palm webos

Bell Offering $75 and $50 In-Store Credits on New Activations
IntoMobile (blog)
... in the promo include the new Bell BlackBerry Curve 3G, the Samsung Galaxy S, BlackBerry Bold 9700, and heck… even the Palm Pre is in on this one. ...

Boston Globe
Supposed Pictures of the Motorola XT300 Surface
MobileWhack.com
... will be a lower end Androdi powered device for Verizon Wireless and will feature a slide-out QWERTY keyboard and a form factor similar to the Palm Pre. ...
The Moto XT300 gets some more shots -- this time with video and in focus!Androinica (blog)
Motorola XT300 leaks, it's a portrait slider and runs AndroidUnwired View
More Pictures and Vids Showing Motorola XT300 LeakSoftpedia
Boston Globe
all 233 news articles »

Mobiletor.com
Palm Pre Plus smartphone
PC World Magazine
The Palm Pre Plus and the webOS platform are far from perfect. The Pre's hardware feels dated compared to the latest smartphones; it's slower and it's also ...
webOS 1.4.5 lands for Verizon Pixi Plus; Verizon Pre Plus & AT&T users standing byPreCentral.net (blog)
Palms Pre gets over clocked to 1GHzWirelessGround.com Blog (blog)

all 5 news articles »

Palm webOS 1.4.5 has been released for Pixi Plus on Verizon Wireless. And that means it’s game time!

 

With 1.4.5’s support for PDK gaming on the Pixi platform, Verizon Pixi Plus customers can now enjoy games built with the webOS PDK (Plug-in Development Kit), including 3D games. Popular titles now available for Pixi Plus on Verizon include “Crusade of Destiny,” “ExZeus,” “Galcon,” “Assassin's Creed - Altaïr's Chronicles” and “Need for Speed Undercover.”

 

You can find these and other great new games for Pixi Plus in the Palm App Catalog, so check them out. The detailed 1.4.5 release notes for Verizon Pixi Plus can be found here.

Paul A., Palm PR

WirelessGround.com Blog (blog)
webOS 1.4.5 lands for Verizon Pixi Plus; Verizon Pre Plus & AT&T users standing by
PreCentral.net (blog)
... both the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus on AT&T will get the update: all bets are off - the release notes for the Verizon Palm Pre Plus don't yet feature 1.4.5. ...
Palms Pre gets over clocked to 1GHzWirelessGround.com Blog (blog)

all 2 news articles »

 

We've heard a few rumors over the past few days that the Verizon Pixi Plus would receive webOS 1.4.5 before the Pre Plus would. That appears to be panning out as a few PreCentral members have let us know that they're downloading the update right now. Indeed, Palm has posted the release notes for the Verizon Pixi:

System

Palm Pixi and Palm Pixi Plus phones can now run 3D games and other apps developed with the webOS PDK. Check App Catalog for titles that are compatible with your phone.

This release includes minor fixes and enhancements to support the public release of the webOS PDK.

Web

If a user enters text in a field on certain websites, the screen focus now remains on the text being entered.
This release fixes a rare problem so that podcasts now download correctly.

Security

This release addresses several security issues with the Palm webOS software.

We’d like to thank Nils of MWR InfoSecurity and Chris Clark for their help in identifying the issues addressed in this release. Individuals interested in contacting Palm to report suspected security issues can find more information at palm.com/security.

The update comes just under three weeks after it arrived for Sprint users, bringing the PDK 3D Gaming goodness we've come to know and love (though several games aren't yet available for the Pixi). 

As for when the Pre Plus on Verizon and both the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus on AT&T will get the update: all bets are off - the release notes for the Verizon Palm Pre Plus don't yet feature 1.4.5.  In the meantime, Verizon Pixi users: tell us how it's treating you in our forums.

Remember: homebrewers should probably uninstall themes before updating and definitely should uninstall patches from this list of non-OTA-safe patches. Uninstalling kernels before the update is also the safest route.

Thanks Kurt & SuzukiGS750EZ!

 

We've heard a few rumors over the past few days that the Verizon Pixi Plus would receive webOS 1.4.5 before the Pre Plus would. That appears to be panning out as a few PreCentral members have let us know that they're downloading the update right now. Indeed, Palm has posted the release notes for the Verizon Pixi:

System

Palm Pixi and Palm Pixi Plus phones can now run 3D games and other apps developed with the webOS PDK. Check App Catalog for titles that are compatible with your phone.

This release includes minor fixes and enhancements to support the public release of the webOS PDK.

Web

If a user enters text in a field on certain websites, the screen focus now remains on the text being entered.
This release fixes a rare problem so that podcasts now download correctly.

Security

This release addresses several security issues with the Palm webOS software.

We’d like to thank Nils of MWR InfoSecurity and Chris Clark for their help in identifying the issues addressed in this release. Individuals interested in contacting Palm to report suspected security issues can find more information at palm.com/security.

The update comes just under three weeks after it arrived for Sprint users, bringing the PDK 3D Gaming goodness we've come to know and love (though several games aren't yet available for the Pixi). 

As for when the Pre Plus on Verizon and both the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus on AT&T will get the update: all bets are off - the release notes for the Verizon Palm Pre Plus don't yet feature 1.4.5.  In the meantime, Verizon Pixi users: tell us how it's treating you in our forums.

Remember: homebrewers should probably uninstall themes before updating and definitely should uninstall patches from this list of non-OTA-safe patches. Uninstalling kernels before the update is also the safest route.

Thanks Kurt & SuzukiGS750EZ!

HP Hires Former HTC Executive To Help With Palm Acquisition
MocoNews
... including City Year AmeriCorps organization, and consulting with startups (He also stood in line to be one of the first to own a Palm Pre!). ...

and more »

Unwired View
The Moto XT300 gets some more shots -- this time with video and in focus!
Androinica (blog)
The device has a Palm Pre look to it with a nice looking slide-out QWERTY portrait keyboard. The screen is noticeably smaller than any of the other DROID ...
Motorola XT300 leaks, it's a portrait slider and runs AndroidUnwired View

all 14 news articles »

This interactive artistic game has no limits — play with over 10,000 flying particles on the screen at one time and explore the endless ways to create fun and interesting patterns. Pixi Dust allows you to use one, two, three, four, or five fingers at the same time to control the gravity and position of the particles. By simply placing one finger on the screen, you can magically make new dust particles appear. With two fingers you can create a vortex, and with a third you can control the vortex with precision. Four and five fingers add to the mix of effects by adding in different colors of dust and the ability to stop time. This exciting new application will amuse you for hours and best of all its completely free. Try the app already downloaded by thousands of Palm customers worldwide and see what your imagination can build! Latest update now allows you to interact with the particles on the screen in over 11 different ways! See if you can find all the different gestures.

This interactive artistic game has no limits — play with over 10,000 flying particles on the screen at one time and explore the endless ways to create fun and interesting patterns. Pixi Dust allows you to use one, two, three, four, or five fingers at the same time to control the gravity and position of the particles. By simply placing one finger on the screen, you can magically make new dust particles appear. With two fingers you can create a vortex, and with a third you can control the vortex with precision. Four and five fingers add to the mix of effects by adding in different colors of dust and the ability to stop time. This exciting new application will amuse you for hours and best of all its completely free. Try the app already downloaded by thousands of Palm customers worldwide and see what your imagination can build! Latest update now allows you to interact with the particles on the screen in over 11 different ways! See if you can find all the different gestures.

Unwired View
Motorola XT300 leaks, it's a portrait slider and runs Android
Unwired View
This is the XT300, it's a portrait slider (like the Palm Pre) with a full QWERTY keyboard that looks very usable. It does, perhaps surprisingly, ...

and more »

Editor’s note: Today, we’re featuring a guest blogger – your intrepid editor’s son Rick,  who is 14 and almost as big a flight simulator buff as his dad. When I mentioned that I intended to do an”Interesting Apps” post on X-Plane, he quickly volunteered to do it for me!

We’re both big fans—I was probably one of the very first purchasers of X-Plane for webOS—and we’ve both had a blast playing the many versions of X-Plane that are available. Take it away, Rick!

I’ve played flight simulators for a long time, and when I first played X-Plane for webOS, I was amazed how well it compared to the desktop versions of X-Plane and other simulators. While most of the game apps I’ve played focus on making either the environment, characters, or gameplay beautiful, X-Plane was able to combine all of those characteristics into one amazing package.

The planes look fantastic, and the folks at X-Plane made sure the flight controls did the graphics justice, since each plane has should have its own unique flight characteristics. I compared some of the planes to the feel of their counterparts on other flight simulators on the PC, and they seem amazingly accurate.

The plane's detail is great!

The control scheme is easy to use, with a combination of buttons (landing gear, brakes), sliders (flaps, throttle), and the phone’s accelerometer (roll, pitch). The planes reacted smoothly to my directions. Anyone could pick this up and get the hang of it really fast. There are no real tutorials to speak of, and you don’t need them. At the start of each flight, an on-screen prompt reminds you how to get going, and that’s really all you need to take off quickly. Getting back down is a bit harder, of course!

The scenery is stunning!

The environments are big enough for the amount of time you’re likely to spend flying on such a small device, and there’s plenty of visual detail to enjoy. A pointer on the display shows you the way back to the airport so you don’t get lost.

X-Plane provides different viewpoints for use during flight and replays. You can change camera views to provide some very cinematic experiences, but I found myself favoring the standard heads-up display view while flying. Trying to fly while using exterior views can cause you to spin wildly out of control, unless your view is right behind the plane! There’s also an instruments-only view if you want to try your hand at flying without looking out the window.

The first-person HUD is informative and easy to read

There are several versions of X-Plane that are specific to different types of planes (and spacecraft!), which means that if you want to go from a little Cessna to a 747, you need to quit one version of X-Plane and start up another. Fortunately, game start-up is reasonably fast.

X-Plane Racer, screaming through the course

One of the versions that’s available is X-Plane Carrier, which consists of a variety of combat missions. The smooth controls combined with a simple shooting controls make it a fun, arcade-style game to play, although finding your enemies can be tricky.

The Phantom from X-Plane Carrier

As I flew in my virtual private jet over the Rocky Mountains, I realized that this is possibly one of the most fun flight simulators I’ve played, and that’s saying something. So if you sometimes feel the need for a quick flight simulator session, and you’re away from your desktop, X-Plane for webOS is the way to go!

Editor’s note: Today, we’re featuring a guest blogger – your intrepid editor’s son Rick,  who is 14 and almost as big a flight simulator buff as his dad. When I mentioned that I intended to do an”Interesting Apps” post on X-Plane, he quickly volunteered to do it for me!

We’re both big fans—I was probably one of the very first purchasers of X-Plane for webOS—and we’ve both had a blast playing the many versions of X-Plane that are available. Take it away, Rick!

I’ve played flight simulators for a long time, and when I first played X-Plane for webOS, I was amazed how well it compared to the desktop versions of X-Plane and other simulators. While most of the game apps I’ve played focus on making either the environment, characters, or gameplay beautiful, X-Plane was able to combine all of those characteristics into one amazing package.

The planes look fantastic, and the folks at X-Plane made sure the flight controls did the graphics justice, since each plane has should have its own unique flight characteristics. I compared some of the planes to the feel of their counterparts on other flight simulators on the PC, and they seem amazingly accurate.

The plane's detail is great!

The control scheme is easy to use, with a combination of buttons (landing gear, brakes), sliders (flaps, throttle), and the phone’s accelerometer (roll, pitch). The planes reacted smoothly to my directions. Anyone could pick this up and get the hang of it really fast. There are no real tutorials to speak of, and you don’t need them. At the start of each flight, an on-screen prompt reminds you how to get going, and that’s really all you need to take off quickly. Getting back down is a bit harder, of course!

The scenery is stunning!

The environments are big enough for the amount of time you’re likely to spend flying on such a small device, and there’s plenty of visual detail to enjoy. A pointer on the display shows you the way back to the airport so you don’t get lost.

X-Plane provides different viewpoints for use during flight and replays. You can change camera views to provide some very cinematic experiences, but I found myself favoring the standard heads-up display view while flying. Trying to fly while using exterior views can cause you to spin wildly out of control, unless your view is right behind the plane! There’s also an instruments-only view if you want to try your hand at flying without looking out the window.

The first-person HUD is informative and easy to read

There are several versions of X-Plane that are specific to different types of planes (and spacecraft!), which means that if you want to go from a little Cessna to a 747, you need to quit one version of X-Plane and start up another. Fortunately, game start-up is reasonably fast.

X-Plane Racer, screaming through the course

One of the versions that’s available is X-Plane Carrier, which consists of a variety of combat missions. The smooth controls combined with a simple shooting controls make it a fun, arcade-style game to play, although finding your enemies can be tricky.

The Phantom from X-Plane Carrier

As I flew in my virtual private jet over the Rocky Mountains, I realized that this is possibly one of the most fun flight simulators I’ve played, and that’s saying something. So if you sometimes feel the need for a quick flight simulator session, and you’re away from your desktop, X-Plane for webOS is the way to go!

As expected, Microsoft has turned on Exchange ActiveSync for Hotmail users. This means that Hotmail users can now get their email, calendar, and contacts fully pushed out to plenty of mobile devices, including webOS devices. 

To program Hotmail into Synergy, just start a new account in email and then punch in your hotmail credentials - but make sure you enter your password incorrectly. That part is crucial, as it will allow you to set up Hotmail manually instead of using webOS's default POP settings. After automatic setup fails, select "Manual Setup."

*Facepalm*. Plenty of folks on Twitter and in the comments remind us: On the add account screen, you can hit the upper-left menu to go directly to 'Manual Setup.' (Thanks everybody!) Then, on the Manual Setup Screen:

• Tap "POP" and switch the account type to "Exchange (EAS)"
• Set the Incoming Mail Server to "https://m.hotmail.com" (no quotes)
• Leave Domain blank
• Set your username to your full @hotmail email address (i.e. include @hotmail.com or @live.com)
• Enter your password, correctly this time.

That's it! You will now be getting all your Hotmail (or live.com mail) pushed out to you automatically and have your contacts and calendar sync'd up via Exchange.

More information from Microsoft here. Thanks to Joe for the tip!

As expected, Microsoft has turned on Exchange ActiveSync for Hotmail users. This means that Hotmail users can now get their email, calendar, and contacts fully pushed out to plenty of mobile devices, including webOS devices. 

To program Hotmail into Synergy, just start a new account in email and then punch in your hotmail credentials - but make sure you enter your password incorrectly. That part is crucial, as it will allow you to set up Hotmail manually instead of using webOS's default POP settings. After automatic setup fails, select "Manual Setup."

*Facepalm*. Plenty of folks on Twitter and in the comments remind us: On the add account screen, you can hit the upper-left menu to go directly to 'Manual Setup.' (Thanks everybody!) Then, on the Manual Setup Screen:

• Tap "POP" and switch the account type to "Exchange (EAS)"
• Set the Incoming Mail Server to "https://m.hotmail.com" (no quotes)
• Leave Domain blank
• Set your username to your full @hotmail email address (i.e. include @hotmail.com or @live.com)
• Enter your password, correctly this time.

That's it! You will now be getting all your Hotmail (or live.com mail) pushed out to you automatically and have your contacts and calendar sync'd up via Exchange.

More information from Microsoft here. Thanks to Joe for the tip!

WirelessGround.com Blog (blog)
Palms Pre gets over clocked to 1GHz
WirelessGround.com Blog (blog)
The Palm Pre will forever be known as the last of Palms attempts to keep afloat. The Palm Pre and the Palm Pixi were essentially the last two phones made by ...

Welcome to Facebook Week at PreCentral's Tip of the Day. We will be taking a look at the Facebook app on webOS and showing off some of the features of the app and providing a few tips on using it. While the official Facebook App will have many of the features we discuss, we will actually be focusing on the more feature-rich Facebook Beta App. Continue reading after the break to learn all about today's tip on installing and setting up the app. 

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Welcome to Facebook Week at PreCentral's Tip of the Day. We will be taking a look at the Facebook app on webOS and showing off some of the features of the app and providing a few tips on using it. While the official Facebook App will have many of the features we discuss, we will actually be focusing on the more feature-rich Facebook Beta App. Continue reading after the break to learn all about today's tip on installing and setting up the app. 

read more

 

We were pretty jazzed up about neato! for webOS last week and now that it's here, we thought it might be useful to show you all just how cool it is in video-form. What neato! does is let you a bookmark to any browser that you can use to send 'stuff' to your Pre or Pixi. Just have neato! running in the background, click the bookmark, and then:

• URLs: If you don't highlight any text in your browser, the URL for the page you're visiting gets opened up directly
• YouTube & Google Maps: If you happen to be looking at a YouTube video or a Google Map page, neato! will open those apps up directly
• Text: highlight some text and neato! will send that text to the neato! app on your phone so you can copy it
• Apps: Yep: highlight the URL for an app and you can send that to your phone to open it up either in the App Catalog or in Preware for direct installation

It's hard to 'get' until you've tried it, but trust us when we say it's well worth the $1.43 asking price. Check out a video showing how to do all of the above, after the break!

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