expectations for them. It was a difficult and, frankly, painful decision for us, and we realize it was a frustrating outcome for many of you.”

     Ok, I get it.  This is a business, and a lot of money was put up to purchase Palm’s assets.  But we’re not kids and HP isn’t fooling anyone.  This is about getting people to buy new phones, and rolling out webOS 2.x and 3.x for future devices; not the phones that Palm rolled during the past two years.

    What gets me worked up is that webOS 2.x for “[our] earlier webOS devices” is nearly complete.  In fact, I already have webOS 2.0.1 installed on my original stood-in-line-at-5am-June-2009 Sprint Palm Pre.  I received the software as part of an HP beta program that I’m participating in.  The software wasn’t delivered via a OTA update — so that much is true — rather it was delivered as a cabled webOS Doctor package.  And so, I have to ask the question: If webOS 2.0.1 is already 85%+ complete in a webOS Doctor update, why not just suck it up, and finish the package as the last update for the Pre and Pre Plus?

    And since I’m on a rant now, the thing that really hurts is being a loyal Palm fan for so long (1999) and having to keep waiting for the next platform.  How long did we have to wait for the Palm OS 6/Palm OS Cobalt/Palm OS for Linux vaporware before we finally got webOS?

    How long did we have to wait for the Pre after Palm was coasting on fumes from Treo 750 and Centro sales?

    And now, HP is asking us to stick with webOS for one more hardware/software cycle and then everything will be fine.  I’m just thinking about what happens two years from now when webOS 4 is just about done and the Pre 5 hardware is ready to go.  What kind of support will HP be providing the early Pre 3 owners?

    I honestly don’t know.  I’ll be using an Apple iPhone 5 on Verizon Wireless by then because Apple has proven that each device will receive at least one major OS upgrade beyond the major OS release the device shipped with.

    HP, this webOS 2 decision will go down as an epic fail in my book.  Sorry.  Just thought you would want to know.

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  • apple,  iphone,  pre,  sprint,  verizon

    Rumor: Is Sprint Talking to Apple About iPhone?

    February 2, 2011 /

    Call me a fanboy.  Call my a loyalist.  But when I find something that works for me, I stick with it.  That has been the case with Palm and Palm OS/webOS and it is also true of Apple and Sprint.

    I’ve been with Sprint for almost four years now.  I’ve gotten good customer service from them, their coverage is good in my area, and I’ve become friends with the local Sprint store staff.

    I’ve also used Palm’s gear for 10+ years now, and Apple’s computers since 1984; starting with the Apple ][e.

    Now that Apple has built a CDMA/EVDO iPhone for Verizon, the buzz on the Internet is practically deafening about when Sprint might ink a deal with Apple to bring the iPhone to the Now Network.

    PPCGeeks.com has an interesting article posted from last week asking if history is repeating itself.  I’ll let them explain.

    “Everyone noticed when Sprint quit promoting a certain part of their own EVO commercial on TV, which had one quote that stated “the EVO was a superior option to the iPhone 4”. Recently, Sprint altered this commercial to remove the iPhone 4 quote entirely.

    What beatweek noticed, and what we find interesting as well, is the fact that history seems to be repeating itself. Remember when Verizon had comments about the iPhone, barely a year ago, and then they eventually pulled this commercial, with no explanation, from the TV commercials? Well, Sprint is now doing the same thing.”

    Interesting.  I’d like to think that now that the CDMA iPhone hardware exists, Sprint is talking with Apple. I’d like to stay with Sprint, but with my 2-year contact for my Palm Pre set to expire in four months, I’m willing to jump to “Big Red” to get a pair of iPhones for my wife and I.  Either way, it looks like I’m ready to take a break from HP/Palm webOS devices.

    [Via PPCGeeks.com…]

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  • apple,  att,  blackberry,  droid,  evo,  google,  hp,  iphone,  ipod,  palm,  pre,  sprint,  torch,  touch,  verizon

    Year End Deals on iPods, iPads, iPhones, Smartphones

    December 27, 2010 /

    Didn’t get the cool new phone or iDevice for Christmas that you were hoping for?  Are you sitting on a pile of cash or gift cards?  Don’t worry!  There are still deals to be had on new and refurbished hardware between now and the end of the year.

    Apple (Refurbished Hardware)

    • iPod Classic (Silver or Black) – $209
    • iPod touch 32GB (third generation) – $229
    • iPod touch 64GB (third generation) – $299
    • iPad Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + 3G – $50-100 off refurbished units

    AT&T Wireless (Refurbished Hardware)

    • Apple iPhone 4 16GB – $99, $36 activation fee
    • Apple iPhone 4 32GB – $199, $36 activation fee
    • Apple iPhone 3GS 8/16/32GB – $29/$49/79, $36 activation fee
    • BlackBerry Torch – $9.99, activation fee waived
    • HP Palm Pre Plus – $0.00, activation fee waived
    • HTC Aria – $0.01, activation fee waived

    Keep reading for Verizon Wireless and Sprint phones.

    Sprint

    • BlackBerry Bold 9650 – $150 off online order
    • BlackBerry Curve 3G – $200 off online order
    • HP Palm Pixi – Free when ordered online
    • HTC Evo 4G – $150 off online order

    Verizon Wireless

    • HTC Droid Incredible – $149.99, BOGO
    • BlackBerry Curve 3G 9330 – $49.99, BOGO
    • BlackBerry Bold 9650 – $99.99, BOGO
    • HP Palm Pixi Plus – $0.00

    Depending on the phone model and service plan, a $36 activation fee may apply.

    Read More
  • facebook,  homebrew,  lifestyle,  palm,  pixi,  pre,  web os

    Palm Updates (Beta) Facebook Client

    November 22, 2010 /

    The other day I posted that new mobile Facebook clients for iOS, BlackBerry OS, and Google Android had popped up in their respective app stores.  On Friday evening, Palm posted their v1.4.5 update to the beta Facebook client which now includes support for the Facebook Paces feature.

    To learn more about how to install Palm beta applications on your webOS phone, hit the “Read more” link for some helpful information on how to get started.


    Since this is a beta application, it doesn’t show up in the App Catalog – version 1.4.0 shows up there, which introduced support for multiple webOS cards for Facebook.  (Think of webOS “cards” as separate browser windows or tabs.)

    To install the beta version of the Palm Facebook client, you must first install two pieces of software: WebOS Quick Install on your PC, and Preware on your Palm webOS phone.

    If you are unfamiliar with Homebrew apps, or installing WebOS Quick Install, then head over to PreCentral.net where you can read all about Homebrew apps and for the download and directions for installing WebOS Quick Install (free PreCentral forums registration is required.)

    Once you have WebOS Quick Install loaded on your Palm webOS phone, you are ready to install Preware, which is a fairly easy task when you use WebOS Quick Install.

    After you have installed Preware and launched it on your webOS phone, you can search for Facebook and find the beta client.  You install apps in the Palm beta channel the same way you install applications in Palm’s App Catalog and you’re ready to rock-n-roll.  To check for future updates to the beta Facebook client, launch Preware on your Palm every now and again and check the Updates section of the Preware screen.

    Sure, this all sounds really geeky and strange if you haven’t played with Homebrew apps on your Palm Pre or Pixi before, but it is really easy to do and opens the door to hundreds of great app that aren’t available directly from Palm.

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  • att,  hp,  pixi,  pre,  sprint,  verizon,  web os

    Palm Pre Reaches EOL Status at Sprint

    November 16, 2010 /

    According to a PreCentral.net article posted today, the Palm Pre, the original HP webOS device, has reached End of Life (EOL) status on the Now Network.

    “Today we’ve received word from a trusted Sprint source that the end is here for the original Palm Pre, with Sprint marking the device as EOL (End of Life). It’s not a surprise after it already disappeared from their site, but it’s still a blow: we still find that the largest and most loyal webOS contingent lives on Sprint.

    Quantities of new Palm Pre phones in Sprint warehouses are very low (we’re talking hundreds of units here), so it shouldn’t be too much longer before the phone is completely sold out.”

    With the Palm Pre gone, Sprint customers will only have the option of the original Palm Pixi should they want to use a Palm phone and stay with Sprint.  There has been no word as to whether or not Sprint will pick up the new HP Palm Pre 2 that has already gone on sale in O2’s network in France, and will be headed to Verizon and AT&T in the near future.

    Personally, without a new high-end HP Palm or Apple iPhone on Sprint’s Now Network, I’m not sure how long I’ll be sticking with Sprint past the end of my 2-year contact that I signed when I purchased my Pre.  Sprint, you have until April, 2011 to pick up either the HP Palm Pre 2 or newer device or an Apple iPhone.  If not, I’m heading for Verizon or AT&T.

    [Via PreCentral.net…]

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  • astraware,  hp,  pixi,  pre,  web os

    Astraware Releases Tradewinds 2 for HP webOS

    November 13, 2010 /
    Whether you are new to gaming on your smartphone or have been around for a long time, you owe it to yourself to check out the games that Astraware releases.  These guys make some of  the best mobile games around.

    Staffordshire, UK – November 11, 2010 – Astraware® and Sandlot Games® are excited to announce they are bringing the highly-acclaimed adventure trading game, Tradewinds® 2, to Palm® Pre™ and Pre Plus smartphones.

    Astraware has recently released its first games for webOS™, and is delighted to work with long-term partner Sandlot Games to add to the range of quality games on the App Catalog by bringing one of its most popular franchises to the platform.
    “Astraware continues to be a fantastic partner on a variety of platforms, bringing the best of our franchises to new users worldwide,” said Daniel Bernstein, CEO of Sandlot Games. “We look forward to the success of Tradewinds 2 on the webOS platform.”
    Based on the PC game of the same name, Tradewinds 2 is an adventure trading game set in the Caribbean. Players are invited to navigate a fascinating new world and discover uncharted ports teeming with friends and foes alike. They can be a master commander, defeating pirates and plundering their vast hordes of booty, or they can play it safe by trading exotic island goods, gradually amassing untold wealth, power and influence.
    “We’re delighted to work with Sandlot to bring Tradewinds 2 to webOS smartphones,” said Howard Tomlinson, CEO of Astraware. “Many long-time Palm users will know and love the Tradewinds games and we’re sure they’ll love the hours of in-depth game play, trading in goods, battling pirates and completing missions”.
    Tradewinds 2 is available now for Palm Pre and Pre Plus running webOS 1.4.5 from the App Catalog on device. For more information about the game, visit http://www.astraware.com/webos/tradewinds2.
    Read More
  • hp,  motionapps,  palm os,  pixi,  pre,  web os

    MotionApps Halts Sales of Classic, Turns Source Over to Palm [UPDATED}

    October 26, 2010 /

    [Editor’s Note: We have been contacted by MotionApps to let us know they are not closing down the company.]

    MotionApps, the developer behind Classic, the Palm OS emulation layer for HP webOS 1.x devices like the Pre and Pixi, has halted sales and turned over the source code and the intellectual property (IP) over to HP’s Palm unit.

    MotionApps has posted the following note to the Palm user community on their blog:

    “We are sad to announce that Palm has removed Classic’s ROM from the new webOS 2.0 device ROM which will result in Classic not working if utilized with Palm’s new webOS 2.0.
    This is contrary to our agreement with Palm and was done without our approval or consent. Based on this action, MotionApps will immediately stop selling Classic. However, as a courtesy to our clients, we will continue to support existing Classic customers on webOS 1.x for the immediate future.
    Be that as it may, we believe in PalmOS and we want to do what we can to help Palm succeed in their future endeavors. So we decided to hand over the entire Classic source code and all of our accompanying IP to Palm so that Palm can do what they want to do with Classic and make it available with webOS 2.0.
    Palm now has all the pieces to manage and control Classic’s future.
    Thank you all who supported us along the way and who love PalmOS the way we do.
    MotionApps Team”
    A similar message appears on the MotionApps main website that simply reads:
    “With the release of Palm webOS™ 2.0 MotionApps will no longer sell or support future versions of Classic.
    We have decided to hand the entire source code and all accompanying IP over to Palm so Palm can assume full control of Classic’s future life and shape.
    We had great time building Classic and supporting its vibrant community. Palm’s way of supporting MotionApps has become too disruptive for us and we no longer believe that we are in a position to provide our customers with the best product and service.
    Our work is who we are so we respectfully choose to exit.”
    So it appears that MotionApps, as a company, closing down along the decision to halt sales of Classic as a third-party application.
    As a Classic owner, I’m sorry to see it go, however, I have received little or no utility out of Classic recently.  This is mostly to do with the fact that I am no longer using Palm OS apps on my original Sprint Pre.  I’m willing to bet that HP thinks that most of their customers will be in the same boat as me or, simply, they may just want to the cord with Palm OS.  Either way, it doesn’t matter, what’s done is done.
    The interesting thing that will happen sooner or later is that all of us who purchased Classic for $30 will be forced to HP webOS 2.0 when is gets pushed out as an over-the-air update to our Pre and Pixi smarphones once our wireless carriers certify the new software.  What remains to be seen is whether or not a customer can decline the receipt of a major HP webOS upgrade like 2.0 and continuing using webOS 1.x and Classic.

    Update:

    MotionApps has contacted informed me they are not closing down, but, rather, simply halting the sale and further development of Classic.

    “MotionApps, as a company, is not closing down along the decision to halt sales of Classic as a third-party application.

    We are simply shutting down Classic as a product only to focus on other products and services that we are working on, some of which are public and some of which are yet to be released in the future.”

    I’m glad to hear that MotionApps is staying in the software game and look forward to their new projects.
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